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Climate and Man (1941) is an ongoing project in which I placed a 1941 bound copy of the report by the United States Department of Agriculture on Climate and Man outside exposed to elements and documented its decay. The book was first placed in my backyard in Portland, Oregon in October 2023, and it remains there now. I have done my best not to move or disturb the book beyond what is necessary (for example, originally it was placed on a wooden table, which eventually fell apart before the book.) The most recent pictures from summer 2026 appear at the top of the page.

A decaying book means different things to different people. In this instance, I have been surprised to watch my own emotional responses as the book decays. Given the subject, it is tempting to view this project as a comment on the woefully inadequate response to climate change on the part of the United States. However, as of this writing three years in, I've been surprised how much of the book remains readable, with a little prodding. What will remain in three more years? Check back to find out.