Decomposers and Climate Change is the title of my Environmental Sustainability Studies capstone; consisting of a literature review evaluating the effects of climate change on decomposition, and an installation artwork titled New Soil. The artwork is an archeological dig site of our modern times, highlighting the aspects of our lives that cannot decompose. The Anthropocene, our current epoch, marks the profound human impact on Earth's environment and biodiversity. Our geological record is distinguishable from earlier times due to plastics lithified in sedimentary rock, where earlier societies left ceramic or metal tools. New Soil works in conjunction with Eliana Pinkert's Fine Art Independent Project, which analyses the generational impact of political events in Chinese history and is located next to New Soil. Both works invite the viewer to consider what we leave behind for future generations to unearth.
