‘Black Box’ Device in Australia Will Chronicle Decisions That Are Contributing to or Fighting Climate Change

The University of Tasmania is creating the self-powered data storage device based on a concept from communications marketing agency Clemenger BBDO.

The world is officially being tracked. Whether humans make climate change better or worse, Earth Black Box will record it all.

Located on the west coast of Tasmania, this structure is made of three-inch-thick steel and is over 32 feet long.

The University of Tasmania is creating the self-powered data storage device based on a concept from communications marketing agency Clemenger BBDO.

"Earth Black Box is a structure and device that will record every step that humanity takes towards or away from the impending climate catastrophe," Jim Curtis from Clemenger BBDO said.

Curtis explains that the structure is built to be indestructible, just like the so-called black boxes in airplanes, for a very grim reason.

"If the worst is to happen and as a civilization, we do crash as a result of climate change," he said, "this indestructible box will be there and will record every detail of that, every inaction and action that we take towards that. So whoever's left or whoever finds it afterwards learns from our mistakes and doesn't make them again."

The hope is that recording information about climate change will influence world leaders and everyday people.

"We've seen so many projects and campaigns trying to get people to realize how close we are to a catastrophe," Curtis noted. "So a concept as potent as this hopefully will inspire people to really take action before it's too late."

All the recorded data is available free online and will be used as a learning tool for schools and universities.  

"It is a learning tool," Curtis added," "And hopefully something that will ensure that we don't need it to be an indestructible black box in the end, so it has a couple of uses. I am hoping it has a happy ending. We're not just building this for the worst."

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