By Theme:Arts and Literature | Campus Sustainability | Community Perspectives | Development | Economic Analysis | Ecosystem Analysis | Education | Energy | Environmental Justice | Food Systems | Geology of the Watershed | Green Architecture | Green Business | History of the Watershed | Invasive Species | Land Use Patterns | Public Policy | Recreation | Transportation | Water Quality

Arts and Literature

Natural and Human Influences on the Saratoga Lake Watershed: A Photographic Analysis

Josh Gerritsen and Adam Wallace (2006)

This project used photography to explore the natural and human influences on the Saratoga Lake watershed. Starting at the headwaters of Kayaderosseras Creek and ending at the Saratoga Lake outflow at Fish Creek, this exhibition provides a visual context for understanding the competing interests that affect the surrounding watershed.

Environmental Truths Through Fiction: Water, Stewardship, and the Saratoga Lake Watershed

Hugh Kramer (2007) 

This project used placed-based environmental fiction to present differing perspectives on water and stewardship within the Saratoga Lake watershed. The ultimate aim was to dramatize hydrologic issues and perspectives in the watershed using three short fiction stories while remaining factually accurate to the environmental and social realities of the region.

Development on an Interactive Website for the Water Resources Initiative

Adam Wallace '06, Michael C. Ennis-McMillan, Department of Anthropology, Karen Kellogg, Department of Biology and Environmental Studies Program, and Alison Barnes, Department of English and Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery (2006)

This project consisted of designing an interactive and artistic website as an outreach and educational resource for the Water Resources Initiative. WRI is an interdisciplinary, community-based initiative that studies water issues in the local region. Each page of the website incorporates visual elements to create an engaging aesthetic that allows community members, Skidmore students and faculty, and local organizations to understand interactions in the Saratoga Lake watershed.

Full report is not available. Please contact Karen Kellogg for more information.

Waterways:  A Photographic Exploration of Human Presence in the Saratoga Lake Watershed

Andrew Plotsky (2009)

Waterways is a photo essay of people in the Saratoga Lake Watershed. Using the style of environmental portraiture, Waterways features fourteen human subjects from various backgrounds to represent a cross section of the diversity of the watershed. The project illuminates the complex and nested relationships that exist within a watershed.

Full report is not available. Please contact Bob Turner for more information.

Sights and Sounds: Building a Broader Audience for Environmental Issues

Gordon MacPherson and Alex Ethier (2012)

Current messaging techniques make it easy to consider issues of sustainability and environmentalism the sole dominion of ‘the environmentalists’. To combat this mentality and give environmental issues the societal and political attention they deserve, we developed two projects. We worked with student artists to create a campus-wide photo installation that raises awareness of College sustainability initiatives, and we produced two short radio stories to determine the effect of narrative in engaging and educating listeners.

Videos Unplugged: Combining Comedy with Consequence

Racquel Figueroa, Eric Stumpf, and Anthony DiLisio (2013)

What does it take to make an effective video PSA for the Skidmore Unplugged energy saving campaign? We surveyed students about their usage of electrical devices to identify the sources of energy consumption and key behaviors to target. We made ten videos exploring the themes of humor, social influence and environmental concern. Focus group discussions showed that a combination of these themes would be most effective for the college audience. Other key aspects were brevity, shock value, personal relevancy and specificity of both target behavior and audience.