The universe presents us with many choices, and every choice has a consequence, but not strictly in terms of “cause and effect”; that concept implies that there is a beginning, a start to the chain of causations. When you deconstruct what constitutes your surroundings, you'll find that everything is interconnected and the choices we make are both a product of our environment and a reaction to it, as well as to other people and organisms and their own actions/reactions, and so on. Consider intersectionality: a convoluted mesh-network of collaboration, cooperation, and competition. It is impossible to act in total isolation. The dominant narratives in our culture may suggest otherwise though.

 

Capitalism is a system that puts profits above environmental and humanitarian concerns. One small example of this is that we have come to rely on and expect to always have disposable and replaceable goods. We were sold on “convenience” and novelty, and the cheaper it is to produce something, the greater expectation of profit (pay workers less, use cheap and potentially hazardous materials, etc.). Anything from paper coffee cups that are thrown away a few minutes after purchase, to printers that stop working after only a year of mild use, rapid consumption takes precedent over durability, over sustainability. We want to live fast and “in the moment”and “on the go”. We are all so busy, you know? We want our waste, our remnants of consumption, to go away: somebody gets paid to clean up after us.

 

These collages are constructed using litter gathered around Bozeman. A single large trash bag was used at each location, and the contents of that bag produced one collage. Locations ranged from parking lots, to street corners, to parks. Most of the litter was tucked away from view, either from natural causes, or human intention. All of the recyclable materials that were found were sent to be recycled if possible, and the rest was deposited into dumpsters.