Running the Numbers Statistics help us to assess, compare and predict'

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Running the NumbersStatistics help us to
assess, compare and predict. But to paraphrase
an old saying a picture is worth a thousand
statistics This presentation uses the
photography of Chris Jordan to help us take a
look at ourselves and our environment
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Introduction by Photographer, Chris Jordan My
hope is that images representing these quantities
might have a different effect than the raw
numbers alone, such as we find daily in articles
and books. Statistics can feel abstract and
anesthetizing, making it difficult to connect
with and make meaning of 3.6 million SUV sales in
one year, for example, or 410,000 paper cups used
every fifteen minutes. This project visually
examines these vast and bizarre measures of our
society, in large intricately detailed prints
assembled from thousands of smaller photographs.
The underlying desire is to emphasize the role of
the individual in a society that is increasingly
enormous, incomprehensible, and overwhelming.
For more information on Chriss work and more
photos, see his website at www.chrisjordan.com
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Depicts one million plastic cups, the number used
on airline flights in the US every six hours.
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Not so sure? Take a closer look
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Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the
number used in the US every five minutes.
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Look a little closer.
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Depicts 8 million toothpicks, equal to the number
of trees harvested in the US every month to make
the paper for mail order catalogs.
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Depicts 11,000 jet trails, equal to the number of
commercial flights in the US every 8 hours.
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Depicts 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number
of cell phones retired in the US every day.
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Depicts 1.14 million brown paper bags, the number
used in the US every hour.
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Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in
the US every thirty seconds.
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Depicts 410,000 paper cups, equal to the number
of disposable hot-beverage cups used in the US
every 15 minutes.
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Depicts 24,000 logos from the GMC Yukon Denali,
equal to six weeks of sales of that model SUV in
2004.
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Depicts 60,000 plastic bags, the number used in
the US every five seconds.
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Depicts 30,000 reams of office paper, or 15
million sheets, equal to the amount of office
paper used in the US every five minutes.
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Depicts 3.6 million tire valve caps, one for each
new SUV sold in the US in 2004.



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Depicts 170,000 disposable Energizer batteries,
equal to fifteen minutes of Energizer battery
production.


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All photos use in this presentation were from the
work of Chris Jordanwww.chrisjordan.com