Climate change is the most present boundary in the public discourse, as it is probably the most urgent one. The burning of fossile fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions, which end up in the atmosphere and trap the sun’s heat, leading to warmer temperatures. To avoid the worst climate impacts and maintain a livable planet, the temperature must not rise above 1.5° C compared to pre-industrial times – a goal that will be severely exceeded with the current policies.
One of the consequences of climate change is that it can trigger tipping points, critical thresholds that lead to feedback loops and irreversible changes in the earth’s system. An example is the melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which will soon reach a point of no return due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
CONCEPT
A candle was found to be a suitable everyday object as incorporates a melting process and creates a flame that symbolizes the burning planet. The idea for this boundary’s object is to incorporate tipping points in a literal manner into the artifact to make it lose its functionality at a certain point of burning.
The tipping of the candle is achieved by manipulating the object’s centre of gravity. The melting of wax decreases the mass of the object on one side up to a point of no return, with a higher value of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere leading to a quicker destabilization of the object. The candle would not just loose its functionality but would also pose a serious threat of burning down the house, just as our current way of living will have substantial consequences for humankind and our planet.
SPAIN1992
CONCEPT
A candle was found to be a suitable everyday object as incorporates a melting process and creates a flame that symbolizes the burning planet. The idea for this boundary’s object is to incorporate tipping points in a literal manner into the artifact to make it lose its functionality at a certain point of burning.
The tipping of the candle is achieved by manipulating the object’s centre of gravity. The melting of wax decreases the mass of the object on one side up to a point of no return, with a higher value of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere leading to a quicker destabilization of the object. The candle would not just loose its functionality but would also pose a serious threat of burning down the house, just as our current way of living will have substantial consequences for humankind and our planet.