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Lexicon of Sustain Ability

2011 June 7
by Shared by Steve Rust

Photographer Douglas Gayeton has kindly provided the following update on his current project: The Lexicon of Sustain Ability:

Words are the building blocks for new ideas. They have the power to activate change and transform societies. For the past year we have conversed with the foremost practitioners of sustainability in food and farming. They have shared their insights and experiences … and contributed their words to our rapidly growing Lexicon of Sustain Ability. To spread their knowledge our photography project has grown to include short films, study guides, traveling shows, a book and lastly a website where people can add their own terms to this ever-evolving lexicon.”

“In the spring of 2009 Douglas Gayeton and Laura Howard-Gayeton hired researchers and assembled a Lexicon featuring terms from 13 different areas of sustainability, from air to water, manufacturing to conservation, food to farming, energy to architecture and health to spirituality. The initial idea was to publish these terms in a book along with selected photographs by Gayeton.

However, the Lexicon quickly grew to over one thousand entries. In many cases these terms were submitted by the individuals or organizations which had coined or best represented what a term meant. Often, competing definitions of the same terms were included.

Given the vast amount of information the team assembled, the decision was made to rethink the project, and expand the INITIAL BOOK IDEA to include:

SHORT FILMS: a series of 26 video shorts, one definition per each 2-3 minute episode, to run on-air as an interstitial series, stream online as webisodes, and possibly be combined into a long form video project.

ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK: a dedicated online community where members can add new terms to the lexicon using a wiki-like interface, debate existing definitions, or sign up to receive daily blasts of new lexicon entries.

TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW: a traveling exhibit featuring a lecture series, films, photography, and special guests.

To learn more about the project, and to find out how you can be involved, write us at words@thelexicon.org.”

Introducing … The Lexicon of Sustainability from the lexicon of sustainability on Vimeo.

One Response leave one →
  1. November 17, 2011

    Hey dude! Amazing site! I really enjoyed reading it.

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