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.
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