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[[Tsunami Pants]] | [[Tsunami Pants]] | ||
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==== Introduction. ==== | ==== Introduction. ==== | ||
- | == Surviving | + | == Engaging |
In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of: | In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of: | ||
* environmental sustainability | * environmental sustainability | ||
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That is the tragedy in which the inventor Martin Brolin is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off | That is the tragedy in which the inventor Martin Brolin is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off | ||
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==== Context ==== | ==== Context ==== | ||
- | == Climate Change. == | + | == Inconvenience. == |
This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shapes the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' | This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shapes the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' | ||
What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions. | What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions. | ||
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If we want to look at sustainable ways of living we should look at the lowest classes in society. I suspect the higher classes have been living in unsustainable patterns for longer. | If we want to look at sustainable ways of living we should look at the lowest classes in society. I suspect the higher classes have been living in unsustainable patterns for longer. | ||
+ | == Positive change. == | ||
Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the ' | Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the ' | ||
- | * brief summary of the cultural/ | + | == Tsunamipants applied in a society of risks. == |
- | + | ||
- | == Society and risk. == | + | |
Western society has put increasing efforts into the elimination of risk. Populations are kept safe by systems of regulations, | Western society has put increasing efforts into the elimination of risk. Populations are kept safe by systems of regulations, | ||
+ | == Precautionary principle. == | ||
The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don' | The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don' | ||
+ | == Social risk positions. == | ||
Ulrich Beck has discerned two main types of risks: | Ulrich Beck has discerned two main types of risks: | ||
* external risks: natural disasters. | * external risks: natural disasters. | ||
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Douglas and Wildavsky' | Douglas and Wildavsky' | ||
- | Hierarchists, | + | * Hierarchists, |
- | Egalitarians, | + | |
- | Individualists, | + | |
- | Fatalists, who feel it is all inevitable. | + | |
+ | == International organisations. == | ||
Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) | Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) | ||
'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, | 'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, | ||
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== Related projects. == | == Related projects. == | ||
- | [[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. There is a long tradition of mad-scientist and eccentric inventors in fiction. There are other art and design projects, that tackle the same problem. | + | [[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. There is a long tradition of mad-scientist and eccentric inventors in fiction. There are other art and design projects, that tackle the same problem.\\ |
Some are closely related, use humor like: | Some are closely related, use humor like: | ||
* The Yesmen, made the survivaball. | * The Yesmen, made the survivaball. | ||
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* Adam Whinton and Yolita Nugent' | * Adam Whinton and Yolita Nugent' | ||
* Intercative clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan. | * Intercative clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan. | ||
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- | * concise summary of the problem domain/s that the research explores, or the specific aims of the research undertaken. | + | == The problem domain.== |
Since last year (2006) FoAM is adapting to a working method and living method that reduces our negative impact on living conditions for life on Earth. We are aware of the great need for this to happen, not just for members of our organization but for society as a whole. We would like to activate others to reduce their damage to the biosphere and society too. So at some point, and it has already arrived, our organization is going to communicate about issues concerning these environmental and social crises. | Since last year (2006) FoAM is adapting to a working method and living method that reduces our negative impact on living conditions for life on Earth. We are aware of the great need for this to happen, not just for members of our organization but for society as a whole. We would like to activate others to reduce their damage to the biosphere and society too. So at some point, and it has already arrived, our organization is going to communicate about issues concerning these environmental and social crises. | ||
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My aim is to show the ridiculous way in which we sometimes go about constructing solutions for climate-change problems. Martin Brolin is created to explore a way of engaging with this crisis in an uplifting way, by showing just such flawed design-strategies. | My aim is to show the ridiculous way in which we sometimes go about constructing solutions for climate-change problems. Martin Brolin is created to explore a way of engaging with this crisis in an uplifting way, by showing just such flawed design-strategies. | ||
- | Saint Francis of Assisi. | + | |
- | Giving environmental problems a direct physical presence for people is one of the great obstacles within the debate. Things happen too slow to see and feel, but extreme weather that is associated with climate change is very tangible. Although it is too big to bring to peoples physical reality, like Saint Francis of Assisi often did, extreme weather suits the ' | + | |
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* if the actual outcomes are different than the expected outcome, the reasons for this should be explained in the " | * if the actual outcomes are different than the expected outcome, the reasons for this should be explained in the " | ||
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- | * concise description of the way the research will be (has been) developed from establishing the problem definition to the final results | + | == Designing Tsunamipants, |
The first step to design portable safety technology for natural disasters is to make a full list of these horrors. From this the first opportunities for design become apparent. This can be complemented by a list of controversial technologies, | The first step to design portable safety technology for natural disasters is to make a full list of these horrors. From this the first opportunities for design become apparent. This can be complemented by a list of controversial technologies, | ||
Making a collection of historic and current solutions in wearable safety systems, gives a greater scope of possibilities in this field. | Making a collection of historic and current solutions in wearable safety systems, gives a greater scope of possibilities in this field. | ||
- | Designing Martin Brolin. | + | == Designing Martin Brolin. |
The narrative structure of this research hinted at the value of having a central character. While driving to the supermarket, | The narrative structure of this research hinted at the value of having a central character. While driving to the supermarket, | ||
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- | * justification | + | == Justification |
+ | One person in particular inspired me to design these strange contraptions; | ||
+ | Giving environmental problems a direct physical presence for people is one of the great obstacles within the debate. Things happen too slow to see and feel, but extreme weather that is associated with climate change is very tangible. Although it is too big to bring to peoples physical reality, like Saint Francis of Assisi often did, tsunamipants resemble the ' | ||