While the removal of the Carbon Sink art structure continues to stir controversy, some current and former University of Wyoming students remain neutral towards its removal.
Recent UW graduate and petroleum engineer A.J. Williams was still a student at the university when the structure was put in place and was indifferent to its presence.
“I don’t really think enough people knew about it to really make that much of a difference,” Williams said. “I thought the structure itself was kind of cool, though.”
Geology major Shana Wolff does not have strong opinions about the structure’s removal, but agrees with the artist’s sentiments.
“I think the art structure was a good idea. The industry needs to find alternative forms of energy,” Wolff said. “Good for them for having the structure even if it was only for a little while.”
The Carbon Sink was a sculpture created by artist Chris Drury to demonstrate the damage coal mining can have on the environment. The sculpture consisted of charred trees and trees that had been killed by the pine beetle infestation. The sculpture also contained coal that was mined in Wyoming.
The intent of the sculpture was to have the beetles and coal eat away at the trees to illustrate the damage the coal industry has on the environment.
The Carbon Sink was located on the UW campus but was removed after it sparked controversy as some members of the coal industry and some political figures took offense to it.
Some criticized the university for using funds generated by the coal industry to display the artwork.
“They get millions of dollars in royalties from oil, gas and coal to run the university, and then they put up a monument attacking me, demonizing the industry,” Wyoming Mining Association director Marion Loomis said.
A Wyoming representative from Campbell County also took offense to the structure, as coal is a primary source for the county’s economy.
“While I would never tinker with the University of Wyoming budget — I’m a great supporter of the University of Wyoming — every now and then you have these opportunities to educate some of the folks at the University of Wyoming about where their paychecks come from,” Rep. Tom Lubnau said.
In an interview with Wyoming Public Radio, Lubnau went on to elaborate how much of UW’s budget comes from the coal industry.
“Whether you appreciate that or not, and whether you like that or not, between 60 and 80 percent of your budget comes from those extractive industries, and it’s something you ought to know,” Lubnau said.
The structure was removed in May after some of the university’s donors, including mining company Peabody Energy, considered halting their donations, according to WyoFile.
The Carbon Sink was removed after Gov. Matt Mead asked legislators to consider eradicating it from campus due to the controversy that surrounded it, according to WyoFile.
Despite the disagreement from some students and community members, there are no plans to reinstall the structure at this time.
