Discussion Statement: Chapter 10 From Sanitation to Bioremediation

Chapter 10 Sanitation to Bioremediation

“Just as Richards enfolds the body in the home and the home in the ecosystem” (147)

Bioremediation (n.) the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean up a polluted side

Anthropocene (n.) the time period of human intervention

In Chapter 10: From Sanitation to Bioremediation, Lindsay Kelley informs us about the early stages of “sanitary research”, or sanitation, and the interdisciplines of art and science led to art pieces to inform and educate the society about the human intervention of the landscape and water bodies of earth and balance of the food web. Research in pollution and sanitation were the beginnings of implementing “environmental legislation”. However, with humans separating from nature and intervening into nature drastically, the problems of sustainability, ecological balance and the concept of the anthropocene are not emphasized.

Addressing these problems, artists such as Helen Mayer Harrison, Newton Harrison, Mel Chin, Robert Mitchell and Natalie Jermijenko became vital people to help society visualize bioremediation. Mel Chin’s Revival Field and Natalie Jermijenko’s Lures  have different approaches and viewpoints in approaching the problems. Mel Chin with the help of scientists and collaborators created a visualization of plants growing in soil consisting of cadmium and other metals. On the other hand, Jermijenko proposes a solution to “fix” the food web and create sustainability. He states that both humans and fish should eat the same produce to avoid fish absorbing mercury. If the food absorbs mercury, then we, in return, eat the fish and get infected. So why not have both the fish and humans eat the same thing?

Both pieces addressed the human intervention in the earth’s landscape and bodies of water which is another way of saying humans are polluting the land. While Mel Chin and Jermijenko addresses the issues, there are other surrounding problems. In both cases of Mel Chin and Jermijenko’s cases, there are corporation denials of contamination and pollution done to the land and water. While problems are addressed, why is so little done?