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SALT LAKE CITY — Lynn Zummo says Utahns are well aware of the "big problem" that a changing climate can pose for the state's future, ranging from water security concerns and wildfires from future droughts to environment concerns from the low Great Salt Lake levels.
Many educational tools highlight what's possibly looming if trends don't change. But Zummo, the curator of learning science at the Natural History Museum of Utah and an assistant professor of learning sciences at the University of Utah, said she believes that the museum's newest exhibit can possibly spark a "positive emotional experience" when it comes to future climate discussions.
The exhibit, called "A Climate of Hope," focuses more on equipment and ideas already in practice that reduce carbon emissions associated with climate change.
"Our goal is to help people develop a sense of rational hope, which is not just 'Pollyanna' sort of thoughtless hope," she said. "It's hope that's grounded in the idea ... (that) we can deal with it. We have solutions and solutions are already being implemented, and there are ways to add to these solutions so that we can move forward together as a community in Utah."
Museum officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday to formally open the exhibit on the building's top floor, although there was a soft opening a few days before that. The 2,000-square-foot room marks the museum's first new permanent exhibit in 12 years. A museum spokesperson said that the funds came from a mixture of "community and private donors," though an exact cost was not disclosed.
Jason Cryan, the museum's executive director, also announced Saturday that the museum recently received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation tied to the new exhibit. The museum will study, over the next four years, what people understand about climate change after visiting different parts of the exhibit, Zummo said.
How a new exhibit came to be
The exhibit is about three years in the making, according to Lisa Thompson, senior exhibit developer for the Natural History Museum of Utah. She explained that there were bits and pieces of it included in the museum's "Sky Gallery," but those pieces were never really updated — to a point that visitors would leave notes on the charts and data to adjust the figures on display.
At the same time, she said emerging studies cast doubt on whether data was really helping people understand the issue or any of its possible solutions. This led to conversations on how to focus on the issue in a different light, so visitors of all ages could better understand the situation, as well as what can be done about it and how those actions are already happening across the state.
I think hope is essential. The future is not decided. The future is in our hands.
–Lisa Thompson, senior exhibit developer for the Natural History Museum of Utah
Thompson went to work coming up with an exhibit that highlights both the challenge and the solution.
Among the features is a replica of an aspen grove. While its beauty stands out, it features an interactive survey where people can submit how they feel about the climate situation. Once submitted, visitors can see what others reported feeling.
About 24% of respondents said they felt either "anxious" or "concerned" about climate change and the future of their community, based on feedback collected by Saturday morning. "Afraid," "sad" and "motivated" rounded out the top five with all three garnering 11% of the early vote.
"You'll know that however you're feeling, you're not alone," she said. "There's other people who share your emotion (and) having strong emotions around climate change is normal and valid — whatever you feel is valid for you."
Many other exhibit features highlight how alternative energy options work and where they are found across the state, including the Blundell Geothermal Power Plant in Beaver County, the Clover Creek Solar Project in Juab County and the Latigo Wind Park in San Juan County. There are quotes from various people across the state who tout how these technologies also help the economy and stability in communities across the state, especially in rural Utah.
Thompson adds that these can have short-term benefits like lower utility bills and better air quality, too.
An ever-evolving exhibit
The exhibit can also change in the future. The four-year study aims to help understand climate "learning theory" in informal places like museums, so that other museums across the country may implement what is determined to work, Zummo says.
She explains that results from the study process may also help implement changes to what's included in the exhibit, such as communities that are impacted and new solutions.
The exhibit's ultimate goal remains in the name, though. It all seeks to inspire hope.
"I think hope is essential," Thompson said. "The future is not decided. The future is in our hands."
