Many efforts to document the effects of climate change have involved trips to distant places to create original images or footage. This is almost a predictable part of such work. “We had heard about the threat of rising sea levels in the Maldives, so we sent Simon to find out”.
Since the emissions from travel contribute to climate change, it is a double standard to make work to challenge climate change and at the same time actively and knowingly contribute to the problem. I am especially aware of this dilemma as I have greater opportunities to travel due to a family member being employed in the airline business.
Some travel will be required in order to create original work. However, I will deliberately seek out ways to create work without visiting far away sites.
Possible options are:
Rephotography
Repurposing Creative Commons or stock photographs
Collage
These options are new territory for me, I don’t have any experience of any of them. But I think that learning how these, and other, alternatives to travel might work, will be a valuable part of this project.
Beach picture by Oleg Magni. Free Pexels licence.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-taking-a-group-photo-1427744/