380:1- Trees for Air Pollution - London Design Festival

About

Friche and Diaspore presents 380:1 an educational installation aiming to raise awareness around air pollution, climate change and deforestation by displaying 380 sapling trees, signifying the number of adults trees required to absorb the CO2 consumption of one person in one year. A recent paper in the journal Atmospheric Environment found that whilst trees absorb pollutants well in open spaces, low hedges are actually more efficient at catching exhaust fumes from cars. With this in mind we have chosen to use hornbeam, Carpinus betulus, a native British tree, and celebrate the versatility of the species’ ability to be grown as a standard or a trained hedge.
During the festival we will present a programme of talks on the politics of Ecology in Urban Planning, tales on London air pollution, performance by cheerleaders against climate change and practical and poetic design workshops to think about devices and strategies to tackle air pollution!

After the festival, the trees will be rehoused in South London by Trees for Cities a charity creating tree programmes around London. This new green space will be an opportunity for its local community to learn and care for trees and improve their lifestyle in the city.