Pollution in Abstract - Photography for Environmental Education

The "Pollution in Abstract" photographic series depicts a ubiquitous form of pollution that can be seen on rainy days throughout the world where motor vehicles travel.  I estimate the amount of oil, gasoline, and other pollutants dripped from the 250 million vehicles in the U.S. is more than the oil spilled during the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill…every year!  Since 1990 I have pursued a grassroots environmental effort to make abstract and avant-garde photographs of stormwater pollution to attract and then educate viewers to this global environmental problem. These photographs represent “miniature” oil spills that we have all seen, but may not have given a second thought. However, when it rains these pollutants wash off into the lakes, rivers, and oceans where we swim and fish. My father, mother, and sister died of cancers that may be attributed to environmental factors and this has motivated my efforts. The human body is about 65 percent water by weight and the water within us comes from the water around us; therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to take relatively simple steps to reduce their contribution to this pollution and, in turn, protect the health of human populations, plant and animal species, and the ecosystems in which we all exist. Please visit my website at www.kevin-coulton.com  for  more images and background information.