An intriguing exhibition on the future of our planet in the worlds largest museum of technology and innovation: the Deutsches Museum
The first working model of the Blue Diversion Toilet which has recently returned from field testing in Nairobi is currently on exhibit at the new exhibition “Anthropocene – The Earth in Our Hands” (German title: Anthropozän – Unsere Verantwortung für die Zukunft der Erde).
The term Anthropocene was coined in the year 2000 by the Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen (Chemistry, 1995) and alludes to the fact that human-induced changes to the Earth´s ecosystems are so deep and with long-term impact that since the dawn of industrialisation we now live in a new geological era: the Anthropocene – or the Age of Humans [1] (German: Menschenzeitalter).
On 1450 square metres the exhibition explores the past, present and future consequences for humanity with a focus on climate change, urbanisation, food & nutrition and biodiversity. Of course the show doesn´t only feature grim forecasts – there are several possible solutions presented, among them our next generation source separating toilet (see image). Blue Diversion is set behind a set round white table featuring plates (showing videos) and glasses (audio) that feature animations on food, nutrition, consumption patterns worldwide, etc.
Interactive multimedia tools demonstrate the consequences of our human footprint today and in the decades to come and provoke each visitor to answer the question for him/herself: are we really entering a new geological era and how can we preserve our life support systems that guarantee our very existence?
The exhibition in Munich runs until January 2016. More information about the exhibition on the museum webpage.
by C. Lüthi, Eawag-Sandec
[1] Crutzen, Paul: The Geology of Mankind (Nature 415, January 2003)
The term Anthropocene was coined in the year 2000 by the Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen (Chemistry, 1995) and alludes to the fact that human-induced changes to the Earth´s ecosystems are so deep and with long-term impact that since the dawn of industrialisation we now live in a new geological era: the Anthropocene – or the Age of Humans [1] (German: Menschenzeitalter).
On 1450 square metres the exhibition explores the past, present and future consequences for humanity with a focus on climate change, urbanisation, food & nutrition and biodiversity. Of course the show doesn´t only feature grim forecasts – there are several possible solutions presented, among them our next generation source separating toilet (see image). Blue Diversion is set behind a set round white table featuring plates (showing videos) and glasses (audio) that feature animations on food, nutrition, consumption patterns worldwide, etc.
Interactive multimedia tools demonstrate the consequences of our human footprint today and in the decades to come and provoke each visitor to answer the question for him/herself: are we really entering a new geological era and how can we preserve our life support systems that guarantee our very existence?
The exhibition in Munich runs until January 2016. More information about the exhibition on the museum webpage.
by C. Lüthi, Eawag-Sandec
[1] Crutzen, Paul: The Geology of Mankind (Nature 415, January 2003)
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