Maintenant

Filed under Open Workshop, projects

Event Information

Artist: Kiera Ormut-Fleishman
Website: http://www.ineedtobreatheplease.com

Maintenant is a system designed to make users more ecologically aware and to educate them by giving them tips to help change the course of the environment themselves, without relying on higher powers.

Maintenant works through a process of awareness and education, which begins with its web presence. Once the user becomes conscious of the movement, he can then sign up online to receive the tool (Social Pedometer/So-Ped), which connects to his mp3 player and auditorily alerts him whenever he is in a high-air pollution saturated area. After the user is alerted, the So-Ped gives him a statistic or tip as to how he may conserve energy, thus making the world a safer place. This encourages the user to change things on his own (revolt!), without relying on more powerful structures (like government) to change things for him.

The goal is not to have users dependent on tools, rather to raise personal awareness about the world in which they are living in, and how they can singularly begin to make a positive difference. When the user signs up for the So-Ped, he is mailed a 1� button in return for his participation. He is emailed a specific date, time, and place in order to pick up the So-Ped, and another email detailing the drop off. The button acts as an identifier, bringing the two users together for the exchange. After using the So-Ped for prearranged amount of time, the user returns it to the next user. The button also acts as a visual indicator to other previous users, showing that others exist who are trying to make a difference, encouraging others and each other to continue acting in an ecologically friendly manner. (still under development - will be finalized by May 14), http://a.parsons.edu/~kiera/thesis/docs/project_proposal.pdf (has a more details of project)

Project image:http://a.parsons.edu/~kiera/thesis/docs/userscenario.jpg