Look Out Mountain
For my “Post Card from the Future” I decided to have it set in Denver, Colorado when I’ve grown up and until now the only place I’ve ever lived. One thing Denver and all of Colorado is known for is the Rocky Mountains. In the summer hiking, in the winter skiing. The Rockies are only a 30/45 minute drive from where I live, so I like to refer to them as my backyard. The Rockies are my center of direction, if you see the mountains directly in front of you you are facing west. For someone who is awful at direction moving away from my only source of grounding I defiantly feel a sense of loss and clear confusion when walking around the streets of New York City. Like written in my “Whose Story is this Anyways?” I talked about the changing of the winters we have experienced in Denver. Winters are warmer and shorter, last year I remember waiting for the snow to come all the way through April, where was the snow storm? Everyone all over the world can feel the effects of global warming and I have defiantly witnessed it first hand by the winters and summers in Denver.
For my post card I chose to highlight those feelings I have about loosing the mountains and all it has to offer. The front of my post card shows buildings with smoke coming from the top, the saying at the top “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” was chosen because if you ever find yourself driving into the state you will be greeted at the border with a sign that says exactly this. I specifically wanted to highlight Colorful Colorado because our outdoors and scenery is what we are known for, it makes my state what it is, and the appeal so many people have in it. I had some struggles trying to interpret exactly all of that into an image but luckily this being a post card I was able to write out more my intentions with a message on the back of the card.
“Missing you! You know how beautiful Colorado is in the fall… Or used to be. The new High rise has blocked the view of the Rockies from the kitchen. Wouldn’t matter anyway the exhaust from the factories leaves the skies very hazy most days. Hope to see you soon! XOXO, Mom”
My Intentions were to make clear how all the pollution being put out into the air effects the environment in many ways and places even prone to tourism aren’t safe. If you ever find yourself In Denver and even more so making the drive to Boulder you pass a large manufacturing factory with huge pillars letting out tons of smoke and high flames. At night it lights up like a city. Every time I drive past it I’m a little upset, there is a gorgeous overview view of the mountains right behind it but you would never know because all you can see is the burning smoke and tall towers.
To me personally the effects on the environment are very important not only for the world but preserving this world that I’ve grown up in. I feel incredibly happy to get to come home every break to such a wonderful state. (I’m for sure one of those people overly enthusiastic about their hometown). I want people to be able to experience what I was able to, but that cannot happen if things continue the way they are now.
