Freshwater Talks: How Cultural Behaviors Endanger Mussel Species

In the 19th century the pearl button industry obliterated freshwater mussel populations in the midwest, while in the northeast industrial pollution poisoned the Delaware River for a generation. Drawing on material histories and conservation science, Freshwater is a reflection on the compounding effects of industrial waste and overconsumption. This talk takes a look at how industrial waste and cultural behaviors such as overconsumption endanger the health of the Delaware River watershed.

Speakers include Paul Callomon, Collection Manager at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Billy Dufala, co-founder of RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residence).

Speaker Bios

Paul Callomon is jointly responsible for management of the Malacology and General Invertebrates collections and supervision of the imaging and SEM centers at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. His field of academic interest is the history of molluscan science in Japan. He is a co-author of the standard reference catalog of Japanese marine species.

Billy Dufala is a Philadelphia-based artist and co-founder of RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residence) an arts organization onsite at Revolution Recovery recycling company with a mission “to challenge the perception of waste culture by providing a unique platform for artists at the intersection of art and industry.”