Back On Track
Social Action Through Art, 2003

"If an image is worth a thousand words, a piece of art can communicate knowledge and insight into the truth of a people, and serve as a stepping stone toward understanding and social change."
L.A. Airsman, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology
Metropolitan State College of Denver

December 4, Tivoli Turnhalle, Metro State College students of Social Action Through Art in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club joined forces using art as the medium to encourage discussion and social change. The focus was on transportation, past, present and future and its effect on society.

A variety of artists of all ages came together using various media to create their vision of transportation. What resulted was more than thirty pieces of art on display to encourage discussion on what to do about transportation in Colorado, a state that ranks third worst in the United States.

The reason transportation was chosen as the focus of this art exhibit is that it effects everyone, whether they drive or not. Commute times have been increasing as the population and urban sprawl has gone up. In the future transportation is expected to increase some 40% in the next 10 years with few solutions in sight.

The need to address transportation needs only becomes more urgent when you understand the impact it has. For example:

• An estimated $1.225 billion in lost time due to traffic congestion
• Children living within 250 yards of roadway carrying 20,000 cars per day are six times more likely than other children to get cancer and eight time more likely to get leukemia.
• Ozone levels are on the rise, which is linked to respiratory problem making it harder to breath.
• Increased pollution will only increase the number of days missed either from school or work.

For more information contact:

http://www.actionthruart.org/backontrack/
http://rmc.sierraclub.org/index.shtml

Adriana Raudzens
Transportation Organizer
Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter
1536 Wynkoop St., Suite 4-C
Denver, CO 80202
303-861-8891
Adriana.raudzens@rmc.sierraclub.org

Linda A. Airsman, Ph.D., Art Sociologist
Department of Sociology
Metropolitan State College of Denver
303-556-8347
airsmanl@mscd.edu

Derailer Bicycle Collective
A non-profit free bicycle shop that works primarily with low income youth, ages 7-17, from the Westside of Denver.
1065 Lipan St.
Denver, CO 80205
303-573-3896 (ask for one of the Derailer collective members)
derailerbicyclecollective@yahool.com

Transit Alliance
A coalition of 37 local governments, business associations and citizen groups promoting public transit as part of a balanced transportation system.
1445 Market St, #501
Denver CO 80202
303-573-1487
info@transitalliance.org
www.transitalliance.org