Page 3 - The Space I Inhabit Journal
P. 3
t of my method is to collect the canisters from a fixed location and the finished work will be a snapshot of
time and space - a narrative about a section of society that use or pass through that space and when this is most
likely to happen. Moreover, it is a mirror of locations across the country.
To me, as I set off on one of my walks, it is like prospecting as I collect the shiny metal objects. Part of me hopes
to find a bag full but, for the sake of the environment, I hope to return with an empty bag. Already, I have
discovered that early Saturday and Sunday mornings are the most productive times to collect - after the users
have had their Friday and Saturday night highs.
The canisters are interesting objects, reflecting the sun, car headlamps and glimmer on the roads. However,
their shape is also reminiscent of bombs and they also remind me of bodies - some are spotless, others are
crushed by cars. Most of all, they speak to me of our throwaway culture.
Nitrous oxide canisters are mostly produced for creating whipped cream. It is also known as laughing gas, hippie
crack, whippits, chargers, nangs, NOZ and NOS are now the second most popular drug among 16 – 24 year olds.
Potential side effects include dizziness through lack of oxygen and deficiency in vitamin B12 which can stop
white blood cells forming.
We are using up resources and discarding with little thought to the future and or to society as a whole. It costs
money to clear litter, money that could be spent elsewhere. Studies have also shown that littering can have an
impact on people's mental wellbeing and community spirit.
In a recent report 'Your NOS Habit Is Trashing the Earth' Sam Nichols wrote:
'Green Chief Recycling is a business based in New South Wales. They're contracted to clean up after all
the big festivals, and Amie explains that on average she and her team will collect somewhere between
500 kgs to a tonne of empty nangs. And then, because nangs are too dangerous to be recycled, they
usually end up in landfill. This, in itself isn't an issue. Nangs are made from inert materials so they have
little environmental impact. But as Amie explains, "The problem here is the amount of energy raw
materials used in creating the canisters, for only one purpose."
It takes a lot to produce a container that can safely hold highly pressurised gas. For this reason, nang bulbs are
made from 3mm thick galvanised steel. Notwithstanding the fact that so much steel could go to better use, the
smelting process produce heaps of greenhouse gas. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change's Fourth Assessment Report, one tonne of steel can produce 1.25 to 3.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide. With
nangs being the 7th most popular drug in the world, a lot of CO2 is pretty needlessly going into the atmosphere.'
time and space - a narrative about a section of society that use or pass through that space and when this is most
likely to happen. Moreover, it is a mirror of locations across the country.
To me, as I set off on one of my walks, it is like prospecting as I collect the shiny metal objects. Part of me hopes
to find a bag full but, for the sake of the environment, I hope to return with an empty bag. Already, I have
discovered that early Saturday and Sunday mornings are the most productive times to collect - after the users
have had their Friday and Saturday night highs.
The canisters are interesting objects, reflecting the sun, car headlamps and glimmer on the roads. However,
their shape is also reminiscent of bombs and they also remind me of bodies - some are spotless, others are
crushed by cars. Most of all, they speak to me of our throwaway culture.
Nitrous oxide canisters are mostly produced for creating whipped cream. It is also known as laughing gas, hippie
crack, whippits, chargers, nangs, NOZ and NOS are now the second most popular drug among 16 – 24 year olds.
Potential side effects include dizziness through lack of oxygen and deficiency in vitamin B12 which can stop
white blood cells forming.
We are using up resources and discarding with little thought to the future and or to society as a whole. It costs
money to clear litter, money that could be spent elsewhere. Studies have also shown that littering can have an
impact on people's mental wellbeing and community spirit.
In a recent report 'Your NOS Habit Is Trashing the Earth' Sam Nichols wrote:
'Green Chief Recycling is a business based in New South Wales. They're contracted to clean up after all
the big festivals, and Amie explains that on average she and her team will collect somewhere between
500 kgs to a tonne of empty nangs. And then, because nangs are too dangerous to be recycled, they
usually end up in landfill. This, in itself isn't an issue. Nangs are made from inert materials so they have
little environmental impact. But as Amie explains, "The problem here is the amount of energy raw
materials used in creating the canisters, for only one purpose."
It takes a lot to produce a container that can safely hold highly pressurised gas. For this reason, nang bulbs are
made from 3mm thick galvanised steel. Notwithstanding the fact that so much steel could go to better use, the
smelting process produce heaps of greenhouse gas. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change's Fourth Assessment Report, one tonne of steel can produce 1.25 to 3.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide. With
nangs being the 7th most popular drug in the world, a lot of CO2 is pretty needlessly going into the atmosphere.'
