Michelle Attard
As a dinosaur enthusiast I know all too well about animals becoming extinct. As an animal enthusiast I do not wish to see other species end up like the beloved dinosaurs. Working on this project has definitely affected me; it is now something that I will promote to people I know who work in tall buildings, and hopefully through word of mouth the message can spread.
I believe our project was a definite success, as was seen in the enthusiasm in our classroom, as well as the response we got from most instructors as the prints were being handed out. The printmaking itself took a lot longer than I had ever anticipated, but it was definitely worth it in the end. I would like to know one day if the prints did make a difference, in which case I will have to get in contact with the maintenance department at the school who cleans up the dead birds every morning.
So how do I feel now about migratory birds? Well, I feel it is completely unfair to the animals, who have no voice to speak up for themselves, that they have to endure such terrifying and deadly flights every year, so that we may have buildings that are "pretty" by designing them with way too much glass - especially highly reflective glass.
I believe that there should be laws against building materials that are stationary death traps for flying indiviualds. As I spoke about in class during our presentations, building owners are now being fined for causing the deaths of species at risk migratory birds. Designers should be making their buildings out of materials that will not attract the birds, and should be making them out of materials that would deter the birds.
By having people turn off their overhead lights in the evening hours and overcast days, we can hopefully save a few lives every year, and if everyone participated, all across the city, province, country, etc. then who knows how many birds could be saved! Education is the first step to correcting any problem, but so long as people are, well, kept in the dark on the issue, progress cannot be made. I am hoping that these prints will spark conversation among people, where education will spread. Word of mouth is a powerful tool, and through our six degrees of separation, we can make a difference.
Unfortunately, the sad truth behind the matter is that there are people out there who simply do not care. Animals, environmental degradation, climate change, etc., mean nothing to some people, and this small group of individuals are not likely to change their behaviours to help out others. But we must push past the naysayers and move on in a positive and forward direction, because just like a question one may get stuck on in an exam, we cannot waste our time on something that we can not fix or change. I wish to always see birds in the sky, and not just behind glass in a museum setting like their reptilian ancestors.
In closing, I once learned from a tale of a little hummingbird who tried to put out a forest fire, that one individual can make a difference, just by doing everything that they can.
I believe our project was a definite success, as was seen in the enthusiasm in our classroom, as well as the response we got from most instructors as the prints were being handed out. The printmaking itself took a lot longer than I had ever anticipated, but it was definitely worth it in the end. I would like to know one day if the prints did make a difference, in which case I will have to get in contact with the maintenance department at the school who cleans up the dead birds every morning.
So how do I feel now about migratory birds? Well, I feel it is completely unfair to the animals, who have no voice to speak up for themselves, that they have to endure such terrifying and deadly flights every year, so that we may have buildings that are "pretty" by designing them with way too much glass - especially highly reflective glass.
I believe that there should be laws against building materials that are stationary death traps for flying indiviualds. As I spoke about in class during our presentations, building owners are now being fined for causing the deaths of species at risk migratory birds. Designers should be making their buildings out of materials that will not attract the birds, and should be making them out of materials that would deter the birds.
By having people turn off their overhead lights in the evening hours and overcast days, we can hopefully save a few lives every year, and if everyone participated, all across the city, province, country, etc. then who knows how many birds could be saved! Education is the first step to correcting any problem, but so long as people are, well, kept in the dark on the issue, progress cannot be made. I am hoping that these prints will spark conversation among people, where education will spread. Word of mouth is a powerful tool, and through our six degrees of separation, we can make a difference.
Unfortunately, the sad truth behind the matter is that there are people out there who simply do not care. Animals, environmental degradation, climate change, etc., mean nothing to some people, and this small group of individuals are not likely to change their behaviours to help out others. But we must push past the naysayers and move on in a positive and forward direction, because just like a question one may get stuck on in an exam, we cannot waste our time on something that we can not fix or change. I wish to always see birds in the sky, and not just behind glass in a museum setting like their reptilian ancestors.
In closing, I once learned from a tale of a little hummingbird who tried to put out a forest fire, that one individual can make a difference, just by doing everything that they can.