Now that the semester is nearing a close, we can now proudly stand back and observe our journey and the progress we have made so far. In the beginning, we set out to fabricate an experience with the purpose of promoting the public’s learning and engagement of urban ecology and environmentalism as a whole, through the exhibit centered around Waller Creek and its interactions with the city of Austin. As far as the UT community goes, we hoped that people would come out of the experience with more knowledge about Waller Creek and it’s role in our urban ecosystem, as well as new, imaginative ideas on all the ways one may change their lifestyle in order to be more environmentally sustainable. In addition, the exhibit would have emphasized the importance of mental wellness and how benefits can be found even in the simplest of things, whether it be taking a yoga class, or even taking a moment to listen to the surrounding environment.

Throughout the project, we hoped our work would bring a change, no matter how big or small, to everyone that participated in the experience. For example, most people don’t even realize Waller Creek has a name or even exists on campus, and how important it is to the wildlife around the area. Just bringing more publicity to the creek is enough. Usually the saying goes that people don’t usually care unless it involves them. Once people make the connection between themselves and Waller Creek and the surrounding environment, this serves as the catalyst for change, whether it be a small change in mindset or a massive call to action. Through the support of the Office of Sustainability, and many others, we were able to work as effectively as possible with our stakeholders and collaborators in order to achieve our goal.

It’s impossible to talk about our experience and not mention the sudden halt to our affairs right before we were able to reach our peak. However through the hard work and dedication of the Social Engagement team, we were able to translate our message from the physical exhibit and experience into the online one. From the character of the monster we fabricated, we were able to effectively promote interest in our message, as the slogan “Waller Creek is Calling” resonates through the minds of the curious.

With our caricature of the monster, throughout the whole experience, I have learned that everything, no matter how small, whether it be the smallest rain puddle,the creek, the albino squirrels, to the cars commuting every day, all play an important role in Austin’s urban ecology and we must promote it to our best ability. Even through the smallest of lifestyle changes, we can all take a stand and see the effects that an increase in sustainability may have on the world around us, and on those who live in it, like the monster of Waller Creek.

The monster we have created is very real; all you have to do is look in the mirror. For this place is our home, and we should do the best to take care of it.

What a year these past few weeks have been. Gatherings like the one pictured above feel like a distant memory at this point.

I had initially gone into this project just hoping to get some audio hardware experience under my belt, but quickly found myself becoming invested and excited to share the creek with the rest of the campus. Creating student relaxation areas from the creek’s natural ambience as well as efforts to lead creek clean-ups were constantly at the front of my mind. I was eager to make the UT community more cognizant of Waller Creek and for the physical area to become a small hotspot for the student body. The prospect of the physical soundscape becoming a more permanent installment in the future was even more exciting!

As March began to barrel down at us and news of a virus on the other side of the world closed in on us though, my enthusiasm admittedly gave way to resignation. First, our additional in-person events were cancelled; next, our main Earth Day events. Finally, the soundscape itself fell through the cracks as the campus was closed to non-essential bodies. It would be hard for someone not to throw their hands up into the air and leave the project on the cutting room floor. The rest of my classmates marched on though, and I was compelled to do the same. Now that we’re in the midst of creating production books that will allow future classes to finish what we’ve started, it’s given me time to reflect on what exactly I was hoping to accomplish with the Waller Creek Project.

What I became most excited for with this project was the prototyping of a future outdoor student relaxation area via the soundscape. Being able to have a hand in creating an environment that can give back to the student body would have been wonderful. After learning about the various contaminants in the creek, I was also hoping to help educate the campus on the impact and ways they could get involved in cleanup. This project has opened my eyes to the plethora of organizations, services, and classes that UT houses dealing with the various facets of environmental wellbeing. Sharing this awareness is something I hope the project has still achieved, even in its entirely digital form. As a quick aside, I applaud all my classmates for the hard work they’ve put into this project since day one and for adapting so quickly to the project’s new form. There was also a surprising intersection with mental wellbeing, and I deeply appreciate now being aware of these materials and services such as the MindBody Labs.

I hope that once this project is seen through to completion, the student body at UT becomes more conscious and conscientious of the very land we learn on, as working on the project has done for me.

Everything’s weird, everything has been weird lately– especially the Creek Monster Project– as a result of the virus. I joined the class thinking I would get away from the normal routine of sitting in front of a computer all day long but when the project started I immediately went back to my roots and chose to join the team focused on the internet! That’s okay though. It’s what I do best, and it feels good when I’m able to contribute meaningfully.

After everything, I hope the UT community has a better outlook on precisely how much they can do to help things. Everyone is so concerned about not making a difference, but according to every time travel movie, book, and story, the characters are so afraid of doing one tiny thing that causes massive change for the future (I’m looking at you, The Sound of Thunder…). The best day to plant a tree was twenty years ago but the second best day is today! People can individually plant trees, mind their waste, *and* go out to tell off those enormous companies that pour poison directly into the mouths of fish in the river.

(Side note: Austrian Wine Poisoning of the 1980s; wine manufacturers were putting in chemicals in their wine that made it taste sweeter, but caused paralysis and brain damage in people. When the scandal started surfacing, they got rid of the wine by pouring it into the river, destroying all life there, and subsequently outed themselves. This really isn’t anything new, and it’s one of the few that are actually publicized)

I hope people understand the magnitude, the scope of what they can do. I know everyone already knows about it, but so much life has returned to our planet now that people aren’t emitting as much pollution by being out. I know people have family to take care of and bills to pay, there’s a delicate balance that needs to be struck. But at least we know now that it’s more than possible. There’s a lot at stake, but they aren’t immediately visible. It’s the long term effects of what we do to the planet. I’m not worried about us ruining the Earth yet, but I believe more in the eventual purge of humans if we keep this up. One day the Earth says, “I’ve had enough” and out we go.

The Creek Monster is fun, it’s imaginary. It confronts people non-threateningly, and that works for a lot of people. Some people however have to be confronted less gently. I guess this is our little niche in the activism front, and I think that’s perfectly fine. Before the project I was aware of the situation, but was passive in its action. It feels good, it feels relieving to think that I helped out, even a little. I think it’s given me more confidence in being more outspoken about the matter. I’m not going to be selfish and not care because it really doesn’t affect me, but it will affect the people I love that live in a later time than me. It’s a source of empathy.