I have always been intrigued by numbers, especially the way our brain usually is unable to get a good idea of numbers. We don’t easily grasp large numbers. That is why each journalist uses comparison tricks. Especially we are unable to understand exponential growth. We just don’t get it. The famous NASA ‘tenfold’ video is a good example. In each few seconds the viewing distance is multiplied with ten, starting one meter above a couple having pick nick in a park. You don’t need an awful lot of 10-fold sequences to escape the milky way!
However, I just was guided to a wonderful website of chris jordan, an artist who uses photographs to give us an idea about ‘numbers’ in waste: 32.000 barbie dolls to signify the number of breast enlargements every month in the USA. 320.000 light bulbs, signifying the amount of kilowatthours wasted every minute in the USA s as a consequence of ineffeciency. Wonderful how he brings into life enormous numbers, and a society based on overspending. And beautiful photography!
Tags: art & literature, numbers, waste