Our obsession with fossil fuels has propelled rapid innovation at the cost of global socio-political and environmental crises. The complexities of our relationship to fossil fuels is mirrored in the black color of its materiality: coal, petrol, exhaust. In addition, the color black also represents the unknown, creation and magic, amongst others across cultures. It has survived the passage of time. Vilified as evil then exalted into puritan ideology during the European Middle Ages. It is eternalized in the ink of sacred scripture, and the mythological power that has inspired humans to explore space. As a pigment, it requires 1.5 tons of fossil fuel raw materials to produce 1 ton of carbon black with 2.5-3 tons of CO2 emissions released per ton (Recovered Carbon Black). Its symbolic weight cannot be measured to its physical one, but perhaps holds an opportunity to drive deeper engagement with our climate crises at the intersection of environment and spirituality.
Full presentation here