It is hard to deny that fossil fuels have a formative role in the shaping of our nation, from bricks to car filled highways to failed building projects and to the way we make what we consume. Are we trapped in the nation we have created? Meeting energy needs with renewable sources is a steep climb and the climate is pushing back feeding a rising energy demand.
The first group of collage images includes the shapes of wood patterns used in 19th century brick making in St. Louis. In this riverfront city, coal powered the machines that compressed damp clay in steel and iron molds. Coal provided the heat for the kilns.
St. Louis was almost completely built of brick during a rapid expansion of population. It was a remarkable accomplishment and an architectural triumph.
Starting in the 1930’s, the St. Louis suburbs to the west began to grow eventually fueled by the automobile and highway construction. The multi-car pile up was to become a feature of this new ex-urban world.
All too often we do stupid things that produce vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions for no long term benefit. A failed high rise public housing complex - Pruitt-Igoe in St Louis, was finished in the 1950’s and demolished in the mid-1970’s.
In 2017 St. Louis, drew nearly 75% of its energy needs from coal. The Anheuser-Busch company has its own three stack coal fired power plant to keep the Budweiser flowing…
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