Environmentally unstable : an exegesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design, College of Creative Arts, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

This project is about the impact of dairy farming on our waterways. A 2004 study of more than 300 lowland waterways revealed that 96% of them in pastoral catchments failed the pathogen standard for contact recreation (Joy, 2012; Muir, 2013; Morgan, 2014). The project uses illustration to inform the public about the degradation caused by introduced nitrogen, pathogens and pollution to our waterways. In the same way that Theodore Geisel (Dr Seuss) used a playful approach in the Lorax to explain environmental issues, this project aims to engage its audience through humour and playfulness (Seuss 1971). The output is an Information Graphics Poster which represents the life and death of a waterway, and an accompanying teachers resource.