Last weekend, I read an article in the New York Times, A Lawyer Quit Her Job to Start a Climate Museum in New York, about how Miranda Massie is working on opening The Climate Museum on the subject of climate change. As I began to read the article, I was picturing what types of exhibitions would be in the museum. I imagined maps of ocean temperature change over the past 50-, or 100-plus years. Maybe exhibits tracking the change in countries’ carbon footprints over the course of centuries. Or, interactive exhibits that help you calculate your own carbon footprint. It’s a great idea, bringing all of this information to the public, in one easy-to -visit place, helping to educate the public about climate change.
This is something that I am trying to do within the architecture community with greendatabase.org. Massie made herself the director of the board and created a board of environmentalists, academics, architects, etc. The very sharp and well-respected architect, James Stewart Polshek, is among one of the trustees. He is a very credible architect in the academic, hospitality, and museum worlds.
I just hope that this great idea that Ms. Massie has does not turn into another NYC greenwashing exercise in politics.