In a discussion in class recently, we touched on the idea of how people deal with time in relation to their living situation. It really hit home.
Here in Pomona, I've noticed from first hand experience that a lot of people who live here are renting either their apartment or their house. I for one am one of them.
This affects my invested interest not only in my home but also in my city. The uncertainty of my future in this particular home makes it so that I have very little interest in spending money to fix my home. Unfortunately, the house needs a lot of work. A new roof is needed (those who follow my blog will remember the loss of a laptop due to a leaky roof) but all that has been done is that plastic has been placed on top of the roof. I am not interested in paying for the new roof. Seeing as how I sublease, I am not in contact with the actual property owner so my line of communication is already complicated.
(Why not just move out? well, as a starving student who is trying to save money to buy a house I have very few options)
If I owned my home my futures have a higher level of certainty so my invested interest in the house would be increased. And the home that I might own, being in a certain city would also increase my invested interest because I am more likely to stay within that city because I live in the home that I own.
To be honest, I don't know how long I will be living in Pomona because I do not own a home here. Also, I do not know what home prices will look like when I have enough saved up to buy a home. Though homes are cheap in Pomona and I really want to stay, there is a chance that I may need to look elsewhere for a home.
SO, like most renters I have a greater likelihood of transience. Thus my invested interest in the city is not as high as it might be due to that. With so many homes "se rente," we wonder why, with a population so high, so many people don't show that they care in this wonderful city of Pomona.
We studied this in relation to environmental issues but it indeed relates to many other issues of concern inside a city.
There are other cities that require that when someone buys a house, they (or sometimes an immediate family member) must live in it for at least a year or more before they can consider renting it out. I'm just saying... it's something worth considering.
(The article of discussion was "Time, Cycles and Tempos in Social-ecological Research and Environmental Policy" by Charles H. Wood from Time & Society 2008; 17; 261)
Showing posts with label Economy and Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy and Environment. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Journey to Peru + Water
I recently guest "blogged" on Green Empowerment's blog about my experience with them in Peru.
There was the link and here is the nearly identical post.
In August myself and some classmates headed down to Peru with some folks from Green Empowerment. We flew into Lima and from there we went to Cajamarca. Cajamarca is in the Andes on the east side of the continental divide. This city is known as the switzerland of Peru because of their well known dairy products. I was pretty excited because I'm a huge fan of cheese and I've heard nothing but good things about Cajamarcan Cheese. What's cool about this town is their old architecture and city plan. There is a plaza in the center of town called Plaza de Arma (turns out just about every plaza in Peru is called plaza de Arma). We stayed in a hostel just a block from the center of town called hostal de Cajamarca. Hostels in Peru aren't like hostels that we think of in the states, Hostels are really just hotels that aren't 4 star hotels. This hostel was really cool because it had a courtyard that we often used as the central gathering location or hang out spot when we were waiting or just chatting. It reminds me of how much I want a courtyard to be the center of my house. Of course this style is of spanish influence, not of the indigenous groups. We spent the first few days here, getting acqainted with what to expect and meeting with various people from the NGO Soluciones Practicas.
We were here because me and a few others had spent 6 months preparing a project for a community in the Andes of the La Cocha subwatershed. 6 months is a lot of work to be doing for a place that we had never seen before. We based all our judgements on figures and numbers on everything we could find about the area. We did research on the slopes, the rainfall, the temperature, types of crops they were growing, types of innovations their ancestors employed and a bunch of other things. We came up with as many solutions we could to help them adapt to global climate change and help them survive in a more globally effected climate.
But we finally made it out here, and were excited to be able to see what it was really like. Cajamarca is a relatively cold city, but based on our research we new that the town we were going to, Chilete, would be warm or even hot like it was back home. Unfortunaley I had forgotten that the climate and temperature could change in Peru in such relatively short distances. On our way up we found that much of the Andes is being afforested with new trees that never grew here before.
Trees like Eucalyptus and pines we being planted along grids, and some of us weren't sure wether they were the best species or not because they could become invasive.
The ride was definitely educational and we began to learn more about the Yanacocha mine that was nearby. It is one of the largest gold mines in the world yet the locals do not benefit from it.
Once we got to Chilete we presented some of our work to some leaders of the community. It was amazing to finally present our work to the people we intended it for. It being a class project that we had spent 6 months on, it never seemed like it was a real and viable project until that day. Our work was finally coming to life. If only we had really had this feeling earlier we may have been more prepared. Things like understanding that we need to produce our work in spanish for them, and many other language barriers were a problem but we were able to make it through with our classmate Rene. Rene hadn't been part of the project, but he was the most fluent spanish speaker and he became an important part of the project. After our presentation we exchanged contact information with the hopes of keeping in touch.
We received a much needed info on the La Cocha sub watershed and we finally were able to see the hillsides we had been so accustomed to seeing on maps.
It was getting closer to our trip to Suro Antivo.
Suro Antivo is higher up in the Andes, on the way up we almost hit a Vicuna, a rare species related to the Alpaca. Its fur was once reserved for royalty because it is so soft.
There was much concern over how well our bodies would be able to handle the altitude when we got there, so Jason thought it'd be a good idea to play soccer when we got there. The long car ride made me beat so I decided to sit this one out.
Suro Antivo is an amazing town to visit. Farmers all own large plots of land and everyone lives no less than a quarter mile apart. Suro is a type of bamboo that was used as a common building material. That plant is no longer found in town. Antivo means “old” similar to the word antique. The grassland landscape here must have changed a few times over the many years that people have been here. It is likely going to change again.
Most of our meetings took place in the school house because it is the only public gathering place. In Suro Antivo many people have just received running water for the first time, and neighboring communities many people do not having clean running water at all. This means the most common causes of death is dysentery from dirty water.
Our objective in Suro antivo was to locate and plot the existing springs on a GPS unit and then create tapstands for the existing taps so that they will not break.
We split up into a few groups, Some of us checked the flow of water on the existing springs. Some went and did environmental assessments on springs around town. When we returned we shared our findings with each other and began working on plans to keep the newer springs in optimal condition over a long period of time.
Here we are working on the plans for the assessments
And presenting them to the community.
Later on we went to other communities in other parts of the greater Jequetepeque watershed. We assessed other springs and conducted interviews of people that lived there.
So many people have no clean running water and so many people are sick every other week because of it. It's truly eyeopening to know how fortunate we are in the US to have clean running water.
Our nights were coming to an end in Suro Antivo and our next stop was to be in Alto Peru on our way back to Cajamarca.
On our way to Alto Peru I noticed some locals packed in hauling trucks who seemed angry at us. We were driving by in the same kinds of trucks that the miners use so, many of the locals thought we were miners. When we arrived in Alto Peru we spoke with some of the community leaders who voiced extreme concerns about the mine.
The irony was that there were many power lines held up by large towers that ran right past Alto Peru and went directly to the yanacocha mine. The only source of power for those in Alto Peru were from their own wind turbines.
The road the rest of the way was paved. Again, the road to the mine is paved, but not to other parts of the watershed.
When we arrived back to Cajamarca we took a trip out to Cumbe Mayo. Something I have been wanting to see. Cumbe Mayo is the location of a pre Incan aqueduct, the craftsmanship of the aqueduct is just amazing.
Back in Cajamarca we met with some more folks from soluciones practicas and discussed our findings and impressions of Chilete, Suro Antivo and the surrounding areas. We said goodbye to our drivers who became our friends and before we knew it we were on our way back to Lima.
On our last days in Lima it became easy to become bored because our days previously were so filled. However it was our friend David's birthday and we had a chance to celebrate. (he loves the cuy.
Now only a couple of months later I am back in school and still thinking about what kind of impact we may have had on the people we had visited.
There was the link and here is the nearly identical post.
In August myself and some classmates headed down to Peru with some folks from Green Empowerment. We flew into Lima and from there we went to Cajamarca. Cajamarca is in the Andes on the east side of the continental divide. This city is known as the switzerland of Peru because of their well known dairy products. I was pretty excited because I'm a huge fan of cheese and I've heard nothing but good things about Cajamarcan Cheese. What's cool about this town is their old architecture and city plan. There is a plaza in the center of town called Plaza de Arma (turns out just about every plaza in Peru is called plaza de Arma). We stayed in a hostel just a block from the center of town called hostal de Cajamarca. Hostels in Peru aren't like hostels that we think of in the states, Hostels are really just hotels that aren't 4 star hotels. This hostel was really cool because it had a courtyard that we often used as the central gathering location or hang out spot when we were waiting or just chatting. It reminds me of how much I want a courtyard to be the center of my house. Of course this style is of spanish influence, not of the indigenous groups. We spent the first few days here, getting acqainted with what to expect and meeting with various people from the NGO Soluciones Practicas.
We were here because me and a few others had spent 6 months preparing a project for a community in the Andes of the La Cocha subwatershed. 6 months is a lot of work to be doing for a place that we had never seen before. We based all our judgements on figures and numbers on everything we could find about the area. We did research on the slopes, the rainfall, the temperature, types of crops they were growing, types of innovations their ancestors employed and a bunch of other things. We came up with as many solutions we could to help them adapt to global climate change and help them survive in a more globally effected climate.
But we finally made it out here, and were excited to be able to see what it was really like. Cajamarca is a relatively cold city, but based on our research we new that the town we were going to, Chilete, would be warm or even hot like it was back home. Unfortunaley I had forgotten that the climate and temperature could change in Peru in such relatively short distances. On our way up we found that much of the Andes is being afforested with new trees that never grew here before.
Trees like Eucalyptus and pines we being planted along grids, and some of us weren't sure wether they were the best species or not because they could become invasive.
The ride was definitely educational and we began to learn more about the Yanacocha mine that was nearby. It is one of the largest gold mines in the world yet the locals do not benefit from it.
Once we got to Chilete we presented some of our work to some leaders of the community. It was amazing to finally present our work to the people we intended it for. It being a class project that we had spent 6 months on, it never seemed like it was a real and viable project until that day. Our work was finally coming to life. If only we had really had this feeling earlier we may have been more prepared. Things like understanding that we need to produce our work in spanish for them, and many other language barriers were a problem but we were able to make it through with our classmate Rene. Rene hadn't been part of the project, but he was the most fluent spanish speaker and he became an important part of the project. After our presentation we exchanged contact information with the hopes of keeping in touch.
We received a much needed info on the La Cocha sub watershed and we finally were able to see the hillsides we had been so accustomed to seeing on maps.
It was getting closer to our trip to Suro Antivo.
Suro Antivo is higher up in the Andes, on the way up we almost hit a Vicuna, a rare species related to the Alpaca. Its fur was once reserved for royalty because it is so soft.
There was much concern over how well our bodies would be able to handle the altitude when we got there, so Jason thought it'd be a good idea to play soccer when we got there. The long car ride made me beat so I decided to sit this one out.
Suro Antivo is an amazing town to visit. Farmers all own large plots of land and everyone lives no less than a quarter mile apart. Suro is a type of bamboo that was used as a common building material. That plant is no longer found in town. Antivo means “old” similar to the word antique. The grassland landscape here must have changed a few times over the many years that people have been here. It is likely going to change again.
Most of our meetings took place in the school house because it is the only public gathering place. In Suro Antivo many people have just received running water for the first time, and neighboring communities many people do not having clean running water at all. This means the most common causes of death is dysentery from dirty water.
Our objective in Suro antivo was to locate and plot the existing springs on a GPS unit and then create tapstands for the existing taps so that they will not break.
We split up into a few groups, Some of us checked the flow of water on the existing springs. Some went and did environmental assessments on springs around town. When we returned we shared our findings with each other and began working on plans to keep the newer springs in optimal condition over a long period of time.
Here we are working on the plans for the assessments
And presenting them to the community.
Later on we went to other communities in other parts of the greater Jequetepeque watershed. We assessed other springs and conducted interviews of people that lived there.
So many people have no clean running water and so many people are sick every other week because of it. It's truly eyeopening to know how fortunate we are in the US to have clean running water.
Our nights were coming to an end in Suro Antivo and our next stop was to be in Alto Peru on our way back to Cajamarca.
On our way to Alto Peru I noticed some locals packed in hauling trucks who seemed angry at us. We were driving by in the same kinds of trucks that the miners use so, many of the locals thought we were miners. When we arrived in Alto Peru we spoke with some of the community leaders who voiced extreme concerns about the mine.
The irony was that there were many power lines held up by large towers that ran right past Alto Peru and went directly to the yanacocha mine. The only source of power for those in Alto Peru were from their own wind turbines.
The road the rest of the way was paved. Again, the road to the mine is paved, but not to other parts of the watershed.
When we arrived back to Cajamarca we took a trip out to Cumbe Mayo. Something I have been wanting to see. Cumbe Mayo is the location of a pre Incan aqueduct, the craftsmanship of the aqueduct is just amazing.
Back in Cajamarca we met with some more folks from soluciones practicas and discussed our findings and impressions of Chilete, Suro Antivo and the surrounding areas. We said goodbye to our drivers who became our friends and before we knew it we were on our way back to Lima.
On our last days in Lima it became easy to become bored because our days previously were so filled. However it was our friend David's birthday and we had a chance to celebrate. (he loves the cuy.
Now only a couple of months later I am back in school and still thinking about what kind of impact we may have had on the people we had visited.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Economic Sufferance vs. Environmental Guilt
So, I was writing a paper on Nietzsche and contemporary problems. When Nietzsche's existentialist philosophies and that "exercise" led me to discover that it is Personal or Individual Economics that is the root issue with Environmental issues.
It goes like this. I figured that herd mentality is a problem with environmentalism and "going green." See this previous post for more information. I basically say that the fad and popularity of environmentalism leads to the labeling of something as environmentally friendly or sustainable when it is actually harmful to the environment.
It is not conducive for humans to constantly tell someone that what they are doing is bad. I doubt that most people are intentionally bad, so when one tries to make someone feel bad for what they are doing, what ultimately happens is that that person is filled with guilt or becomes highly defensive. When we feel guilty we often try to find the easiest way out of that guilt and end up buying the first thing we see that is labeled green(herd mentality). Or by being defensive one grows an aversion to the issues at hand. I'm sure we all know how annoying it is when someone tells you that you are doing something bad.
Besides, aren't people part of the earth and thus really a result of the earth's dynamic changes? We could really just be the opposite of Blue-Green algae which, was the earliest organism to convert our highly CO2 filled environment into a highly O2 filled environment. We very well could be a tool of the Earth (but that is an entirely different philosophical debate altogether, and I'm kind of digressing.)
Here's where I'm going with this. If we were instead to concern ourselves with putting in some extra effort into saving a buck those actions would ultimately supersede all environmental concerns and make them non existent.
Let me explain with a few examples. Driving: Cars cost money. Even hybrid cars. Well, what if the hybrid car is a gift? Then you must ultimately refill that car with fuel. Besides, are hybrid cars "environmentally friendly?" Not really, you're still using petroleum. So instead, save some cash and ride your bike. It takes 2 hours to ride 25 miles and you won't need to spend an extra 2 hours at the gym. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Of course, this solution should be entirely subjective.
Food. All modern food production techniques are not "green" by any means, even with labeled organic food pesticides are still utilized. What if one were to grow his/her own food? It would cost a ton less AND there would be tons more variety! As we all know monocultures are bad for soils and growing food at home would inevitably provide polycultures.
So instead of feeling guilty about harming the environment, one should instead try to avoid economic sufferance. Not by going to Wal-Mart because crap is cheaper, but by avoiding the desire to go to Wal-Mart in the first place.
By avoiding the sufferance that comes with a culture of consumerism instead of self sufficiency, the ultimate result ends up being environmental friendliness.
It goes like this. I figured that herd mentality is a problem with environmentalism and "going green." See this previous post for more information. I basically say that the fad and popularity of environmentalism leads to the labeling of something as environmentally friendly or sustainable when it is actually harmful to the environment.
It is not conducive for humans to constantly tell someone that what they are doing is bad. I doubt that most people are intentionally bad, so when one tries to make someone feel bad for what they are doing, what ultimately happens is that that person is filled with guilt or becomes highly defensive. When we feel guilty we often try to find the easiest way out of that guilt and end up buying the first thing we see that is labeled green(herd mentality). Or by being defensive one grows an aversion to the issues at hand. I'm sure we all know how annoying it is when someone tells you that you are doing something bad.
Besides, aren't people part of the earth and thus really a result of the earth's dynamic changes? We could really just be the opposite of Blue-Green algae which, was the earliest organism to convert our highly CO2 filled environment into a highly O2 filled environment. We very well could be a tool of the Earth (but that is an entirely different philosophical debate altogether, and I'm kind of digressing.)
Here's where I'm going with this. If we were instead to concern ourselves with putting in some extra effort into saving a buck those actions would ultimately supersede all environmental concerns and make them non existent.
Let me explain with a few examples. Driving: Cars cost money. Even hybrid cars. Well, what if the hybrid car is a gift? Then you must ultimately refill that car with fuel. Besides, are hybrid cars "environmentally friendly?" Not really, you're still using petroleum. So instead, save some cash and ride your bike. It takes 2 hours to ride 25 miles and you won't need to spend an extra 2 hours at the gym. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Of course, this solution should be entirely subjective.
Food. All modern food production techniques are not "green" by any means, even with labeled organic food pesticides are still utilized. What if one were to grow his/her own food? It would cost a ton less AND there would be tons more variety! As we all know monocultures are bad for soils and growing food at home would inevitably provide polycultures.
So instead of feeling guilty about harming the environment, one should instead try to avoid economic sufferance. Not by going to Wal-Mart because crap is cheaper, but by avoiding the desire to go to Wal-Mart in the first place.
By avoiding the sufferance that comes with a culture of consumerism instead of self sufficiency, the ultimate result ends up being environmental friendliness.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Downtown Design Guidelines: Should Pomona Follow this Model?
Today at school Emily Gabel from the Urban Design Studio for the City of Los Angeles came to speak to us about the City of Los Angeles' new Downtown Design Guidelines. Now I have to say that this model could greatly be used by Pomona. There is a lot of emphasis on the walkability of the downtown area and it sets guidelines for Planners, Building Architects and Landscape Architects. If Downtown Pomona is to become a vibrant area these guidelines provide a strong framework for doing so.
An example of a building I can think of that could use some of these methods is the Chase (formerly WAMU) building. The entrance is facing the parking lot, but if we were to change the entrance to the street sides on both Garey and 2nd it would provide welcoming sidewalks. Think of a person facing you or having their back towards you. What is more welcoming? There is a reason why not a whole lot of people walk from the west side of Garey to the east: The massive Chase parking lot and the building being oriented towards the parking lot. (I would suggest getting rid of their parking lot altogether)
These methods could probably be considered "New Urbanism" I am rather partial to "Landscape Urbanism" which takes into consideration the ever shifting dynamism of the landscape of a city and includes the extension of ecological systems. This method does include the walkability methods of this guideline but it also includes more "green" space. However this is a great start, and in retrofitting an existing city, "New Urbanism" is much easier to deal with.
With the Pomona Planning Commission still trying to catch up to modern methods of urbanism, the downtown area provides a great framework for these methods to be implemented in. It would retain it's historic charm and also improve pedestrian traffic which is great for the business owners and also good for the environment. It is conducive to business and will help bring dollars to our city.
Should Pomona Adopt This Model? (by no means is it flawless, but...) HELL YEAH!
Friday, April 24, 2009
What is Green? a critic's view
As a self proclaimed environmentalist. I often find myself to be critical of what it means to be an environmentalist. I have an aversion to this "Green" culture that is evolving. Even "sustainability" is shifting in meaning.
I recently heard an advertisement for Monsanto (see: The World According to Monsanto, and Aspartame) on NPR. Monsanto is the enemy of the original meaning of sustainability, BUT they are now saying they are leading agriculture towards sustainability! Well, in the sense that they can grow food for long periods of time they are right! But are they ACTUALLY Sustainable? When their patented genetically modified crops cross pollinate with neighboring crops on other farmers' land they will sue and they will win. Even though there was nothing that could have been done by the farmer. Monsanto even genetically modified their seeds so that when the plants become adults those new seeds are NOT VIABLE! They will NOT germinate! That is NOT sustainable. Imagine of those plants cross pollinate. And cross pollinate across the world. Monsanto would own ALL food and NO food could be grown without purchasing seed from Monsanto
Hybrid Cars. I'm very sorry to all my hybrid car driver friends but you may have bought into the hype, I do not find hybrid cars to be sustainable or environmental in any way. They still use gasoline: a non renewable resource that pollutes. alternatives? Mass Transit, Bicycle, Biodiesel and Vegetable oil and even electric cars, there's a company in San Dimas http://www.acpropulsion.com/. If you live to far from where you work to ride a bike or take mass transit, then maybe you should consider moving. Of course those who drive hybrids say they are "Green" and maybe that is so, but what does that really mean? That they are polluting a little less than others?
Recycling. Not that great. Simple fact. Recycling takes energy to create something new. Try reusing and buying compostable packaged items. Bring your own cup to your coffee shops, or drink at a coffee shop that uses mugs.
I think the problem comes in the group mentality. Like established religions, people begin to accept and think how everyone is thinking. Jesus was actually an anarchist yet many so called christians believe in placing heavy restrictions upon other people. Many so called buddhists often pray to the Buddha (much in the same way one prays to a God) and did you know Islam actually means peace?
It's when people begin thinking and acting within a group and become a single mass that single mass becomes easily manipulated like Hitler's Germany was manipulated. And how Gang Culture manipulated many people into thinking the toughest were the coolest.
Groups like Monsanto, Car Companies, the United States Green Building Council are leading and manipulating the poor folks who want to be "green" or "sustainable" and are making them think they are doing the right thing by bringing in the shiny and the new. And those poor folks aren't actually questioning or looking deeper to find the truth to what is actually happening. Not many people know what is real anymore.
But then, there's the effort. It's just so easy to see the advertisement that says "be green, by a hybrid" it takes much more effort to really think about it.
I recently heard an advertisement for Monsanto (see: The World According to Monsanto, and Aspartame) on NPR. Monsanto is the enemy of the original meaning of sustainability, BUT they are now saying they are leading agriculture towards sustainability! Well, in the sense that they can grow food for long periods of time they are right! But are they ACTUALLY Sustainable? When their patented genetically modified crops cross pollinate with neighboring crops on other farmers' land they will sue and they will win. Even though there was nothing that could have been done by the farmer. Monsanto even genetically modified their seeds so that when the plants become adults those new seeds are NOT VIABLE! They will NOT germinate! That is NOT sustainable. Imagine of those plants cross pollinate. And cross pollinate across the world. Monsanto would own ALL food and NO food could be grown without purchasing seed from Monsanto
Hybrid Cars. I'm very sorry to all my hybrid car driver friends but you may have bought into the hype, I do not find hybrid cars to be sustainable or environmental in any way. They still use gasoline: a non renewable resource that pollutes. alternatives? Mass Transit, Bicycle, Biodiesel and Vegetable oil and even electric cars, there's a company in San Dimas http://www.acpropulsion.com/. If you live to far from where you work to ride a bike or take mass transit, then maybe you should consider moving. Of course those who drive hybrids say they are "Green" and maybe that is so, but what does that really mean? That they are polluting a little less than others?
Recycling. Not that great. Simple fact. Recycling takes energy to create something new. Try reusing and buying compostable packaged items. Bring your own cup to your coffee shops, or drink at a coffee shop that uses mugs.
I think the problem comes in the group mentality. Like established religions, people begin to accept and think how everyone is thinking. Jesus was actually an anarchist yet many so called christians believe in placing heavy restrictions upon other people. Many so called buddhists often pray to the Buddha (much in the same way one prays to a God) and did you know Islam actually means peace?
It's when people begin thinking and acting within a group and become a single mass that single mass becomes easily manipulated like Hitler's Germany was manipulated. And how Gang Culture manipulated many people into thinking the toughest were the coolest.
Groups like Monsanto, Car Companies, the United States Green Building Council are leading and manipulating the poor folks who want to be "green" or "sustainable" and are making them think they are doing the right thing by bringing in the shiny and the new. And those poor folks aren't actually questioning or looking deeper to find the truth to what is actually happening. Not many people know what is real anymore.
But then, there's the effort. It's just so easy to see the advertisement that says "be green, by a hybrid" it takes much more effort to really think about it.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Change is Good
One thing I've noticed that is obvious in speaking with some of my artistic friends is their desire for change. Many of them are trying to break this invisible barrier of creating something new, something that hasn't been seen before. Some of them want to see a dramatic shift happen while others want to be a part of that.
With the last election, all the political promises were about "Change" Obama's slogan "Change we can believe in"
I think this desire for change and something different is something that is deeply seeded within the human psyche.
The problem comes in when our surroundings and our world is designed to be static. Our cities and buildings are meant to be in a permanent state, never changing. The basis of our government is meant to be the end all be all solution that should never change. When sidewalks are paved it is meant to keep that space it is paved over in the same state for as long as possible. Corporations design their businesses to constantly be bringing in money a consistent state of profit.
BUT, our world shifts and changes around us and we must adapt to those changes. Let's start at the smallest scale of time. the Day, There is night and day, and Night and day are never the same one day to the next. in the Summer days are longer. That brings me to the seasons. In a year the seasons change Spring Summer Fall Winter.
Then there's the BIG one (not the most recent one but a big one). GLOBAL WARMING. Our entire planet is shifting in a direction that we all never expected it to. Why didn't we expect it to change? because we expect everything to stay the same. But what do we do? We Adapt, we embrace this change, shift the crops that we grow, prepare for more el ninos and flash floods, stop growing plants that don't grow in our changing climate and change the foods we eat to something that is more adaptable.
Now the most recent one. The global ECONOMIC climate. It is foolish to assume that everything is going to be ok and everything is going to return to the way things were. I'm not saying that this is NOT going to happen. Been our world has proven time and time again that it is NOT static, it changes and it shifts no matter what we TRY to make it do. While we can remain hopeful, we need to keep in mind what we might do if things do NOT get better in our lifetimes. If it's not our generation that experiences something so terrible it will be one in the future. Don't ignore your intuitive senses that are bracing for change and adaption.
Change is good. one example is the explosion of Pomona blogs. With our voices reaching a broader "audience" maybe our city will shift in the garden of eden it once was.
With the last election, all the political promises were about "Change" Obama's slogan "Change we can believe in"
I think this desire for change and something different is something that is deeply seeded within the human psyche.
The problem comes in when our surroundings and our world is designed to be static. Our cities and buildings are meant to be in a permanent state, never changing. The basis of our government is meant to be the end all be all solution that should never change. When sidewalks are paved it is meant to keep that space it is paved over in the same state for as long as possible. Corporations design their businesses to constantly be bringing in money a consistent state of profit.
BUT, our world shifts and changes around us and we must adapt to those changes. Let's start at the smallest scale of time. the Day, There is night and day, and Night and day are never the same one day to the next. in the Summer days are longer. That brings me to the seasons. In a year the seasons change Spring Summer Fall Winter.
Then there's the BIG one (not the most recent one but a big one). GLOBAL WARMING. Our entire planet is shifting in a direction that we all never expected it to. Why didn't we expect it to change? because we expect everything to stay the same. But what do we do? We Adapt, we embrace this change, shift the crops that we grow, prepare for more el ninos and flash floods, stop growing plants that don't grow in our changing climate and change the foods we eat to something that is more adaptable.
Now the most recent one. The global ECONOMIC climate. It is foolish to assume that everything is going to be ok and everything is going to return to the way things were. I'm not saying that this is NOT going to happen. Been our world has proven time and time again that it is NOT static, it changes and it shifts no matter what we TRY to make it do. While we can remain hopeful, we need to keep in mind what we might do if things do NOT get better in our lifetimes. If it's not our generation that experiences something so terrible it will be one in the future. Don't ignore your intuitive senses that are bracing for change and adaption.
Change is good. one example is the explosion of Pomona blogs. With our voices reaching a broader "audience" maybe our city will shift in the garden of eden it once was.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Mexican Coke!
I love coke that is made in Mexico. Why? Instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup they use real Sugar from sugar cane. Why not drink Coke Zero? One word, "Aspartame". I avoid it at all costs, the evil company Monsanto created it and it's bad for you.
The other night I went shopping for Chinese New Years supplies in Alhambra and they supermarket had Coke made in Mexico, Not only is the coke without sugar it also doesn't use plastic! the bottles are GLASS! Do you know what that means? No Fossil Fuels! AND the bottles can be reused for whatever purpose one desires!
Real Sugar? Real glass bottles? I would never drink soda but thank God for Mexican Coke!
So does anyone know where I can get some Coca-Cola Hecho En Mexico in Pomona? Refresco!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Pomona PD vs. LA County Sheriff: The "Sustainable" Choice.
Holidays are over so it's back to some serious blogging!
I feel left out on this discussion over the future of the police department so I figured I'd exercise my education. I've done a lot of exercises on the creation of sustainable models in ALL things. So I'll be comparing the Pomona Police with the LA County Sheriff to see which one is more sustainable. (we're talking about the root of sustainable, long lasting, self sustaining, good for society, environment and economy.)
The above picture shows the model of the structure of the LA County Sheriff. Let me explain. The bottom four cops represent the multitude of the cities that the LA County Sheriff serves. The remainder of the pyramid is representative of the multitude of people or departments that the individual city departments must report to. The guy on top of course being Sheriff Lee Baca.
Having individual local police would essentially have individual "motorcycle cops" (bottoms of the pyramid without tops). creating instead a web of police departments like THIS image, each point of connection is a single police department, some of them bigger some smaller some connected some not. If one connection is lost then the others are still functionable.
The web construct is the sustainable model. Let me explain why. With the pyramid model it is much more difficult to get to the main on top from the departments on bottom. The sustainable web model instead creates an individualized department easy to get to the man in charge thus serving the local people better(society). Money remains in one spot instead of being funneled to the man on top, and it is more easily spread to those that deserve it(economy). It is harder to see how this works in terms of environment but the locational value of the police department is key. It is a local department which creates less of an impact on the environment, also it being a local department in which the people in charge are easier to reach it also make it easier for us to have an influence (which would really be society, but i'm sure you can begin seeing how that affects environment.)
So the sustainable choice in short answer? Local Pomona Police. no more pyramids please!
I feel left out on this discussion over the future of the police department so I figured I'd exercise my education. I've done a lot of exercises on the creation of sustainable models in ALL things. So I'll be comparing the Pomona Police with the LA County Sheriff to see which one is more sustainable. (we're talking about the root of sustainable, long lasting, self sustaining, good for society, environment and economy.)
The above picture shows the model of the structure of the LA County Sheriff. Let me explain. The bottom four cops represent the multitude of the cities that the LA County Sheriff serves. The remainder of the pyramid is representative of the multitude of people or departments that the individual city departments must report to. The guy on top of course being Sheriff Lee Baca.
Having individual local police would essentially have individual "motorcycle cops" (bottoms of the pyramid without tops). creating instead a web of police departments like THIS image, each point of connection is a single police department, some of them bigger some smaller some connected some not. If one connection is lost then the others are still functionable.
The web construct is the sustainable model. Let me explain why. With the pyramid model it is much more difficult to get to the main on top from the departments on bottom. The sustainable web model instead creates an individualized department easy to get to the man in charge thus serving the local people better(society). Money remains in one spot instead of being funneled to the man on top, and it is more easily spread to those that deserve it(economy). It is harder to see how this works in terms of environment but the locational value of the police department is key. It is a local department which creates less of an impact on the environment, also it being a local department in which the people in charge are easier to reach it also make it easier for us to have an influence (which would really be society, but i'm sure you can begin seeing how that affects environment.)
So the sustainable choice in short answer? Local Pomona Police. no more pyramids please!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Second Hand Fur Coat: Vintage shopping in Pomona, Claremont etc...
So my GF and I ventured out to Claremont today. (boo traitors I know) but we had to visit a couple of yarn stores, and 2 Old Divas on Garey has been closed the last three afternoons we tried to stop by. So we finally decided to go to Phebies in Claremont. It ended up being a good trip, we met a Peruvian woman named Edda who worked there and we spoke for quite a bit about Peru she organizes trips out there and I'll also be heading out there in July with Green Empowerment to help some farmers in the Andes out with their sub-watershed. So we exchanged information and it was a good trip to the yarn shop.
I digress...
Afterwards, my GF and I stopped by downstairs to Replay for some vintage clothing window shopping. It turns out that they are owned by the same people as La Bomba on second street in Pomona, which we visit every so often. There is also a La Bomba in Long Beach and another store by a different name in Silverlake (I think that one may be a "replay" as well).
Let me tell you. These stores are some of the better vintage clothing stores, They have a great variety and the prices aren't too bad. The woman I spoke with at Replay in Claremont says that the La Bomba stores are more 60's to 80's clothing, the Store in Claremont is mostly 40's - 80's and the store in Silverlake has more 20's to 50's clothing. So if you're looking for decently priced clothes, try these stores out.
This brings me to my next point...
Reuse vs. Recycle
The glory of vintage clothing is that when you buy it and wear it you are almost always reusing it. This cuts out the process of, well, reprocessing. The only energy input into vintage clothing is the transport of the clothing. Recycling requires energy to reprocess and it almost always loses some of the material from the original piece. So when you buy bottled water, try to find a way to reuse them before you recycle them. same should go for clothing, donate your clothing, and buy used clothing. It's the sustainable thing to do!
That also brings me to another point.
Carbon Storage.
Simple and easy. Clothing, specifically clothing made of natural/organic materials (not synthetic) store carbon. think of it like this. All life is carbon based, trees store carbon, so when you built a house out of wood that carbon is stored until the house is torn down and the wood decomposes. Paper stores carbon but it is thrown away a lot, that's why when printing I always use the back side of other things I have printed on(reuse), and whenever possible I use recycled paper. I want to store the carbon as long as I can.
Another Point.
Reduction of Waste.
Reused clothing reduces waste, we. are. running. out. of. landfills!
One more thing before my last point.
Second hand stores are cheap (at least they should be or you're doing it wrong) In this economy these places are like heaven!
Now this brings me to my last point.
The Second Hand Fur Coat.
I've been fascinated with this idea of the second hand fur coat. The folks at PETA and all my "fur is murder!" friends would cringe at the thought of fur coats. HOWEVER, fur coats at second hand stores had already been purchased. they are often decades old, the proceeds do not go to the creator of the coat. Instead the purchasing of a second hand fur coat would provide income for a local business or a non-profit business like Salvation Army or Goodwill. The second hand fur coat would not be wasteful, less trash is a good thing. Second hand fur coats help to store carbon longer (especially good for the global warming generation we are in) and for some people it mitigates the purchasing of a new fur coat that may cause the death of another animal. The fur coats are already out there. No need to buy a new one. No need to even make more.
The same would go for leather. I had been thinking about this second hand fur coat thing for about a year since discussing it with a classmate. I even asked some of my vegan friends who are very anti fur, leather, dairy and meat. They seemed to understand. However they are friends and of course they'd be a little forgiving. And sure, I may be just trying to justify my actions. (but the idea came before the action!) "Some may say but it's the principle!" And I say "I believe I'm doing the right thing. I'll never buy a new fur coat."
So I bought my girlfriend a second hand fur and leather coat. and for CHEAP. UNBELIEVABLY cheap! Cheaper than what I was planning on getting her for christmas! by a LOT! I mean... HOLY CRAP! And the lady gave me a christmas discount just because I asked for it!
We actually both did our shopping for each other at the same place, she bought me a wool coat, a knit scarf, and a new gatsby hat.
We decided to not wrap our gifts and just give them to each other in the car. We only buy things for each other once a year and we both already knew what we got so, forget it!
Everyone! Go check out those stores! Support Pomona's Local Economy, Save some money in this bad economy! Go toLa Bomba! Buy a second hand fur coat! Of all people I'll understand!
Now you should know, serious vintage clothing shoppers (like myself) usually never share their shopping locations, but it's Christmas, and I'm in the giving spirit! Don't spill the beans!
I digress...
Afterwards, my GF and I stopped by downstairs to Replay for some vintage clothing window shopping. It turns out that they are owned by the same people as La Bomba on second street in Pomona, which we visit every so often. There is also a La Bomba in Long Beach and another store by a different name in Silverlake (I think that one may be a "replay" as well).
Let me tell you. These stores are some of the better vintage clothing stores, They have a great variety and the prices aren't too bad. The woman I spoke with at Replay in Claremont says that the La Bomba stores are more 60's to 80's clothing, the Store in Claremont is mostly 40's - 80's and the store in Silverlake has more 20's to 50's clothing. So if you're looking for decently priced clothes, try these stores out.
This brings me to my next point...
Reuse vs. Recycle
The glory of vintage clothing is that when you buy it and wear it you are almost always reusing it. This cuts out the process of, well, reprocessing. The only energy input into vintage clothing is the transport of the clothing. Recycling requires energy to reprocess and it almost always loses some of the material from the original piece. So when you buy bottled water, try to find a way to reuse them before you recycle them. same should go for clothing, donate your clothing, and buy used clothing. It's the sustainable thing to do!
That also brings me to another point.
Carbon Storage.
Simple and easy. Clothing, specifically clothing made of natural/organic materials (not synthetic) store carbon. think of it like this. All life is carbon based, trees store carbon, so when you built a house out of wood that carbon is stored until the house is torn down and the wood decomposes. Paper stores carbon but it is thrown away a lot, that's why when printing I always use the back side of other things I have printed on(reuse), and whenever possible I use recycled paper. I want to store the carbon as long as I can.
Another Point.
Reduction of Waste.
Reused clothing reduces waste, we. are. running. out. of. landfills!
One more thing before my last point.
Second hand stores are cheap (at least they should be or you're doing it wrong) In this economy these places are like heaven!
Now this brings me to my last point.
The Second Hand Fur Coat.
I've been fascinated with this idea of the second hand fur coat. The folks at PETA and all my "fur is murder!" friends would cringe at the thought of fur coats. HOWEVER, fur coats at second hand stores had already been purchased. they are often decades old, the proceeds do not go to the creator of the coat. Instead the purchasing of a second hand fur coat would provide income for a local business or a non-profit business like Salvation Army or Goodwill. The second hand fur coat would not be wasteful, less trash is a good thing. Second hand fur coats help to store carbon longer (especially good for the global warming generation we are in) and for some people it mitigates the purchasing of a new fur coat that may cause the death of another animal. The fur coats are already out there. No need to buy a new one. No need to even make more.
The same would go for leather. I had been thinking about this second hand fur coat thing for about a year since discussing it with a classmate. I even asked some of my vegan friends who are very anti fur, leather, dairy and meat. They seemed to understand. However they are friends and of course they'd be a little forgiving. And sure, I may be just trying to justify my actions. (but the idea came before the action!) "Some may say but it's the principle!" And I say "I believe I'm doing the right thing. I'll never buy a new fur coat."
So I bought my girlfriend a second hand fur and leather coat. and for CHEAP. UNBELIEVABLY cheap! Cheaper than what I was planning on getting her for christmas! by a LOT! I mean... HOLY CRAP! And the lady gave me a christmas discount just because I asked for it!
We actually both did our shopping for each other at the same place, she bought me a wool coat, a knit scarf, and a new gatsby hat.
We decided to not wrap our gifts and just give them to each other in the car. We only buy things for each other once a year and we both already knew what we got so, forget it!
Everyone! Go check out those stores! Support Pomona's Local Economy, Save some money in this bad economy! Go toLa Bomba! Buy a second hand fur coat! Of all people I'll understand!
Now you should know, serious vintage clothing shoppers (like myself) usually never share their shopping locations, but it's Christmas, and I'm in the giving spirit! Don't spill the beans!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Idle workers taking over factories.
This morning I read this. Idle Workers Occupy Factory in Chicago It's an article about Chicago factory workers occupying a closed down factory demanding severance and vacation pay that is owed. They were not given 60 days notice as is required by law and owners of the factory did not show up for a meeting.
What's interesting are the parallels that happened in Argentina in 2001.
In the documentary "The Take" The same thing happens but they factory workers end up taking over the factory and begin producing. They actually start working as a co-operative in order to keep their jobs. With the Presidents and CEO's out of the way the workers can keep that extra money and use it in order to keep their business alive. They are many cases of this in Argentina this particular documentary just discusses one such group.
I wonder if the Chicago group will eventually do this. I highly doubt it, but it would be smart if they would. They've already begun cleaning the place. Why not get it up and running and just TAKE IT. At least they'll have jobs!
This post has little to do with Pomona (specifically) or the Landscape but I do find it important. If anyone knows any of those folks in Chicago show them this documentary.
What's interesting are the parallels that happened in Argentina in 2001.
In the documentary "The Take" The same thing happens but they factory workers end up taking over the factory and begin producing. They actually start working as a co-operative in order to keep their jobs. With the Presidents and CEO's out of the way the workers can keep that extra money and use it in order to keep their business alive. They are many cases of this in Argentina this particular documentary just discusses one such group.
I wonder if the Chicago group will eventually do this. I highly doubt it, but it would be smart if they would. They've already begun cleaning the place. Why not get it up and running and just TAKE IT. At least they'll have jobs!
This post has little to do with Pomona (specifically) or the Landscape but I do find it important. If anyone knows any of those folks in Chicago show them this documentary.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Working with Bamboo
So along with this blog, work, and school, I've got a lot of other projects going on. Learning how to work with bamboo is one of them. There are a lot of resources I've found on the internet and I've also been able to ask a Japanese craftsman some questions I had.
This bamboo grows in my backyard, It's black bamboo (this one hasn't turned black) and it's very strong. The first photo is of some bamboo that is dry on some culms but not ready on others.
Here's a photo of heat treated bamboo. The top two pieces are heated treated and are thus shiny and polished. The bottom piece still needs to be heat treated. The top piece is of black bamboo that had actually turned black before it was harvested. Heat treating does two things. It melts the white waxy stuff and with a cloth you can polish it, and second the interior starches are broken down so that bugs won't eat the bamboo. Here's a closeup of how different it looks after heat treating.
one culm shiny and one culm not shiny
Bamboo is a grass so not all grasses are bad. BUT, with bamboo being considered a highly sustainable product be careful! Not all Bamboo products are sustainable. For example most(90% of) bamboo clothing products use a lot of chemicals to break bamboo down into usable threads. So unless that bamboo shirt you're wearing was turned to thread mechanically it is NOT sustainable. (there are no legal restrictions for calling something sustainable). The more the bamboo sticks to its original form the more sustainable it is.
Here's a single shot of a Bamboo pipe I made. It's the first thing I made with bamboo because it's very simple. I don't have much use for it so I might sell it on ebay.
And I just made this right now it took about two minutes. It's a bottle opener I learned how to make from Home Grown Evolution. scrap bamboo and a screw. I used it and it works wonders, MUCH easier than using the edge of my cel. phone
This bamboo grows in my backyard, It's black bamboo (this one hasn't turned black) and it's very strong. The first photo is of some bamboo that is dry on some culms but not ready on others.
Here's a photo of heat treated bamboo. The top two pieces are heated treated and are thus shiny and polished. The bottom piece still needs to be heat treated. The top piece is of black bamboo that had actually turned black before it was harvested. Heat treating does two things. It melts the white waxy stuff and with a cloth you can polish it, and second the interior starches are broken down so that bugs won't eat the bamboo. Here's a closeup of how different it looks after heat treating.
one culm shiny and one culm not shiny
Bamboo is a grass so not all grasses are bad. BUT, with bamboo being considered a highly sustainable product be careful! Not all Bamboo products are sustainable. For example most(90% of) bamboo clothing products use a lot of chemicals to break bamboo down into usable threads. So unless that bamboo shirt you're wearing was turned to thread mechanically it is NOT sustainable. (there are no legal restrictions for calling something sustainable). The more the bamboo sticks to its original form the more sustainable it is.
Here's a single shot of a Bamboo pipe I made. It's the first thing I made with bamboo because it's very simple. I don't have much use for it so I might sell it on ebay.
And I just made this right now it took about two minutes. It's a bottle opener I learned how to make from Home Grown Evolution. scrap bamboo and a screw. I used it and it works wonders, MUCH easier than using the edge of my cel. phone
Friday, November 21, 2008
Transit in Pomona: Campus to Downtown and Back
With the growth of new businesses in Pomona including nightlife I figured it's important we all know the bus routes to and from Campus to Downtown. After all we want everyone traveling safely and responsibly that includes financially and environmentally.
Route and Schedule for 480
For you living on or near campus the latest bus to leave downtown back to campus on weekdays is the 490 it leaves at 12:28 am (the earliest if you're willing to wait is 5:38am) HOWEVER on weekends that last bus leaves at 10:00pm There are no stops in between and the route is direct.
I live in the city so I'll be riding my bike, so for those of you that ride bikes remember you CAN get a DWI on a bicycle.
There is another bus that goes through Phillips Ranch the 195 but the latest that leaves is 6:15pm but it goes a little out of the way and has five stops in between. On weekends the last bus leaves at 6:35pm route and schedule for 195
Route and Schedule for 480
For you living on or near campus the latest bus to leave downtown back to campus on weekdays is the 490 it leaves at 12:28 am (the earliest if you're willing to wait is 5:38am) HOWEVER on weekends that last bus leaves at 10:00pm There are no stops in between and the route is direct.
I live in the city so I'll be riding my bike, so for those of you that ride bikes remember you CAN get a DWI on a bicycle.
There is another bus that goes through Phillips Ranch the 195 but the latest that leaves is 6:15pm but it goes a little out of the way and has five stops in between. On weekends the last bus leaves at 6:35pm route and schedule for 195
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Time Banking & The Urban Homestead
Last night I made it out to Los Angeles, to 
Materials & Applications. They put on a workshop for Time Banking by the Echo Park Time Bank and short presentation by a co-author of "The Urban Homestead"
"M&A is a research center dedicated to pushing new and underused ideas for art, landscape and architecture into view." I'll show some photos of the place later on.
Time Banking is a very interesting concept developed by Edgar Cahn. Lisa Gerstein and Autumn Rooney explained to us the system of trade based on time. What you do is you work for someone for an hour and then you've earned a one hour time dollar which can be spent on having someone do something else for you! One issue of concern brought up was that some people may consider their time more valuable based on the work you do. Well, get over it! An hour is an hour. How many times have you helped a friend based on your expertise? Well that friend probably owes you a couple of dog walks, and with a time bank you can "purchase" an hour from anyone involved in the community! This system is not the same as bartering. The terminology is actually tax exempt, even the goods trading is tax exempt, but that trade is based on the honor system.
I think this form of exchange of services can be very useful, I wonder if it would work in Pomona. There is software to keep this all in order available from timebanks.org In fact if we had a time bank in Pomona I would offer my Landscape and Environmental Expertise in time dollars.
Shortly afterways Erik Knutzen spoke to us about his book that he co-authored with his wife Urban Homestead
It's a great book (I haven't read it completely yet) about self sufficiency in the urban arena, It includes not just home gardening but also how to cook with passive solar energy, how to store food for the long haul, and also many other eco-friendly and cost effective ways to sustain oneself.
I had the chance to speak with Erik and he's a really nice guy, I asked him if he would speak at my school about his book at one of our community dinners. He said he has been meaning to come out and visit the Regenerative Studies Center, and well, this would be a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I will keep ya'll posted as the events unfurl.
And about M&A there is an installation in the front called Yakuza Lou, I took some shots of the robotic ephemeral landform.
And a Cloud
Materials & Applications. They put on a workshop for Time Banking by the Echo Park Time Bank and short presentation by a co-author of "The Urban Homestead"
"M&A is a research center dedicated to pushing new and underused ideas for art, landscape and architecture into view." I'll show some photos of the place later on.
Time Banking is a very interesting concept developed by Edgar Cahn. Lisa Gerstein and Autumn Rooney explained to us the system of trade based on time. What you do is you work for someone for an hour and then you've earned a one hour time dollar which can be spent on having someone do something else for you! One issue of concern brought up was that some people may consider their time more valuable based on the work you do. Well, get over it! An hour is an hour. How many times have you helped a friend based on your expertise? Well that friend probably owes you a couple of dog walks, and with a time bank you can "purchase" an hour from anyone involved in the community! This system is not the same as bartering. The terminology is actually tax exempt, even the goods trading is tax exempt, but that trade is based on the honor system.
I think this form of exchange of services can be very useful, I wonder if it would work in Pomona. There is software to keep this all in order available from timebanks.org In fact if we had a time bank in Pomona I would offer my Landscape and Environmental Expertise in time dollars.
Shortly afterways Erik Knutzen spoke to us about his book that he co-authored with his wife Urban Homestead
It's a great book (I haven't read it completely yet) about self sufficiency in the urban arena, It includes not just home gardening but also how to cook with passive solar energy, how to store food for the long haul, and also many other eco-friendly and cost effective ways to sustain oneself.
I had the chance to speak with Erik and he's a really nice guy, I asked him if he would speak at my school about his book at one of our community dinners. He said he has been meaning to come out and visit the Regenerative Studies Center, and well, this would be a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I will keep ya'll posted as the events unfurl.
And about M&A there is an installation in the front called Yakuza Lou, I took some shots of the robotic ephemeral landform.
And a Cloud
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