Kevin Parker, global head of Deutsche Bank’s assets-management division, is thinking green—and we’re not talking cash. Parker is the mastermind behind the Carbon Counter, the nearly 70-foot-tall digital billboard on the corner of 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue that delivers a message New Yorkers can no longer ignore. The counter shows, in real time, the total accumulation of harmful greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. It’s an ever-growing number, and Parker says he hopes to raise awareness about climate change and give people a push to help find a solution. “If it helps to clarify the issue for legislators and others arguing for government action, we will consider the counter a success,” he says.
The Carbon Counter, which began its tally in June, has received a resoundingly positive response. “It’s clear that the counter has caught the imagination of people all over the world,” says Parker, who explains that within a week there was considerable online buzz about the project (approximately 500 articles’ worth). In the end, Parker and his team simply hope to generate some much-needed attention for the earth’s sake. “After all, our aim is for as many people in as many places in as many ways as possible to see the number on the counter and think about climate change,” he says.
