The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Interview with William on the Daily Show:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-october-7-2009/william-kamkwamba

TED Talk with William:

http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html

The story of William Kamkwamba is certainly inspirational. Growing up in Malawi, his family was largely dependent on agricultural for income. When he was 14, there was a severe drought and his family had to pull him out of school because they could not afford it. So, William spent time in the library reading books about physics, and in particular, windmills. Despite the fact that he could barely read English, he learned that windmills could pump water and generate electricity. He believed that he could build a windmill and in turn, provide water for his family’s crops. Using diagrams and scraps of metal that he could find, he constructed a rudimentary windmill that provided electricity for his house and irrigation for a garden.

Despite the fact that William’s invention was not based on environmental concern, but was a survival mechanism, this story still provides hope for sustainable development in some of the poorest countries. By harnessing the clean energy of wind, William was able to generate electricity and irrigation, basic things that can improve the lives of rural farmers around the world. The fact that this windmill was built entirely out of scrap metal, at practically no cost, means that William’s model can be replicated in communities all over the world. The environmental problems of the developing world are much different from the environmental problems of the developed world. By tying in environment with the development process, at a community level, small initiatives can be taken to lessen the environmental impact of development. These technologies are not necessarily expensive, which means that it only takes some dedicated people to replicate at a larger level.

Green Urbanization an Oxymoron?

In an age of rapid urbanization and population growth, we must ask how the environmental impact of these two world factors can be curved through technological innovations. One article I found on the subject talks about making green building a corporate responsibility in New Jersey. You can read the article "DEP Environmental Stewardship Program Grows to More than 500 Participants," from the Environmental News Network at this site: http://www.enn.com/business/article/42395.
The article talks about a program in New Jersey to tackle sustainable building through "environmental stewardship." This term itself gives me hope because it shows that some architects and city-planners have recognized the need to make sustainability a large part of their work. Green building means installing solar panels to use for electricity, water conservation, material-use reduction programs, and other processes listed under the DEP's 21 categories of the stewardship program. As part of the initiative, the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) sends inspectors to building sites with a series of questions for the contractors and methods of assessing the extent of the building's environmental consciousness and sustainability.
I think actions like this are definitely effective because they set standards and regulations to places where it matters, like urbanization and building construction--two human actions that directly hurt the environment. However, there are always ways around regulations and therefore we must ask questions about how exactly the DEP's requirements are regulated and carried out. Also, some would say that trying to make urbanization more eco-friendly and green-focused is irrelevant because we should focus more on limiting growth in cities and limiting human actions that directly hurt the environment. So is green urbanization an oxymoron? I think it's a step in the right direction. It's accepting that cities have to expand in order to meet growing population needs, but changing the way in which they expand and trying to make it less environmentally detrimental. Yes we absolutely do need to focus on the roots of the problem, but this one innovation certainly gives me hope.

Arab Revolts Helping the Environment

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/business/global/28oil.html?ref=middleeast

This is one of the few classes where I have managed to escape discussing the extraordinary events unfolding in the MIddle East, but true to form it seems as if environmental politics is not immune from what is transpiring there. Primarily because the MIddle East is such an important player in oil politics, which in turn affects our class on environmental politics, the current situation that is leading to a rise in gas prices may effectively change consumption patterns in our every day lives. As the price of gas continues to climb due to the turmoil in the MIddle East, no where closer to home will that be felt than at the gas pump. This is a highly effective way to reduce the amount of cars on the road and makes people question when to drive or buy gasoline. Not only does it affect the individual, but it also affects the price of other commodities and items that rely on gasoline to either be transported or produced. Essentially, as oil prices rise so too will the prices of other goods and that will directly affect the way people consume.

For however effective a response to the global dependency on gas that rising gas prices may be, it is no more a sustainable as it is a replicable solution. While it is incredible that popular and organic movements are expressing the popular will to overthrow US-client states that were dependent on oil, such movements can only last until a new government comes to power, and will be exploited for its natural wealth. Certainly we have seen these movements spread across the region and while the large petroleum producing states have so far remained stable (no doubt due to the amount of money it can throw at its citizens to placate them), there is the possibility and room for these movements to topple friendly oil regimes. In that case, the pain at the pump might dramatically change the way in which people consume and run their lives.

Seeing these movements occur in real time gives me great hope. However, it is not hope for the environment. These revolutions give me hope for social justice movements and true home grown democracies, but much less so for the environment. These revolutions provide a taste of what is to come when the region finally dries up. Unfortunately for the time being, it is too hard to say in what ways the new popular governments will deal with oil companies. If they maintain strict nationalization measures, the price of oil could rise to new proportions that makes it unsavory for SUV driving consumers. Or, if countries enact foreign friendly policies that exploit their national wealth, we could see dependence rise to new heights.

Water Warriors: Restoring Traditional Earthen Dams for Rainwater Harvesting and Groundwater Replenishment in Rajasthan, India

http://www.ecotippingpoints.org/video/rajasthan/index.html

The link includes a video of a response to environmental degradation in a small rural town in Rajasthan, India. Commercial logging and the development of new well technologies led to villagers ignoring their traditional source of water, johads, and created an environment that led to water shortage and environmental degradation.

The involvement of a local NGO helped return people’s attention to their johads as a source of water. The return of johads revived the water-deprived area. This effort along with work to replant the village forest restored the community. Agriculture was diversified, livestock herds recovered, and wildlife returned to the area.

This environmental solution was effective because the solution was something that people in the community remembered and understood had worked for hundreds of year. This traditional method acted as an innovation that revitalized the community. The use of traditional technology as a way of solving environmental problems is certainly replicable in other contexts. It may be difficult to adopt traditional methods in communities that are already too far beyond their traditions, like in much of the United States.

This means is not cannot be the only solution to global environmental problems. There are some places where it is not a practical option. However, knowing that there are solutions that are so simple makes me is a good sign for the future of humans working to better live in our environment.

This website, www.ecotippingpoints.org, has a bunch of very interesting and innovative solutions to environmental problems all over the world.

Food Awareness

When making choices about the food I eat, I keep a number of factors in mind. I have long considered becoming a vegetarian because of the environmental and health impacts of eating meat. However, many of my favorite foods involve meat, and I just can’t give them up. Despite this, I make an effort to purchase meat that has been grass-fed (when I can afford it). I also make sure that I read the ingredients of the food that I buy. Something can appear to be completely healthy, but the ingredient list might be full of things I can’t even pronounce. I want to actually know what all the ingredients are in my food, and not base my eating habits just on calorie or fat contents. Eating locally is also something that I try to follow through on. Whenever I can, I buy my fruits and vegetables from farmers markets. However, it is also important to buy in-season foods (which can be limiting) because local foods can be grown in hot-houses that are also not good for the environment. One aspect of being conscious about the food I eat that I find difficult to actually follow through on is the human impact of my food. Having interned at a labor rights organization, I realized that many individuals working in the agricultural sector have far from decent working conditions. I really would like to be able to say that my food has been farmed or processed in fair working conditions, but I have found that to be quite difficult. I can buy Fair Trade certified chocolate or tea, but very few products can even carry a Fair Trade label.

Of the food that I have eaten in the past day, the most environmentally harmful would have to be the Purdue chicken that I had for dinner last night. Buying organic, or GM-free meat is quite expensive, so I usually stick the least expensive options. I am pretty sure that Purdue does not raise its chickens in an environmentally sustainable way. Based on what I saw in the movie Food, Inc., I can only imagine the impact that my dinner had on not just the environment, but also the humans involved in the raising of these chickens.

Always Recycle

It is an interesting task to think about the impact eating has on the environment. Often, we are so caught up in the mouth watering aspect of eating, rather than the polluting aspect of eating (and I'm not talking about the excretion bit). As a college student, I try to buy my groceries as often as possible, rather than paying for each individual meal. While this is primarily financial, i believe it also has more bang for my buck. I do partake in the 'simple acts' of shopping to help the environment, ie. using cloth bags instead of plastic bags, etc. I also try to limit the amount of meat I buy, and generally try to use farmer's markets or locally produced vegetables, although sometimes that is not always possible. Thinking back over the past 2 days on what I have consumed, I would have to say that definitely alcohol is having the biggest environmental impact as that is primarily all I have consumed. I definitely try to consume local beers ie. dog fish head. and most important of all, to always recycle.

Budget / Time Constraints and Environmental Impact

Ideally, my food choices involve some degree of environmental and health considerations. However, these are limited by context and my own tastes. With both the environment and healthy eating habits in mind, I have cut red meat and pork from my diet for over two years. The decision to do this was probably equally about the environment as about healthy eating. These two animals (cows and pigs) require a large amount of land to live and produce their food. They are not viable for the energy output they produce. Neither are particularly healthy, other than the protein they provide, which I get from other sources.

Despite the relative ease I was able to cut out these products from my diet, I have not been able quit poultry or seafood. While I try to eat them sparingly, and I made efforts to stop eating them all together, I have been unsuccessful so far.
I am limited by my budget and the context I find myself in. As a college student with barely enough money for rent, I cannot afford the option of local, organic produce consistently. These options are not readily available at the local Giant anyway, and the opportunity to get to the farmer’s market is not always available for me.

Additionally, when I look at my recent eating habits, my job forces me into eating habits that are not always healthy or environmentally-friendly. I work in Friendship Heights and to avoid spending eight dollars or more for dinner every day, I often bring a meal. These meals are often leftovers or frozen meals, which require a microwave to cook. I try to avoid using the microwave as often as possible, however to heat up these little meals there is not another option available. The energy required to heat up a frozen dinner in two minutes requires a disproportionate amount of electricity, which I know is more likely than not coming from fossil fuels. It does not help either that these meals are packaged and wrapped and packaged again in plastics that will never go away.