Reclaimed construction materials

210 x 180 cm

Discarded materials have been reassembled into a makeshift tapestry full of planetary meaning in Net Zero Network. Two versions of Earth are presented as a cautionary tale about humanity’s impact on the environment. The left hemisphere depicts a worst-case-scenario version: an overheated, polluted, uninhabitable planet. The right depicts a best-case-scenario version: a cleaner, greener, thriving planet. These two possible worlds reflect very different ways of thinking. They can be read as a story of past, present and future. Our civilisation is at a critical juncture where we must choose between these scenarios. Industrialisation got us into this mess; technology (specifically ‘green technology’) has the potential to get us out of it if we are careful and responsible in our efforts to stabilise our impact on the climate.

Net Zero Network is also about connectivity. It represents a global web of ideas. A net zero future is only conceivable and achievable through the power of complex networks of people working together towards a common goal. Although not everyone on the planet is directly responsible for the damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions, everyone suffers the consequences. We are all part of an interconnected system: one shared planet. The left half of the tapestry can be thought of as a Point A (an era of resource abuse) and the right as a Point B (a new era of proper resource use). As indicated by the meandering cables in the tapestry, the path between these two points or eras—i.e. the path to a greener future—is not likely to be a straight line, nor will it be a one-person job. It will involve many different people from different backgrounds working together, connecting across disciplines and industries to implement solutions. If we have any hope of undoing some of the mistakes of the past and ensuring a more energy secure, less climatically volatile planet for future generations, we must first understand that we are all part of the same interconnected story. We must think globally and act locally and leverage the power of climate action networks.

Woven into the tapestry are a variety of ‘waste’ materials including carpet and vinyl flooring offcuts, copper pipe, steel wiring, network cabling, conduit, plaster trim, barrier mesh, safety matting and packaging remnants. The vast majority of these components were sourced directly from the job site during construction of the Greenhouse Tech Hub with the assistance of the contractor. The reality that this reveals is that even the most sustainable of construction projects in our modern society beget a large proportion of seemingly unavoidable material wastage—to say nothing of projects that do not even bother to mitigate waste at all or aspire to meet even the most basic standards of sustainability. The hope is that this tapestry can serve as a reminder of the urgent need to prioritise material reclamation and reuse in the construction industry as part of the net zero movement.