These pictures are part of the exhibition “Running the Numbers, a Self-Portrait” by photographer Chris Jordan. Additional comments about consumption and how to reduce it by David Woodier.

1. What do you think this painting is made from?

3. If you choose to drink canned drinks, make sure you recycle them. If glass versions are available, even better. For your own health, perhaps consider water or a healthier substitute. DW We throw away 8 billion cans per year or around 1 million per day.

4. What is this?

6. If you choose to smoke, perhaps cut down just one cigarette. If all smokers did that, that would be 1.6 billion less cigarettes smoked that day. Maybe even do that once per week... DW Over 10 million cigarettes are smoked every minute across the world.

7. And this?

9. If you use batteries, please use rechargeables. If the gadget has a mains cable, perhaps use that instead. Also, use better quality, longer lasting batteries – it’s less landfill and materials. DW Every hour 680,000 batteries are manufactured.

10. Nobody has been able to guess what this “work of art” is made from. Can you?

12. Refuse and reuse what you can and if possible, take your own glass bottles for water. DW verteilt durch www.funmail2u.de 1 million plastic cups which are used in aircrafts every six hours. That‘s 4,000,000 per day or 46 per second

13. What could this be?

15. Take your own bags to the shops and refuse additional ones. Those ‘green’ bags in supermarkets are made of polypropylene (another plastic) and the energy used for one of those is the same as for producing 28 traditional plastic bags. If you use them you are only helping the environment on the 29th use, otherwise it’s actually worse. DW 60,000 plastic bags, thrown out every 5 minutes; more than 200 per second.

16. …and this?

18. Remember, glass is much better to carry liquids than plastic. If you consider that sealed water with nothing in it shouldn’t go off, then the best before date is actually for the plastic bottle, not for the contents. DW 2 million plastic bottles, thrown out every 5 minutes worldwide! Over 6,600 per SECOND!

19. And technology – what could this be?

21. If you are upgrading your phone, make sure you sell or get someone else to use your old one. Alternatively, avoid changing phones until it breaks and make sure you donate it for recycling. DW 426,000 mobiles,for destruction every day!

22. In summary, the following is happening every second of every minute of every day... (in other words 86,400 times per day) Every second... 166,600... cigarettes are smoked 6,600... plastic bottles are thrown away 200...plastic bags are disposed of 90... batteries are manufactured 45... plastic cups used on airplanes 12... cans are discarded 5... mobile phones are destroyed Gone For Ever Do you feel this is acceptable?

24. Reuse

25. RecycleMaybe even do the same tomorrow  Translation of text: Jge Additional suggestions by www.DavidWoodier.com