Harbingers: Leveraging Feedforward to Support Ecological Consciousness

Given the dire nature of recent climate projections, fundamental shifts in our patterns of thought and habitation are not only desirable, but necessary for our long-term sustainment on Earth. To this end, a multitude of approaches to “eco-feedback” have emerged in recent years, with interventions ranging from in-home energy meters to urban-scale art installations. However, most of these approaches aim only to expose existing patterns of behavior, failing to address the lack of ecological consciousness that underpins the “unsustainable” cycles of consumption and waste.
The ultimate goal of this study is not to claim a solution to the monumental task at hand, but to challenge the existing paradigm for delivering environmental data, propose alternate strategies for encouraging more “sustainable” modes of living, and elicit further questions about the ways in which technology might support us in living for the future.