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24
Sep 20

Growing Greener

In recent weeks we have seen over 3 million acres of land burned on the west coast of the United States and for the second time in modern history, we have 5 tropical storms formed in the Atlantic. Some may say that this is just chance, but for many who are watching the environment, they can’t help but believe that these all too often occurrences are due to human impact on the environment. As we watch the world change before us, in more ways than one, there are those who are asking the question, “Can we make changes that can have a lasting impact?” Nona Yehia would say it is possible.

We know throughout history that wars have been fought over land and resources. Our environment is changing on a daily basis and we are finding a world that seems to be less hospitable to its inhabitants due to the lack of behavior change in order to help our planet be a healthier place. We continue to cut forests, rely on fossil fuels and use pesticides that end up as run off in our lakes and ponds and we are seeing the results of our poor behavior. The consequences are only going to get worse. Resources will become scarcer, temperatures will continue to climb and clean water will be harder to find unless we make changes. This is a Resource Dilemma. We consciously make the choice to continue to water our lawns and use up precious resources like they will always be there. (Gruman et al., 2017)

As we look to business and government to make a change in the world to value the planet over the all mighty dollar we are beginning to see leaders rise up from the crowd in a hope to make an impact in the world and their environment. A recent news article I saw out of Wyoming in the Chariton Newspaper online, told the story of an architect turned entrepreneur, Nona Yehia, who developed a business called Vertical Roots. The basic premise of the business was that it took a10th of an acre building and grows 10 acres of food in it. The building not only supplies readily available food to local residents and restaurants year round, it does it with no pesticides, zero water consumption and the owner even built the business around hiring those who are underserved in the community. This is a Social Dilemma or taking a space or building that is of little to no use for the good of mankind and turning it into something that is. (Gruman et al., 2017)

Vertical Harvest Farms in Wyoming has 42 employees. 25 of these employees are disabled in some way however, by working with Vertical Harvest Farms they are able to learn new skills and abilities.  They no longer have a job but a career. (Vertical Harvest Farms, n.d.)  Through her efforts she is changing her behavior and her communities’ behavior, which in turn, gives this out of the way place in Wyoming a sustainable resource that is helping the community thrive. This one building provides local foods for over 80 different businesses in 3 states. These businesses would normally not have this kind of access due to the location of the rural cities and towns. (Vertical Harvest Farms, n.d.)
It is thinking like that of Nona Yehia and her Co-Founders that will make the biggest impact to regain the ground we have lost in fighting the war on saving our environment.  Vertical Harvest Farms is opening another facility in Maine in 2022 and gives information on how to start a Vertical Harvest facility on their website, verticalharvestfarms.com. (Vertical Harvest Farms, n.d.). To see how Vertical Harvest started and their first 15 months, check out the video Hearts of Glass. https://www.heartsofglassfilm.com/
The Chariton Newspapers. (2020, September 13). How a Wyoming farmer grows 10 acres of      food on a tenth of an acre.

https://www.charitonleader.com/news/national/video_191f3d0c-2a4f-5830-9b5b-                        0152241921e8.html

 Vertical Harvest Farms. (n.d.). Fact sheet.

http://vertharvest.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/VerticalHarvestFactSheet.pdf

Gruman, J. A.,  Schneider, F. W. , &. Coutts, L.M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems 3rd edition. SAGE Publications.

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20
Sep 15

Why Our Environment Does Not Change

In my family group, we attempt to leave as small of a carbon footprint as possible. Teaching lessons in conservation and protecting our resources is rather important.  With this said, I found myself in quite a dilemma the other day while driving to the store with my seven-year-old son.

The conversation went like this:

Son: Mommy, what is the black stuff coming from that truck?
Me: Well, it depends on the truck as if it is a diesel truck, it is the “normal” exhaust. If it is a gasoline truck, it could be an issue within the engine.
Son: Is it bad?
Me: Yes, it is bad for our air.  It is called pollution.  Remember?  We have talked about pollution and you learned in class.
Son: I remember. Why can’t we tell the person they are wrong and to stop?
Me *can not form words*

How does a parent explain to their child that you cannot simply walk up to another and inform them they are polluting the air we all have to breathe?  Life does not work in that manner nowadays.  However, when you think about it the way my son did, someone should in fact make a comment to the individual.  Too many individuals today are so nonchalant when it comes to the limited resources we have on Earth.  I am not sure if it is simply for the reasons they do not care or if they are not informed.  It reminds me of trying to persuade an individual to be energy conscious or to recycle.  One cannot be forced, they must understand the benefits and have desire to make a change.

The social dilemma here is too many individuals are not venturing to make a change.  Many times an electric car limits the individual to short driving, i.e. staying in the town they reside as there are not areas for them to charge.  When it comes to recycling, all too often smaller towns do not have a recycling program (such as the town we reside) therefore if an individual desires to recycle, they must drive a few towns away.  Whether it is simply for the reason that electric cars are not feasible or implementing a community/city wide recycling plan is too costly, the problem will not change until someone or group begins the process.

Many groups have come forward over the years to inform the public of the many issues we can face down the road if change does not happen soon.  At times, individuals hear what is being said and decide this is something they want to do, although they are unsure how much time, effort, or even money it will take to contribute to the campaign.  If they do make the decision, they may begin the campaign, stick with it for some time, but then stop as they are becoming overwhelmed with the extra effort they are giving when they do not see others doing the same.

Our environment has given the individuals of this world so much bounty; however, this bounty will not last forever.  It is time to stand up and make a change.  It is election time in many local communities, therefore, make the issue known and see that change is made.

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02
Mar 15

Los Angeles River Restoration Project, Solution or Social Trap?

In Los Angeles County, California, tens of millions of gallons of potential drinking water is wasted daily as it flows through the concrete LA River and then empties into the Pacific Ocean (LA River facts). With about 10 million residents to service and only two aqueducts that provide about 430 million gallons of water a day, LA County residents depend greatly on imported water from the Delta in Northern California, the eastern Sierra, and the Colorado River, to meet their water needs (Water Education Foundation). However, due to climate change and the prediction of population growth and higher demands, it has become imperative that the residents of Los Angeles County not only reduce their water use but also find a way to become water independent.

One effort to increase water independence is by restoring the concrete LA River to its natural, riparian habitat. By removing the concrete and returning the river to its natural state, the regular flow of water can be slowed enough to penetrate the ground and be used as a fresh water source. Over the past several years, a few different proposals were developed to start the restoration process. In 2013, the Army Corp announced its support of the more modest of proposals at the cost of $453 million with a focus on the benefits that the restored habitat will bring, such as water conservation, flood control, the environment and even some recreational opportunities for residents (Bachrach, 2013). However, the LA County mayor, Garcetti, appealed to the Army Corps to reconsider their proposal and instead consider the most costly proposal, estimated at $1 billion. Contrary to the Army corps’ motivation, Garcetti’s motivation for this appeal appeared to be more focused on “making the river accessible to Angelinos” (Saillant & Sahagun, 2014a) than about the potential increase in water sustainability. After much debate, and increased pressure from Garcetti, LA County residents and even some celebrities, the Army Corp announced in late 2014 that it has decided to support the $1 billion dollar plan (LARiver.org). As many celebrate the victory of a plan they claim will benefit all Angelinos, others wonder if the increased cost to gain the recreational rewards may actually be setting a social trap for the community.

According to Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2005), humans are faced with a variety of social dilemmas. This means that they are faced with important decisions today that could positively or negatively impact the future. One type of social dilemma is called a social trap, which involves “short-term pleasure or gain that, over time, leads to pain or loss (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2005). There are two problems associated with the development of a social trap, the uncertainty of the long-term outcome from the decision made and the tendency to disregard or fail to see the capacity to which the decision can lead to a negative outcome (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2005). It is possible that the proponents of the $1 billion plan are inadvertently downplaying the long-term negative effects of this project due to increased debt and gentrification.

Both proposals considered for the restoration of the LA River address the top priority need to conserve water. The problem lies in the decision of an already deeply in debt LA County community to spend $1 billion versus $453 million to restore the LA River. Although the federal government, which of course is also in deep debt, will fund about half of the cost to implement the $1 billion plan, raising over $500 million versus $200 million is still quite a big difference. The desire to build recreational amenities along the riverside that the community can enjoy and businesses and real estate investors can capitalize on are the driving force of the more expensive plan (Sahagun & Saillant, 2014b). As good as it all sounds, the eventual gentrification of the low income residents that currently live along the side of the river, due to the already increasing property values and increases in rent (Sahagun & Saillant, 2014b), as well as whatever steps will need to be taken to relieve the strain of the added debt, appear to have been downplayed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, by the proponents of the $1 billion plan. This feeds into the creation of a social trap. However, Mayor Garcetti has claimed that he will do what he can to prevent these negative outcomes from happening (All or Nothing), but ultimately it is time that will tell.

References

All or Nothing: Mayor’s L.A. River Lobbying was ‘a High Stakes Gamble’ (Video). (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/lariver/confluence/river-notes/mayor-garcetti-interview.html

Bachrach, E. (2013, September 13). Huge LA river restoration report recommends $453MM plan. Retrieved from http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/huge_ la_river_restoration_report_recommends_453mm_plan.php

LA River facts. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://www.lariver.org/about/lariverfacts/index.htm

Saillant, C., & Sahagun, L. (2014, April 11). Garcetti makes new pitch for L.A. River        plan. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/11/local/la-me-river-      20140412

Sahagun, L., & Saillant, C. (2014, May 24). Big plans, and concerns, surround L.A.           River’s revitalization. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-lariver-  development-20140524-story.html#page=1

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2005). A family of dilemmas. In           Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical   problems (Second ed., pp. 299-300). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Where does my water come from? (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://www.watereducation.org/where-does-my-water-come

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