Upset and Inspired to Act
Right before hurricane Michael hit in 2018, I walked past mounds of plastic bottled water for sale at a Walmart to the camping section, where I came across a water filter that can clean a 100,000 gallons of water. It was a moment of extreme frustration. Why weren’t these filters available in the front of the store instead of the mountains of single waste plastic bottles that contribute to global warming and indirectly to our increased hurricanes? Three days later, I anxiously watched our bamboo dramatically whip back and forth as hurricane Michael began to bear down on our Florida landscape.
As an artist, I am determined to work for climate justice through my individual and communal actions. I believe that with empathy and compassion, combined with social responsibility, that we can create change, working for a just, sane, and healthy world for all.
Introducing the Go-Pack
The Go-Pack is a water-resistant backpack with six other disaster relief parts. The centerpiece is the Sawyer Bottle Filtration System, that will provide continuous clean water. There is a handheld solar light from Little Sun, a large tarp with a symbol for evacuation that doubles as a shelter, a series of dry sacks to keep your important papers and photographs dry. Evacuation routes to shelters and other information are screen-printed on a bandana and lastly, a cloud-shaped hand soother stone to put in your pocket and touch while you experience the storm. This will help soothe anxiety and calm nerves and serve as a distraction during a hurricane.