Using a harmonious blend of music, art and scientific poetry, The Crossroads Project: Rising Tide addressed issues of environmental sustainability during its performance Tuesday.
About 100 people gathered at First United Methodist Church for the international project’s first visit to Gainesville.
Robert Davies, a physicist and the event’s host, said science can inform people of facts but still fail to inspire change.
“You don’t stir emotions with graphs, figures and citations,” Davies said. “You stir it with art.”
He discussed a range of topics, including climate change, food, energy, water and consumerism.
At times, the light dimmed and the Fry Street Quartet played in front of a slideshow of photos.
“We know how we got here, and most importantly, we know where we’re headed,” Davies said. “So the time has come for us to believe what we know.”
Evan Kassof, 27, said the event escalated his feeling of responsibility for the Earth and the possible damage to come.
“We knew it was going to come,” Kassof said. “It’s like when you’re watching that movie, and the love birds are about to die, and then it’s so much worse than you thought it could be.”
Attendees took part in a Q&A session after Davies’ closing statements.
“Our Earth is resilient, but not infinitely so,” he said. “While there remains so much we do not know, we do know one thing: All is not well with life on Earth.”
