“Communication is nothing more than the exchange of information. Hence, at its broadest sense, environmental communication is necessary for the survival of every living system, be it an organism, an ecosystem, or a social system.”
-Alexander G. Flo (Environmental Communication, 2004)
The interdisciplinary field of environmental humanities weaves together research from the natural, applied, and social sciences with storytelling, art, creativity, and community building. It values indigenous ways of knowing as well as non-human perspectives.
Tinker Creek Cupcakes
Meredith Leonardo chose to respond to Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by creating a blog-like photo essay and recipe.
Meredith writes, “Dillard’s book is equal parts beautiful and terrifying with its descriptions of living organisms on every level of complexity, from amoeba to cows. The simple white cake cupcakes (some dyed blue and green to symbolize the Earth) are filled with strawberry filling, so when the center of the cupcake is seen, the bleeding red heart is exposed. In this combination, the plain white cake is a symbol of home, of the simple and relatively peaceful lives we experience day to day.
In Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, home is where Dillard returns to reflect on what she has seen and peacefully read her many books about nature, science, philosophy, and religion. The shock of strawberry filling represents the violent realities of the natural world, and the harm humans have caused to it by cutting it open.
Dillard relays the violent cycles of the lives of many different insects; these include the invasion of bodies by parasites, the deadly cannibalistic tendencies of mating grasshoppers, and the destruction of entire pieces of forest by human-operated machines. . . .
Making these cupcakes is an invitation to contemplate the amazing creation of nature and all of its processes, beautiful and unpleasant combined. And, of course, to enjoy the procedure and products of baking!”