Sacred Dumping Ground
THE ECOLOGY OF EVERYTHING, a short film.
Sacred Dumping Ground is an ongoing project that began in November 2022 exploring the life of household waste once it is discarded. We live in a “throw away” culture where we toss things and never think about them again. We certainly don’t think about how that trash might impact our futures…If we throw something away, it’s gone forever, right?
This project is an investigation of Alabama industry waste and landfills and their impact on ecology and human life, especially in close proximity to these sites. Alabama is one of the most biodiverse states in the US with endangered plants and animals specific only to the state, yet waste from landfills, industry, and rapid residential growth continues to alter the health of our environment. Comparative to other states, Alabama has a high number of landfills per capita. Many of these landfills accept waste from dozens of other states, including large amounts of human waste trained in from New York and New Jersey. Emelle Alabama is home to the largest hazardous waste site in the country. It sits atop the Eutaw aquifer which supplies water to many Alabama residents.
Currently, the Sacred Dumping Ground project is focused is on impact of waste to Alabama rivers and streams. The aim for this project is to learn more about Alabama ecology and its threats, bring community awareness of environmental concerns, share in community experience through clean ups and art making, and create a deeper awareness and love for the abundance of unique nature that surrounds us in Alabama.
Please reach out via email if you are interested in collaborating in this project.
leahhamelart@gmail.com
