Graphics for California Coastkeeper Alliance
I worked with California Coastkeeper Alliance to create a suite of three science graphics to accompany a campaign to limit wastewater pollution in the Southern California Bight. CCKA wished to convey to key decision-makers and the public that nutrient pollution from wastewater facilities in the Southern California Bight are causing ocean acidification and hypoxia hotspots that have acute and devastating impacts on marine ecosystems.
I conducted a discovery session with staff experts to understand the science and key messages and then developed a strategy for visually conveying that information to non-technical audiences.
The first image focuses on how ocean hot spots reduce habitat and builds empathy by depicting some of the charismatic organisms that are harmed. The second image uses a map to establish the geographic extent and severity of these impacts and their proximity to wastewater point sources. The composite uses an excerpt from the habitat image as a zoom inset to reinforce the significance of what is happening in those hot spot areas. This approach allowed us to avoid overwhelming non-technical viewers and gave CCKA flexibility in developing their campaign materials to provide different entry points for different audiences.
Map showing the relationship between wastewater pollution sources and hot spots of habitat compression.
Composite graphic combining the visualization of habitat compression within the water column, with the map showing the extent of habitat affected.