Previous photoNext photo
Contest is finished!

Earth circa 2020
By Reema Nannapaneni
Votes: ?
Views: ?

2020 - Division III (Grades 9-12)

The first map of the world was created in 6 BC. Since then, not only has our perception of the Earth changed but also its environment. This piece, entitled “Earth Circa 2020” was inspired by the disasters that occur every day all around the world. Though it may be our home and sustainer, our treatment of the Earth has been nothing short of cruel. Every day, we subject our beautiful world to punishments such as deforestation, uncontrolled wildfires, and giant swathes of plastic pollution. This issue is incredibly important to me as my ancestral homeland of India is greatly affected by these environmental changes. Due to the ever-increasing amounts of air pollution, the capital of India, New Delhi, currently has extremely hazardous levels of smog and chemicals in the air. This has led me to take an active interest in the effects of climate change all around the globe. Using over 1800 individually created and slotted pieces, I expressed the current state of the Earth through the use of multiple different colors and materials. For example, to represent the problem of desertification in Africa, I used light green and yellow to contrast with the surrounding dark green and yellow to show how the Sahara desert is expanding into more of Africa. This is largely a result of deforestation, which can also be seen through the light yellow used in South America to show how the Amazon forest is being cut down for timber and pastures. My hope for this piece is that people will understand how the current environmental disasters are changing not only the landscape but also the lives of everyone here. The very future of our lives is at stake, and if we do not take the necessary action now, there will be no going back.