Public Smog is an "atmospheric park" created by San Francisco-based artist Amy Balkin

Amy Balkin

Amy Balkin is an American artist who studied at Stanford University and is now located in San Francisco. Her work 'combines cross-disciplinary research and social critique to generate ambitious, bold, and innovative ways of conceiving the public domain outside current legal and discursive systems.'...

 and her supporters through the use of financial, political, and legal methods. The goal of Public Smog is to "highlight the complexities and contradictions of current environmental protocols." .

The Park

The public smog atmospheric park consists of two areas which fluctuate in size and location. The upper park opened above the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 in 2006 and the lower park is located over California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

’s South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Coastal Zone in 2004. Each was opened up through the purchasing of emissions offsets and then retiring the purchased air from use. Both parts of the park are currently closed.

Methodology

Some of the main methods used to create Public Smog are the purchase and withholding of emissions offsets and attempting to add the Earth's atmosphere to UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

's World Heritage List.

External links

• Public Smog on Wiser Earth