A Student's Journey to a Sustainable Alternative to Plastic Bags

Today, when I look back on my career of 20+ years of management in the field of plastic processing and manufacturing, I recall the entire life cycle of plastics, from the birth of commercial plastic products to the declining demand for plastic products due to climate change, global warming, and consumption of natural resources.

My childhood passion for plastics encouraged me to study chemical engineering. At the time, there were not enough schools to study plastic engineering, but I maintained my interest and began my career in 1989 in Styrofoam cups and containers manufacturing (single use products) in India. I slowly learned that my products were creating municipal waste that could not be easily recycled and therefore were not environmentally friendly. I refocused my career towards plastic injection molding, because many plastic molded products can be recycled and much of the material can be reused. With time, however, I realized plastics manufacturing and processing of all sorts cannot help but consume natural resources, produce pollution, and fill up landfills.

I was torn and deeply saddened. Plastics had long been my passion, but I could not look away from the difficult truth: they are dangerous for our environment and planet. As a major factor in the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, plastics production has been causing environmental pollution, natural disaster and resource consumption. Realizing this, I began to study “green manufacturing”, “clean energy” and “renewable material” in hopes of learning to build management systems that could accord with our natural world. Sustainability guru Ray Anderson’s thinking began to inform my own: 

“Linear must go; cyclic must replace it. That’s nature’s way. In nature, there is no waste; one organism‘s waste is another’s food. For our industrial process, so dependent on petro-chemical, man-made raw materials, this means technical “food” to be reincarnated by recycling into the product’s next life cycle. Of course, the recycling operations will have to be driven by solar energy too.”

When I asked about how to make all these changes, I learned that adopting and practicing awareness for sustainability can help us to bring “The Green Spring” on planet earth where we can hear birds singing, rivers flowing, and live with no draughts and no hurricanes. 

My love and concern about nature motivated me to continue my learning at Harvard University with courses in Sustainable Management and Environmental Science. Through this coursework, I have come to understand that sustainability is not a profession but a practice, that is, a consistent enactment of awareness in daily life, on all levels. Sustainability is micro process that requires 24/7 conscious efforts at practice by an individual or by any organizations. 

At present, I am working on various projects of bioplastics, such as products which are available in regular non-degradable plastics with short “use” phases as an effort to cut-down landfill waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint.

Our latest product launch is “bioDOGradable Waste Pick-Up Bags”. Our new generation bioplastic product in an effort to eliminate the use of trillions of plastic bags each year. Made with natural and renewable resources, bioDOGradable bioplastics bags promote minimized environmental pollution and improved sustainability. Our mission is to support pet waste disposal efforts in the most eco-friendly approach that results in a positive momentum towards healing our planet. We strive to make a difference in the life you live, with the pets you love.

The foundation of my approach to nature’s needs stems from a professional knowledge and learning in sustainability from the extremely talented staff of Harvard University Extension School during my study for Online Professional Certification in Sustainability at Harvard, and a continuous search for alternative, environmentally-friendly material sources and processes.

Derived from renewable resources, the bioDOGradable bag material benefits from the Vincotte “OK Compost” and “OK Compost Home” labels, which is in accordance to the European standard (EN 13432) for compostability in industrial composting installations and home garden compost heap.

After the use and responsible disposal, bioDOGradable bags are broken down by microorganisms. This process produces good quality humus, suitable for use in gardening or agriculture. It is a natural process for reusing waste.

My passion for sustainability comes from our innermost care for the health of humans, pets, and the environment overall.

We define sustainability as the consistent enactment of awareness to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the production of waste at both the individual and organizational level while maintaining current and long-term economic prosperity alongside minimizing negative impacts on the environment and human health progressing towards a net positive outcome for the future.

Remember! Responsible disposal of pet waste is a sustainable act. In other words, Sustainability is a 24/7 act. My urge to whole world is "Be Aware, Be Sustainable".

Energy and the Environment

What is Energy? It is a wellspring of moving our lives. It's a fundamental segment of our way of life, it moves our organizations, powers our homes, make technological innovations happen and a great deal more. Energy beyond question is a standout amongst the most critical part of life and economy. The fact that energy has gained an essential spot in today's reality is because of its need and usefulness.

Individuals need better personal satisfaction, they work for it, they look for it, For this reason they even migrate from their native lands to much developed places, one thing which we fail to realize is the fact that in order to satisfy our temporary wishes we harm the environment in the long run, to relate we shall be more focused on improving our own backyard rather than being ignorant. The misuse of these fossil energy sources produces huge amounts of carbon dioxide contamination, which advertently contribute to the global warming phenomenon, that is now being given attention because of the adverse effects it is bringing with it, whether it be submerging of the Maldives islands, Excessive floods in Pakistan, or California’s wild fires. 

The methods by which dominant part of the energy today is achieved is extremely hazardous as the majority of it is obtained by exploiting fossil fuels. This consumption of ignitable land stores of natural materials and the abuse of it has brought on contamination accordingly and has adversely contributed towards the World's surroundings. World utilization is expanding by 2.3% every year as indicated by Energy Information Administration, since utilization is expanding so is an expansion in the misuse of these fossil assets, which is contrarily affecting the earth and the environment around us, hence ultimately reducing the quality of life, additionally to remember that fossil fuels are thought to be non-renewable assets since they take significantly additional time as contrasted and the sum with which they are drained. The concerned authorities are presently bringing their voices up in the support of depending on alternative forms of energy which are more sustainable and renewable. New voices for adopting alternative energy are indeed a source of renewed attention, what we need to realize is to convince our lawmakers and business leaders to adopt and start supporting sustainable sources of energy, which will not only decrease their budgeting cost, reduce their subsidies yet will likewise contribute towards the betterment of the environment. According to the International Energy Agency, Europe spent $600 billion in 2012 just importing fossil fuels. Subsequently wind energy projects in Europe saved it $10.5 billion worth of fossil fuel costs.

The eventual fate of energy as I would see it, lies with the adaptability of sustainable energy. We should educate the masses about the effect and the part of sustainable energy in our lives and the amount of significance is in it there for us and for the future eras. How this energy will utilize from Earth’s natural resources in an effective way without harming the environment. The investment in wind power, solar power and bioenergy is fruitful like anything. In separating the fossil fuels it requires a considerable measure of exertion, parcel of assets, part of energy and yes a great deal of cash. As the procedure to achieve something turns out to be more costly and requires a great deal of work and capital, the end buyer needs to pay the value, hence same is the case with fossil energy. Fossil fuel cartels which most prominently include the oil cartel OPEC, decides to shorten the supply for their benefits despite the high demand, financial aspects say the cost is going to soar, thus more non affordability for the masses, events like these have happened in the past. The point is that by educating the people to adopt these sustainable energy initiatives will only do the betterment for them. They won’t have to rely on some cartel based high prices. The method to obtain energy through these sources is also not very expensive, every part of the world have the resources required for clean energy, on a lighter note countries will not have to bear the struggle of importing sunlight.

I was perusing this report issued by the UN on environmental sustainability popularly known as “The Burtland Report”, in which I believe sustainability is defined most accurately which goes like this “development that meets the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Even the UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon pointed out that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poor nations to new levels of prosperity. It is absolutely disastrous that in 2013 fossil energy got about $550 billion in subsidies when contrasted with $120 billion which were spent on renewable energy venture. I believe that Innovation is having exceptionally conspicuous impact with regards to energy in headways better for the earth, yet the worry is that the legislatures and the global institutions should consider this field worth their attention, if we can burn through billions in the research for making new weapons, why not spend this cash on investing so as to enhance the fate of this world in supportable energy ventures, which will benefit our mother nature.

The developed countries on one hand are paying attention to solve their problem using clean energy to fulfill their consumption demands which is a positive step, but on the other hand addressing this problem when it comes to developing countries is a major challenge, the question that arises is to educate the masses in the developing world to confront energy issues with increased adoption of sustainable energy, which is not only going to be beneficial for their economy, but will also contribute to the world in the form of reduced carbon emissions. The gathering of the world leaders at the worldwide stage in Paris at Cop21 gathering and framing an accord to decrease the carbon discharges is an accomplishment in itself.

 In a developing country like Pakistan positive steps have been taken to adopt clean energy in the framework, as the country has been adversely affected by the climate change. Pakistan's economy is quickly developing, the populace is significantly youthful, new commercial enterprises are being set up, which have bought new challenges for Pakistan in satisfying it's energy necessities at such fast rate. The fortunate thing about our legislature is that it is investing in sustainable energy so as to overcome these energy challenges. Pakistan in spite of the fact derives a major part of it's clean energy from the hydel sector, it is broadening the clean energy portfolio with new undertakings in the bioenergy, wind and sunlight based force ventures. Pakistan has as of late built up the world's biggest solar based energy park in Bahawalpur which bears the country’s founder name Jinnah, which will add up to 1000 MW to the national power grid. The administration's part is excellent in empowering the general population both in Urban and the country areas to embrace solar energy framework, the procedure is fairly constrained yet however productive. It is an incredible accomplishment to see less developed towns in Pakistan embracing this innovation. 

The US and China are partners and associates with Pakistan in setting up a spotless energy framework in the country. Pakistan came late in adopting wind energy, it has made great progress in this sector and is going to develop 22 wind ventures which are going to increase the electric capability from 250MW to 1520 MW. At the same time Pakistan is taking a shot at building up new hydel power plants with the cooperation from China, US and the Asian Development Bank. It is likewise concentrating on upgrading the old energy ventures. Pakistan is additionally rapidly working on wind projects to deliver wind energy. There are additionally illustrations from numerous other creating nations which have indicated striking results in the perfect energy part. 

Finishing on a short note, energy is a critical part in advancing our lives, a segment in making the world a more resourceful place, however the traditional methods of obtaining energy needs to be substituted with more sustainable processes which are not only beneficial but less expensive and can be within the reaches of the masses. We need to ensure that the strategies for acquiring energy does not trade off the world's spirit which I believe is the environment.

Shahnawaz Afzal Qureshi

LUMS Environmental Action Forum, Pakistan.

Where to Turn to Learn: A Citizen's Guide to Selected Resources for Self-Education in Transition Studies

Some useful resources for understanding our
global climate circumstance

Compiled by

Tim Weiskel

30 January 2016

The Problem:

It can be confusing for citizens throughout the world to remain reliably informed about our global climate circumstance.  This is true everywhere, in part, because of the lag time between the acquisition of scientific knowledge and its publication in peer-reviewed articles and books.  These sources are then read and reinterpreted in the popular press and news media, from the daily newspapers and magazines through to YouTube webcast presentations.

The problem is further compounded in the United States where the political system is based on periodic elections wherein citizens are thought to choose between candidates.  The choices they make can be influenced by the information they have been given about the candidates themselves and the positions the candidates have taken on public policy issues. 

For this reason, the dissemination of information and the packaging of misinformation, disinformation and ignorance is highly political, and it can become difficult for concerned citizens to keep themselves abreast of our world’s changing climate circumstance.   Where can we turn to learn?

There are, of course, a number of different sources of information including books, articles, websites, organizations, government publications, newsletters, etc., etc.  Each deserves its own consideration, and we will build and annotate a reference list online to each of these kinds of resources over time.

Books:

To begin with, we can consider these top ten books by way of providing an overall understanding of Earth’s changing climate, the pace and magnitude of this transformation, the various implications these changes will have for our daily life in the months and years ahead.

For an understanding of the seriousness and magnitude of global climate change one approach to reach the public has been not to provide yet one more scientific study but to write instead a short novel or novelette.   Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway have done just that with the publication of the very accessible paperback entitled: The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future (New York, Columbia University Press, 2014).

The work is written imaginatively from the vantage point of a future scientist looking back at the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries during which Western Civilization completely collapsed, according to the authors.  The future scientist tries to unravel the different threads of disastrous choices that were made through ignorance, incomplete information, cultural inertia or just plain stubbornness on the part of leaders driven by special interests.  The short book is a very sobering “wake-up-call” and accomplishes what no single scientific study could in such an economical manner.  It manages to grip the reader with a sense of tragedy and urgency at the same time, providing a very sobering narrative about what might well happen if citizens around the world do not change the course of our current economies and the institutions which dominate them.

Fo a succinct description of the history involved in the development of the science of climate change, readers would do well to read carefully the short but excellent work by Spencer Weart, entitled: The Discovery of Global Warming. (Cambridge, Harvard University Press; Revised edition, November 30, 2008) [with support material.]   This book is widely available in paperback in several updated versions, and it has the virtue of providing the reader with an enormous volume of supplementary material provided on a website of the American Institute of Physics.

Beyond this, readers can catch up to the latest material published since Weart’s book by reading Joe Romm’s recent publication: Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know (New York, Oxford University Pres, 2016).  Joe Romm worked for years on energy issues for the United States Government and before that he was a Special Assistant to the President of the Rockefeller Foundation on energy matters. .  He holds a PhD in Physics from  M.I.T., and through his daily “Climate Progress” online weblog, it is one of the most prolific writers on climate policy issues in the United States.  This book is his latest on climate change, and it has the advantage of presenting material in a unique manner.  He poses a whole series of short questions-and-answers in a manner that the reader can quickly navigate and find a well informed and up to date response to virtually any question which may seem puzzling.  This is truly a useful resource for both the “beginner” in climate matters and the more advanced researcher.

The Canadian journalist, Naomi Klein, has published perhaps the most urgent of recent books on the evolution of climate change and its implications for society in her volume entitled This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate (NY, Simon & Schuster, 2014).  The book surveys the already devastating impact that  changes in the climate have had on a number of different populations around the world.  In addition, however, her work is quite hopeful in highlighting how local populations are organizing themselves to respond to the devastations of climate change and build new forms of resilience to face the future.  With her husband, Avi Lewis, Naomi Klein has produced a DVD based on her book, and it should be available for wide-scale viewing very soon. 

With all this recent outpouring of information from journalists on climate change, it is worth remembering that it was Bill McKibben who began to draw the attention of the general public to the problems with the presentation of his book, The End of Nature by Random House/Anchor in 1989.  Bill’s publications have continued apace ever since, and his work deserves a special essay on its own to profile the volume of the material, the depth and perception of his writing and provocative character of his thinking over the last thirty years.  We will pay extended attention to his work in the coming months, but by way of introduction readers may wish to refer to a brief list of references to his work posted on the Transition Studies.weblog.

Bill McKibben’s work came into prominence on climate change journalism at roughly the same time that the professional work of the climate scientist, James Hansen came to the attention of the United States public because of his testimony on 23 June 1988 before the United States Senate.   In this by now famous testimony James Hansen indicated that in his judgment the greenhouse effect had been “detected” and that it was changing our climate now, leading to what he predicted would be the warmest year on record by the end of 1988.

Jim Hansen continued to conduct research and write scientific articles for decades on the growing evidence for his earlier assertions that climate was changing and that the increase of atmospheric carbon was its principal cause.  For the most part, however, this information did not immediately or extensively penetrate the popular understanding of growing climate crisis. 

One of the reasons for this was the attempt to refute his work and actively suppress it, undertaken by other government officers in the administration of President George W. Bush.   The history of some of this dramatic government suppression of science is covered in detail in an important study by Mark Bowen, entitled, Censoring Science: Inside the Political Attack on Dr. James Hansen and the Truth of Global Warming (New York, Dutton Adult, 2007).  This work illuminates with depressing detail just how far the administration under the leadership of President George W. Bush and the influence of the major oil and fossil fuel corporations was willing to go to try to discredit the solid scientific evidence of global climate change ever since the government-sponsored research made it clear that climate change was both real and important. 

There is now evidence presented by the Los Angeles Times and others that  Exxon Mobil and other fossil fuel firms were fully aware of the science when James Hansen gave his testimony.  Further, it is apparently true that they too sought to suppress the public disclosure of these research findings within their own firms.  

It may well be that these corporate and government efforts at the suppression of scientific data contributed to the long period before Dr. James Hansen sought to present his most urgent appeal in book form.  On the other hand, his preoccupation with scientific research and focus upon the continuous publication in peer-reviewed articles in the scientific literature may well have accounted for this as well.  In any case, it was not until 2009 that James Hansen published his first full-length book on climate change.  Entitled, Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity, the book makes an impassioned appeal for citizens to inform themselves about the science of climate change and launch collective political action to demand that political leaders pass regulatory and tax policies so as to decrease the consumption of fossil fuels.  Without these measures Hansen foresees a bleak future for his grandchildren and the future of the human community.

Well beyond the censoring of government scientific information by the Bush administration and the suppression of corporate information about climate change that has now been documented for decades, journalists are now beginning to discover how the entire electoral process in the United States has been corrupted by the fossil fuel lobby and by the particular intervention of Charles and David Koch who have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections.  A new book by The New Yorker author, Jane Mayer, delineates this in detail. 

Her work is not a book on climate change.  Its focus is upon the way in which the right wing politics in America have been shaped by two of the country’s richest individuals with a life-long commitment to the expanded consumption of fossil fuels.  Entitled, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, the work traces the fortunes of the Koch family back to their origins in the activity and initiatives of their father details the influence of their fortunes on the shape of recent American politics.  While there is nothing new to be learned about climate change from this book, there is an enormous amount to be learned on why and how the American public has been mislead, misinformed and manipulated in their understanding of the impact of fossil fuels on our daily lives.

For those wanting to focus specifically on the momentum of climate change in the global system, the scientific focus – ironically -- is upon remote environments that most of us will probably never live in or perhaps even visit.   Fred Pearce draws our attention to this in his important work, With Speed and Violence: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change   The entire work underscores, as scientists have been pointing out for decades, that we live in a “discontinuous climate system,” subject to abrupt, and potentially massive, transformations when certain “tipping points” (like the melting point of ice) are reached.  In these circumstance system-wide parameters of Earth’s ecosystems can be perturbed very markedly with what appears to be only a minor change in basic conditions.  When water turns to ice, or when ice turns to water, as it is now doing in high latitudes and high altitudes whole systems of ocean and atmospheric circulation can change with global impacts that will be felt for centuries and millennia to come. 

In conclusion it is useful to take a broad perspective on the whole phenomena of our changing climate circumstance – not just for human populations but for the entire community of living species on Earth.   Perhaps the best short encapsulation of the implications of this for life systems on the planet is presented in the short and readable book by Elizabeth Kolbert, entitled The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History.  This book won a Pulitzer Prize, and its skilful narrative weaving the history of climate with the changing history of life on earth is an excellent reminder of the gravity and historically unprecedented nature of our global climate circumstance.

These ten books can serve as a starting point for a citizen’s guide to climate issues.  In the future, many more books will need to be considered as well as sources of scientific articles, websites, government reports, non-governmental investigations, interviews, lecture series, etc.  There is much to discover and it is now widely available to the public.

***********************************************************

Dr. Timothy Weiskel is the Research Director at Cambridge Climate Research Associates and teaches courses in environmental ethics and global climate change at Harvard University. He has published several books and articles including Environmental Design and Public Policy: Pattern, Trend, and Prospect, based upon his 1988 testimony presented to the United States Senate in support of legislation to limit carbon emissions. He is the founder of Food-Matters.tv and Transition-Studies.tv and is also co-founded The Climate Talks Project. Read Dr. Weiskel's full bio here.  

Harvard Students Can Make a Difference: Reflections from COP-21 in Paris

By Teresa D'Onfro

       www.sortiraparis.com

Finding my way to the COP21 Le Bourget site was definitely an adventure, and while waiting in the queue for accreditation I felt a bit unnerved when I recalled that our team had been reduced to just me; nonetheless the show must go on. As I continued to wait, I became filled with feelings that were both terrifying and empowering. Finally, with accreditation on hand, I head in through security with no real plan in mind but to walk around I enter Hall 3 which is just one of many in the 25-acre indoor Parc des Expositions Paris le Bourget. The enormous Hall is subdivided into conference rooms for each country’s committees. Judging by the size of the room, the USA was to be most noticeably present in Paris COP. “I heard they’re bringing about 200 mitigators. That is why they rule the world, you know,” an Oxford friend mentioned to me later. 

The entire situation was a bit odd for me grasp. You see, I was there with neither country which I have called home, instead I was there representing Fundación Pensar, Planeta, Política, Persona which is the brainchild of my dear friend Martha Delgado hailing from Mexico City. The Fundación has an amazing degree of influence that comes from Martha’s intrinsic desire to serve humanity interwoven with a network of professionals that have been fortunate enough to cross her path. Almost overnight, I had a role to play in the Water and Megacities Forum at the conference Water, Megacities and Global Change in UNESCO HQ, the Climate Summit for Local Leaders at Paris City Hall, and COP21 access as an observer. 

I have done some cool things here and there but Fundación Pensar’s post was definitely not something I could have prepared for in any way. UNESCO’s meeting was the highlight of my experience, working to establish global indices and measurable indicators that ensure clean water availability is of the utmost importance. Though my part in that work was small, I will always be proud that I took part in it. I will always remember that global leaders do care. Some seem apathetic, sure, but many speak passionately of the importance of ethics in global water consumption and care deeply enough to step-up to spearhead efforts to develop an ethical framework for the global community. This was a pleasant surprise to me because I come from the world of industrial sustainability where some days you give yourself a pat on the back if you win the battle of doing what is environmentally right vs. doing what is legally allowable.

COP21 was paralyzing and marvelous in its own way. The entire world was represented in Hall 2 and it seemed countries, regions, and technologies were all present. Everyone had their own approach to solving the climate change ordeal; some looking for human connections, some looking for financial ones, but all looking to make something positive take shape. In the Climate Generations Area, the hall where the non-governmental organizations had been placed, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. Instead of extensive security checks and police presence, there were only limited ones, and public access was granted. 

Walking around, I found a band playing instruments powered by solar and human energy located in one of the common areas –where energetic people pedaled away. I say ‘pedaled away’ because these instruments were essentially, bikes fitted to harness the power created through pedaling. In fact these ‘bike-stations’ are everywhere for visitors to self-power electronic devices which oddly adds an emphasis on the self portion of the self-power stations.

Because my accreditation was associated with representing the civil sector I was an observer and did not have the ability to take part on negotiations. There are virtually hundreds of opportunities to attend conferences, announcements, or working-group’s exposés relating to everything from years worth of data-findings to development of financial schemes. Negotiations inside the “Country Pavilion” seemed long and not very fruitful, and, it remained an exercise of longsuffering mixed with hopeful wonder during the first week of Paris COP21. Though I carried this feeling of awe with me, not everyone there was styling the same sparkle of wonder in their eyes. There were those who had come just to make their presence known from all corners of the earth carrying a message which does not require French or English fluency. With their faces painted and full traditional clothing one could see them trying to make the world aware of their existence. Their presence sent the message that they were there to shatter the invisibility comfortably assigned to them. They were inside the COP21 site so no claim could be made that they were unwelcomed. 

Digging into the surface of granted visibility, a story of silencing and oppression emerges as Rochelle Diver voices out her concerns about the Indigenous People. She was fighting for them to have the right to speak for themselves in a world that has not given them a voice during negotiations, leaving them helpless against the decisions made. They refuse to be made a token of humanity through an honorable mention within the pre-amble agreement. Instead they fight to be contributors of solutions as global actors through their inclusion in the operating portion of the agreement.  (350.org, Indigenous activists speak out at COP21)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2ya4yrA0aFo

Even more troubling, I hear of conspiracies to first ‘bracket’ and then to omit any language in the agreement which includes indigenous communities. For example Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim expresses his deep disappointment regarding the move to omit indigenous nations “We do not understand why a country like Norway, who is supporting Indigenous Peoples’ preparation and participation to the COP21, reacted as that. The U.S. as well.” (Indian County Today, Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus Focuses on Setbacks at COP21 as Agreement Moves to Final Negotiations). Eventually it all catches up with me and it comes to a point where a tremendous influx of information rushes through my mind. My thought process is forced to quickly filter feelings and distill knowledge. 

In that mind-moment it feels as though, all at once, Chris Robichaud’s philosophical soliloquy on Charles Mills’ White Ignorance was unveiled before my eyes as Tim Weiskel’s stern voice expounded on environmental ethics and the irony of living in a society where civilizations built by our own hands might very well die from our own doing. Having been exposed to two of the greatest ethicists of our time is not always easy, but it helps, especially on occasions when starry-eyed-you gets a glimpse behind the curtain. Even so, I still feel that I was just me witnessing the fact that on one side of the curtain there were millions of dollars being neatly distributed, allocated, and assigned to something from somewhere. While on the other side of the same curtain there were people representing cultures and their entire civilizations which have existed since time immemorial rendered silent. 

To further aggravate my internal struggle, I noticed there was no one representing Ecuador in the Latin American forum yet the Ecuadorian Indigenous representatives sit in the audience. They had been promised a chance to speak but in reality they did not even get an honorable mention never mind an invitation to take part of the forum --Yes, the world witnessed all this along with me. I know this is the case because multiple cameras were set-off to capture the moment the forum adjourned without Ecuador’s Amerindian attendees being heard –What can I realistically do? You ask yourself and the answer comes from a lonely consensus of one voice. You might consider the same question at one point or another. If you do at that point in your life consider this, there is an unusual type of strength to us Harvard Extension students. I think we are of a different caliber of people belonging in eras past not this one which presently surrounds us. We will do well relating to “the typical Harvard men” of Kirkland’s Presidency that Samuel Eliot Morison describes in Three Centuries of Harvard. Morison himself proudly boasts of his own grandfather and great-uncles working their way through “Exeter and Harvard to useful careers…Boys of that stamp are more likely to feel lonely and lost in our bloated colleges of today than their fellows in the small Harvard classes of the Augustan age.” 

This precious hall of Harvardians to which we belong offers us a strength and a humbleness which empowers us to act on behalf of any causes which seek to enrich humanity’s depth with a consciousness which might otherwise be overlooked. You might say to yourself ‘but, I am just me’. It doesn’t matter where, who, or what you are if you are reading this blog chances are: You are just like me. You are “the typical Harvard” student of our own golden era. All that matters is that we have earned our spot to make a positive impact in the world we have built and in the planet we inhabit. Let us exercise our environmentally minded muscles in local forums and global platforms alike.

Video referenced:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2ya4yrA0aFo

Article referenced:

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/12/09/indigenous-peoples-caucus-focuses-setbacks-cop21-agreement-moves-final-negotiations

What's That Smell?

by LeAnn Siefferman

Ever wonder why your waffle iron had an odor the first few times you plugged it in? Or where that “new car smell” comes from?  You may be surprised to learn that many of our daily olfactory encounters are in fact manufactured bouquets of chemical compounds, with ingredients known to be hazardous to human health.

Take for example non-stick surfaces. Highly fluorinated chemicals (HFCs) are used to create a variety of oil and water-repellant surfaces, from frying pans and microwave popcorn bag linings to raincoats and stain-resistant carpets, and they are toxic to animals and humans. These harmful chemicals off-gas emissions when heated, migrate from surfaces with use, affix themselves to inhaled house dust particles and can enter soils and groundwater via landfill leachate. The pollutants then make their way into our bodies through the air we breathe, water we drink, and the food we eat.

HFCs have not only been linked to a number of health issues, such as endocrine disruption, obesity and cancer, they are scientifically recognized as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, meaning these harmful compounds build in concentration as they move up the food chain and do not break down over time. In fact, HFCs have managed to migrate into and through the biosphere, showing up in remote locations such as in the tissue of Arctic polar bears.

You may want to sit down to process what you have read thus far, but before doing so, make sure your chair, couch or ottoman is free of brominated flame retardants. To figure this out, you want to first look for a TB 117 label. This label is indication of compliance with Technical Bulletin 117, adopted in 1975 by California’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Home Furnishings and Insulation. TB 117 stated that furniture must meet an open flame and smoldering cigarette test. To pass this test, fire is contained and suppressed through the heavy use of brominated flame retardant chemicals (BFRs) applied to the furniture’s foam core.

Image credit: sourcewatch.org  

Chemicals commonly associated with the TB 117 label include known mutagens, carcinogens, and are linked to neurotoxicity, decreased IQ, hyperactivity and endocrine disruption. Similar to HFCs, you are exposed to BFRs by way of dermal absorption, inhalation of contaminated house dust, and ingestion of contaminated foods. Like HFCs, these flame retardant chemicals are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. While BFRs are still in use, their application is no longer required by law. In 2013, California changed TB 117 to TB 117-2013, whereby all furniture produced after January 1, 2015 is required to have a label indicating whether or not the furniture contained chemicals known to be hazardous to human health.

Amidst growing evidence linking highly fluorinated compounds and brominated flame retardants with significant health concerns, these chemical compounds are still in frequent use today. Federal legislation currently allows for the use of chemical compounds in consumer products before knowing the extent of their impact on the environment. Extensive scientific research has produced links between commonly-used chemicals and human health, yet legislation has not been updated to reflect these findings.

The good news? While plenty of headlines suggest that the contents of your home could be killing you, there are numerous ways in which you can mitigate your exposure, and your children’s exposure, to harmful chemicals. Below are several resources for reducing and removing sources of toxins in your home:

• Non-stick cookware can be recycled, and this cookware recycling facility locator makes it easy.

• There are many safe alternatives to non-stick cookware. (And if you are a Southerner like me, you will be happy to learn that your grandma’s cast iron skillet is on the safe list.)

• Many furniture manufacturers no longer use brominated flame retardants in their products, and are required by law to tell us if they do. Be sure to look for the TB-117 2013 label and/or ask for products made after Jan. 1, 2015.

• Not sure if your couch contains flame retardants? Check out the Duke University study that will test the contents of your couch for free.

• While currently there are no safe methods for the disposal of flame retardant furniture, research is ongoing to determine possible options, and sofa cushion exchange programs make it possible to reduce your exposure in the meantime.

• Reduce concentration of contaminated particulate matter in your home by frequent wet mopping and use of HEPA filtration.

While it is financially unrealistic to replace everything at once, start small changes now that, overtime, make a big difference.

Challenge: take a quick inventory of your kitchen, closet or living room. What cookware do you have that might contain toxic non-stick coatings? Can you find a TB-117 or TB 117-2013 label on your furniture? What alternatives could you consider, or have you already considered? Post below what you find and what you plan to do, or have already done, to minimize exposure to identified toxic chemicals in your home. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

LeAnn Siefferman lives in Orlando, FL and currently works full time as Puppy Program Manager for Canine Companions for Independence. She will be applying to the Harvard Extension School's ALM in Sustainability program this spring. She will be leaving her job to start an internship with the City of Orlando's Office for Sustainability beginning in December. LeAnn has a BA in Studio Art from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. 

Introducing Permaculture: A Follow-up to "INHABIT: A Permaculture Perspective"

By: Kathleen Ahamed-Broadhurst

Image credit: ecowatch.com

INHABIT: A Permaculture Perspective is a movie showcasing some of the key leaders and projects of the permaculture movement in New England and abroad.  The film shows many beautiful scenes of life in rural and urban setting. But what is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a philosophy that was born out of an Australian garden. It is a practice of sustainable agriculture whose 12 “principles” or guidelines are a framework for creating intuitive system assessments.

In my 2013 article for the Valley Advocate “ Permaculture Goes Public” I explain that “Permaculture revolves around three goals: caring for people, caring for the Earth, and giving a fair share to everyone. Incorporating elements of organic farming, biodynamic agriculture, sustainable development, forestry and natural building, permaculture is a way of thinking holistically about natural systems.”

The twelve principle of permaculture are simple common-sense type statements, accompanied by a saying or phrase that sums up the idea of the principle. Each principle is a key to maximizing sustainability and balance within an ecosystem.

The twelve principles are:

1. Observe and Interact
2. Catch and Store Energy 
3. Obtain a yield 
4. Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback 
5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services 
6. Produce No Waste 
7. Design From Patterns to Details 
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate 
9. Use Small and Slow Solutions 
10. Use and Value Diversity 
11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal 
12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change

Image credit: shadesofgreenpermaculture.com

In the movie INHABIT we see some great examples of urban permaculture including a number of permaculture examples within the state. In fact Massachusetts is one of the states leading the nation in Permaculture initiatives and education. UMass Amherst has a devoted Permaculture garden that won the 2012 White House Champions of Change Award.         

  

Permaculture started in the rural garden and its practitioners are overwhelmingly agriculturalists. However, increasingly permaculture is being used in urban areas, within businesses and at the management level. Permaculture explores worker owned co-ops and non-traditional management styles as well as helping to improve the effectiveness of traditional businesses .

Permaculture it is not a passive philosophy -- it is active and solutions based. It hopes to be a blueprint for human success in a time of climate change. Across the world, permaculture is proving that it can be helpful with giving communities localized food security, cleaner water and better understanding of local systems.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Kathleen Ahamed-Broadhurst

Kathleen is a writer and photographer with a focus on travel, the environment and global public health. She is a certified Permaculturalist as well as an Area Director for the historic Fenway Victory Gardens. Currently she is a master’s degree candidate in Sustainability at Harvard Extension. You can follow her on Instagram @kat_abroad

A Behind the Scenes Look at Textile Production

A Behind the Scenes Look at Textile Production

by Harvard Extension Environmental Club member Kate Bauer

In anticipation of HEEC’s upcoming green exchange event: “TheTrue Cost Documentary Screening + Panel on Sustainable Fashion", I wanted to share my experiences with trying to understand some of the history and craftsmanship behind textiles. I volunteered with two different women’s organizations that focus on promoting local customs and fair wages for members of their communities. In Guatemala, I took part in the process of backstrap weaving, and in Ghana I learned how to batik. The organizations are called Trama Textiles and Global Mamas, respectively.

 A backstrap loom is a “simple” device that attaches to a fixed point (a wall, a tree, etc.) on one end and encircles the backside of the weaver on the other end. While men in Guatemala may operate typical foot pedal looms, the women use backstrap looms. Because of the nature of the set up, the width of the finished panel is approximately the width of the weaver’s hips. Pieces can be sewn together to create larger swaths of fabric for clothing, baby wraps, bags, and more. These pictures show my initial pattern set-up and then loom preparations for the actual weaving.

 

Batik is a dyeing process using wax resistance as a means to create layers of color on a piece of cloth. Fabric is initially dyed with the pattern’s lightest color. A hot wax stamp is applied where the artist wants that lightest color to remain in the finished product. The fabric is then dyed with the next darkest color in the pattern, and the wax process may be repeated. Later, the wax is boiled off revealing the layers of color and pattern that had been applied in stages. These photos depict my bi-colored batik: first dyed blue, then stamped, re-dyed green, boiled, and finally hung to dry.

                      

About the Author: 

 

Kate Bauer holds a certificate in Environmental Policy and International Development and enjoys reading and traveling to understand the geopolitical implications of the textile industry. She hopes to spend a little time working on an organic cotton farm someday and is happy to be a part of the HEEC community.