Plants for the climate
One way to do something about the rapid climate change is to plant a tree. Or more precisely: 1.2 trillion trees. By creating a network of ecologists across the world, and tying their information together with machine learning models, the Crowther Lab has mapped the entire global forest system, and in doing so has been able to quantify a climate change mitigation solution for the very first time. There are 3 trillion trees on the planet. But more importantly, there is room for 1.2 trillion more, and the results show exactly which parts of the world we need to focus reforestation efforts on. Using this information, reforestation could have a major impact on climate change. The Crowther Lab has a holistic approach in understanding the ecological processes. Simone Bucher van Ligten
Briefing
For the exhibition RETHINKING CREATIVITY, we develop a playful and creative interaction where visitors can learn more about the carbon cycle, and understand the effect of reforestation on the climate. Research data is visualised and facilitated through the engagement of the visitor. Using the interactive maps developed by the Crowther lab, visitors predict how the carbon cycle and climate will change under increasing human pressure, and how we might restore earth’s ecosystems in the fight against climate change. By using these visualised data, by interacting and playing, the visitor becomes part of the global ecosystem and the worldwide reforestation project. At the same time, they experience the haptic, emotional and aesthetic effect of plants, tapping into the natural fascination humans have for forests. This exhibit should both instil hope and inspire action.
Just as an example: One could build in a gaming challenge in one or the other form, where the visitor plants as many trees as possible by accomplishing a task. Or they have to use their imagination and creativity to find new spots for reforestation. Or they detect the best places for reforestation. Or one could build the game around the numbers: theoretically, there are 400 trees per person, now you have to increase this number in a certain amount of time, etc.
The interaction could and should be more than only a virtual simulation, but a mixture of a physical, haptic experience, combined with virtual elements. Simone Bucher van Ligten
5 key messages
- Forests play a huge role in regulating the climate
- The climate is changing - if we continue business as usual, the area of the world's forests will shrink.
- Increasing forest cover will be a critical tool in combating climate change. (We estimate 0.9 billion hectares can drawdown 2/3’s of anthropogenic carbon in the atmosphere.)
- There are many other benefits to forest - it’s not just about carbon drawdown but also air filtration, water cleanliness, wider biodiversity.
- There are many ways for citizens to get involved - restore, fund, invest responsibly.
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Setting
- 65" Touch Display
- 20 IR Tracking Devices / Objects
Time Period
6th of November – 29th of November 2019
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Week 3 (CW47) – Visualization, Microinteraction
In the third week you create and define the visualization and microinteractions.
Week 4 (CW48) – Prototyping
Working prototype which shows the most relevant screens and the microinteractions.
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Resources
Videos
- Recommended
- Tom Crowther speech (Please watch this before your visit to Crowther Lab on 07.11.)
- Global Tree Restoration Potential
- Overview
- Part 1: Introduction
- Part 2: Methodology
- Part 3: Results
Optional
- Environmental activists Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot have helped produce a short film highlighting the need to protect, restore and use nature to tackle the climate crisis.
- The Carbon Cycle explained:
Minute Earth provide scientific explanations for non-scientists: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeiYXex_fwgYDonaTcSIk6w
Reading
Recommended
(The videos above summarise these two technical papers so please do not feel intimidated by them!)
Optional
- Latest IPCC reports (we encourage you to do a search for the word “Forest” or “Tree” to access relevant information and not have to read the full documents).
- Understanding climate change from a global analysis of city analogues
- Technical Statement for The Global Tree Restoration Potential paper
Maps
Accessible online at Google Earth Engine
All related layers are accessible online at crowtherlab.com
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Materials for visualization
Books
- The Visual Display of Quantitative Information – Edward Tufte (2001)
- Semiology of Graphics: Diagrams, Networks, Maps – Jacques Berlin (2010)
- The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization (Voices That Matter) – Alberto Cairo (2012)
- Visual Complexity: Mapping Patterns of Information – Manuel Lima (2011)
- Data Fluency: Empowering Your Organization with Effective Data Communication – Zach Gemignani (2014)
- Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design – Andy Kirk (2019)
- Information is Beautiful – David McCandless (2012)
Websites
Podcasts
Materials Crowther Lab
Publications after sending out their paper
- www.theguardian.com
- www.sciencemag.org
- www.srf.ch
- www.watson.ch
- www.tagesanzeiger.ch
- www.cnn.com
- www.eurekalert.org
Videos
- Restoring the climate using AI
- Restoring the climate using AI
- The Crowther Lab at ETH Zürich: Ecosystem Science for Global Restoration
- Tom Crowther - Inaugural Climate change speech - ETH Zurich
Corporate Identity
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Deliverables
See the IAD documentation guidelines for the standard material.
- Documentation; format: PDF
- Video / Screencast; add the IAD intro and closing credits to your videos
- Video / User-test
- Images (Screenshots & Usage Scenarios); approx. 10 representative images of the project
- Text (project title, short description, project description)
All deliverables have to be uploaded to the filer until Monday 02.12.2019 at 9 am.
Grading
Grades will be based on final presentation, final work, deliverables.
- Data Literacy; Participation: 10%
- Final work; Concept, GUI, Prototype: 60%
- Deliverables: 30%
Time table
Below is a list of the dates in this module. In the bold appointments, we will all meet together, while the underlined appointments are individual meetings. The brightly marked fields represent the focus of these days.
W1 | Monday 4.11. | Tuesday 5.11. | Wednesday 6.11. | Thursday 7.11. | Friday 8.11. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theorie | Explore, Requirements Gathering | Explore, Requirements Gathering | Theory | ||
Data Literacy (4.K11) | Kick-Off (4.T33) | ||||
| self-study | Crowther Lab (Universitätsstrasse 16) 15.00–17.00 JS, MD | self-study | |||
W2 | Tuesday 12.11. | Wednesday 13.11. | Thursday 14.11. | Friday 15.11. | |
| Design Concept, Storytelling | Design Concept, Storytelling | Design Concept, Storytelling | Theory | ||
| Kick-Off Design Concept, Storytelling (6.F01) 09.00–10.00 JS Mentoring (4.K22-1) | Input table (45.D12G02) | Mentoring (4.K22-1) | |||
Input storytelling (room tba) self-study | Atelier visit 13.00–17.00 JS, MD | self-study | self-study | ||
W3 | Tuesday 19.11. | Wednesday 20.11. | Thursday 21.11. | Friday 22.11. | |
| Visualization | Visualization | Visualization | Visualization | ||
Kick-Off Visualization (4.T07) Mentoring (4.K22-1) | self-study | Mentoring (4.K22-1) | self-study | ||
| self-study | Schulterblick (4.K22-1) 14.00–17.00 JS, MD, SB, TL, TW etc. | self-study | Schulterblick (4.K22-1) 14.00–18.00 | ||
W4 | Tuesday 26.11. | Wednesday 27.11. | Thursday 28.11. | Friday 29.11. | |
| Prototyping | Prototyping | Prototyping | Documentation | ||
Mentoring (4.K22-1) | self-study | self-study | self-study | ||
| self-study | Atelier visit (4.K22-1) 13.00–17.00 JS, MD | Final Presentation (4.K22-1) 14.00–17.00 JS, MD, SB, TL, TW etc. | Alumni Seminar 14.00–18.00 |
JS: Jürgen Späth, MD: Martin Dušek, TG: Timo Grossenbacher, LF: Luke Franzke, FB: Florian Bruggisser, SB: Simone Bucher van Ligten (ETH Global), TL: Tara Lasrado (Crowtherlab), TW: Elliott Thomas William (Crowtherlab)
Notes regarding meeting with Crowther Lab, 7.11.19
- Data set future cities available here
- Republik article covering that data set
- "Supplementary" data regarding tree reforestation potential: TIFF files
Questions to ask:
- Could you give us documentation on your future cities data set? (e.g. what do the columns mean, what data types do they contain etc.)
- Where can we get a hold of auxiliary data sets you used (and display on your map)? E.g. "bacterial biomass"
- Do you know about other (Swiss) data sets regarding trees / forests that we could use for our interactive vis?
- Is your research reproducible? How do you ensure reproducibility?