pollution – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Film Preview: Dirty Oil

All images courtesy of Laura Callaghan

Where would you assume America most of its oil from? If I’d been asked a couple of days ago I think I would have mumbled something about wells in the middle east while imagining There Will Be Blood style prospectors. Actually, health it turns out, dosage the truth is that the majority of the oil US citizens use to run their cars, and everything else, comes from as close to home as Alberta, Canada.

Leslie Iwerks’ forthcoming documentary Dirty Oil aims to tell the largely untold story of the Canadian Tar Sands. Iwerks was previously nominated for an Oscar for Recycled Life, a short documentary about a Guatemala City garbage dump. Now she’s carrying on her ecological documentary making with this film about the devastating environmental effect of the way fuel we use every day is made.

Tar Sands are naturally existing deposits of bitumen, a very dense form of petroleum, which when processed is what you and I use every time we get in a car, or on a bus. There are a lot of these deposits in Canada, recently they’ve come to be considered as part of the Earth’s oil resources. The problem, (or at least one of the problems ) with that is that the process of extracting liquid fuel from the sands uses a massive amount of energy and generates up to four times as much pollution in the earth’s atmosphere for the same amount of fuel produced.

Because it needs an awful lot more processing before it can be used than the conventional sort of crude oil (the There Will Be Blood kind of crude oil) it’s actually extremely expensive to process this sort of oil. So why does America get almost all of its oil this way now? The fact is that conventional crude oil has been almost all used up and is so rare now that this expensive, polluting method is a way for people to carry on using up oil without even noticing a change. This isn’t entirely being swept under the carpet though, 1600 migrating ducks have become a symbol for people who want to speak out against the oil production in Canada.

In April 2008 these ducks, landed on what appeared to be a large lake in Western Canada. By now you’ve probably guessed, this “lake” wasn’t a lake at all, but a store for the toxic waste from the tar sands. This waste, known as tailings, is a mixture of horrible chemicals and poisons all covered with a sludgy slick of oil which would have stuck to the ducks feathers on contact, drowning them. To the migrating birds, the store, called a tailings pond, would have looked like an enticing open expanse of water to take a break in. The oil company have said that they do have a bird deterrent system in place at the tailings pond. Unfortunately, on the day these ducks flew overhead, the system had been turned off because of unseasonably cold weather. These duck deaths are the subject of an ongoing court case between the oil company and the Canadian authorities. It seems like the case the media has called ‘The Dead Duck Trial’ is a step toward the authorities really beginning to stamp down on the oil companies and the damage that their processes might be causing.

Last year Canada introduced a new directive stating that producers have to present plans to cut fluid tailings, that’s the toxic waste ponds, like the ones these ducks landed on. As well as the effect on ducks and plants and fish, the direct effect on human health is serious worry for people in Alberta, it has been suggested that a rare and particular sort of Cancer has been found in people living in areas the plants. Residents blame the oil sands, which are 160 miles north from the village. Unsafe levels of chemicals were found in the Athabasca River which flows from the sands and through the village, even though the oil companies say that there’s no way their toxic waste would leak into the water supply.

During his election campaign, President Obama talked often about the US’s addiction to “dirty, dwindling oil”, the difficult question though, is what is the alternative and how do we work towards that?

Leslie Iwerts has said that her hope, when filming Dirty Oil was that one person might leave the cinema and make a positive change in their energy consumption, “They might then come out and say ‘I didn’t know that one windmill can generate over $300,000 of electricity every year… Well, let me go and research that. Maybe I want a windmill on my farm to bring in money, or save money, or both.’”

While I don’t have a farm to put my windmill on, I’m certainly going to be getting on my bike and thinking now about what else I can do to avoid using fuel that could have been mined at such awful cost to the earth. I hope you will too, otherwise we’re all dead ducks.

Written by Eleanor Whalley on Tuesday March 16th, 2010 7:18 pm

Categories ,canada, ,dead ducks, ,dirty oil, ,ducks, ,Eleanor Whalley, ,Leslie Iwerts, ,oil, ,pollution

Amelia’s Magazine | Protest against more flights at London City Airport

Tent London is a ‘creative hub’ of new designers presenting fresh product ideas. Housed in the Truman Brewery, illness providing a great location for such an event, this annual exhibition showcases established designers alongside new ones.

Here are Amelia’s Magazine’s top ten finds at the event…

1. Troy Abbott’s Nano Cage
Want a pet budgie, but have concerns over mess or mortality? Then look no further than this – a brass bird cage with a video projection of a feathered friend inside. Look through the glass magnifier and he’s there, tweeting away. Guiltless fun!

2. Zoe Murphy’s Recycled Furniture
Zoe Murphy, a Margate resident with a passion for vintage furniture, works her magic on re-salvaged mid-20th century pieces. Each one features delicate and beautifully painted illustrations, inspired by her home town and the 1950s – the glory days of the seaside. She also dabbles in textiles, too!

3. Voronoi Fluids by Seeper
Seeper is an arts and technology collective who create digitally-enabled art and design installations. Not one for the lounge, but this huge spherical structure with a tactile surface projects light patterns which interact with the user’s hand. When users touch the surface, the light changes accordingly, providing beautiful, organic shapes and patterns.

4. James Plumb’s curious assemblages
James Russell and Hannah Plumb, better known as James Plumb, are two artists who create curious works using vintage antiques which have been discarded. They fuse together forgotten antiquities to make innovative, interesting and unique artworks.

5. Lights and Shadows by WOW
WOW is an international design studio involved in installation works across the globe. At Tent they presented Lights and Shadows, a large-scale video-installation which makes use of the latest technology, presenting one film via three projectors. The result – which makes use of footage of Tokyo nightscapes – is a powerful and consuming piece which allows the viewer to be at the centre of the action.

6. Stuart Forsyth’s KeepCup
KeepCup is an Australian product with reduce, re-use, recycle at the heart of its ethos. Essentially a re-usable coffee cup, this lovable-looking item boasts ergonomic design and bright, customisable colours. Better still, it makes re-use plain and simple.

7. The Wattson by DIY KYOTO
The Wattson is a brand new product which looks a bit like an alarm clock, but is actually a device to record how much electricity your home is using. It claims to reduce your utility bills by 25%, helping you reduce your emissions in the process, obviously. Its sleek design is unlike similar products, it uses very little electricity itself, and it’s 100% recyclable. There’s also an online community who share energy saving hints and tips!

8. Hundreds Tens Unit’s Wall Clock
Picked for it’s elegant and aesthetic design, this piece stood out because it was so simple amongst a hell of a lot of over-designed products. Less is more with these simple, sleek timepieces.

9. Esther Coomb’s Illustrated fancies
Esther coombs rescues delicate and ornate china from charity shops and customizes each piece by hand with ceramic ink. The result are quaint and cute little treasures.

10. London Timepiece
London Timepiece is a one-man-band who lovingly restore vintage industrial and traditional clocks. Sourced in Britain and Eastern Bloc countries, each timepiece is considered unique. The industrial clocks, particularly, are excellent examples of designs past, with each piece telling a story as much as it does the time.

Tent London is a ‘creative hub’ of new designers presenting fresh product ideas. Housed in the Truman Brewery, more about providing a great location for such an event, doctor this annual exhibition showcases established designers alongside new ones.

Here are Amelia’s Magazine’s top ten finds at the event…

1. Troy Abbott’s Nano Cage
Want a pet budgie, viagra but have concerns over mess or mortality? Then look no further than this – a brass bird cage with a video projection of a feathered friend inside. Look through the glass magnifier and he’s there, tweeting away. Guiltless fun!

Today a group of activists went to London City airport to protest against the the expansion of flights from the airport. A new London to New York flight that only takes 32 people at a time, ambulance took off today, approved costing over £3,000 a ticket.

As the airport makes so much noise for the local community, the protesters only felt it was right for the rich transatlantic commuters to get a taste of their own medicine. With a range of pots, pans, drums and loudspeakers, the group aimed to raise awareness against the airport expansion and the carbon intensive flights.

Donning bowler hats and pinstripe suits the activists held banners emblazoned with “More Noise Pollution,” “Global Warming Is Cool” and “Down With Polar Bears.” The irony certainly wasn’t lost on the powers that be, as I arrived to a huge police presence. They obviously didn’t want anything to disrupt the departure and new campaign behind the BA flights. The MET – or glorified security guards – smugly watched, fingering their cameras and looking through files on their database. It seemed like they wanted a 3D intricate picture and analysis of everyone there, including the media, apparently everyone’s under scrutiny now. That or the MET really don’t have anything better to do with their time.

The commuters looked more disgruntled than wary of the message Fight The Flights were trying to put across, even advocating skype conference calls and internet meetings was met with little interests. However, when the noise died down, passers by could be seen to be looking at some of the facts and figures behind the new flights.

Loud-hailers were used to drive home the message that no matter what the London Mayor and Government promises about a greener London, the facts really don’t add up, as more and more planes are being forced down the runway. The aviation industry is also using biofuels as an excuse for airport expansion and flying in general, but in reality, the production of these fuels cause even more deforestation, hunger and global warming.

One promise after another is broken and the local residents are forced to suffer at the hands of the airways industry. It is worth noting that some of these residents earn less in a year than it costs to have one of the car parking spots at the airport. With the average wage of people flying at London City Airport being in the region of 80 grand, it feels like communities that live under the flight paths need to be considered, not just the corporate elite.

Flight the Flights have decreed that with every 32 seater flight that lands, 32 people have died or are suffering in London from the dangerous airborne particles released by the planes. As the first New York flight took off from the runway, a minute’s silence was held by protestors to reflect on the suffering climate change is causing and the consequences that this new flight will have, not just on the global situation but on Londoners and local residents.

Activists noted today that although the protestors had taken a light hearted and ironic take, they were there for a serious cause and “if [the airport] continues to expand, we will not go away.”

Written by Adam S on Tuesday September 29th, 2009 5:10 pm

Categories ,Activists, ,community, ,Fight the Flights, ,London City Airport, ,MET, ,noise, ,pollution, ,protest

Amelia’s Magazine | The Beehive Design Collective mixes design and activism with ‘The True Cost of Coal’

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Susie Bubble
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory
Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory at the ACOFI launch by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Liz Johnson-Artur and myself go back a loooong way. In the days when I was interning at Arena Magazine (RIP) I accompanied her on shoots in Brixton as a fashion stylist’s assistant, illness and then when I became determined to become a photographer I began to assist her, this memorably on a series of fashion shoots featuring posh girl models posing in posh country houses for the high society rag Tatler. They liked her quirkiness, and for us it was a great chance to see how the really rich live.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Prince Cassius
Prince Cassius.

Liz Johnson-Artur-Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft
Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft.

She was one of the few people who was willing to take me on at a time when I knew nothing about the technicalities of taking pictures – I still don’t know much to be fair, but that’s never hindered my love of photography. Since then we’ve worked together many times – she produced some wonderful early shoots for Amelia’s Magazine, then moved down to Brighton to bring her girl up in a more sedate environment than the environs surrounding the tower block in South London where she lived for many years.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Antonia Parker
ACOFI illustrator Antonia Parker.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble
Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble.

She’s the perfect person to bring along to a party because she so delights in capturing extravagant folk of all types, so, when I needed someone to shoot Pete Doherty and co at play for an editorial piece that I wrote for Fader Magazine right at the height of his mania who better to call on than Liz? And then in January I thought of her to capture my ACOFI launch party attendees. Luckily it was easy to persuade her to leave her south coast idyl and join us for the afternoon.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-6 Day Riot
6 Day Riot soundchecking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Ballad Of
Claire from Ballad Of.

But first of all, she answers a few questions: read on and be inspired. It’s always a total pleasure to team up with Liz. Mwah.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine
Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine.

What was your favourite part of shooting the ACOFI launch?
The most amazing thing was to see what you are doing. I am one of those people who was there when you started, and seeing your energy prosper in such a creative and committed way, is for an old friend, to say the least… very nice.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Gabby Young

Gabby Young.

Why do you still prefer to shoot on film? What does it add to an image that you can’t get on digital?
I love to have the negative as a starting point and I love being in the darkroom – I wouldn’t want to give it up for no easy ‘perfect photoshop’. My hands have a chance to touch negatives and this is part of what I want my photographs to transmit, the sense of being in touch with all our senses. I think this is an especially important thing in these times. Shooting on film gives you time between the taking and the having. For me photography is a sensual experience – it’s not about perfection or quick turn over, but the journey that it takes to see the photograph. I think that the limitation that film offers is also the creative and spiritual freedom, and it is worth preserving.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Andrea Peterson
Andrea Peterson.

You’ve got an amazing blog called Black Balloon Archive – what’s it all about?
My Black Balloon Archive started when I came to London and didn’t know much about the mix of the city. Growing up in Germany my access to black culture or communities was very much limited to black GIs, and standing in Brixton waiting for the bus I suddenly realised that I was in a place where all this could be explored. My camera was somehow a way of convincing people to let me in; there was never an aim or a strategy. All I wanted was to be let in – to look and learn.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Nina Dolcetti shoes
Nina Dolcetti shoes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Amelia at 123
Running up and down the stairs at 123.

Starting in London I developed this hunger to find afro/caribbean communities to document wherever I could… in Portugal, Germany, the US, France and finally last year in Russia. Being of Ghanain/Russian descent myself this was personally an amazing trip. The Black Balloon Archive blog presents some of the images which I find in my archive – it enables me to retell some of the stories and revisit the faces that I have met on this journey…

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Johann Chan of Digital Arts
Johann Chan of Digital Arts.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law
Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law.

What will you be shooting next?
That depends on what will cross my path, but I guess that somehow it will be always be connected to people and their stories.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz
Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment
Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment.
Liz, you tell them so very well… so here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory
Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory at the ACOFI launch by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Liz Johnson-Artur and myself go back a loooong way. In the days when I was interning at Arena Magazine (RIP) I accompanied her on shoots in Brixton as a fashion stylist’s assistant, recipe and then when I became determined to become a photographer I began to assist her, memorably on a series of fashion shoots featuring posh girl models posing in posh country houses for the high society rag Tatler. They liked her quirkiness, and for us it was a great chance to see how the really rich live.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Prince Cassius
Prince Cassius.

Liz Johnson-Artur-Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft
Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Antonia Parker
ACOFI illustrator Antonia Parker.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble
Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-6 Day Riot
6 Day Riot soundchecking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Ballad Of
Claire from Ballad Of.

But first of all, she answers a few questions: read on and be inspired. It’s always a total pleasure to team up with Liz. Mwah.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine
Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Gabby Young

Gabby Young.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Andrea Peterson
Andrea Peterson.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Nina Dolcetti shoes
Nina Dolcetti shoes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Amelia at 123
Running up and down the stairs at 123.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Johann Chan of Digital Arts
Johann Chan of Digital Arts.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law
Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law.

What will you be shooting next?
That depends on what will cross my path, but I guess that somehow it will be always be connected to people and their stories.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz
Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment
Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment.

Liz, you tell them so very well… so here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Susie Bubble
Susie Bubble.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-illustrators
The illustrators gathered and ready to draw the guests.
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory
Tamara Cincik and Amelia Gregory at the ACOFI launch by Liz Johnson-Artur.

Liz Johnson-Artur and myself go back a loooong way. In the days when I was interning at Arena Magazine (RIP) I accompanied her on shoots in Brixton as a fashion stylist’s assistant, case and then when I became determined to become a photographer I began to assist her, memorably on a series of fashion shoots featuring posh girl models posing in posh country houses for the high society rag Tatler. They liked her quirkiness, and for us it was a great chance to see how the really rich live.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Prince Cassius
Prince Cassius.

Liz Johnson-Artur-Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft
Jonno Ovans, Matt Bramford & Sally Mumby-Croft.

Liz was one of the few people who was willing to take me on at a time when I knew nothing about the technicalities of taking pictures – I still don’t know much to be fair, but that’s never hindered my love of photography. Since then we’ve worked together many times – she produced some wonderful early shoots for Amelia’s Magazine, then moved down to Brighton to bring her girl up in a more sedate environment than the environs surrounding the tower block in South London where she lived for many years.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Antonia Parker
ACOFI illustrator Antonia Parker.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble
Rachel de Ste. Croix drawing Susie Bubble.

She’s the perfect person to bring along to a party because she so delights in capturing extravagant folk of all types, so, when I needed someone to shoot Pete Doherty and co at play for an editorial piece that I wrote for Fader Magazine right at the height of his mania who better to call on than Liz Johnson-Artur? And then in January I thought of her to capture my ACOFI launch party attendees. Luckily it was easy to persuade her to leave her south coast idyl and join us for the afternoon.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-6 Day Riot
6 Day Riot soundchecking.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Ballad Of
Claire from Ballad Of.

But first of all, she answers a few questions: read on and be inspired. It’s always a total pleasure to team up with Liz. Mwah.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine
Rosie and Harriet of Tatty Devine.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Gabby Young

Gabby Young.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Andrea Peterson
Andrea Peterson.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Nina Dolcetti shoes
Nina Dolcetti shoes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Amelia at 123
Running up and down the stairs at 123.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI
Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Johann Chan of Digital Arts
Johann Chan of Digital Arts.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law
Michelle Urvall Nyren and Naomi Law.

What will you be shooting next?
That depends on what will cross my path, but I guess that somehow it will be always be connected to people and their stories.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz
Courtney Blackman of Forward PR and Cate Sevilla of Bitch Buzz Buzz.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment
Lily Vanilli having the Dr.Hauschka treatment.

Liz, you tell them so very well… so here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking. And don’t forget to visit the Black Ballon Archive.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Lesley Barnes
Lesley Barnes.

Liz Johnson-Artur-ACOFI-Susie Bubble
Susie Bubble.

Liz Johnson-Artur and myself go back a loooong way. In the days when I was interning at Arena Magazine (RIP) I accompanied her on shoots in Brixton as a fashion stylist’s assistant, and and then when I became determined to become a photographer I began to assist her, memorably on a series of fashion shoots featuring posh girl models posing in posh country houses for the high society rag Tatler. They liked her quirkiness, and for us it was a great chance to see how the really rich live.