The scientific evidence that global warming is real – and mostly caused by humans – does not always inspire behavior change.

So physicist Robert Davies of Utah State University, created a performance that combines the science of climate change with images and music.

Davies: “The idea here was to sort of push out all the thoughts that an audience comes into a performance with; impose a theme, which is sustainability and climate change, and then unleash some very powerful music on that theme and let the audience just sit with it.”

With original music written for the performance, “Crossroads” helps audiences realize how their own actions contribute to climate change.

Davies: “This process of coming to terms with this knowledge, is necessary and it’s not entirely pleasant. But then we move forward.”

Davies hopes the performance will motivate people to take more responsibility for their environmental behavior. He has plans to create up to three new shows for the crossroads project in the next several years.

Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media.
Photo: The Fry Street Quartet with physicist and educator Dr. Robert Davies (photo credit: Mary Kay Gaydos Gabriel).
Source: Crossroads Project website brochure.

More Resources
Climate Scientist Tries Arts To Stir Hearts Regarding Earth’s Fate
Robert Davies, The Crossroads Project

Bud Ward was editor of Yale Climate Connections from 2007-2022. He started his environmental journalism career in 1974. He later served as assistant director of the U.S. Congress's National Commission...