Last weekend we were at the NC coast along Emerald Isle and found beach renourishment in progress. I question whether these projects paid for with our tax dollars are really going to hold back the sea water rise caused by global warming or the beach loss after more numerous and stronger hurricanes. The natural beach shifts back and forth so much each year in this area that I think this effort would be comical if it weren’t so sad (and expensive).

Here are some of my artworks that make me think about issues we are facing with climate change and global warming. Also, here’s a link to an article by an interesting company “Sofar” that collects and provides data (wind speeds, waves, etc) from spots in oceans around the world for businesses like shipping and others: https://www.sofarocean.com/posts/how-does-climate-change-affect-the-ocean.

Beauty and the Beast and Glacial Melting represent global warming and glacial melting. Beauty is what we see, but the Beast is Climate Change.

The Fukushima earthquake and tsunami occurred in 2011, and Pacific currents brought tsunami debris to the US northwest coast. In June of 2012, a 66 ft long concrete dock from Fukushima washed up on Agate Beach, Oregon. The dock harbored about 100 Japanese marine species, and scientific study of floating debris from the tsunami commenced. A study published in Nov, 2017 described some of the impacts of the tsunami on the environment of the US pacific coast. 280 Japanese species, mostly invertebrates, 2/3 of which were new to the US, were found on floating debris at the US coast.
A major factor in this tsunami dispersal is the replacement of wood in coastal development with non degradable synthetics. Now plastic junk can take invasive species on a 5000 mile journey without sinking.
Part of the concrete dock is now on display in front of the NOAA building in Newport, Oregon. I took photos of it and created the art piece seen here as a marker of what is happening to our ocean environment.

The Gulf Stream is the most important current in the north Atlantic. The warm salty current rushes north along the US east coast, crosses toward Scandinavia and northern Europe, and dives down as it cools in the north to a southerly direction along Europe toward Africa, where it emerges and completes the circle back toward the Gulf of Mexico. It is a major warming influence for Scandinavia, the British Isles and all around the north Atlantic. Because of Global warming, the major ice fields of Greenland and the Arctic are melting and mixing that fresh water with the Gulf Stream causing it to slow down. This is thought to potentially cause major shifts in climate in the region. “The Current Situation” is my artwork that reminds us of this issue. It will be very difficult to address without major shifts in international policies regarding climate change.

Low Tide at dusk is my ideal beach. Beautiful calm clean water and a nice sunset. How much longer will we see beaches like this?