volume III, issue II

SAGEMAGAZINE volume III, issue II

2 SAGE

Leigha Abergel

SAGEMAGAZINE

volume III, issue II

Contents Departments

Art & Prose

6 8 10 24 26 30 32 34

18 Photo Essay Michael Finney, Troy Hill, Katharine

Out & Around Little Chemical Factories Innovations The Edison Screw Materials Boron Food For Thought Too good to be 'roo?

Drink For Thought Whiskey The Cabbage Fake News Listed Last Page Downstream

Boicourt

22 Artist Portfolio Rosalind Schneider

Features 12 Taking Back the Lawn Seth Zeren 15 Smart Birds in Our Cities Sarah Overington

Short Features 28 Environmental Evangelism Michael Coren

Funding for SAGE Magazine was generously provided by the Office of the Dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, The FES Class of 1980 Fund, and the Office of Alumni Affairs SAGE Magazine is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper by a local printer.

Please address all article queries, advertising inquiries and letters to the editors to: sagemagazine@gmail.com www.environment.yale.edu/sagemagazine SAGE .BHB[JOF t 1SPTQFDU 4USFFU t /FX )BWFO $5 $PWFS JNBHF CZ ,BUISZO )BVTDILB

SAGE 3

Dear Delicious...err...I mean...Glorious Reader, Since our last encounter, we have been hard at work cooking a feast for you, a delicious feast. We have for your consideration an emulsion of environmental delicacies with just enough acidity to whet your appetite for le plat principal!

7KURXJK WKLV LVVXH V MRXUQH\ ZH EULHà \ renounce our vegetarianism — but only EULHà \ :H VLPSO\ FRXOG QRW VWDQG WR offend our Australian chefs...it would have been a bit of an international faux-pas, if you know what we mean.

Because, dear reader, imagine: upon our plate was a semi-sustainable and succulent slice of kangaroo. This rare bite, remouladed into a Welsh Rarebit reduction with a side of boron-tinged VHPLIUHGGR ÀOOV WKH FRPLQJ SDJHV ZLWK an aroma of pure culinary bliss. A mere dollop of fresh-cut-grass-infused aioli tilts temptuously over the edge of its grilled perfection. All of this layered upon a bed of shiitake fungi grown in a FRQYHUWHG EURZQÀHOGV VLWH DQG ZDVKHG GRZQ with a dram of the greenest whiskey money can buy. Delicious.

Dare we say, oh reader, that this may be one of the best meals we have ever created.

3OHDVH H[FXVH XV DV ZH WDNH RXU ÀQDO ELWH RI black crow pie. Ah, sinful.

Raise a glass, The Editors

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C O N T R I B U T O R S &%*5034Ź*/Ź$)*&' Simon Tudiver Kate Boicourt %&4*(/ "/% -":065 Kate Boicourt Simon Tudiver Sarah Overington "44*45"/5 $0/53*#65*/( &%*5034 Liz Thomas /BUIBO ,BSSFT &WB (MBEFL Michael Coren 8&#4*5& š$0.*/( 400/Ÿ 0653&"$) /BUIBO ,BSSFT Liz Thomas .BUUIFX (BSSFUU &%*5034 &.&3*5"& Josh Berman +FE )PMU[NBO Laura-Alex Frye-Levine 8*5) 41&$*"- 5)"/,4 50 +BOF $PQQPDL Paul Draghi Fred Strebeigh Class of 1980 (PSEPO (FCBMMF SAGE 0''*$& 41"$& $0635&4: 0' Tom Tuscano

/*$)0-"4 "#&3-& holds degrees in science and law, and has completed a PhD in medicinal chemistry at the Walter and Eliza )BMM *OTUJUVUF PG .FEJDBM 3FTFBSDI )JT DVSSFOU position is Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale (Dept of MCDB), conducting research that uses synthetic chemistry to enhance the study of biological systems and disease mechanisms. ,"5& #0*$0635 JT B NBSTI TUPNQJOH ecologist hailing from the marshes of Maryland, particularly interested in reducing the impacts of human activites on...marshes (well, more generally, coastal ecosystems).

She is a recovering biologist and will soon graduate with a master's from Yale. #3*"/ #08&/ HSBEVBUFE GSPN :BMF $PMMFHF JO XIFSF IF NBKPSFE JO MJUFSBUVSF BOE XPSLFE GPS UIF :BMF 3FDZDMJOH 1SPHSBN )F OPX XPSLT JO UIF NBSLFUJOH EFQBSUNFOU BU UIF :BMF 6OJWFSTJUZ 1SFTT BOE MJWFT JO Wooster Square, a stone's throw away from the best pizza in the world. .*$)"&- $03&/ XBT TDJFODF BOE FOWJSPONFOU QSPEVDFS BU $// DPN BOE managing editor of the Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia before returning for a Master of Environmental Science ('09) at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. .*$)"&- '*//&: JT BO BSUJTU XPSLJOH toward a BFA in photography at the 6OJWFSTJUZ PG "SJ[POB "T B TVCKFDU .JDIBFM explores self-awareness of identity and place in an overly consumptive society. ."3: '*4$)&3 IBT B #" JO 4PDJPMPHZ BOE is currently a Master of Environmental Management candidate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She is also on the board of directors for the Environmental Film Festival at Yale. She spends much of her GSFF UJNF NBLJOH FYQFSJNFOUBM CBLFE HPPET BOE UIJOLJOH BCPVU XIFSF TIF DBO USBWFM OFYU &7" (-"%&, IBT XPSLFE BT B NPMFDVMBS biologist, television producer, blogger, USBOTMBUPS BOE CMBDLTNJUI 4IF JT QBTTJPOBUF about helping guide human society towards sustainability and hopes to use the full DPNQMFNFOU PG USJDLT TIFhT QJDLFE VQ JO the process. Eva expects to receive her Master's of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and &OWJSPONFOUBM 4UVEJFT JO .BZ PG

& CREDITS

530: )*-- FOKPZT FYQMPSJOH EFSFMJDU buildings and avidly avoids reading about BTCFTUPT )F DVSSFOUMZ XPSLT BT B 3FTFBSDI Assistant studying terrestrial ecology and CJPHFPDIFNJTUSZ BU )BSWBSE 'PSFTU ."3: .$(3"5) IBT B EFHSFF JO 1PMJUJDBM 4DJFODF GSPN UIF 6OJWFSTJUZ PG $IJDBHP and has a particular affinity for boron.

4IF JT DVSSFOUMZ XPSLJOH UPXBSET B Master's degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies 45&1)"/*& /*"-- XBT CPSO SBJTFE BOE educated in Melbourne, Australia. After fleeing the world of corporate environmental law, she is now a graduate student at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where her focus is climate change policy. The departure from corporate environmental law is permanent; the departure from Australia, not so much.

4"3") 07&3*/(50/ JT B 1I% TUVEFOU BU .D(JMM 6OJWFSTJUZ JO .POUSFBM $BOBEB 4IF JT DVSSFOUMZ writing her dissertation on cognition in birds, and splits her time between analyzing data, watching birds from her office window, and ESFBNJOH BCPVU IFS QSFWJPVT XPSL PO UIF underwater mating dances of seahorses.

304"-*/% 4$)/&*%&3 JT BO BSUJTU MJWJOH JO 8FTUDIFTUFS /FX :PSL XJUI IFS IVTCBOE (FSSZ BOE UISFF DBUT 1JYFM 4IBLV BOE ;JTB 4IF IBT CFFO QBSU PG "SU PG UIF .PWJOH *NBHF PS 'JMN BT "SU TJODF UIF FBSMZ T BOE DVSSFOUMZ XPSLT XJUI B WBSJFUZ PG NFEJB GSPN QBJOUJOH to sculpture to film, video and digital.

4*.0/ 56%*7&3 TUVEJFT UIF JNQBDUT PG FOFSHZ PO QFPQMF BOE UIF FOWJSPONFOU )F IBT XPSLFE BT B SBEJP OFXT SFQPSUFS GPS UIF Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and has written about politics and climate change for .BJTPOOFVWF .BHB[JOF JO .POUSFBM )F IPMET B EFHSFF JO QIJMPTPQIZ GSPN .D(JMM 6OJWFSTJUZ and will soon graduate with a master's from :BMF *O QBSBMMFM VOJWFSTFT 4JNPO JT CPUI B gourmet chef and a professional musician.

4&5) ;&3&/ JT JOUFSFTUFE JO UIF JOUFSTFDUJPO of ecology, urban planning and complex systems. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, he has lived on the East coast for the last eight years, aside from a year long stint JO 4PVUI ,PSFB *O IJT GSFF UJNF 4FUI JT B CMBDLTNJUI XJUI IJT PXO CBDLZBSE GPSHF

5IPSTNĂšSL *DFMBOE

Benjamin Blom

SAGE 5

OUT & AROUND

Little Chemical Factories EVA GLADEK &7&3: 413*/( CJPMPHZ QSPGFTTPS 4DPUU 4USPCFM UBLFT B MVDLZ HSPVQ PG :BMF VOEFSHSBEVBUFT PO a treasure hunt deep in the South American rainforest. They don't carry any faded maps; OP SFE h9h NBSLT UIF TQPU *O GBDU FWFO BGUFS they've collected their booty and returned TBGFMZ IPNF UIFZ EPOhU LOPX XIFUIFS UIFZhWF VODPWFSFE USVF HPME PS KVTU UIF GPPMhT WBSJFUZ *U UBLFT TPNF EFUFDUJWF XPSL JO UIF MBC UP ĂśHVSF PVU JG UIFZhWF IJU UIF KBDLQPU B NJSBDMF cure for cancer, a non-toxic pesticide, or perhaps a new renewable fuel source.

these "little chemical factories" is that they seem to produce an unparalleled variety of bioactive substances of potential use to people—in fields ranging from medicine to industry to agriculture.

As an example, the world's first billion-dollar cancer drug, Taxol, was an endophytederived compound of the Pacific Yew tree; it was first identified as a possible cancer treatment in the mid T BOE remains on UIF NBSLFU today.

What Strobel and his students CSJOH CBDL from the jungle are creatures called The endophytes. potential These treasure organisms, trove of usually chemical bacteria or and genetic fungi, live resources in symbiotically nature is one of En r inside most the most commonly do do ph a u plants, colonizing cited reasons for y te Ec s is n in o la t i plant tissue without stepping up our efforts s a ed fro b m the Amazon causing their hosts any against biodiversity loss, immediate harm. Many have evolved the which is still proceeding at an alarming rate. ability to secrete defensive chemicals that 5IF /BUVSF $POTFSWBODZ FTUJNBUFT UIBU FWFSZ protect their territory from other would-be TFDPOE XF MPTF B GPPUCBMM ĂśFME TJ[FE DIVOL PG opportunistic colonists. What's special about rainforest, the ecosystem home to over half of

6 SAGE

Earth's species.

Even those who don't believe that we are morally obligated to stem the current hemorrhaging of the biosphere are more easily convinced by the less altruistic goal of safeguarding our natural storehouse of "useful" chemical products. #VU XJUI TVDI B WBTU RVBOUJUZ PG VOLOPXO species, even restricting one's investigation to endophytes alone still leaves a dizzying number of unexplored options. There are nearly 300,000 species of terrestrial plants PO &BSUI BMM PG XIJDI BSF MJLFMZ UP IBSCPS at least one, but in many cases several, endophytic species. Only a small fraction of these endophytes—estimated at less than one percent—have been grown in a lab for study. *O .BSDI PG 4USPCFM BOE IJT HSPVQ PG undergraduates collected 304 plant specimens from their target region along the border PG 1FSV BOE #PMJWJB (FOFUJD BOBMZTFT PG UIF endophytes in this small sample revealed a staggering amount of genetic diversity, justifying fears of what we stand to lose if we EPOhU UBLF BDUJPO One of the more exciting findings to come out PG UIBU FYQFEJUJPO XBT BO FOEPQIZUJD

"MM QIPUPT %BOJFM 4QBLPXJD[

Professor Scott Strobel collecting plant samples in Chile

fungus that appears to secrete a chemical mix TVSQSJTJOHMZ TJNJMBS UP EJFTFM GVFM *UhT UPP TPPO UP TQFDVMBUF BCPVU UIJT EJFTFM MJLF TVCTUBODF becoming the ultimate renewable energy TPVSDF PG UIF GVUVSF TBZT %BOJFM 4QBLPXJD[ B 1I% DBOEJEBUF XPSLJOH JO 4USPCFMhT MBC "U this point, he explains, the researchers are still USZJOH UP ĂśHVSF PVU XIBU NBLFT UIJT PSHBOJTN UJDL 5IFZ BSFOhU ZFU TVSF IPX NVDI PG UIF GVFM MJLF TVCTUBODF UIF FOEPQIZUF NBLFT OPS are they certain that they would be able to NBOJQVMBUF JU UP NBLF NPSF #VU UIF UFBN JT hoping to find additional wild samples of the same species on this year's expedition, which should yield more variants to study.

But despite the potential for great benefits GSPN UIFTF LJOET PG GBTDJOBUJOH EJTDPWFSJFT UIFSF SFNBJO TPNF QSJDLMZ JTTVFT UP BEESFTT The majority of the Earth's remaining biodiversity is concentrated, along with the

XPSMEhT QPPS JO UIF (MPCBM 4PVUI " DPNNPO TIPSUDVU UIBU TDJFOUJTUT VTF GPS NBLJOH B beeline to the "good stuff" is to pay attention to native peoples' traditional uses of plants. But of course, native people rarely end up receiving GBU DIFDLT GSPN QIBSNBDFVUJDBM DPNQBOJFT Through international treaties, efforts are now CFJOH NBEF UP QSPUFDU JOEJHFOPVT LOPXMFEHF and ensure that some of the wealth gets returned to the people who are trading in their LOPXMFEHF PS UIF OBUVSBM IFSJUBHF PG UIFJS MPDBM FOWJSPONFOU GPS 8FTUFSOFSTh QBUFOUT )PXFWFS this has yet to become a common practice.

MJNJUFE FYQMPSBUJPO FòPSUT VOUJM XF XPSL out these difficult—and at times intensely QPMJUJDBM‰JTTVFT 8JUI MVDL BOE QFSIBQT TPNF strong international treaties, however, this new Western exploitation of resources will hopefully CFDPNF MJLF UIF SFMBUJPOTIJQ CFUXFFO endophytes and their host plants, a mutualistic arrangement with benefits for all.

0O UIF POF IBOE UIJT TNBDLT PG B NPEFSO day colonial exploitation, but on the other, there is real pressure to affordably explore as much biological territory as possible before CJPEJWFSTJUZ MPTTFT UBLF BO FWFO MBSHFS UPMM (JWFO UIF EJSF FDPMPHJDBM DJSDVNTUBODFT JU might be unwise to put a freeze on the already-

SAGE 7

INNOVATIONS The Edison Screw

why making a more efficient light bulb is harder than it seems

BRIAN BOWEN '03 (&/&3"5*0/4 UIF MJHIU CVMC IBT CFFO UIF VOJWFSTBM TZNCPM PG B CSJHIU JEFB SBOLFE alongside sliced bread as one of civilization's NPTU DFMFCSBUFE FYBNQMFT PG JOHFOVJUZ (JWFO the bulb's iconic status and undeniable utility, perhaps it's not surprising that the design has barely changed since Thomas Edison perfected the first commercially viable model JO #VU XF BSFOhU TUJMM cruising around in Model Ts, so why do most people still light their homes with 19th-century technology? The next generation of lighting NBZ MPPL OPUIJOH MJLF &EJTPOhT CVMC #VU BSF consumers—and their lighting fixtures—ready to adapt?

After unveiling his bulb, Edison quipped: "We XJMM NBLF FMFDUSJDJUZ TP DIFBQ UIBU POMZ UIF SJDI will burn candles." But with energy prices now a national concern, even revenueøVTI (PPHMF IBT QMFEHFE UP replace the current lighting in its data centers with low wattage compact fluorescent (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to help the company reduce both its bottom line and its carbon footprint. These new technologies promise to cut costs and environmental impact for IPNFPXOFST BOE CVTJOFTTFT BMJLF #VU FBDI technology faces challenges—and the biggest challenge of all may be how to adapt to

8 SAGE

Edison's ubiquitous design.

CFL bulbs, once considered an expensive novelty, are now commonplace in the American home. The typical bulb produces MJHIU DPNQBSBCMF UP UIBU PG B XBUU incandescent bulb using only 13 watts of electricity, and can be purchased for a few EPMMBST -JLF UIF MPOH HMPXJOH UVCFT IVNNJOH over America's cubicles, CFLs produce light by exciting florescent gas, a process that requires a small amount of mercury. Low prices have made the technology more accessible, but concerns over mercury contamination from improperly disposed bulbs have led some FBSUI GSJFOEMZ DPOTVNFST UP UIJOL UXJDF +VTU POF NJMJHSBN PG NFSDVSZ DBO QPMMVUF MJUFST PG HSPVOEXBUFS $IBJOT TVDI BT )PNF %FQPU BOE *,&" IBWF JOUSPEVDFE $'- EJTQPTBM programs to address the issue, but critics argue that even with proper disposal, CFLs are not a comprehensive solution to our lighting needs. $'- JT LJOE PG B USBOTJUJPOBM UFDIOPMPHZ TBZT .BSL $PTUJHMJPMB "T UIF .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS PG "EWBODFE -VNPOJDT NBLFST PG UIF &BSUI-&% series of light bulbs, Costigliola has a vested interest in seeing CFLs ultimately fade. But many environmentalists and discerning DPOTVNFST XPVME BHSFF XJUI $PTUJHMJPMB /PU only are CFLs potentially hazardous to the FOWJSPONFOU UIFZ BSF BMTP QSPOF UP øJDLFSJOH they turn on slowly and they degrade over time. LED bulbs have none of those problems.

They're made of low-wattage, light-producing

silicon semiconductors, and they consume less energy than CFLs. Still, LED technology faces IVSEMFT JO ĂśOEJOH B NBSLFU -JLF TJMJDPO DPNQVUFS DIJQT silicon LEDs remain relatively expensive to manufacture.

Online bargain hunters may find the bulbs for as little as five dollars, but the light those models produce JT XFBL compared to NPTU BOE FWFO XBUU incandescent fixtures. For sufficient brightness, consumers still face steep costs. For example, EarthLED's state-of-the-art bulb, the ;FUB-VY XIJDI NBUDIFT XBUU performance at only seven watts, DPTUT 0G DPVSTF $PTUJHMJPMB notes that LED bulbs roughly double their cost-effectiveness (in terms of brightness-to-price ratio) every six

CFLs and LEDs each have particular advantages and disadvantages, but there is one challenge they share: attempting to fit a lot of light into a little fixture.

Costigliola estimates that 90 percent of lighting fixtures are "traditional interfaces," which in this country means the familiar screwin connector that spawned a thousand NFEJPDSF KPLFT *O UIF lighting industry that fixture JT LOPXO BT & PS UIF &EJTPO screw," after its inventor. When Edison developed the fixture in 1909 he chose an interface that ensured a TBGF BOE DPOTJTUFOU DPOOFDUJPO )F DPVME OPU have predicted that the Edison screw would present a major hurdle to next-generation

bulb designers.

Compared to Edison's glowing filament, LEDs create relatively little light. Designers have to cram as many emitters as possible into each bulb to achieve comparable performance. "We can get close to one hundred," Costigliola says, CVU CFZPOE UIBU JU T EJóDVMU )JHI FNJUUFS density creates a lot of heat, which in turn increases the potential for failure. To avoid overheating, some high-output LED bulbs NVTU CF PVUÜUUFE XJUI UJOZ GBOT MJLF UIPTF used in high-performance computers. These DPNQPOFOUT BSF CPUI FYQFOTJWF BOE BXLXBSE to fit into the Edisonian mold, meaning UIBU -&% CVMCT PGUFO DPNF PVU MPPLJOH MJLF -JMMJQVUJBO TQBDFTIJQT XJUI NFUBMMJD IFBU TJOLT BOE XIJSSJOH GBOT 5IF SFTVMU JT B MPPL‰BOE sound—that turns off some would-be buyers.

5IFSFhT OP EJTQVUJOH UIBU UIF ;FUB-VY XPVME MPPL PVU PG QMBDF JO B 5JòBOZ MBNQ As LED technology continues to improve, so too will designs. Eventually, manufacturers may do away with the Edison fixture altogether BT FNFSHJOH UFDIOPMPHJFT MJLF PSHBOJD MJHIU emitting diodes (OLED) promise to create light on unusual surfaces. OLEDs produce light using a thin film of organic compounds rather than silicon. They are currently being tested as displays for MP3 players and high-end TVs, but they're still too expensive for the mass NBSLFU 4JODF 0-&% EJTQMBZT EPOhU SFRVJSF B CBDLMJHIU MJLF USBEJUJPOBM -$%T PS QMBTNBT UIFZ use less energy and are less taxing on the eyes.

Costigliola imagines that eventually OLED technology will enable designers to create light virtually anywhere—on walls, tables, even the windshield of your car. When and at what cost remains to be seen. Costigliola DPNQBSFT UIF &EJTPO TDSFX BOE JUT TU century innards to the lingering TLFMFUPO PG .4 %04 JO .JDSPTPGU 8JOEPXT B DSFBLZ GSBNFXPSL GPS B NPEFSO JOUFSGBDF )F JOEJDBUFT UIBU EFTJHOFST XJMM NBLF EP XJUI the current infrastructure in the short term. But he says, "Ten to twenty years in UIF GVUVSF XF SF HPJOH CF MPPLJOH BU MJHIUJOH in a totally different way."

"MM QIPUPT 8JLJNFEJB

months. "We are at about the same price point where CFLs were seven years ago," he says, indicating that prices are bound to drop over time.

Three of Thomas Edison's original designs

SAGE 9

MATERIALS

B

5

Boron 10.811 MARY MCGRATH *5h4 )"3% UP QJO CPSPO EPXO /FWFS GPVOE JO its pure form in nature, it can't even decide whether to be metallic or not, residing instead within a strange gray area—one of only seven elements of ambiguous identity. The VOBTTVNJOH EBSL QPXEFS TFFNT UP CF BMM UIJOHT to all people, serving as a base for jet fuel and flame retardant for our industries, herbicides BOE GFSUJMJ[FST GPS PVS ÜFMET LJUDIFOXBSF GPS our houses, and nanoconductors for our promised future of Jetsonian medicine and gadgetry, among a raft of other uses. Boron's own identity crisis has allowed it to become a chameleon of the material world.

(JWFO JUT QPTJUJWFMZ QSPUFBO QSPQFSUJFT JU JT perhaps unsurprising that the earliest written reference to boron was in the context of alchemy. The Persian alchemist and natural QIJMPTPQIFS "M 3B[J XSPUF BCPVU CVSBR (thought to be the Arabic ancestor of the OBNF CPSBY JO IJT UI DFOUVSZ #PPL PG UIF

10 SAGE

4FDSFU PG 4FDSFUT *O B EFQBSUVSF GSPN UIF NZTUJDJTN PG QSFDFEJOH BMDIFNJTUT "M 3B[J was one of the first to carefully test and observe the properties and interactions of chemicals. During the same time period, boron-containing compounds were already CFJOH VTFE JO HMBTTNBLJOH BOE QFPQMF traded the compounds from Persia and 5JCFU UP *OEJB BOE GVSUIFS 5IF CPSBUFT BDU UP refine the quality and to reduce the melting QPJOU PG UIF NBUFSJBMT OFFEFE UP NBLF HMBTT (Adding borates produces a finished product with fewer bubbles.) Formed through the evaporation of boron-containing waters, these evaporates made their way to NBSLFU GSPN UIF ESJFE TBMU CFET PG BODJFOU MBLFT JO 5VSLFZ VQPO UIF CBDLT PG TIFFQ DBNFMT BOE ZBLT The importance of boron in HMBTTNBLJOH IBT MBTUFE UP UIF present day; its addition allows glass to withstand chemical reactions and sudden changes in temperature—particularly important for the production of scientific glassware. Boron has also been used in fire retardants for this reason.

Boron also has a slightly DIFDLFSFE QBTU *O UIF T UIF 6OJUFE 4UBUFT was scrambling to innovate BIFBE PG UIF 4PWJFU 6OJPO in a number of areas, most notably weapons technology.

8JUI UIF 3FE .FOBDF MPPNJOH UIF 6 4 HPWFSONFOU MPPLFE to boron as a source of highenergy fuel for long-range missiles. Learning that boronbased fuels have the highest energy densities (except for beryllium fuels, which are denser but

toxic), government officials launched a frenzied top-secret boron-based weapons research program. After seven years, the construction of eight research facilities, and five major plant explosions, the project was canceled.

Military research has since lulled (as far as the QVCMJD LOPXT BOE UIF XFBQPOT GBJMVSF IBT cast something of a pall on boron research in general.

But before boron becomes an environmental savior, it may need to clean up its act.

Mining borates can be very environmentally damaging. And in some places, the wastes GSPN NJOJOH HP VOSFHVMBUFE *O $IJOB QFPQMF EVNQ UIF MFGUPWFS TMVEHF LJMMJOH WFHFUBUJPO *O 5VSLFZ XIFSF QFSDFOU PG the world's boron reserves fall within an BSFB BCPVU UIF TJ[F PG /FX +FSTFZ OFBS UIF Simav river, wastewater from mines has raised boron concentrations of the river to the point where the water cannot be used for irrigation. Boron may not itself be toxic, CVU UIBU EPFT OPU NBLF JU FOWJSPONFOUBMMZ benign.

Today, the leading edge of boron research shares more in spirit with the aims of early BMDIFNJTUT MJLF "M 3B[J UIBO JOUFSWFOJOH developments in the element's history. *O SFDFOU ZFBST OBOPUFDIOPMPHJTUT IBWF launched what may turn out to be a fruitful exploration of boron's potential.

4PISBC *TNBJM #FJHJ B MFBEFS JO OBOPUFDI theory, characterizes the aim of nanoengineering as "creating new materials from 'old' ones" by manipulating matter on an atomic scale. And on the nanoscale, boron exhibits useful properties: it is lightweight, strong, conductive and tolerant of high UFNQFSBUVSFT *U FWFO IBT QPUFOUJBM GPS VTF BT a superconductor. So move over, carbon and hydrogen, a new element is in town, and its GVUVSF MPPLT CSJHIU

(JWFO JUT QPTJUJWFMZ QSPUFBO QSPQFSUJFT JU is perhaps unsurprising that the earliest written reference to boron was in the context of alchemy. Persian alchemist and natural QIJMPTPQIFS "M 3B[J XSPUF BCPVU CVSBR

'SPN (FSBSE EF $SFNPOBhT Recueil des traitĂŠs de medecine

#PSPO DPOUBJOJOH DPNQPVOET LOPXO BT borates, may be helpful in finding alternatives to environmentally damaging substances.

One example is boron trifluoride, which can be used as a less toxic and less expensive replacement for lithium-ion batteries—the LJOET VTFE JO MBQUPQT DFMM QIPOFT BOE possibly soon cars.

-JLFMZ POF PG UIF ĂśSTU UP FYQFSJNFOU XJUI #PSPO JO B TDJFOUJĂśD NBOOFS QIJMPTPQIFS BOE BMDIFNJTU "M 3B[J experimented with a multitude of substances as a chemist, but also as a physician.

Matthew Bowden

more powerful than traditional models.

Boron has been an important component of glass, refining its quality and lowering the melting point of the process

J. Ashe Bowie

5IJT IBT OPU TUPQQFE 5VSLFZ IPNF PG UIF world's largest boron reserves, from trying to SFWJWF B SFTFBSDI QSPHSBN 5IF #PSPO *OTUJUVUF PG 5VSLFZ FTUJNBUFT UIBU UIF DPVOUSZ DPVME support current levels of global consumption GPS UIF OFYU UP ZFBST 5IF *OTUJUVUF OPX sponsors several dozen projects exploring new uses for boron. Among twenty projects that have been completed is a fuel cell 100 times

*U T IBSE UP QJO CPSPO EPXO /FWFS GPVOE JO its pure form in nature, it can’t even decide whether to be metallic or not, residing instead within a strange gray area--one of only seven elements of ambiguous identity. The VOBTTVNJOH EBSL QPXEFS TFFNT UP CF BMM UIJOHT to all people, serving as a base for jet fuel and flame retardant for our industries, herbicides BOE GFSUJMJ[FST GPS PVS ÜFMET LJUDIFOXBSF GPS our houses, and nanoconductors for our promised future of Jetsonian medicine and gadgetry, among a raft of other uses. Boron’s own identity crisis has allowed it to become a chameleon of the material world.

Boron has potential to be a less-toxic replacement for lithium-ion batteries.

SAGE 11

Taking Back

The Lawn SETH ZEREN

As

* NPWFE JOUP NZ /FX )BWFO UPXOIPVTF MBTU TVNNFS * IBE UP DBSSZ NZ CPYFT past the brownish, scraggly patch of turf grass that serves as my front yard. Three doors down, someone had torn out their patch and planted øPXFSJOH TISVCT IFSCT BOE FWFO DPSO * CFHBO to envision planting my own front yard garden: succulent tomatoes and peas climbing up frames, birds and butterflies visiting zinnias and bee balm flowers, and herbs trailing on the OFBUMZ NVMDIFE VQ HSPVOE #VU XIFO * DBMMFE the company that manages my property, the QFSTPO * TQPLF XJUI XBTOhU UPP UISJMMFE CZ UIF idea.

8IZ OPU * BTLFE "Because we landscape for a uniform, well maintained aesthetic—mainly grass and NVMDI UIF NBO PO UIF QIPOF TBJE *G ZPVhE MJLF UP NBLF B QSPQPTBM * DBO GPSXBSE JU VQ the chain and we can see what the building manager says."

8FMM DPVME ZPV BU MFBTU LFFQ UIF MBOETDBQFST JO DIFDL * BTLFE 5IFZ XBLF NF VQ PODF B XFFL BOE UIF MFBG CMPXFS GVNFT DSFFQ JO through the gaps in the window frames." *UhT PVS VOEFSTUBOEJOH UIBU PVS MBOETDBQFST FNQMPZ TUBOEBSE QSBDUJDFTy IF SFQMJFE * CJU my tongue and refrained from telling him what * UIPVHIU PG IJT TUBOEBSE QSBDUJDFT 4P * XBT PVU PG MVDL .Z ESFBN PG B GSPOU ZBSE garden to grow food and build community had been undone by the definitive, and indeed default, American landscape: the lawn. The company that manages our apartment for Yale 6OJWFSTJUZ NVTU * MFBSOFE GPMMPX UIF SVMFT PG landscaping aesthetics: anything other than green grass lawns and mulched flowers is downright weird.

Wherever development occurs, the lawn is sure

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to follow—invisible and unconsidered. Often, as in my case, the decision to plant a lawn is made by absentee owners with no local, personal, or particular connection to the value and potential of the land. Layer upon layer—the decisions over the landscaping of my yard had been parceled out between me, the property managing company, their landscaping vendor, BOE XIP LOPXT XIJDI EFQBSUNFOU PG UIF 6OJWFSTJUZ UIBU PWFSTFFT UIF DPOGPSNJUZ PG UIFJS rental properties. \\\

But

XIZ XPVME * FWFO XBOU UP SFQMBDF NZ lawn? After all, lawns are pleasant for sitting on in the sun and feel wonderful under CBSF GFFU 5IFJS USBDUJPO BOE TPGUOFTT NBLF them great for sports and for children to play PO 8F MPWF UIF GSFTI TNFMM PG DVU HSBTT *O TPNF settings, lawns can add important aesthetic advantages to a design plan or enhance sight MJOFT BOE UIF TQBDF CFUXFFO CVJMEJOHT )BSvard Ecologist E. O. Wilson and Yale Professor Stephen Kellert have even suggested that the human love of lawns may be tied to our evolutionary past in the form of an innate sympathy for healthy living environments, a hypothesis they term biophilia. And of course, the lawn is normal; it raises no eyebrows and ensures stable property values.

6OGPSUVOBUFMZ XF SBSFMZ UIJOL CFZPOE UIFTF seemingly benign features to the negative consequences of our default landscape. The TDBMF PG UIF "NFSJDBO -BXO *OEVTUSJBM $PNQMFY JT TUVOOJOH "DDPSEJOH UP UIF -BXO *OTUJUVUF a turf grass industry association, lawns cover CFUXFFO BOE NJMMJPO BDSFT JO UIF 6OJUFE States—an area comparable to that of all the /FX &OHMBOE 4UBUFT *O DPOUSBTU JO UIFSF XFSF BQQSPYJNBUFMZ NJMMJPO UPUBM BDSFT QMBOUFE JO WFHFUBCMF DSPQT JO UIF 6 4 "MUP-

HFUIFS /PSUI "NFSJDBOT TQFOU NPSF UIBO CJMMJPO PO UIFJS MBXOT JO ‰NPSF UIBO UIF entire continent gave in foreign aid that same year.

Landscape architect and Yale Architecture School Professor Diana Balmori calls this "invisible industry" a serious environmental hazard. &WFSZ ZFBS "NFSJDBOT BQQMZ NJMMJPO UPOT of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to their lawns, more than ten times as much per acre as commercial agriculture. Some pesticide and fertilizer treatments are so toxic that they come with signs warning residents and neighbors to LFFQ QFUT BOE DIJMESFO Pò UIF HSBTT 5IF 6 4 Environmental Protection Agency estimates that lawn runoff is one of the single largest sources of water pollution nationwide impacting groundwater, freshwater fish, birds and human health. *O PSEFS UP NBJOUBJO MBXOT JO B QFSQFUVBM TUBUF of verdant perfection, homeowners and landscapers burn 800 million gallons of gasoline in the inefficient engines of lawn mowers, leaf CMPXFST BOE XFFE XIBDLFST 0G BMM UIBU GVFM BO FTUJNBUFE NJMMJPO HBMMPOT PG HBTPMJOF JT spilled each year while refilling lawn equipNFOU QFSDFOU NPSF UIBO BMM UIF PJM TQJMMFE by the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound.

(BT NPXFST FNJU UFO UJNFT NPSF IZESPDBSCPOT and particulate pollution than a typical autoNPCJMF XFFE XIBDLFST FNJU UJNFT NPSF and leaf blowers 34 times more—often within feet of your windows and doors.

The social and economic consequences of the American lawn are equally great. When the grass grows, millions of Americans mow their lawns—for an average of 40 hours over the TVNNFS NPOUIT FRVJWBMFOU UP B MPTU XFFL PG vacation. Lawn maintenance is often considered a public virtue, with adjacent suburban

The ubiquity of the lawn also affects our relationship with nature and our children's development. The lawn is a human construct dedicated to leisure and recreation. Being constantly surrounded by such a landscape can lead to the narcissistic view that nature exists only UP TFSWF IVNBO EFTJSFT *G XF BSF UP achieve a better balance between respect for nature, individual desires and DPNNVOJUZ XF TIPVME TFFL UP BDIJFWF a better balance of landscapes in our EBJMZ MJWFT *O IJT CPPL -BTU $IJME JO UIF 8PPET 3JDIBSE -PVW DPJOFE UIF UFSN "nature deficit disorder" to describe the way that free play in natural spaces has been curtailed by manicured lawns, indoor electronic entertainment, and regimented sports. \\\

/BUVSF

band-aids. That's what the fiery critic of contempoSBSZ "NFSJDBO MJGF +BNFT )PXBSE ,VOTUMFS calls lawns. They patch up the wound of ill-conceived development but do little to heal UIF VOEFSMZJOH TJDLOFTT 5P VOEFSTUBOE UIF peculiarity of this default landscape choice, we IBWF POMZ UP MPPL PVUTJEF PG /PSUI "NFSJDB

5IF ZFBS BGUFS DPMMFHF * UBVHIU &OHMJTI JO South Korea. Besides the few luxury hotels and XFTUFSO TUZMF QBSLT BOE HPMG DPVSTFT OP POF there has a lawn. Even the playing fields at the TDIPPM XIFSF * UBVHIU XFSF NBEF PG EJSU 5IF ubiquitous green turf American lawn is, from a global perspective, actually rather unique.

0G DPVSTF UIFSF BSF TXBUIT PG HSBTT JO QBSLT and formal gardens just about everywhere.

But the idea that everyone's home should be set in a continuous carpet of manicured grassy QBSLMBOE JT B EJTUJODUMZ "NFSJDBO JEFBM XIJDI owes its existence to circumstances of history and geography.

Fortune favored the development of the lawn in England, for in its mildness and humidity, England has a climate well suited to the cultivation of turf grasses. Later, the English landscaper Lancelot Brown traded the naturalistic aesthetic for increasingly large areas of QFSGFDUMZ øBU MBXO QBJOTUBLJOHMZ HSBEFE BOE DVU CZ IBOE *O B UJNF XIFO XFBMUI XBT TUJMM tied to owning productive land, the decision to convert swaths of fertile land around the manor house into unproductive, recreational lawn was a blatant example of conspicuous consumption, meant to impress commoners BOE QFFST BMJLF 5IF MBXO BSSJWFE JO /PSUI "NFSJDB with the British settlers. These colonists brought with them a preference for the English landscape, including pastureMBOE BOE JUT DPVTJO UIF MBXO 6OEFS English tillage, pasture became a common landscape in the colonies, and not just in rural areas, but also in the village commons, the precursors to modern "NFSJDBO QBSLT

The origin of the lawn can be traced to the QBTUVSF MBOE PG /PSUIFSO &VSPQF #FGPSF UIF advent of mowing, the only way for grass to be LFQU HPMG DPVSTF TIPSU XBT UISPVHI DPOUJOVPVT HSB[JOH PG MJWFTUPDL 5IJT QJDUVSFTRVF QBTUPSBM landscape came to be much admired by the English and French aristocracy during the 18th century, but they embraced a more naturalistic landscaping aesthetic in which sheared fields flowed into the surrounding countryside.

Thomas Jefferson, so influential in the creation of American government and the national psyche, also had a tremendous influence on the American adoption of the lawn. At his home, Monticello, he incorporated Brown's flat expanse of green grass in the front of the property (which had to be laboriously cut by hand with scythes and scissors) with the ideal of the independent farmer—the MBXO MPPLFE PVU PO IJT FYUFOTJWF HBSEFOT BOE ÜFMET )F BMTP PSHBOJ[FE UIF PSJHJOBM DBNQVT PG UIF 6OJWFSTJUZ PG 7JSHJOJB BSPVOE B DFOUSBM lawn, thus giving birth to many of our ideas of institutional landscaping.

'SFESJDL -BX 0MNTUFBE 4S UIF EFTJHOFS PG /FX :PSLhT $FOUSBM 1BSL BOE NBOZ PUIFS VSCBO

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All photos: 8JLJNFEJB

OFJHICPST MJOLFE UPHFUIFS CZ DPNNPO interests of property values and community covenants. But lawns also disconnect us. They QVTI IPVTFT CBDL GSPN UIF TUSFFU BOE TQSFBE out the community, increasing our dependency on cars for mobility. There are very real IVNBO DPTUT BT XFMM "NFSJDBOT BSF injured every year in lawnmower-related accidents, and, according to the Bureau of Labor 4UBUJTUJDT JO ZPV XFSF NPSF MJLFMZ UP CF fatally injured on the job mowing lawns than as a police officer.

"NFSJDBO QBSL TZTUFNT PWFSTBX UIF OFYU FWPMVUJPO PG UIF "NFSJDBO MBXO )F TPVHIU UP SFDreate the original naturalistic aesthetic of the &OHMJTI JO IJT HSFBU VSCBO QBSLT BOE JOUFHSBUFE Brown's great swath of lawn as an important aesthetic and recreational feature. (To this day, QFSDFOU PG $FOUSBM 1BSL JT DPWFSFE JO MBXO

Olmstead also helped design some of the first high class suburban developments in the late UI DFOUVSZ JODMVEJOH 3JWFSTJEF PVUTJEF $IJcago, where the houses were designed to sit in BO JOUFHSBUFE FYQBOTF PG HSBTTZ QBSLMBOE 5IF proliferation of streetcar suburbs that followed DPQJFE UIJT IPVTFT JO B QBSL BFTUIFUJD BOE FOGPSDFE JU XJUI [POFE TFUCBDLT 6Q VOUJM UIF NJE UXFOUJFUI DFOUVSZ UIF "NFSJcan lawn was mostly confined to municipal QBSLT PS UP UIF QSPGFTTJPOBM DMBTT MJWJOH JO UIF first suburbs. But everything changed after the Second World War. Soldiers returning from Europe and Asia came home with dreams of an idealized and orderly life in a singleGBNJMZ IPNF XJUI B MBXO BOE B XIJUF QJDLFU fence. And for the first time, this dream was within reach. The mass production of suburban houses pioneered by the Levitt brothers' Levitt 5PXO UIF รถSTU NBTT NBSLFU TVCVSCBO USBDU IPNFT PO -POH *TMBOE BOE UIF NBTT BWBJMBCJMJUZ of the automobile, combined with federally JOTVSFE NPSUHBHFT BOE (* CFOFรถUT QSPWJEFE UIF PQQPSUVOJUZ GPS NJMMJPOT PG XPSLJOH DMBTT Americans to live in the suburbs. With the suburbs came the democratization of the lawn.

The ideal was so strong that the lawn spread to inhospitable climates where it would have QSFWJPVTMZ CFFO VOUIJOLBCMF UP JOUSPEVDF JU the American plains, the West Coast and the Southwestern desert.

During the First and Second World Wars, to reduce the public demand for food that was needed for the war effort, the government encouraged Americans to plant "victory gardens" PS XBS HBSEFOT )VHF OVNCFST PG "NFSJDBO households in cities, suburbs and in the countryside tore up lawns and planted vegetables and fruits. Pamphlets and local university courses taught food preservation and agronomy to housewives and seniors. During the 4FDPOE 8PSME 8BS &MFBOPS 3PPTFWFMU JOTUBMMFE B NVMUJ BDSF GPPE HBSEFO JO UIF 8IJUF )PVTFhT extensive grounds. Academic institutions got in PO UIF BDUJPO :BMF 6OJWFSTJUZ DPOWFSUFE QBSU PG its grounds into large garden plots to help feed MPDBM IPVTFIPMET

\\\

Sitting

at my dinning room table afUFS UBMLJOH XJUI NZ QSPQFSUZ NBOBHFS * UIPVHIU BCPVU UIF HSFBU JOUFSMPDLing barriers that prevent us from choosing landscaping options other than the lawn.

Sure, the lawn provides benefits. But the Lawn *OEVTUSJBM $PNQMFY IBT CFHVO UP UISFBUFO CPUI ecological and human health. So how can we SFUIJOL PVS MBOETDBQF DIPJDFT UP รถOE B CFUUFS balance of recreation, nature and community?

(PSEPO (FCBMMF UIF "TTPDJBUF %FBO BU UIF :BMF School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the co-author of Redesigning the American Lawn EFTDSJCFT UIF DIBOHF IF UIJOLT JT needed: "reduce the amount of lawn you have," he says, "replace it with better things." So what are some of these better things?

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There is a movement afoot today to restore the victory garden tradition. Michelle Obama resurSFDUFE 3PPTFWFMUhT JEFB UIJT TQSJOH BOE QJUDIGPSL JO IBOE MBJE PVU B WFHFUBCMF HBSEFO PO UIF 8IJUF )PVTF MBXO 5IF NPWFNFOU JT UZQJรถFE CZ 'SJU[ )BFHhT CPPL Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn )BFH BOE IJT DPOUSJCVUPST BSHVF that growing food locally is not only more environmentally benign than the industrial BMUFSOBUJWF CVU UIBU CFJOH PVUTJEF BOE XPSLJOH JO ZPVS GSPOU ZBSE HBSEFO ESBXT OFJHICPST CBDL to the street and into conversation with one BOPUIFS 3FQMBDJOH MBXOT XJUI HBSEFOT NBZ be one way to help rebuild communities that have atrophied in low density, car-dependent TVCVSCT *U NBEF NF GFFM NPSF DPOOFDUFE UP NZ DPNNVOJUZ UP OBUVSF TBJE /FX )BWFOJUF

$ISJT 3BOEBMM PWFS DPรฒFF 0ODF BO VOJOWPMWFE SFOUFS $ISJT JT OPX 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF /FX )BWFO -BOE 5SVTU )F TFFT IJT รถSTU DPNNVOJUZ HBSEFO plot as a "gateway to civic involvement." *O 4BO 'SBODJTDP UIF 7JDUPSZ (BSEFOT

QSPHSBN JT USZJOH UP KVNQ TUBSU CBDLZBSE HBSdens, window box gardening and rooftop gardening in dense city environments. The website revivevictorygarden.org provides information, IJTUPSZ BEWJDF BOE MJOLT UP PSHBOJ[BUJPOT BSPVOE UIF 6 4 *O /FX )BWFO B SFTVSHFOU WJDtory garden movement could have tremendous impacts. Based on a technique pioneered by 0IJP 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZ SFTFBSDIFST 1BVM 3PCCJOT BOE 5SFWPS #JSLFOIPMU[ UP FTUJNBUF QFSDFOUBHF PG MBXO DPWFS JO VSCBO BSFBT JG IBMG PG /FX )Bven's lawns were replaced with food gardens, the city could, conservatively, produce enough GSVJUT BOE WFHFUBCMFT GPS SFTJEFOUT PS one sixth of the municipal population.

Another alternative to the lawn is to landscape GPS CJPEJWFSTJUZ *O UIFJS CPPL Redesigning the American Lawn )FSCFSU #PSNBOO %JBOB #BMNPSJ BOE (PSEPO (FCBMMF TVHHFTU QMBOUJOH meadows of native grasses and wildflowers.

When using climatically and biotically appropriate plants, such landscapes require little or no maintenanceโ reducing fertilizer use and pollution while providing habitat for native birds, butterflies and insects. This is a particularly effective technique for replacing lawns around JOEVTUSJBM BOE PรณDF QBSLT XIFSF UIF MBXO JT only aesthetic and isn't used for recreation. A similar approach is to practice permaculture with shrubs and perennial plants. Permaculture involves landscape design that mimics a place's natural ecology. These gardens can be designed to create beautiful displays, and still require less maintenance than traditional JOEVTUSJBM MBXOT *O QBSUJDVMBSMZ XBUFS QPPS regions, landscaping with climatically appropriBUF QMBOUT TBOE BOE SPDLย UZQJDBMMZ LOPXO BT Xeriscapingโ allows institutions and residents to create beautiful, regionally appropriate and irrigation-free gardens. \\\

The

nature band-aid of grass that buffers our house is now covered with snow. For the moment, the default American landscape still reigns supreme, frozen in its unexamined historical prestige even as the social, economic, and environmental costs continue to add up. My dream of a front yard garden may be on hold, but this spring, when the soil UIBXT *hMM IFBE CBDL PVUTJEF VOQBDL NZ UPPMT BOE TFFET BOE HFU CBDL UP XPSL

Smart Birds in our cities Sarah Overington

James Boicourt

T

*O #BSCBEPT $BSJC HSBDLMFT BSF DPOTJEFSFE pests, even evil and malicious. This can someUJNFT XPSL UP UIFJS BEWBOUBHF JTMBOEFST TBZ UIBU FBUJOH UIF IFBE PG B HSBDLMF XJMM ESJWF ZPV insane, which, along with the birds' relatively small size, may have saved them from becomJOH QBSU PG UIF MPDBM EJFU (SBDLMFT IBOH PVU near restaurants and picnic sites, anywhere they can get leftovers. They've even learned the restaurants' schedules. The birds pry open boxes to get at half-eaten burgers and they gather

B

EPH GPPE QFMMFUT BOE EVOL UIFN JO XBUFS VOUJM UIFZ BSF TPGU FOPVHI UP FBU 5IF HSBDLMFTh SFTPVSDFGVMOFTT BMTP NBLFT UIFN USPVCMFTPNF *O #BSCBEPT QFPQMF VTVBMMZ KVTU TIPP UIF CJSET away, but in other parts of the world, many of their relatives get shot, poisoned or otherwise eliminated.

8JLJNFEJB

IF 8FTU DPBTU PG #BSCBEPT JT BO VOMJLFMZ battleground, but a war of wits rages on its white sand beaches. Between highFOE IPUFMT BOE TQBSLMJOH XBUFS $BTVBSJOB trees bend their branches over the white sand, shading tourists and supporting nests built by $BSJC HSBDLMFT CMBDL CJSET UIBU MPPL MJLF TNBMM DSPXT XJUI ZFMMPX FZFT 0OF FWFOJOH * TBU beside a young family at a hotel restaurant. The mother was feeding her son, and in the instant TIF UVSOFE BXBZ GSPN IFS GPPE B HSBDLMF swooped down and grabbed a long piece of spaghetti right off her plate. The bird jumped to the ground, the noodle dragging along behind him. The woman turned and watched indignantly as her dinner was carried away.

4IF MPPLFE PWFS BU NF "SFOhU UIF CJSET IFSF BXGVM TIF BTLFE * TNJMFE CVU GFMU KVTU UIF PQQPTJUF )F NBZ IBWF CFFO B UIJFG CVU UIBU XBT one clever bird.

This is the contradiction of the smart bird: scientists and bird-lovers fawn over its feats of intelligence, but when the bird uses that intelligence to exploit humans it becomes a OVJTBODF BO FOFNZ *O PVS PXO TQFDJFT XF value resourcefulness, flexibility, and innovaUJPO‰UIF TBNF RVBMJUJFT UIBU PGUFO NBLF QFTU species impossible to eradicate. Could the birds be outsmarting us?

irds and mammals diverged from a DPNNPO BODFTUPS PWFS NJMMJPO ZFBST BHP CVU SFTFBSDIFST IBWF GPVOE TUSJLing parallels in intelligence between the two groups. Bird brains are structured very differently than ours, but they live with us and have been exposed to many of the same adaptive pressures as we have over the millennia. All around the world, birds thrive in cities, often JO JNQSFTTJWF XBZT *O UIF T TNBMM CJSET JO POF QBSU PG &OHMBOE MFBSOFE UP PQFO NJML bottles that were left outside people's doors. *O UIF ZFBST UIBU GPMMPXFE UIJT CFIBWJPS TQSFBE across the country. Since then, as technologies have changed, birds have become tech-savvy.

Many insect-eating species changed their daily schedules to hunt at night, when they can gather around streetlamps buzzing with bugs. *O /FX ;FBMBOE B HSPVQ PG IPVTF TQBSSPXT learned to open an automatic door to a bus station by flying in front of the door's sensor, VOMPDLJOH UIF CVTZ DBGFUFSJB JOTJEF *O +BQBO crows drop hard-shelled nuts on the road and XBJU GPS DBST UP DSBDL UIFN PQFO One of the most astonishing feats of intelMJHFODF CZ CJSET JT GPVOE JO UIF GPSFTUT PG /FX Caledonia. On these small South Asian islands, /FX $BMFEPOJBO DSPXT NBLF BOE VTF IPPL UPPMT UP QSZ GPPE PVU PG DSFWJDFT 5PPM NBLJOH was previously thought to be something only big-brained primates could do. But new

SAGE 15

solve complicated puzzles and also that they DBO USJDL FBDI PUIFS BCPVU UIF MPDBUJPO PG GPPE -JLF IVNBOT UIFZ VTF UIFJS JOUFMMFDU UP BEKVTU to different environments, especially urban centers. But as their numbers grow, the war against these birds escalates. *O +BQBO UIF DPOøJDU JT BCPVU HBSCBHF BOE power outages. People living in cities create XBTUF BOE DSPXT øPDL UP UIF MFGUPWFS GPPE *O UIF DJUZ PG 5PLZP CFHBO VTJOH USBOTQBSFOU garbage bags to be sure people were sorting their trash. This also helped the crows, who could now easily spot food-filled bags. The birds started tearing the bags apart, often trailing garbage into the streets. As the amount of available food increases, crow populations rise ESBNBUJDBMMZ *O 5PLZP UPEBZ BT NBOZ BT birds may gather at a single roosting site. All of these crows need places to raise families, and electrical poles turn out to be popular real FTUBUF *O NBOZ +BQBOFTF DJUJFT DSPXT DBVTF NVMUJQMF CMBDLPVUT FBDI ZFBS CZ XFJHIJOH down power lines with their nests. *U T OPU FBTZ UP UIXBSU B DMFWFS CJSE CVU QFPQMF IBWF USJFE *O QBUFOUT XFSF ÜMFE JO +BQBO for a variety of bird-proof garbage bags, including one with a life-size photo of a crow printed on it, one made of a translucent material that NBLFT JU EJóDVMU GPS CJSET UP TFF JOTJEF BOE one that contains nicotine as a repellent. But the crows have outwitted these and all other efforts to change their garbage-stealing ways.

The birds have even managed to maintain their destructive nests by building dummy nests in areas where electrical companies send out “crow patrols.� To date, no peaceful solution has CFFO GPVOE *OTUFBE HPWFSONFOUT DVMM DSPXT JO MBSHF OVNCFST *O 5PLZP POF DPNNPOMZ VTFE crow trap is made of pieces of raw meat placed JO QMBTUJD CBHT DPOUBJOJOH QPJTPO HBT *O 4JOHBQPSF UIF HPWFSONFOU CFHBO XPSLJOH XJUI B MPDBM HVO DMVC JO UP SJE UIF OBUJPO PG JUT DSPXT "DDPSEJOH UP DMVC SFDPSET OFBSMZ DSPXT IBWF CFFO LJMMFE TJODF Yet crows are notoriously difficult to hunt or

16 SAGE

even to study. Many crow researchers tell stories of crow harassment. Crows can recognize individual humans (which is more impressive BGUFS ZPV MPPL BU QJDUVSFT PG B GFX DSPXT BOE USZ to tell them apart), and the birds will carry out UBSHFUFE BUUBDLT TXPPQJOH EPXO BU BOZPOF they perceive as a threat. This can be very VOTFUUMJOH GPS UIF SFDJQJFOU PG UIF BUUBDLT *O #BSCBEPT * SFHVMBSMZ USBQQFE HSBDLMFT BT QBSU PG my research. Once, after a few days of trapping, B øPDL PG HSBDLMFT GPMMPXFE NF BSPVOE B MPDBM QBSL ÜMMJOH UIF BJS XJUI UIFJS BOUJ QSFEBUPS calls. Later, the birds stationed sentries on the outer branches of a tree and they would TRVBXL UP XBSO UIF PUIFST BT TPPO BT UIFZ TBX NF XBML VQ UIF TUSFFU * EJTHVJTFE NZTFMG JO

*MMVTUSBUJPO 3ZBO #FSLMFZ

different clothes and hats every day, but they BMXBZT LOFX JU XBT NF 5IF POMZ TPMVUJPO XBT to use my intellectual advantage over the birds. * TUPQQFE USBQQJOH UIFN CVU LFQU QSPWJEJOH food. After a while, they forgot about the traps BOE * DPVME DBUDI UIFN PODF NPSF * GFMU TVQFSJPS VOUJM * SFBMJ[FE UIF HSBDLMFT IBE USJDLFE NF JOUP GFFEJOH UIFN SJTL GSFF MFGUPWFST GPS XFFLT at a time. * SFTQFDU UIF HSBDLMFT XIFO UIFZ PVUXJU NF But even people who despise smart birds grudgingly admit that the little creatures are intelligent. “Crow-busters� is an organization EFEJDBUFE UP CSJOHJOH MJLF NJOEFE DSPX IVOU-

ers together. On its website, along with images of men in camouflage surrounded by hundreds of crow carcasses, the group claims that “we BSF FOUFSJOH UIF TFDPOE A(PMEFO &SB PG DSPX IVOUJOHw JO UIF 6OJUFE 4UBUFT "GUFS PVUMJOJOH the many reasons for hunting crows (including being a nuisance and “highly destructive�), the site also describes the species as a “challenging BOE XPSUIZ BEWFSTBSZ w )BSEMZ UIF MBOHVBHF BTTJHOFE UP PUIFS VSCBO QFTUT MJLF DPDLSPBDIFT Maybe we recognize something of ourselves in our avian adversaries. For all of the physical differences between our species, we have a lot in common. Birds form long-term social bonds BOE SFNFNCFS NBOZ JOEJWJEVBMT 5IFZ USJDL FBDI PUIFS QMBZ HBNFT NBLF UPPMT BOE DPNmunicate in complex ways (through song). The PSHBO UIBU NBLFT BMM UIJT QPTTJCMF JT UIF CSBJO And as it turns out, crows have unusually large CSBJOT XJUI UIF UPPM VTJOH /FX $BMFEPOJBO DSPX SBOLJOH OFBS UIF UPQ 3FMBUJWF UP UIF TJ[F of its body, a crow’s brain is about as big as a chimpanzee’s.

"DSPTT UIF BOJNBM LJOHEPN UIFSF BSF WFSZ GFX species that have such large brains. This is the starting point for understanding why intelMJHFODF XPVME FWPMWF JO UIF ÜSTU QMBDF *G JOUFMligence is so advantageous, we might expect to see more large-brained species. But there are also costs to having a big brain. Large-brained CJSET UBLF MPOHFS UP MFBWF UIFJS QBSFOUT BOE IBWF GFXFS PòTQSJOH QFS OFTU *O IVNBOT UIF brain uses nine times more energy than would be expected given the space it occupies in the body. From an evolutionary perspective, the question is: what are the benefits that outXFJHI UIF IVHF DPTUT PG UIFTF IVMLJOH CSBJOT 5P BOTXFS UIJT RVFTUJPO SFTFBSDIFST MPPL BU the commonalities between distantly related TQFDJFT MJLF DIJNQBO[FFT EPMQIJOT DSPXT BOE humans, all of whom independently evolved disproportionately large brains.

Dr. Amanda Seed, a researcher at the Max 1MBODL *OTUJUVUF JO -FJQ[JH (FSNBOZ BSHVFT UIBU UIF LFZ UP CJSE JOUFMMJHFODF JT JO TPDJBM

JOUFSBDUJPOT 4FFE SFDFOUMZ GPVOE UIBU SPPLT‰B species of European crow—cooperate to solve problems, and that they do so more often with UIFJS GSJFOET PS iTPDJBM QBSUOFST w *O BOPUIFS TUVEZ 4FFE GPVOE UIBU BGUFS JOEJWJEVBM SPPLT got into a fight, they returned to their social partners for reassurance. The idea that the mental challenges of living in a social group require a larger-than-average brain was first BQQMJFE UP QSJNBUF BOE IVNBO JOUFMMJHFODF *O order to be socially successful, humans need to remember who other people are, where each person fits into the social hierarchy, and what one’s own relationship is to everyone else. Birds might have big brains for the same reasons.

Birds often form close relationships with one another and some species live in family groups for many years, with older siblings helping their parents out around the nest. Birds that breed cooperatively are among the largest-brained species in the world.

1IPUPT 8JLJNFEJB

Social living is not always about cooperation— OPU GPS IVNBOT PS GPS CJSET 3FTFBSDIFST BU $BNCSJEHF 6OJWFSTJUZ IBWF TIPXO UIBU TDSVC jays (another member of the crow family) use sophisticated strategies to prevent other birds GSPN TUFBMJOH UIFJS IJEEFO GPPE *G B KBZ LOPXT that others are watching him bury a piece of food, he will move it elsewhere once the coast is clear. Some birds even deceive each other. *O B TUVEZ PG DBQUJWF SBWFOT JO "VTUSJB POF CJSE was taught which of a series of colored boxes contained food. But when another bird was nearby, the first bird approached the wrong box, thereby giving a potential adversary deceptive signals. The same researchers found that wild ravens will interrupt their own search for food when another bird is around. These and other studies show that birds will use sophisticated social cues to prevent others from TUFBMJOH UIFJS GPPE *U UVSOT PVU UIFZ SF DPNQMFY TPDJBM CFJOHT NVDI MJLF XF BSF Big brains can also help animals survive in a rapidly changing world. Species with large CSBJOT BSF IJHIMZ JOWFOUJWF‰UIJOL PG UIF DSPXT in Japan that drop nuts in front of cars or the

chimpanzees that use twigs to find termites. By inventing new ways of getting at food, species DBO UBLF BEWBOUBHF PG OFX PQQPSUVOJUJFT BOE find ways to live in new environments. Where human and bird populations overlap, they PGUFO DMBTI #VU +PTIVB ,MFJO UIJOLT XF DBO learn to live together peacefully. Klein is the founder of the Synanthropy Foundation, which is dedicated to finding ways for city-dwelling species to benefit from one another (synanthropy means “ecologically associated with huNBOTw )F IBT EFTJHOFE B WFOEJOH NBDIJOF GPS crows. After a few training steps, crows begin collecting coins from the ground to feed into the green metal box, which were rewards them with a peanut for every deposit. According UP ,MFJO UIFSF JT NJMMJPO JO MPPTF DIBOHF TDBUUFSFE BDSPTT UIF 64 BOE DSPXT DPVME IFMQ us retrieve some of the money.

The idea of a partnership between smart birds

BOE IVNBOT JTO U FOUJSFMZ OFX *O :FMMPXTUPOF /BUJPOBM 1BSL SBWFOT DPPQFSBUF XJUI XPMWFT CZ EJSFDUJOH UIFN GSPN UIF BJS UPXBSE FML BOE MBUFS KPJOJOH UIFN BU UIF DBSDBTTFT 3FTFBSDIFST UIJOL that a similar relationship may have existed between human hunters and birds, a bond that benefited both species. )VNBOT OP MPOHFS OFFE BWJBO IVOUJOH QBSUOFST‰OPU XJUI NPEFSO UFDIOPMPHJFT MJLF BJSQMBOFT BOE (14 #VU BT JOEFQFOEFOU BT QFPQMF have become, we still share the Earth with birds and other animals, and we have to figure out how to live with them. The smartest birds have followed us most closely, their ancient bodies øZJOH BCPWF PVS NPEFSO TLZTDSBQFST BOE SPBE OFUXPSLT #VU JU JT QSFDJTFMZ UIFTF CJSET‰UIF clever ones, the flexible ones—that get scorned BOE LJMMFE CZ QFPQMF $PVME JU CF UIBU UIFZ SF B MJUUMF UPP NVDI MJLF VT *T UIF SFøFDUJPO PG PVS opportunistic nature too glaringly bright?

SAGE 17

Michael Finney

LeeXkliXc% EXkliXccp% Photos: Michael Finney, Troy Hill Words: Kate Boicourt The following photographs are an exploration into an abandoned factory, enveloped and distorted by pollen and mold, freeze and thaw, humidity and roots. Despite only three years having passed since its closure, decay has carved the impression of a much longer vacancy.

W

F PGUFO UIJOL PG UIF CVJMU FOWJSPONFOU BT EFDJEFEMZ VOOBUVSBM 1BDLBHFE in climate-controlled office towers, urban progress is measured in terms of this very mastery over the natural world – hot and cold water on demand, circadian-defiant lighting, and perpetual (albeit bitter) hot coffee. The BWFSBHF DJUZ EXFMMFS CSFBUIJOH JO B DPDLUBJM of exhaust and industrial exhale, is used to her surroundings screaming something quite EJòFSFOU GSPN UIF /BUVSF QPSUSBZFE BT B QSJTUJOF HSFFO OBUJPOBM QBSL 4UVOUFE USFFT BCVU CSJHIU FYQMPTJPOT PG HSBóUJ DSBDLFE DFNFOU lots spurt with spindly non-native plants. But when we abandon the sealed structures of our office buildings, apartments—among the rush of inhabitance and decay—we begin to see how thin and tenuous the line is between TP DBMMFE OBUVSF BOE IVNBO FOUFSQSJTF *O fact, the speed of these transitions and decays suggests that there was never any distinction at all.

Our filtered, disinfected and walled FOWJSPONFOUT IBWF LFQU VT VODPOTDJPVT PG UIF tiny army of pollen bombarding our windows

18 SAGE

and the dormant spores of mold littering our dry floors. We do not operate separately from UIFTF OBUVSBM QSPDFTTFT XF IBWF TJNQMZ LFQU them at bay with a carefully crafted vacuum.

Our filtered, disinfected and walled FOWJSPONFOUT IBWF LFQU us unconscious from the processes of nature. But, before we TFUUMF DPNGPSUBCMZ JO PVS -ZTPM DMFBOTFE EFTL chairs, let us consider: what is the quality of UIF IBCJUBU XF IBWF CVJMU GPS PVSTFMWFT *G XF

are creatures, affected by and responsive to light, temperature, noise, and greenery...how might we build structures, in an increasingly urbanized world, that challenge boundaries and reflect the fluidity between the human and non-human world? The alternative: continue to EFTJHO CVJMEJOHT MJLF DBHFT SFJOGPSDJOH PVS PXO division from the positive attributes we expect UP รถOE JO OBUVSF *G SFWFSFODF GPS B IFBMUIZ environment is reflected in our structures, we may begin to question actions which disregard environmental health. We may realize that if we are to live well, we are accountable to a world greater than ourselves.

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But if the nature versus non-nature debate is just artifice, then even the things we call unnatural are, in a fundamental sense, natural.

5BLF JOEPPS DMJNBUF DPOUSPMย TFFNJOHMZ UIF height of human antagonism toward nature.

But this phenomenon is actually a strategy we share with other species. Communities of termites construct mounds a thousand times UIFJS PXO TJ[F QBJOTUBLJOHMZ BEKVTUJOH UIF ventilation to maintain an ideal temperature.

And disease- and climate-control rule the structure of the most basic elements of

MJGF NFNCSBOF DFMM FHH XPNC -JLF UIFTF biological counterparts, our "artificial" buildings are simply high-tech habitats. The only truly unnatural thing about an urban environment is our perception that it is somehow separate

"...Among the tin cans, tires, rusted pipes, broken machinery - One learned of the eternal.." - Theodore Roethke, The Far Field SAGE 19

Michael Finney

Nothing would sleep in that cellar, Dank as Ditch Leaf-mold, manure, lime, piled against slippery planks.

Nothing would give up life: Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath.

- Theodore Roethke, Root Cellar 20 SAGE

SAGE 21

5SPZ )JMM

5SPZ )JMM

ARTIST'S PORTFOLIO ROSALIND SCHNEIDER

TIDAL INTERIOR, 2008 26" X 38" MIXED MEDIA, DIGITAL PRINT, INK, GLASS, ACRYLIC MOUNTED ON SINTAR

"I seek sites that carry a primeval power. Light, VIÂIGXMSR ERH WLEHS[ EVI OI] XS XLI KEXLIVMRK of images. Although MQEKIW EVI WMXI WTIGMÁG ERH VIPEXI XS XLI XMQI GSPPIGXIH XLI] QYWX EPWS WTIEO XS E KVIEXIV ZMWMSR SJ TPEGI 8LI] EVI E QSZMRK WOIXGLFSSO SJ MHIEW TIDAL ABSTRACTION, 2007 26" X 38" MIXED MEDIA, DIGITAL PRINT, INK, GLASS, ACRYLIC MOUNTED ON SINTAR

"Digital QERMTYPEXMSR SJJIVW me the ability to MWSPEXI ERH XVERWPEXI XLI QM\ SJ IPIQIRXW TVSKVIWWMRK from the real MRXS EFWXVEGXMSR ERH E JYWMSR SJ the two. These multiple realities VIGVIEXI XMQI ERH WYFNIGX MRXS E RI[ PERHWGETI FSXL TVIWIRX ERH MPPYWMZI 8LI] EVI I\TERHIH ZMWMSRW SJ XLI IEVXL

FROST, 2007 13" X 19" MIXED MEDIA, DIGITAL PRINT, INK, GLASS, ACRYLIC MOUNTED ON SINTAR

HORIZON, 2007 13" X 19" MIXED MEDIA, DIGITAL PRINT, INK, GLASS, ACRYLIC MOUNTED ON SINTAR

SAGE 23

Too good to be 'roo?

STEPHANIE NIALL & NICK ABERLE 5)&3& *4 B OFX CSFFE PG WFHFUBSJBO JO PVS midst. Call them eco-tarians—those who reject meat not to save the animals, but to save the QMBOFU *OWPLJOH UIF FOWJSPONFOUBM JNQBDUT of producing meat, these people grudgingly TFU BTJEF UIFJS TUFBL LOJWFT JO UIF LOPXMFEHF UIBU OP BNPVOU PG CJLF SJEJOH DBO PòTFU UIF environmental damage of their favorite dish.

And this message descends from on high: %S 3BKFOESB 1BDIBVSJ DIBJSNBO PG UIF /PCFM 1SJ[F XJOOJOH *OUFSHPWFSONFOUBM 1BOFM PO Climate Change, has advocated reducing meat DPOTVNQUJPO UP IFMQ UBDLMF DMJNBUF DIBOHF But what if there was another option for these reluctant herbivores—a way to satisfy carnivorous desires without being weighed down by the size of their carbon footprints?

5IF TPMVUJPO NBZ DPNF JO BO VOMJLFMZ GPSN‰ that of the world's favorite macropod and "VTUSBMJBhT OBUJPOBM TZNCPM UIF LBOHBSPP Eating it, that is.

'BSNJOH USBEJUJPOBM MJWFTUPDL JO "VTUSBMJB JT particularly destructive. Cows and sheep are responsible for 13 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions via the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and a CZ QSPEVDU PG SVNJOBOU EJHFTUJPO /JUSPVT oxide, also an infamous greenhouse gas, is a EJSFDU CZ QSPEVDU PG GFFETUPDL QSPEVDUJPO JO addition to being generated through storage and treatment of animal waste.

But the animals' negative environmental effects are not limited to the atmosphere.

4JODF &VSPQFBO TFUUMFNFOU JO UIF Australian landscape has suffered at the hands PS GFFU SBUIFS PG MJWFTUPDL 5IF TFNJ BSJE terrain is especially vulnerable to their hard hooves, and their tendency to rip grass out by the roots when eating—both of which

24 SAGE

recent study in the journal Conservation Letters supports that argument. According to the study, replacing sheep and cattle herds XJUI LBOHBSPPT DPVME BDDPVOU GPS B UIJSE of Australia's current emissions reduction UBSHFU PG QFSDFOU CZ ,BOHBSPP CBTFE agriculture could also reduce emissions of OJUSPVT PYJEF XIJDI IBT UJNFT UIF HMPCBM warming potential of carbon dioxide.

have eroded the already thin topsoil. A recent study found that farming cows and sheep has IFMQFE ESJWF BU MFBTU "VTUSBMJBO NBNNBMT UP extinction and is a significant threat to about a quarter of the country's vulnerable plant species.

Amidst all this destruction, Australia produces B MPU PG CFFG BO PWFSXIFMNJOH QPVOET per person every year. That's ten times the global average and five times that of the rest of the developed world. Most of this beef is not consumed domestically. According to the Australian Department of Trade, Australia is the second largest beef exporter in the world, TFMMJOH PWFS QFSDFOU PG JUT QSPEVDUJPO overseas.

Kangaroo harvesting is much easier on UIF FOWJSPONFOU *O TUBSL DPOUSBTU UP SVNJOBOUT LBOHBSPPTh EJHFTUJWF TZTUFNT produce negligible greenhouse gases—so negligible that a recent climate change report commissioned by the Australian (PWFSONFOU BEWPDBUFE JODSFBTJOH QSPEVDUJPO BOE DPOTVNQUJPO PG LBOHBSPP NFBU UP DVU Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. A

"T BO BEEFE CPOVT LBOHBSPPT BSF BMTP LJOEFS to the natural landscape. They have soft paws, and thus cause less damage to vegetation than hoofed ruminants. They can also survive on less food and water, both of which are predicted to become increasingly scarce in a climate-change affected Australia.

"O JNQPSUBOU QPJOU UP NBLF CFGPSF DPOUJOVJOH because there's a good chance you're BMSFBEZ UIJOLJOH BCPVU JU LBOHBSPPT BSF OPU endangered. There are four species that are commercially harvested—for simplicity, they can be grouped together as Large Kangaroos.

These species are not, and never have been, endangered. European settlers actually DSFBUFE UIF JEFBM DPOEJUJPOT GPS LBOHBSPP numbers to proliferate: they removed the Large Kangaroos' only natural predator *OEJHFOPVT "VTUSBMJBOT BOE CVJMU QFSNBOFOU water sources throughout Australia's arid center. As a result, there are currently more Large Kangaroos in Australia than there BSF QFPQMF‰ NJMMJPO WFSTVT NJMMJPO SFTQFDUJWFMZ 5IF *OUFSOBUJPOBM 6OJPO GPS UIF $POTFSWBUJPO PG /BUVSF IBT MJTUFE UIF -BSHF Kangaroos as a species "of least concern." To put that in perspective, humans were recently included in the same category.

But can Large Kangaroos realistically displace

*NBHF CZ 7Y% GSPN 8JLJNFEJB

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

*NBHFT CZ 3PLF GSPN 8JLJNFEJB

global beef production, or at least the beef coming from Australia? Projections by the "VTUSBMJBO LBOHBSPP JOEVTUSZ BSF PQUJNJTUJD UIF DPVOUSZ BMSFBEZ FYQPSUT LBOHBSPP UP PWFS countries, producers note, and domestically the LBOHBSPP IBT CFDPNF JODSFBTJOHMZ NBJOTUSFBN The meat now has its own designated area in NPTU TVQFSNBSLFUT XJUI QSJDFT DPNQBSBCMF UP other meats. Despite all the benefits, a number of significant obstacles remain, primarily relating to attitude, cost and scalability. .BOZ QFPQMF PCKFDU UP FBUJOH LBOHBSPPT PO account of their being so cute. (To those in this DBNQ XF UBLF PòFODF PO CFIBMG PG DPXT EFFS and lambs.) This point does, however, raise an interesting challenge to those promoting UIF JOEVTUSZ PWFSTFBT *T UIF HMPCBM QVCMJD SFBEZ UP UVDL JO UP BO BOJNBM SFOPXOFE GPS JUT DVUFOFTT *O UIF T $BMJGPSOJB CBOOFE UIF TBMF PG QSPEVDUT NBEF GSPN LBOHBSPPT despite considerable scientific evidence that the animals were not in danger. Soon after, the 6OJUFE 4UBUFT 'JTI BOE 8JMEMJGF 4FSWJDF MJTUFE UIF Large Kangaroo as threatened and imposed a TJNJMBS QSPEVDU CBO 6SCBO MFHFOE JO "VTUSBMJB holds that the original ban came from a request by the First Lady, who is said to have found the DSFBUVSFT QBSUJDVMBSMZ DVUF *U UPPL VOUJM for the government to investigate the situation and overturn the listing. California moved even TMPXFS MJGUJOH JUT CBO POMZ JO +BOVBSZ PG a move still met with resistance from animal rights activists.

5IF OFYU RVFTUJPO JT IPX UP TDBMF VQ LBOHBSPP production. The Conservation Letters study projected that such a transition—replacing

UIF DVSSFOU TUPDL PG TFWFO NJMMJPO DBUUMF BOE NJMMJPO TIFFQ XJUI NJMMJPO LBOHBSPPT‰DPVME SFBMJTUJDBMMZ IBQQFO CZ 5IF 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF 8JMEMJGF 1SPUFDUJPO Association of Australia, Pat O'Brien, described UIPTF SFTVMUT BT DPNQMFUF OPOTFOTF )F stated that satisfying demand would mean LJMMJOH UJNFT UIF FYJTUJOH LBOHBSPP population. Although it is clear that Australia could comfortably carry a larger population PG LBOHBSPPT QBSUJDVMBSMZ JG TIFFQ BOE DBUUMF numbers were reduced, there is a big difference CFUXFFO NJMMJPO BOE NJMMJPO times the current population). While we have found no evidence to support Mr O'Brien's claim, neither could we find any assessment PO FYBDUMZ XIBU TJ[FE LBOHBSPP QPQVMBUJPO the Australian landscape could carry without sustaining serious damage. This issue could VMUJNBUFMZ QSPWF UP CF B TUVNCMJOH CMPDL UP B large-scale expansion of the industry.

With respect to economics, there is general agreement that it is cheaper to produce one QPVOE PG LBOHBSPP NFBU UIBO JU JT UP QSPEVDF the same amount of beef or lamb. This is NPTU EJSFDUMZ UIF SFTVMU PG IPX LBOHBSPPT BSF "farmed." As you can probably imagine, there are certain practical difficulties associated XJUI LFFQJOH UIF IPQQJOH NBSTVQJBMT GFODFE JO "T B SFTVMU GBSNFE LBOHBSPPT MJWF GSFF JO UIFJS OBUVSBM FOWJSPONFOU BOE BSF LJMMFE JO the wild by licensed shooters who operate in accordance with a strictly regulated Code of Practice, and follow strict government quotas.

5IJT NJHIU TFFN MJLF BO JOFĂłDJFOU XBZ UP DVMM animals, but the expenses of farming traditional

MJWFTUPDL TVDI BT GFODJOH TIFBSJOH CSBOEJOH castrating, etc.) far outweigh production costs JO UIF LBOHBSPP JOEVTUSZ And if economics and environmental impacts don't sway you, here is perhaps the most QFSTVBTJWF SFBTPO UP FYQBOE LBOHBSPP harvesting: the meat tastes absolutely EFMJDJPVT /PU POMZ UIBU CVU JU JT IJHI JO JSPO zinc and protein and is one of the leanest red NFBUT XJUI POMZ BCPVU UXP QFSDFOU GBU *U also has high concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid, which has a broad range of health benefits, including anti-cancer properties and an ability to reduce body fats. *U JT VOMJLFMZ UIBU LBOHBSPP NFBU XJMM FWFS DPNQMFUFMZ EJTQMBDF CFFG *U NBZ CF QPTTJCMF for Australia, but the odds of a global shift are low—the requisite increase in scale could harm the Australian environment.

Kangaroo harvesting may not be a silver bullet to reduce global emissions, but it does represent a valuable strategy to minimize the impact of meat consumption. And at the moment, we need all the tools available to UBDLMF HSFFOIPVTF HBT SFEVDUJPOT *U DPVME also help ease the consciences of guilt-ridden DBSOJWPSFT BT UIFZ UVDL JOUP UIFJS NFUIBOF GSFF sustainably harvested, low fat, and downright UBTUZ LBOHBSPP TUFBLT

SAGE 25

DRINK FOR THOUGHT

Whiskey

MARY FISCHER

Pitlochry,

Scotland, is about as quaint a town as one can imagine. Located two hours north of Edinburgh, the town's main street gives way to green pastures bordered by ancient stone walls, rolling hills, homes with blooming window boxes and a castle in the distance.

The town is not only famous for being extraordinarily charming; it is also home to Edradour, the smallest distillery in Scotland.

* BSSJWFE PO B TVOOZ BGUFSOPPO JO UIF TVNNFS PG SFBEZ GPS B UPVS BOE B ESBN GSPN Edradour. My guide was a Scotsman straight GSPN GPMLMPSFย SVEEZ XIJUF CFBSEFE QVSQMF LJMUFE BOE DIBSJTNBUJDย CVU IF UPME a modern story. From Edradour's first days as a community-run still, it has been highly sustainable. The distillers have used their resourcesโ from water to peatโ responsibly GPS PWFS ZFBST TJNQMZ CFDBVTF JU NBLFT sense. As old as it is, the distillery seems ahead of its time.

and fermented, then distilled. The process requires large cooling equipment, huge copper TUJMMTย UIF WFTTFMT JO XIJDI XIJTLFZ JT NBEFย BOE UIF ESJOL NVTU BHF GPS BU MFBTU UISFF ZFBST JO XPPEFO DBTLT 5IF QSPDFTT SFRVJSFT MBSHF amounts of grain and water, plus fuel, usually oil or gas, to heat the stills and plenty of peat to fuel the fires.

Distilling byproducts include oil, biomass waste, and liquid runoff, sometimes containing high amounts of copper from the stills, which DBO EBNBHF MPDBM FDPTZTUFNT *O UIF NBLFS PG +PIOOZ 8BMLFS %JBHFP XBT รถOFE b BCPVU BU UIF UJNF GPS MFBLJOH heavy fuel oil into a tributary of a popular TBMNPO รถTIJOH SJWFS JO 3PTT TIJSF 5IF JOEVTUSZ

4DPUMBOE CPBTUT XPSLJOH NBMU EJTUJMMFSJFT which use dried, germinated grain, mainly CBSMFZ UP DSBGU XIJTLFZ 5IF JOEVTUSZ JT JOUJNBUFMZ MJOLFE XJUI 4DPUUJTI OBUJPOBM heritage and has long-standing ties to local DPNNVOJUJFT .BLJOH TDPUDI JT BMTP B NBKPS FDPOPNJD ESJWFS GPS UIF 6OJUFE ,JOHEPN 4DPUDI XIJTLZ BDDPVOUT GPS B RVBSUFS PG UIF 6 , hT UPUBM GPPE BOE ESJOL FYQPSUT QMVT BCPVU 10,000 industry jobs with a further 30,000 relying on the industry as farmers, suppliers and distributors.

Yet the process is still fairly low-tech.

5SBEJUJPOBM 4DPUDI XIJTLZ IBT KVTU B GFX NBJO ingredients: malt, yeast and water. Barley is moistened, allowed to germinate, then dried over a peat fire. The resulting malt is ground

26 SAGE

The Edradour distillery in action

IBT BMTP CFFO CMBNFE GPS LJMMJOH รถTI CZ discharging hot water, and stimulating fungal growth with organic waste.

Despite potential environmental gaffs, most distillers consider themselves purists. At Edradour, malted barley comes exclusively from local sources. Water, pumped from a nearby spring, is tightly controlled. After distillation, a spirit must meet the company's high quality standard to age in the barrel or it JT SVO CBDL UISPVHI UIF QSPDFTT ZJFMEJOH MFTT XBTUF 5IF MFGUPWFS HSBJO SFTJEVF LOPXO BT draff, is provided to local farmers as cattle feed, eliminating the need for other methods of disposal while capturing the remaining protein value of the grain.

conserve peat and water, reduce biomass waste, and support community environmental efforts. %JBHFP NBLFS PG FWFSZUIJOH GSPN +PIOOZ 8BMLFS UP -BHBWVMJO JT probably the most visible in the spirit business. The company plans to build an anaerobic digestion and biomass combustion plant using the spent wash—a mixture of wheat, malted barley, yeast BOE XBUFS‰GSPN JUT XIJTLFZ QSPEVDUJPO JO 'JGF 4DPUMBOE *U JT expected to generate 80 percent of the electricity and 98 percent of the steam needed to run the distillery, while reducing the effluent from the production process. The facility will also recover almost a third of the site's water requirements.

A lovingly-poured dram of Edradour's finest But labeling the brown spirit "green" doesn't TFFN UP IBWF FOUJSFMZ TXBZFE 4DPUDI XIJTLZ NBSLFUFST 1SBDUJDFT EFTJHOFE UP SFEVDF environmental impacts of distilleries aren't part of targeted, high-powered "greenwashing" DBNQBJHOT *O GBDU JUhT EJĂłDVMU UP ĂśOE information about most companies' efforts to reduce their impacts, even though the Scotch 8IJTLZ "TTPDJBUJPO BOE UIF 4DPUDI 8IJTLZ 3FTFBSDI *OTUJUVUF EFTDSJCF TFWFSBM EJTUJMMFSJFT that employ practices to capture waste heat,

"MMJFE %JTUJMMFST -UE NBLFST PG $IJWBT 3FHBM "CFSMPVS BOE (MFOMJWFU BNPOH PUIFST XPO UIF OBUJPOBM 7*#&4 7JTJPO JO Business for the Environment) award for its reduction of both landfill waste and water use. The company developed a system to reduce waste throughout its supply chain and it conducted an innovative study of employee behavior, demonstrating that employees could save money and resources by saving energy in their own homes. Old Pulteney and Bowmore capture waste heat and pipe it to local communities for use in homes and recreational facilities. To QSFTFSWF QFBU #PXNPSFhT LJMOT VTF B QSPDFTT called "caffing": they macerate and dampen the peat before adding it to the fire, which extends the "life" of the peat nearly four-fold.

(MFOÜEEJDI EFWFMPQFE B XFUMBOET BSFB UP USFBU JUT FþVFOU "OE BDDPSEJOH UP UIF 4DPUDI 8IJTLZ Association, some distilleries—which they do not identify—recover carbon dioxide from the fermentation process and sell it for use in fire FYUJOHVJTIFST TPGU ESJOLT BOE PUIFS GPPET Whether these firms' strides represent a worldwide trend is unclear. At least one "NFSJDBO EJTUJMMFSZ JT XPSLJOH UP SFEVDF JUT JNQBDU .BLFShT .BSL IBT BO BOBFSPCJD EJHFTUFS on site fed by the water, grain and yeast MFGUPWFS GSPN NBLJOH CPVSCPO UIF ,FOUVDLZ XIJTLFZ NBEF QSJNBSJMZ GSPN DPSO BOE SZF The distillery uses the resulting methane and carbon dioxide in its boilers to reduce natural gas consumption by as much as 30 percent.

Despite these advances, there is still a long way to go. Achieving greater energy efficiency in distilleries means improving boiler and heat distribution plants, adding heat recovery and developing better energy management practices.

But technological changes aren't the only PQUJPO *U UVSOT PVU UIF HMPCBM XIJTLFZ JOEVTUSZ may have happened on the ultimate recycling TUSBUFHZ XJUIPVU FWFO USZJOH "DDPSEJOH UP 6 4 law, bourbon barrels must be made of new DIBSSFE PBL POMZ #VU 4DPUDI EJTUJMMFST WJFX BMM types of used barrels as ways to add subtle øBWPS UP UIFJS ESJOL BOE NBOZ VTFE CPVSCPO barrels end up being reused overseas to age 4DPUDI 4P NBLF B UPBTU UP UIF QMBOFU MBEEJFT‰ ESJOLJOH 4DPUDI NBZ BDUVBMMZ CF HPPE GPS UIF world.

SAGE 27 *NBHFT 8JLJNFEJB

ENVIRONMENTAL EVANGELISM +FBOOF (PZFUUF

Talking earthly stewardship LQ WKH KRXVH RI WKH LQĂ€QLWH

Michael Coren The Yale Project on Climate Change sent out two Divinity students, Sean Lanigan and Tamami Kawamura, to interview evangelical Christians in YEAR to discover the themes about climate change that resonate with the evangelical community. The result is an engaging and compelling series of interviews that form the basis for ongoing research by the Project's director, Anthony Leiserowitz, to guide non-profits and policymakers. To protect subjects' confidentiality, quotes are provided here without attribution.

The Project website is: research.yale.edu/ environment/climate

On the reality of global warming‌ Pastor 1: So we can't tell what's really happening because we haven't seen enough JO UFSNT PG DZDMFT UP SFBMMZ LOPX XIBUhT HPJOH PO #VU * GFFM QSFUUZ DPOWJODFE UIBU JG UIJT JT one of those cycles, we shouldn't do anything to enhance it. And if this is not one of those cycles, we're in way deeper than we could ever imagine and we've got to try to do something.

Pastor 2: *hN ĂśSNMZ DPOWJODFE UIBU IVNBOJUZ JT playing a role in either dramatically increasing what may naturally be happening, or, independent of that, impacting our climate in a negative way.

Christian educator 2: Climate change is not hard once people see science as valuable‌ When people believe that the tools of science XPSL HFUUJOH UIFN UP MPPL BU UIF EBUB JT OPU EJóDVMUy* UIJOL NBLJOH B DPOOFDUJPO CFUXFFO care for the poor and justice and the care of creation is absolutely essential. The science is very easily understood on many parts of the argument. The science is less easy to VOEFSTUBOE PO HMPCBM DMJNBUF DIBOHF *G ZPV can get them to believe the beginning, then ZPV DBO XPSL PO B TFDPOE QBSU

28 SAGE

.BSDI 5IF 4JTUFST PG 4U %PNJOJD PG $BMEXFMM /+ OFYU UP UIFJS OFX TPMBS QBOFMT BO JOTUBMMBUJPO NBEF QPTTJCMF CZ UIF TJTUFST B TPMBS SFCBUF GSPN UIF TUBUF PG /FX +FSTFZ BOE B ZFBS DPOUSBDU XJUI 4VO 'BSN /FUXPSL 5IF QBOFMT XJMM FMJNJOBUF BQQPYJNBUFMMZ QPVOET PG $0 FBDI ZFBS

On Al Gore and calls to combat climate changeâ&#x20AC;Ś Theologian: My opinion is that the resistance <UP BDDFQUJOH DMJNBUF DIBOHF TDJFODF> JTÂ&#x2030;* UIJOL UIF SFTJTUBODF JT B SFBDUJPO UP "M (PSF NPSF UIBO BOZUIJOH FMTFy* UIJOL UIFSF OFFET to be less spectacular doom and gloom oriented scenarios and a lot more consistent careful scienceâ&#x20AC;ŚThe spectacular side has not served us well in the whole climate change initiativeâ&#x20AC;Śthere is a politicizing of global XBSNJOH BOE DMJNBUF DIBOHF CFDBVTF PG <(PSF> UIBU NBLFT JU EJĂłDVMU UP EFBM XJUI JU JO UIF

public arena.

Preacher: :PV EPOhU XBOU UP NFOUJPO "M (PSF :PV EPOhU XBOU UP CF UJFE JO XJUI "M (PSF PO UIF environmental issue given that you disagree with us as a church we disagree on other JTTVFT 8F OFFE QFPQMF MJLF 3JDL 8BSSFO MJLF 5 % +BLFTÂ&#x2030;OBUJPOBM MFWFM $ISJTUJBO MFBEFST who have a good reputation on the things that are important to us in the mainstream church UP TVQQPSU UIF FOWJSPONFOUBM JTTVFT /PU UPP many people are afraid of being aligned with 3JDL 8BSSFO XIFSFBT * UIJOL B MPU PG UIF DIVSDI

would be a little bit scared or reluctant of HFUUJOH JOWPMWFE XJUI BO "M (PSF PS TPNF PG the other people who have very strong issues in opposition to some of the things that we believe in, as far as things such as gay marriage or abortion, amongst other thingsâ&#x20AC;ŚWe'd rather that initiative come from someone who's more aligned with our beliefs on some of those core issues. But we want to be involved, we want to be more involved in the managing of (PEhT XPSME IFSF BOE XF TIPVME CF

PXO MJGFTUZMF 5IBU DPVME NBLF B EJòFSFODF Theologian: *hWF USBJOFE BT B UIFPMPHJBO TP it's been my growing conviction across the last twenty years that the care of the earth, JUhT B LFZ QBSU B LFZ DPNQPOFOU PG UIPTF XIP are followers of Jesusâ&#x20AC;ŚBiblical justice calls for those with both power and wealth to leverage that in the direction of those who have neither, which then begins to get into energy consumption, the use of waterâ&#x20AC;Śas well as the issues of justice and labor, the care of IVNBOLJOE

On talking to their congregation: Faith leaders (pastors, priests and congregational heads) were asked if they had "communicated [the] message about climate change and concern for the environment to the people in [their] community" Pastor 1: Well, being a pastor, a lot of communication happens with the people in ZPVS DPOHSFHBUJPOy* DBOhU TBZ UIPVHI UIBU NBOZ QFPQMF JO UIF DIVSDI XIFSF * XBT QBTUPS were open to this. A lot of them called it a TPDJBM HPTQFM JTTVF #VU UIFZ EPOhU FWFO LOPX XIBU UIJT UFSN NFBOTy8IFO * QSFBDI GSPN -VLF $IBQUFS XIFSF +FTVT JT UBMLJOH BCPVU being concerned about the plight of the poor, and their moral and ethical obligations to the QPPS BOE * IBWF QFPQMF BQQSPBDI NF BGUFS UIF TFSWJDF BOE UFMM NF UIBU XIBU * QSFBDIFE XBT UIF TPDJBM HPTQFMy* UFMM UIFN JUhT GSPN +FTVT so there can't be anything wrong with it. That's ridiculous. Especially for people who say they're interested in literal interpretation of Scripture, XIBUFWFS UIBU NFBOTy4P * UIJOL UIFSF XJMM CF a few trendsetters who won't get listened to by UIFJS DPMMFBHVFT BOE XJMM UBLF B MPU PG IFBU GPS JU But if it's true, you have to say it and then live it.

Pastor 2: * IBWF OPU

On changing ones lifestyleâ&#x20AC;Ś Pastor 1: *UhT IBSE UP EP *UhT IBSE JO UIF TFOTF that you have to alter your lifestyle. You don't build a bigger house. And that means so much JO PVS DVMUVSF "T EP CJH DBST *U UBLFT NPSF UP turn them from stationary objects into moving UIJOHTy*UhT BCPVU SFBEJOH BOE MJTUFOJOH BOE MFBSOJOH BOE UIJOLJOH BCPVU UIF TNBMM UIJOHT that you can do in your own home and in your

On being labeled an environmentalistâ&#x20AC;Ś Pastor 2: Labels are just labels and they create B MPU PG QSPCMFNT :FBI *hN BO FOWJSPONFOUBMJTU CFDBVTF * MJWF JO UIF FOWJSPONFOU *hN OPU TVSF IPX UP TBZ ZFT PS OP UP UIBU POF "OE *hN EFFQMZ concerned about the environment, because (PE DSFBUFE UIJT XPSME HPPE "T B $ISJTUJBO who embraces that worldview, we have a spiritual, moral responsibility to integrate that concern. Colossians says that all things came into being through the sun and that he holds all things together. That should echo in our stewardship. So we have a mandate in how we BQQSPBDI PVS TUFXBSETIJQ *G UIBU NBLFT NF BO FOWJSPONFOUBMJTU UIFO * HVFTT *hMM UBLF UIF UFSN #VU * DPOTJEFS NZTFMG NPSF UIFPMPHJBO *hN DPNGPSUBCMF XJUI DSFBUJPO DBSF BOE DBSFUBLFS )VTCBOEJOH JT BOPUIFS XPSE * MJLF JO UIF PME VTF PG UIF XPSE 5P NBLF TPNFUIJOH HSPX SJHIU Terms change and words change as the context changes.

Theologian: *hMM UFMM ZPV XIBU *hWF MFBSOFE XIFO ZPV TQFBL BCPVU DBSF PG DSFBUJPO TUFXBSETIJQ of the resources, concern for the poor, DMFBOMJOFTT PG XBUFSy:PV EPOhU QJDL NBOZ fights. The minute you say global warming, you've got fights on your hands.

Preacher: *hN BMNPTU RVPUJOH UIF #JTIPQ here: to be a Christian you need to be an FOWJSPONFOUBMJTUy*G ZPV EPOhU CFMJFWF UIBU XF TIPVME CF UBLJOH DBSF PG UIF FOWJSPONFOU XIFSF DBO * TFOE ZPV CBDL UP #JCMF TDIPPM Christian educator 1: Empiricist, Christian, and mystical pantheistâ&#x20AC;Śthe three of us might all vote the same way on a particular

environmental issue, but our reasons for doing so would be different.

On the clash of theology and environmental stewardship...

Theologian: [There] is the thought that the earth is going to be bombed or blown up or OVLFE HPJOH EPXO JO B CBMM PG ĂśSF TPNF EBZ XIFSF TPNF LJOE PG DBUBTUSPQIJD FOE UIBU (PE will bring about in some level of judgment on the earth and there are few apocalyptic passages in the Bible that would support them JO UIBU 4P JG ZPV CFMJFWF UIBU UIBU JTÂ&#x2030;(PE intended the end of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you probably aren't going to do a whole lot to preserve it PS DBSF GPS JUy4P VOEFS UIBU LJOE PG $ISJTUJBO theology you do get a resistance to both environmentalism and the climate change JTTVFT BOE BMM PG UIBUy#VU VOEFS XIBU * UIJOL is a much more solid, mainstream, evangelical UIFPMPHZ PG UIF &OE 5JNFT JT UIBU (PE MPWFT IJT creation, is going to restore it, redeem it and therefore we ought to be involved in that we won't be able to write off the planet as being discardable someday. So underneath what Christians are fighting against or sign onto is a poor understanding of the End Times.

Minister: * DBO FOWJTJPO B TJUVBUJPO XIFSF stewardship transforms into subservience, XIJDI JT B EBOHFS * EPOhU CFMJFWF JO B 8JDDBO style of reverence for the planet. The goal is not UP NBLF UIF QMBOFU TBDSPTBODU 5IFSF NBZ CF something that environmentalists feel the need UP QSPUFDU CVU BT $ISJTUJBOT XF NJHIU TBZ /P it was given to us to be used." There's nothing intrinsically holy about it. We don't want to CF SFDLMFTT XJUI TQFDJFT HPJOH FYUJODUyCVU there's nothing wrong with harvesting coal, GPS FYBNQMF * SFBMMZ EPOhU UIJOL UIBU UIFSF BSF things that are inviolable or untouchable in our FOWJSPONFOU *U XJMM IBWF UP CF B DBTF CZ DBTF CBTJT 1SPUFDUJPO GPS UIF TBLF PG QSPUFDUJPO JT not something Christians are about.

The Final Word Pastor 1: The thing that's cool about the (FOFTJT TUPSZ JT OPU POMZ UIBU (PE TBZT JUhT good, but that at the end of the sixth day, he TBZT JUhT WFSZ HPPE * UIJOL XF OFFE UP UIJOL BCPVU IPX XF DBO NBLF JU WFSZ HPPE UPP /PU just good, but very good.

SAGE 29

THE CA ' " 6 9 / & 8 4 ' - " * 3

Dear Environmentalist: Dear Environmentalist,

Dear Environmentalist,

-BTU OJHIU * DBNF IPNF UP ĂśOE BMM PG UIF MJHIUT PO JO NZ IPVTF UIF SFGSJHFSBUPS PQFO UIF PWFO PO IJHI BOE BMM PG UIF GBVDFUT JO UIF LJUDIFO and bathroom on full. What a waste! Also, most of our valuables and FMFDUSPOJDT XFSF PVU PG UIFJS QSPQFS QMBDFT * DPVMEOhU ĂśOE UIFN BOZXIFSF 0O UPQ PG BMM UIJT NZ EBVHIUFS IBE MPDLFE IFSTFMG JO UIF DMPTFU and tied herself to a chair. My question is: how can we teach young people to be responsible about energy use?

* BN B NFNCFS PG B TFDSFU TPDJFUZ 8F NFFU JO B CVJMEJOH XJUIPVU BOZ windows. This is great because it prevents people from seeing many of the secret and possibly unethical acts going on inside the building. * BN OPU TBZJOH UIBU BOZUIJOH CBE JT OFDFTTBSJMZ HPJOH POÂ&#x2030;KVTU UIBU hypothetically, it might be. The downside is that there isn't any natural MJHIU DPNJOH JO XIJDI * UIJOL NJHIU CF CBE GPS NZ IFBMUI BOE DFSUBJOMZ runs up our electricity costs because we have to leave the lights on all the time. Can you suggest some energy-efficient ways to run a secret society?

Sincerely, Concerned about the youngsters Dear Concerned, Your conundrum reminds me of the old proverb "haste begets waste." But in this case, we flip it around: "waste is the daughter of haste," i.e., you.

Stop being so hasty and jumping to conclusions. For instance, are you sure that girl is actually your daughter? Have you had DNA tests to prove it?

Also, waste not, want not. Or as I prefer to write it: Wasteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not want. Not! You can't stop waste unless the waste wants to stop you. Also, if people weren't wasteful, how would we know when someone isn't being wasteful? Think about that.

Dear Environmentalist, * IFBSE UIBU &BSUI )PVS UIJT ZFBS JT PO .BSDI UI BOE UIBU XF TIPVME BMM UVSO UIF MJHIUT Pò GPS POF IPVS * BMTP IFBSE UIBU UIF DJUZ XIFSF * "live" is planning to participate for the first time this year. This is really FYDJUJOH OFXT #VU * BMTP IFBSE UIBU UIF HVZ XIP IBT CFFO LFFQJOH NF MPDLFE JO B TUPSBHF TQBDF JO IJT CBTFNFOU GPS UIF QBTU ÜWF ZFBST NJHIU CF PVU UIBU OJHIU /PX * GFFM USBQQFE 8JUIPVU B øBTIMJHIU * EPOhU UIJOL *hMM CF BCMF UP TFF UISPVHI UIF UVOOFM * EVH XJUI NZ ÜOHFSOBJMT UIBU IBWFOhU CFFO DVU TJODF * NPWFE JO IFSF )FMQ Sincerely, Trapped Dear Trapped, Due to a delay in the publication of this magazine, Earth Hour 2009 has already passed. Better luck in 2010!

Questions for the Environmentalist? Please send them along with cash, check or Exxon stock options to The Editors, SAGE Magazine, 100 Ivy League Row, Fancypants, USA

30 SAGE

Signed, () Dear ( ), The answer to your troubles is right under your secret little nose! I've got two words: insulation and tradition. First of all, without windows, your building is already well-insulated. The light and the air inside can't escape to pollute the great outdoors. Here's a tip: check the walls and ceilings for black mould. If it's growing, your environmentalism is showing! Second, tradition. Instead of turning on the lights, why not use an alternative energy source? Where from, you ask? Look to your roots in pagan cult ritual. Human sacrifice can be a fun and sustainable way to harvest fatty tissue that can be refined into an all-natural liquid fuel. And you don't have to worry about passers-by catching a glimpse through the window! Good luck!

Dear Environmentalist, .Z OBNF JT 5PN BOE * BN ZFBST PME * XPVME MJLF UP TUBSU BO FOWJSPOmentalist club at my school. Do you have any advice?

Dear "Tom" (if that is your real name), Greenwashing is one of my pet peeves. And it's eager "kids" like you, trying to make your "school" seem more environmentally friendly that "make" the whole industry look bad. Most people don't know that schools and students are the biggest polluters in North America. That's a fact that will never change. I've said it before and I'll say it again: environmentalism is not for kids. You can't vote, you can't register as a lobbyist, you probably don't even know how to build a methane ingestor! So you can take your carefully calculated "enthusiasm" and shove it!

ABBAGE " / % ' 6 / # " - " / $ & %

IN OUT 03

OUT IN

"What's your sign?"

"What's your carbon footprint?"

OUT

Going to Honduras for spring break

IN

Going to the bathroom for spring break

OUT IN

Pork and beans Mung beans

OUT

Shivering

IN

Perspiring

OUT IN

Eskimo Pie

OUT

Cost-benefit analysis

IN

Friends with benefits analysis

First Nations' Pie

CABBAGE REPORTS SCIENCE: DONE AND DONE

Nathan P. Reviewed, PhD MD JD NEW HAVEN, CT â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A startling announcement from esteemed Nobel laureate Richtferm Von Brealyance has created institutional upheaval among the highly FRKHVLYH VFLHQWL¿F FRPPXQLW\ 9RQ %UHDO\DQFH DQQRXQFHG WKH FRQFOXVLRQ RI D recent global-scale literature review, which concluded that the work of Science LV QRZ FRPSOHWH 1RWKLQJ PRUH WR ¿QG RXW 9RQ %UHDO\DQFH FRRUGLQDWHG D WHDP RI ¿YH 0DF$UWKXU *HQLXVHV WZR )LHOGV 0HGDO UHFLSLHQWV DQG IRXU RWKHU 1REHO SUL]H ZLQQHUV 7KLV HOLWH JURXS RI VFLHQWL¿F OXPLQDULHV FRPPDQGHHUHG DQ 16$ GHVLJQHG VHFUHW EXQNHU EHOLHYHG WR EH ORFDWHG ZLWKLQ WKH FRQ¿QHV RI D FRDO GHFDSLWDWHG PRXQWDLQ LQ $SSDODFKLD 7KLV LQWHOOHFWXDO LVRODWLRQ ZDV FRQVLGHUHG FULWLFDO IRU SUHVHUYLQJ WKH EHDWL¿F SXULW\ RI WKLV LQWHOOHFWXDO 0, 7KH DFWXDO FRQWHQW RI WKH VFLHQWL¿F UHYLHZ HQWLWOHG $Q DXWKRULWDWLYH UHYLHZ RQ WKH VWDWH RI 6FLHQFH DQG LWV LQIDOOLEOH PHWKRG KDV QRW IRUPDOO\ EHHQ SXEOLVKHG due to an ongoing arm-wrestling match between the editors of Science and NaWXUH 6WLOO 9RQ %UHDO\DQFH WROG WKH PHGLD 7KLV DUWLFOH KDV EHHQ VXEMHFWHG WR WKH KLJKHVW ULJRUV RI SHHU UHYLHZ , DVVXUH \RX P\ PRWKHU LV D YHU\ WKRURXJK FULWLF )LQDO SXEOLFDWLRQ LV H[SHFWHG WR UHFHLYH DQ ,6, LPSDFW IDFWRU DQ RUGHU RI PDJQLWXGH ODUJHU WKDQ WKDW SUHYLRXVO\ NQRZ WR EH DFKLHYDEOH According to the press release, the team investigated the adequacy of science DFURVV DOO GLVFLSOLQHV IURP KDUG WR VRIW TXDQWXP PHFKDQLFV WR HFRORJLFDO DQWKURSRORJ\ 9RQ %UHDO\DQFH VD\V :H FDQ H[SUHVV D KLJK GHJUHH RI FRQ¿dence in the likelihood that science has already succeeded, or will soon succeed ZLWKLQ DQ DQWLFLSDWHG SHUFHQW RI LWV SURMHFWHG FDSDELOLW\ $FNQRZOHGJLQJ WKH GHWULPHQWDO HIIHFWV RI WKH ¿QDQFLDO FULVLV GXH WR DQRWKHU ODUJH LQÃ&#x20AC;X[ RI XQHPployed workers, Von Brealyance says he believes these concerns will be offset E\ RWKHU JDLQV ³:KLOH PDQ\ VWXGLHV KDYH GHPRQVWUDWHG WKH VXSSOHQHVV RI D VFLHQWLVW¶V KDQGV FRPSDUHG WR WKH DYHUDJH LQGLYLGXDO ZH H[SUHVV FRQVLGHUDEOH FRQ¿GHQFH WKDW VFLHQWLVWV DFURVV WKH ZRUOG« DUH DPSO\ FDSDEOH RI PRYLQJ REMHFWV DQG RWKHU VLPLODU QRQ VHGHQWDU\ DFWLYLWLHV ´ 0HPEHUV RI WKH VFLHQWL¿F FRPPXQLW\ H[SUHVVHG FRQFHUQ UHJDUGLQJ WKH UHVXOWV EXW ZHOFRPHG WKH FRPSUHKHQVLYH UHYLHZ 6HYHUDO VKDUHG VLPLODU FRQFOXVLRQV from their own preliminary work and commented that they have already begun career transitions with coursework in woodworking or administrative managePHQW 0,7 SURIHVVRU 'U 0DUO\D 0DWKHVRQ VXFFLQFWO\ FRQYH\HG WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI WKH VWXG\ )RU FHQWXULHV VFLHQWLVWV KDYH H[FDYDWHG WKH JUHDWHVW P\VWHULHV RI life and through careful measurement and reasoned analysis, produced a body RI NQRZOHGJH VR SUROL¿F VR DEVROXWH WKDW ZH FDQ QRZ FRQ¿GHQWO\ UHWLUH WKH H[SORUDWRU\ SKDVH WR WKH ZDVWH ELQ DQG SURFHHG ZLWK DFWXDOO\ GRLQJ VWXII

SAGE 31

L I S T E D Top 6 unexpected environmental gadgets

Top 7 pasttimes of foresters

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5PTTJOH BYFT BU MPHT

Top 14 groups that will benefit from global warming

-FBWF OP USBDF TIPFT

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4. Knitting

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11. Water wings

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1. Logging

10. People receiving royalties from Seaworld 9. Fish? $PDLSPBDIFT

Top 7 uses for your depleted uranium (MPX TUJDLT GPS SBWFT JO 5FISBO

.JTT )BXBJJBO 5SPQJD

Top 5 green jobs 0TDBS UIF HSPVDI

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4. Founding member of (SFFO .BO (SPVQ

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3. Aquacar owners

4. Bath salts for the enemies of Vladimir Putin

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1. Who doesn't benefit from global warming?

#JSUI DPOUSPM /VDMFBS XBSIFBET

Top 5 saddest cases of greenwashing $BEJMMBD &TDBMBEF )ZCSJE

Top 6 environmental cage fights we'd like to see

4. Organic Pop-tarts

Top 7 places to put surplus mountaintops

3. Biodisel ATV

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4. Whales vs. Japan 3. Wal-Mart falling prices vs. Third World Child Laborers $PDLSPBDI WT OVDMFBS XJOUFS 1. Sex with pigs vs. sex with Sting

Top 4 ways to think like a mountain

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1. What the hell does that mean?

32 SAGE

4. Mix things up in the great plains

RECORDING OUR PACES SARAH CULLEN To understand and discover our surrounding environPHQW WKH VWUROO LV WKH EHVW WHFKQRORJ\ )RU WKH SDVW Ă&#x;YH years, I have been using walking in my art practice, accompanied by a handheld pendulum mapping/drawing device, which I designed and constructed. This device captures one's movements in graphite on a piece of paper.

The resulting image I consider to be a type of map.

BANFF, CANADA

ITALY

These maps are readings of physical movement through a space. They are records of how and where the carrier has been, a trace made by moving.

To date, my mapping devices have charted geographies in the U.K., Europe, North America, Iceland and Japan.

Lately, I have been handing out devices to other people, allowing them to chart their own paths.

BANFF, CANADA

Sarah Cullen is an artist with a BFA from the Ontario College of Art and Design, and is currently pursuing an MA in Geography at Queen Mary, University of London.

SAGE 33

L A S T

P A G E

Downstream

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SIMON TUDIVER

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harsh depths of the northern Canadian winter, when bears hibernate and temperatures dip below -40 degrees Fahrenheit, the tallymen of the Cree OBUJPO XBML UIFJS USBQMJOFT 5IFZ EP UIJT JO FWFSZ TFBTPO CVU XJOUFS JT UIF CMFBLFTU UIF DPMEFTU 5IF UBMMZNFOÂ&#x2030;UIPTF BHF PME DBSFUBLFST PG UIF OPSUIFSO MBOETDBQFÂ&#x2030;USFL GSPN CFBWFS MPEHF to marten trap, through forests of stunted trees, following their ancestors' hunting routes. They traverse the wilds of northern Quebecâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the CVTI BT QFPQMF DBMM JUÂ&#x2030;UP UBLF TUPDL PG UIF land, count the animals, record the changes.

'PS UIPVTBOET PG ZFBST UIFJS DBSFGVM TUPDLUBLing has driven a meticulous ritual of resource management. The tallymen spend their lives in the bush, following its seasonal cycles, reading its patterns, absorbing its pulsesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;until the rhythms vibrate through every step, every observation. These men of the bush have charted a course of conservation since the time of the 3PNBO &NQJSF

greens on a tour of the old Cree community of 'PSU (FPSHF OPX NPTUMZ BCBOEPOFE )F QPJOUT PVU OBUVSBM NBSLFST MJLF USFF HSPXUI BOE BMTP SFDPVOUT UIF TPDJBM IJTUPSZ PG UIJT QMBDF )FSPEJFS LOPXT UIF MBOE UIF XBZ B TFBTPOFE UBMMZNBO XPVMEÂ&#x2030;XJUI BO FODZDMPQFEJD JOUJNBDZ )F interprets its signals as if translating the words of a close friend. At another point in history, )FSPEJFS NJHIU IBWF CFFO GPSNBMMZ LOJHIUFE B UBMMZNBO XJUI B USBQMJOF UP XBML BOE B UFSSJUPSZ to manage. But today, as the bush recedes from FWFSZEBZ MJGF )FSPEJFS JOTUFBE ĂśMMT B NPEFSO OFFE MFBEJOH UPVST BOE XPSLJOH GPS UIF MPDBM Cree government. But the land stays within IJN )F DBMMT UIF CVTI B HPPE NFEJDJOF

.Z NPUIFS UBVHIU NF IPX UP MPPL BU USFFT IPX UP ĂśOE EJSFDUJPO TBZT 4IFSNBO )FSPEJFS a Cree hunter and trapper. A tree's pattern of growth tells a story about the elements, he FYQMBJOT #SBODIFT HSPX UIJDLFS PO UIF TPVUI side because of the cold winds blowing in from the north. "That's how you find out about your OPSUI BOE TPVUI )FSPEJFS TBZT Â&#x2030;CZ MPPLJOH at trees."

Survival in the bush is not a short-term proposition for the Creesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it's something they've XPSLFE BU GPS UIPVTBOET PG ZFBST "OE TVSWJWJOH UIBU MPOH IBT NFBOU HJWJOH BT XFMM BT UBLJOH learning to preserve resources rather than exploit them. The tallymen see themselves and their communities as parts of an ecological whole, just one species among many. As one Cree trapper told a northern researcher: "MM DSFBUVSFT BSF XBUDIJOH ZPV 5IFZ LOPX everything you are doing. Animals are aware of your activities." For millennia, these sorts of principles have guided the tallymen, whose USBEJUJPOBM UBTLT IBWF CFFO UP DPVOU BOJNBM populations and to regulate hunting and trapping in their communities.

)FSPEJFS MFBET NF UISPVHI TUBOET PG FWFS-

But in recent decades, massive changes have

34 SAGE

TXFQU BDSPTT UIF OPSUIFSO $SFF MBOET *O UIF FBSMZ T UIF QSPWJODF PG 2VFCFD EFDJEFE UP turn this wilderness into a giant power plant, erecting some of the world's largest hydroelecUSJD EBNT BOE øPPEJOH TPNF NJMMJPO BDSFT of bushland, an area roughly the size of Connecticut. The ensuing changes have disrupted weather patterns, made rivers impassable, wiped out fish species, and altered much of the cultural character of the Cree communities.

The once-predictable rhythms of the bush have become chaotic in places, impeding traditional management. All across the lands, the changes have been so immense and so unprecedented that the old model of tracing traplines and counting beaversâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;however holistic and effective in the pastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;seems scarcely applicable. )PX DBO UIF $SFFT UBLF TUPDL PG UIFTF CJH blunt changes with the finely scaled tools of the tallyman? They are measuring mountains XJUI ZBSETUJDLTÂ&#x2030;B NFUJDVMPVT NFUIPEPMPHZ CVU POF UIBU SJTLT NJTTJOH UIF GPSFTU GPS UIF trees. *OUSJHVFE CZ UIF OPSUIFSO DIBOHFT BOE UIFJS JNQBDUT PO UIF $SFFT * USBWFMFE UP OPSUIFSO Quebec last summer to visit two Cree comNVOJUJFT PO UIF TIPSFT PG +BNFT #BZ * XFOU JO search of tallymenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but not the resource manBHFST PG ZPSF XBMLJOH USBQMJOFT BOE NPOJUPSJOH øPSB BOE GBVOB * XBT MPPLJOH GPS B EJòFSFOU LJOE PG UBMMZNBO FOHBHFE JO B EJòFSFOU LJOE PG TUPDLUBLJOH *OTUFBE PG GPMMPXJOH DBSJCPV BOE SBCCJUT BOE CFBST * XBOUFE UP GPMMPX UIF SJWFST

Photos: Simon Tudiver

.BSHBSFU BOE #JMM $SPNBSUZ BU UIFJS IPNF PO 'PSU (FPSHF *TMBOE JO OPSUIFSO 2VFCFD 8F OFFE UP TUPQ USZJOH UP HFU NBUFSJBM XFBMUI .BSHBSFU TBZT that now ebb and flow with the demand for electricity, the fish contaminated with mercury from overactive reservoirs, the suburbanization of the Cree communities. The modern tallymen * GPVOE DPVME SFBE UIF MBOETDBQF MJLF UIF CFTU of their ancestors. But they had spent their lives UBLJOH JO UIJT OFX LJOE PG MBOETDBQF UIFJS CPEies and minds still vibrating with the disruptive rhythms of massive development.

* TJU

on an old couch in Bill and Margaret Cromarty's worn living room. A big CMBDL ESVN PG B XPPETUPWF DPNNBOET UIF center of the linoleum floor between usâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a rebellion of old technology in this land of modern energy. The Cromartys have felt the modFSOJ[BUJPO PG UIF OPSUI MJLF USFNPST UISPVHI UIF FBSUI *O UIF T XIFO UIF IZESP QSPKFDU was first announced, the Cromartys still lived here full-time, on this small sandy island in the NPVUI PG UIF (SBOEF 3JWFS 5IFZ XFSF QBSU PG B community of several hundred other families XJUI SPPUT EBUJOH CBDL DFOUVSJFT UP UIF FBSMZ days of European contact and trade. But with

the dams came faster currents and faster erosion, which forced the community to abandon the island for a new site on the mainland. Many buildings were floated across the river; others were demolished. But the Cromartys fought UP LFFQ UIFJS IPNF TUBOEJOHÂ&#x2030;UP SFUBJO BO outpost rooted on the ancestral island.

the physical changes, but have also tallied the social chaos of developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the invasion and land grab by the southern whites, the Cree MFBEFSTIJQ UIBU IBT PGUFO QPDLFUFE UIF QSPĂśUT of development, the loss of cultural traditions that comes with easier access to the comforts PG UIF NPEFSO /PSUI "NFSJDBO MJGFTUZMF

* BTL UIF $SPNBSUZT IPX UIJOHT IBWF DIBOHFE BOE UIFZ MBVODI JOUP B QIZTJDBM TUPDLUBLJOH Many fish species disappeared, they tell me: TUVSHFPO QJLF KBDLĂśTI SJWFS DPEÂ&#x2030;BMM HPOF 5IF birds now migrate further inland because of the massive water bodies. The river itself has lost its saltiness and has changed color. And for every physical change, a cascade of social and cultural impacts often follows. Less time in the bush hunting and fishing has shifted eating patterns toward more processed foods, which in turn has led to a host of health problems, including obesity and diabetes. Life in the northern communities has changed dramatically in a single HFOFSBUJPO "OE QFPQMF MJLF UIF $SPNBSUZT BOE 4IFSNBO )FSPEJFS IBWFOhU KVTU BCTPSCFE

The Cromartys are philosophical about the implications of all of these changes. "We need to stop trying to get material wealth," Margaret UFMMT NF 5IFSFhT OP GVUVSF VOMFTT XF TUPQ *UhT B EJTNBM EJBHOPTJT *T UIJT UIF DVMNJOBUJPO PG too much tallying, of a body overly attuned to the tremors of physical and cultural collapse?

5IF UBMMZNFO PG PME XBMLFE UIF MBOE UP QSPUFDU it. They managed the hunt to preserve the SIZUINT PG UIF CVTI 5PEBZhT UBMMZNFO XBML B changed land and feel a harsher set of rhythms.

And though their tools are better tuned to tally the new landscape, they have lost the power to protect. Tallying has gained perspective and simultaneously lost all control.

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SAGE 35

POLAR BROKERS Byron King

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