the neo earth

While visiting MoMA on my last trip to New York City, I chanced upon an artwork that intrigued my thoughts on creating a series of posters focusing on environmental issues.

Since I returned from my trip, I’ve been pondering through my thoughts on how I could put that art work to use. And that was how the “If only” series was born. Let’s hope it doesn’t end here, and here is a draft of my work:

I appreciate all fair comments to help me improve on this poster!

[03/27/12 - Just updated it again! Thank you all for the feedback!]

As I woke up drowsily from a lack of sleep this morning, and I took my usual piss in the bathroom, an idea suddenly struck me. You see, I was reading an article on Peak phosphorous update. The article mentioned of how the world supply of phosphate has peaked and supply is dropping. It also mentioned how most of these phosphate went into our waterways to pollute it with algae growth which eventually ends up in the oceans (affecting our marine life).

Phosphorous is a key element to plant growth. However, it also causes algae growth and soil erosion. Phosphor assists plants to convert nitrogen and other chemicals, together with sunlight into food. Without Phosphate, the plant’s growth will be stunted.

So where are we supposed to find all these phosphate to feed the plants to provide us with the oxygen that we need and jump start the food cycle? The answer lies with in your urine.  98% of Nitrogen, 68% of Phosphor, and 85% of potassium can be recovered from urine. Am I hearing the plants say Yum!? Yet, we are not gonna go around pissing into the bushes or start conserving our urine in bottles to pour them into the soil after that. Everyone will start going – YUCK!

Here is where the ingenious idea will come in! Link the urinals from the men’s bathroom all the way to where the plants are! And because there’s no sunlight between the walls, pipes and the underground, algae will not grow! On top of it, dual purposes are served when you flush the urinals – clean urinals and watered plants! Say goodbye to stinking waterless urinals that simply do not work!

Friends of mine will know my love for automobiles. I shall not declare which of the two I love more (autos or environment), because I don’t have an answer for it. What I can tell you is, I cannot agree with theorists from either side who has outrageous demands over the other.

Fans of the automotive world should agree with me that Top Gear is the #1 rated show of the industry. And fans of the show will agree that the show is what it is today because of Jeremy Clarkson. His TV persona of disregarding anything on this planet other than he himself made him the love me or hate me star of Top Gear.

Even as a fan of the series and Clarkson himself, I don’t agree with him all the time. According to Dr. Clarkson on the day he received his first honorary degree, “The world can look after itself, we should enjoy it as best as we can”. I beg to differ.

No doubt the world can heal itself, just like how the Ozone layer has repaired the damages caused by the world population in recent years. But the matter of fact that no amount of will to heal can overcome constant damage remains. A boy’s wound can be healed in a matter of days, but as he grows older, the process to heal takes a tad longer. Add on the repeated damage,  the chances of recovery slowly diminishes.

I think of the world as a middle-age man. The problems it faces now, its “mid-life crisis”. It faces the dilemma of advancing for a better, or should I say an easier future for its population, and also the need to save itself from accelerated destruction.

As a subscriber to the mentality of convenience, I want convenient transportation options to remain. As  a friend of the environment, I propose all those gas-guzzling, slow-moving, smoke bellowing autos to be turned into sheet metal for a brighter and clearer future.

Thus, Clarkson’s quote should read, “Make the world self-sustainable, and enjoy it for as long as we can”.