The Baltimore Museum of Art Is Fostering Dialogue About Climate Change

initiatives that will help wildlife here as well as abroad .”

Along with important practices like monitoring water usage and adopting a recycling program for large events , the Maryland Zoo ’ s 28-page plan , which was released in 2023 , also includes wildlife-specific initiatives . For example , they have switched to using a composting program for elephant feces after realizing that sending this material to the local incinerator made them one of the biggest producers of methane in the city . In 10 months , they composted nearly two tons of manure .

The Maryland Zoo also provides ways for guests to recycle their cell phones — a simple task that makes a large impact on animal populations . This is because cell phones are made with coltan , a mineral that is mined in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda , which contributes to habitat loss for chimpanzees , okapi and other species .

“ By recycling cell phones , the coltan can go back into the markets and be reused for new phones ,” Fowler said . The zoo has collected 500 pounds of devices , including laptops and tablets , through its two drop boxes for cell phones , as well as through events and corporate collaborations .

THE MARYLAND ZOO IN BALTIMORE COMPOSTS FOOD SCRAPS AND ANIMAL MANURE TO CREATE NUTRIENT-RICH SOIL FOR ITS SUSTAINABILITY GARDEN . COMPOSTING REDUCES WASTE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS .

COURTESY OF THE MARYLAND ZOO OF BALTIMORE

While it makes sense for animal-focused institutions to care about the environment , they aren ’ t the only Baltimore organizations making a difference . Noticing how activists have turned to art museums to bring attention to the climate crisis , the Baltimore Museum of Art launched Turn Again to the Earth last year . This groundbreaking series of initiatives seeks to foster conversations about climate change and museums ’ roles in combatting it .

“ Artists have always been deeply involved in thinking about and working in the environment and being inspired by nature , and also thinking about new futures in a post-climate change world ,” said Kevin Tervala , the Eddie C . and C . Sylvia Brown chief curator at the BMA . “ It ’ s really important for us to play an educational role and also play a role in galvanizing action .”

Along with developing an internal sustainability plan , the BMA , a free museum , is hosting a series of 10 environmentally focused exhibitions throughout this year . On view this spring is Black Earth Rising , a group exhibition curated by British writer and curator Ekow Eshun . In this ticketed exhibit , artworks from African American , Latin American and Native American artists explore the history of colonization and its relationship to climate change .

The BMA is also hosting a Citywide Eco-Challenge for leaders in the Baltimore region . “ This idea is about what happens if all of the cultural institutions in the city and the region link arms together and think about how we can work collectively to solve the climate crisis and bring attention to the environment ,” Tervala said .

Participating organizations commit to making one sustainable operational change and developing one environmentally focused program by the end of this year . More than a dozen institutions have joined the challenge , including the National Aquarium and the Maryland Zoo . VB

ABOVE IMAGE : Artist : Yinka Shonibare , CBE . Earth Kid ( Girl ) II . 2022 . Courtesy of the artist and James Cohan Gallery , New York . Photographer : Stephen White & Co .

BALTIMORE . ORG

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