Starting this Wednesday, April 6th, the PUCRS Science and Technology Museum (MCT) will have a new space, dedicated to discuss the progress and impacts of climate change in the world. The Climate Change and Technology exhibition will feature 14 experiences and will be accessible to all audiences, with audio description resources and Brazilian Sign Language (Libras).
The exhibition was developed based on research and actions carried out in partnership between the MCT and the Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources (IPR), structures linked to the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Graduate Studies at PUCRS. The project is funded by the Global CCS Institute and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, world leaders in the implementation of carbon capture and storage, a vital technology for combating climate change.
According to IPR professor and researcher Rodrigo Sebastian Iglesias, responsible for securing international funding for the exhibition, the impacts on society are already being felt and will be even worse if there is no continued global effort.
Iglesias explains that extreme weather events, such as heat waves, storms, floods and forest fires, will become increasingly frequent. In March of this year, for example, the professor highlighted the extraordinary heat waves that recorded temperatures of 40°C in Antarctica and 30°C in the Arctic.
“The influence of man on the warming of the atmosphere and oceans is increasingly evident. Therefore, it is essential that we understand the role of society in the Earth’s climate system, recognizing the importance of carbon as an energy source and the leading role of technologies in combating this crisis,” highlights the professor.
The experiences will allow for public interaction, providing different perspectives and sensations. Among them is the Milankovitch Cycles experiment, which presents the main natural cause of climate change. Using a simulator, the experiment allows visitors to manipulate terrestrial movements and verify their relationship with the variation in the incidence of solar rays – and consequently the temperature – on our planet.
The Greenhouse Effect experiment takes place inside a closed cabin and promotes a sensory interaction. In the cabin, the ambient temperature is four degrees Celsius higher than the outside temperature. These four degrees of difference are enough for the visitor to “feel on their skin” what the average temperature on Earth will be like at the end of this century, if alternatives are not sought to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
The exhibition is divided into five axes that discuss different aspects of climate change: human interference; environmental disasters; the importance of carbon as an energy source; Clean carbon technologies against the climate crisis; is the future you hope for may still be the future that awaits you.
For professor and coordinator of educational activities at MCT Renata Medina, the PUCRS Museum of Science and Technology is committed to keeping its visiting public informed about the most relevant issues in science.
“As this is a matter of great urgency for maintaining the quality of life of all species on our planet, an interactive exhibition that provides visitors with an immersion into the subject is of great significance for our society,” points out Professor Renata.
The Climate Change and Technology exhibition was produced using alternatives to minimize environmental impacts, using materials such as Drywall, MDF, LED lighting and water-based paints.
Considered a clean technology, Drywall consists of prefabricated structures made of steel and plasterboard that can be recycled into new products with the aim of reducing waste and improving soil conditions. MDF, on the other hand, mixes pressed wood fibers from reforested eucalyptus or pine trees. The leftovers are shredded and transformed into new sheets of the material.
LED lighting uses 82% less electrical energy than a standard incandescent bulb, with an average lifespan of 50 hours and 95% of its components being recyclable. And water-based paints have a 90% lower impact on emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases.
Furthermore, the partnership established with researchers from the PUCRS Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources made it possible to train the Museum team – especially those who interact directly with the visiting public – on the topic of sustainability, which, in addition to reinforcing the role of the MCT as a university museum, creates effective possibilities for disseminating ideas based on sustainable actions.
