Jul 27 2009
Glimpse a “redesigned” future at EcoLogic
By Erika Dicker
In nature there is no such thing as waste. Everything gets used and reused in great natural cycles. For millions of years, water and carbon have flowed through the air, sea, land, plants, and animals.
The basic carbon cycle goes something like this: When the sun shines onto plants they take in carbon dioxide from the air and store it as glucose. When humans or animals eat the plants, we burn off the glucose as energy, which involves breathing in and out. When we breathe out we release carbon dioxide back into the air. The cycle then repeats.
Human activities are changing natural flows of carbon and water, and affecting the future of life on Earth. There is general agreement among scientists that we are changing the global climate. Australia’s climate has changed many times before but this time we will be here to experience it.
The EcoLogic exhibition held at the Powerhouse Museum as part of National Science Week is all about the way we use the world and redesigning the way we live. It’s about caring for our environment, our economy, tomorrow’s children and ourselves – without destroying the Earth.
Nioaka is a native grass that makes a fine lawn in coastal areas and needs very little watering. It uses only half the amount of water that's soaked up by more traditional lawns. Photo by Powerhouse Museum (Jean-Francois Lanzarone)
In the exhibition you can experience a sustainable house, see the latest in hybrid vehicles, find out how big your carbon footprint is, and how to reduce it. You can also see my personal favorite, the burping cow!
View a panorama of the exhibition here: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/ecologic.asp
Find out more about the EcoLogic exhibition here.
Erika Dicker is assistant curator of science and technology at the Powerhouse Museum.
