Poor Environmental Conditions? A Drug War? No Problem!

Last year in my Sustainable Cities course with Professor Vicky Kiechel, we were required to read a text called Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World. The book tells the story of an ambitious Colombian scientist by the name of Paolo Lugari that set out to colonize the vast, uninhabitable area of Colombia known as the llanos. The dirt was highly acidic, there was a severe dearth of biological diversity, and the area was plagued by violence between the narcotics’ trafficking gang FARC and the government. Lugari’s specific intent was to develop the area in an environmentally sustainable fashion, so that one day the village would be able to operate by itself using technologies developed there. One example of the extent of Lugari and his team’s success is the completely-solar powered hospital that serves the village. I particularly enjoy this success story because it’s related to my regional studies of Latin America as well as full of great micro-cosmic victories in the name of environmental development.

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Utopia literally means ‘no place.’ In Greek, the prefix ‘u’ signifies no. We call Gaviotas a topia, because it’s real. We’ve moved from fantasy to reality. From utopia to topia.” (Weisman 8)

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There are extensive lessons to be learned by overcoming the environmental challenge of the llanos. One of the unique approaches offered by the Gaviotan model is the recognition that environmental change is of immediate concern –we need to reverse our human impact on the planet immediately before the opportunity is lost. Accordingly, every technological innovation developed by the students, architects, and scientists of Gaviotas was made available for free to other developers. No patents were created, thus initiating a cycle of shared technological invention that remains uninhibited by private interests or the free market. Among these inventions were the aforementioned solar panels as well as a see-saw powered hydraulic pump that allowed the villagers to access water stored deep below the surface of the llanos. Another approach that served the mission of Gaviotas and catalyzed the experiment’s success was the impartiality of the group of developers. The llanos are wildly desolate, so the area serves as an under-patrolled region where drugs such as cocaine are produced by violent groups. Because the settlers of Gaviotas were not aligned with the FARC, their enemy paramilitaries, or the government, they were able to tackle their charge much more efficiently. This example could be applied to any number conflict situations across the globe, where infrastructure development is often in dire need but impeded upon by partisan interests or funding. In this sense, the example of Gaviotas is highly replicable. The story provides me with immense hope due to the multi-faceted nature of the success and the dedication shown by others in regard to bettering the world without questionable motives such as profit. Of relevance to my success story is the recent question-and-answer session we held with the Ambassador of Colombia to the United States in my US-Latin American Relations class with Jorge Ata. I asked the diplomat whether Gaviotas was still an operating success, and he indicated it was. He provided me with his business card and told me to follow up, but I have not had the free time yet. Again, however, I have hope, which is a great feeling due to the nature of much of our learning.

I largely recounted above what I learned from reading the book, although I have included in the Works Referenced a link to an article that nicely complements the book’s text as requested by the prompt.

Works Referenced

Weisman, Alan. Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, 1995. Print.

Wilson, Kate. "Dispatches from a Colombian Utopia." Slate Magazine. Slate.com, 18 March 2004. Web.

Micro Solutions Bring Hope

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12581100

This links to a BBC article about proposed eco-engineering solutions to deal with amphibians and how they will be affected by climate change. This is because adult amphibians are sensitive to changes in habitat and temperature. One of the proposed solutions is the creation of “micro-habitats”, which would consist leaving piles of dead wood near amphibian habitats in order to allow for cooler temperatures and more moisture.

Similar kinds of intervention have been used to protect reptiles. In those cases the canopy of forested areas were reduced in order to increase sunlight coming through and therefore provide warmth for reptiles on the ground. To protect the amphibians, essentially the reverse will happen. The next stage consists of testing some of these ideas before they are implemented on a large-scale. Another proposal is to establish a web portal where scientists can upload their trials and results, therefore sharing ideas and results in a much quicker fashion.

This is an effective form of action on multiple levels. First of all it is a proactive approach to dealing with the effects of climate change. Because we are past the point of reversing these effects, it is time to start thinking of how we will adapt to changes. On another level, the example that is given seems like a simple eco-engineering solution that is not likely to have large environment altering effects. Finally, I think the proposed web portal is a great idea because I think it will speed up innovation and help us meet these sorts of challenges much sooner.

I would say that it is a replicable idea. First, because it has already been replicated from previous measures aimed at protecting reptiles. Also, it is a proposal that solves a problem on the micro-scale. I think this makes it easier to replicate and adapt to various other micro problems. I think the hardest solutions to replicate are macro ones because they require broad sweeping actions.

This type of article does give me hope essentially because of the reasons that it is an effective approach. It is an example of being proactive, is a simple concept, and encourages the sharing of information and acceleration of new knowledge. But, I also have hope because I believe in the triumph of the human spirit and American ingenuity.

For my article I selected a piece written about Iceland and its attempts to dramatically increase its usage of geothermal energy producing technologies as well as one day create a power line connecting the UK with Iceland in order to be able to export energy. The article discusses how Icelanders are plagued by earthquakes and volcanoes and that through geothermal energy production they can finally reap the rewards of their close capacity to a gap in the tectonic plates.

In my opinion this is the perfect type of action towards the global environmental situation as it works in the existing market, using clear incentives, that will hopefully help to promote clean and sustainable energy not only in Iceland but throughout Europe. The steps Iceland is taking to increasing its own production of clean, renewable energy, the less it will have to rely on oil and other fossil fuels as a way to create energy. Iceland is already one of the worlds greenest energy producers as it gets a significant amount of energy from hydro as well as geothermal energy plants. The proposed increases in the article would help to build on this already existing infrastructure as well as to hopefully start exporting some energy to the UK. This would increase the amount of green energy being used in Europe as well as provide greater profits to the Icelandic energy countries, which would allow them greater ability to invest in new technologies and create even greener and more efficient processes towards creating renewable energy.

As far as feasibility in other countries is concerned, due to the specific geographical conditions necessary for geothermal plants to be effective this particular type of energy might not be replicable in all nations however it does show that a country can have successful industry while still using renewable clean energy to power itself. Not all countries might be able to use geothermal energy sources but green energy sources exist for every nation its just a matter of determination and will in unlocking them and utilizing them to there full potential. The article personally gives me hope because the US is so swayed by consumer trends and the political actions of other countries. Hopefully if more nations get on board with Iceland’s efficient usage of renewable energy then the US too can make significant changes in its energy production, which is currently dominated by the burning of carbon emitting fossil fuels.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-28/iceland-channels-volcanoes-to-win-europe-s-clean-energy-supply-race.html

Well...it could be worse...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12548160

This article reports findings from the UN Environment Programme which recently found that cutting atmospheric soot, ground-level ozone, and methane will mitigate the negative consequences of global warming anywhere from 30-60 years. If drastic cuts in these emissions are made worldwide, it is estimated that humanity can shave one half of a degree from temperature worldwide, hopefully saving billions of dollars worth of agriculture and countless human lives lost due to air pollution.

While this article does not embody a single effective response to global warming, or any other particular environmental challenge, it does bring to the forefront of consciousness an issue that is rarely thought about by humans: the fact that we don't know what we don't know. Just as we seem to be discovering, daily, the negative effects of global warming, we also find that mitigation we did not earlier know possible also exists. My point in using this article is to perhaps provide the most hopeful facet of existence: that in a future which seems foreboding, uncertain, and hostile humanity can retain its intelligence, ingenuity, and cleverness. We, as a species, cannot lose hope for ourselves because of our preceding generations - we must boldly understand our condition and environment, our circumstance and ourselves and lead our species (not country or even society) toward a more promising future. I think this article brings this other face of what seems like a hopeless eclipse into view, and to lose that hope, that view of the future as up-for-grabs, as a Heideggerian Open, would be our greatest failure.

Consciousness of Food

When I grocery shop, or even go to a restaurant (fast food or sit-down) I am extremely pragmatic. Like eons of evolution and years of socialization have been wiped from me, I resemble something of a Neanderthal: my consciousness and decision-making are utterly barren of ideology or principle. At the grocery store everything I buy passes through a few basic censors characterizing my desire for maximum utility (to put it politely) and laziness (to put it bluntly). I first note my tastes, whatever my stomach and taste buds crave - in these moments I am a slave to my passions. Next I consider price, but not even in a self-interested model of efficiency of purchase, much more because the lowest number will almost always direct me towards my choice (its about ease of decision-making, really). After this I consider the ease at which the food can be cooked, and also its possibilities for LOs (left-overs, for the layman). Upon checkout I quickly peruse my shopping cart or basket and evaluate the overall nutrition of my selections - this inevitably leads me back to the heart of the store to balance my monumental purchases of ramen, pasta, and potato chips.

My excursions into fast food bare little difference. Often I go to a fast food restaurant before the grocery store, internalizing the sentiment "don't shop hungry". The irony is inescapable: grocery shopping is the healthiest, most efficient means of obtaining food - my unhealthy, expensive habit equates to smoking a cigarette before going on a run.

The point of this is that NO WHERE in my habits of demand and consumption does the environment enter in. In fact, after learning more and more about humanity's apparent grudge against the planet that spawned it, I only feel the slight sting of guilt as I go about these activities. What's more, my recent preference for Whole Foods over Giant has little dulled this sting. To extrapolate, I shudder to think that I am the only consumer with these habits or outlooks - perhaps an even more terrifying thought is that even an informed public would not change their patterns of behavior.

Emphatic Vegetarianism

As a vegetarian, my food choices are distinctly aligned with a popular alternative ideology rooted in consideration of the environment, animal rights, and healthful thinking. I’ve been a vegetarian for three whole years as of January 2008 after I returned from Ecuador after an independent alternative break set up outside of the university. I’ve successfully converted friends to this lifestyle, and I’m constantly engaging with others about my dietary considerations and theirs, whether contrasting or similar. I actively scorn friends, acquaintances, and strangers that bill themselves as “vegetarians” while contrarily following a pescatarian diet, but I could also never make the sacrifices affiliated with being a vegan. I converted to vegetarianism after spending a significant of amount of time with friends of the persuasion, whether dining at a restaurant or during my first semester spent in the dining hall. Their rationale and commitment inspired me to take a big step towards manifesting my passion for social justice in my everyday consciousness. A few months after the decision, I read Diet for a New America by John Robbins and later Pollan’s Omnivores Dilemma. These books confirmed what I had been informed of by my friends over conversation and debate regarding both personal health and the industrial food complex, not to mention environmental considerations. Being a vegetarian has also led me to develop well-rounded cooking skills, which I frequently show off to women and friends alike

However, one problem related to my diet is the meat alternative – such things as Morningstar or Tofurkey Products that aren’t necessarily healthy, nor environmentally sound due to the massive amounts of soy beans being grown that cause systemic problems such as deforestation. Nonetheless, I still take solace in knowing that no animal suffering occurred for my dietary pleasure. While I learned from Robbins’ groundbreaking text on vegetarianism how a vegetarian should, in theory, get enough protein from eating the recommended amount of vegetables, I still consume immense amounts of dairy products and eggs. Breakfast burritos are my favorite food (scrambled eggs, salsa, tortilla, and whatever vegetables I have available), and I eat them approximately 6 times a week. Lately I’ve striven to curb this intake, as I am aware that oftentimes the chickens producing these eggs are subjected to poor conditions that I oppose by refraining from meat consumption.

The aforementioned indulgences are definitely the most environmentally impactful food items I consume, in addition to processed foods, year-round fruit, and beverage decisions. This last factor is ultimately my ‘green foodprint’ downfall. As a twenty-two year old studying the problems of the world under the label ‘international studies,’ I drink malt liquor fairly often as a recreational alternative to my courses and homework. While cheap and union made, it would be more environmentally sound to drink local, organic beer that traveled a short distance and didn’t use inputs made from chemically-grown crops. This however, is unrealistic on a college student’s budget, almost an issue related to classism. I posit that my ‘forty’ consumption is my environmental downfall because of the frequency and amount in which I imbibe – if I were to curb this habit I would undoubtedly be making a step in the right direction.

I look forward to class discussion tomorrow because I am also in Professor Nicholson’s Political Ecology of Food and Agriculture class, so I will be able to provide further insight into these environmental issues.

When making my decision on what food to buy I take three factors into account. When grocery shopping, the first priority is to buy cheap products because my roommates and I are the stereotypical poor college students. The next factor to be taken into account is how much protein is in the food. This is because we like to workout and are working on becoming more muscular. The final factor is in regards to when I go out to a restaurant. My decision is based on a combination of what I am craving/what I think will taste the best and whether or not this meal is reasonably priced. Unfortunately, when choosing my food sources I do not take the environment into account. The closest thing I do to taking this into account is that I try to avoid drinks that are made with high fructose corn syrup.

Of the foods that I have consumed over the last couple of days, probably the most environmentally unfriendly was a BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich from Hooters. I assume this because I think pork is one of the least efficient meats one can eat and I highly doubt the quality of the meat that a fine establishment such as Hooters uses. But to be quite honest, I think the food/beverage that I have consumed the most in the last couple of days has been beer and I am a bit curious about the environmental impact of producing it.