Water, water, everywhere…
The future of water and flooding
Wednesday 29th March 2017,
Space open from 18:30, talks begin at 19:00
The Brunswick, 82 North Street, Leeds, LS2 7PN
It’s essential to life on our planet but climate change, a growing population and global inequality are creating challenges for how we access, use, and live with water. The United Nations estimates that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas, whilst areas of the UK are having to rethink responses to flooding.
Join us for an evening of talks, thought experiments and curiosities by Artists, Scientists and Makers to explore the future of water and flooding.
ARTIST
Steve Bottoms, Professor of Contemporary Theatre & Performance, University of Manchester.
Steve has held a number of academic posts and published widely in theatre and performance studies. He is also a theatre practitioner – variously as director, performer and writer/dramaturg. His recent, research-related practice has explored the use of site-specific performance in contexts of environmental change.
Steve will share his one-man performance, Too much of water, that features some of the people who had too much water in their lives – and in their homes – when the River Aire broke its banks on Boxing Day 2015.
The show explores the devastating impact of the flood on riverside residents in Shipley, Baildon and Saltaire, but the story is told with theatrical flair and a streak of black comedy. As Laertes says of his drowned sister Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, why shed more tears when there’s already too much water?
SCIENTIST
Amanda Crossfield:
Lead Advisor for Climate Change Adaptation, Yorkshire Water
Climate change
Our water and waste water services are dependent on the weather and climate. Scientific evidence tells us that the climate is changing at an unprecedented rate because of human greenhouse gas emissions. We’ve already seen early signs of this change, plant’s leaf buds are opening earlier each Spring and sea levels are rising along our coastline.
Amanda works to find ways of improving the resilience of the water supply and sewerage systems working with climate change science, research, policy and regulation.
MAKER
Guy Lymer: Bridge Rectifier
Bridge Rectifier is a hackerspace community and resource based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Hackerspaces are community-operated spaces for people with an interest in electronics, computers, open source, amateur radio, science, technology, digital art and much more.
Our programme of member-led events includes regular meet-ups to support arduinos, Raspberry Pis, electronics, robotics, DIY, open source computing, reverse engineering, 3d printing, prototyping and other member-led and individual projects
