OFFSET: Time Theft as Avoided Emissions
Online Expo — Tega Brain & Sam Lavigne
Is it really possible to compensate carbon dioxide emissions by, for example, planting trees? Carbon offsetting is the reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, created to compensate emissions elsewhere. Although compensating carbon emissions seems to stem from good intentions, it applies a capitalist logic, assuming that all activities on earth can be quantified, abstracted and exchanged. It produces a tool to export or outsource the consequences of one's consumption decisions. Whether at the individual, corporate or nation state level, to someone else, somewhere else or even some time else: to future generations.
With this tactic, existing carbon offsetting schemes maintain a status quo rather than address the root causes of climate problems. The hybrid installation OFFSET shows the possibility of an alternative compensation market, quantifying social exchanges and political actions that contribute to radical change.
Tega Brain (AU) & Sam Lavigne (US)’s work explores changes in behaviour, desires, language and economics brought about by computer systems and the internet. In this way, they have simulated international organisations, run a real dating service in New York City and shared the entire Enron e-mail archive with an online audience. In 2015, the UN filed a complaint with the US State Department about their work.
Is it really possible to compensate carbon dioxide emissions by, for example, planting trees? Carbon offsetting is the reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, created to compensate emissions elsewhere. Although compensating carbon emissions seems to stem from good intentions, it applies a capitalist logic, assuming that all activities on earth can be quantified, abstracted and exchanged. It produces a tool to export or outsource the consequences of one's consumption decisions. Whether at the individual, corporate or nation state level, to someone else, somewhere else or even some time else: to future generations.
With this tactic, existing carbon offsetting schemes maintain a status quo rather than address the root causes of climate problems. The hybrid installation OFFSET shows the possibility of an alternative compensation market, quantifying social exchanges and political actions that contribute to radical change.
Tega Brain (AU) & Sam Lavigne (US)’s work explores changes in behaviour, desires, language and economics brought about by computer systems and the internet. In this way, they have simulated international organisations, run a real dating service in New York City and shared the entire Enron e-mail archive with an online audience. In 2015, the UN filed a complaint with the US State Department about their work.