Amaranthus: The Journal of Environmental Leadership, 2017 by Sustainable Summer

AMARANTHUS

The Journal of Youth Environmental Leadership 2017

INDEX

Index Amaranthus as a Metaphor for Environmental Leadership By Jeff Sharpe My Solar Story by Aaron Feigelman Thinking like the Aboke by Layla Gordon Farming; Our Relationship with Ourselves and the Earth by Eve Eismann Sustainable Agriculture in Ecuador by Anastassia Kolchanov Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles vs. Electric Vehicles by Kate Bennett Project Milestones by Jillian Magtoto Below the Surface; For Farmers by Farmers by Kaidy Morgan Municipal Monstrosities by Zac Pinard Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amaranth; The Power of Tiny Seeds by Sophie Perillo About Amaranthus

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AMARANTHUS AS A METAPHOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

Amaranthus is a genus of plant of notable and ritualistic importance to the Aztecs, thought to represent up to 80% of their energy consumption prior to the Spanish conquest. Although cultivated extensively in Mesoamerica, Amaranthus was nearly lost to history when Cortes and his conquistadors burned the crop and outlawed its cultivation. It was “rediscovered” in the 1970s, and is today cultivated on a small-scale commercially. Amaranthus, a so-called “ancient grain,” is - like quinoa or buckwheat - not actually a grain, but a seed and thus a pseudocereal. Semantics aside, amaranthus has been described as “the crop of the future” and possesses many desirable traits for agricultural production, including the following: - Inexpensive - Easily grown and harvested - A good source of protein and of several dietary minerals, even when cooked, and especially in comparison to other grains - Easy to cook and process - Grows quickly and yields well in a variety of climates, without the need for chemical fertilizer - Hardy and drought tolerant - The entire plant is edible - Visually attractive Given these properties, one has to wonder why we don’t see or hear about Amaranthus more often. Despite its potential, outside of certain parts of Mexico that have seized on its indigenous legacy, it is not a mainstream food. Why? This is speculation, but its commercial appeal would likely be limited in favor of more middle of the road taste preferences. Used as a grain, it is like a nuttier, earthier version of quinoa, perhaps akin to wheat berries. Similarly, its leaves are more bitter than the typical western palate prefers. In other words, it just doesn’t quite square enough with mainstream taste preferences for commercial interests to invest heavily in its production. Thus, it’s potential remains untapped. Yet, it is “alternatives” such as Amaranthus that we as a global society must consider if we’re going to get ourselves out of the environmental mess we created. An International Monetary Fund study estimated that Mexico stands to lose up to a third of its corn industry to climate change by 2080, making Amaranthus a likely crop of strategic importance there once again. The case for Amaranthus is similarly strong in other regions where a warming planet or hobbled economies or both are creating food security challenges that could be, in part, mitigated by Amaranthus production.

This is, of course, an oversimplification of some very complex economic, environmental, and cultural circumstances. This brief foray into some of the history and potential of this fascinating ancient grain is the setup for the main point of this article, not an opinion piece advocating for increased investment in Amaranthus. When a few of us here at Sustainable Learning decided to put the effort into creating a journal of youth environmental leadership we naturally needed a name that is a little more aspirational than, well, The Journal of Youth Environmental Leadership. We wanted something that reflected our values. The story of Amaranthus illustrates what we can learn from indigenous people. One of the lessons we try to impart on our students is that incredible wisdom often lies in places that have been overlooked by “the experts.” Certainly this is true of indigenous communities the world over, but that lesson is equally true for other marginalized groups that deserve both our respect and our attention. Specific leadership skills that extend out of this philosophy include empathy and active listening. As a cultivated crop Amaranthus is nutrient dense, inexpensive to grow and its environmental footprint is very light, especially in comparison to other “grains.” Similarly, we all should strive to have the smallest environmental impact possible and identify ways that we can more efficiently use resources in our lives. “Grit” is a concept that is increasingly being examined as a predictor of succession individuals. Amaranthus is hardy, able to withstand triple digit temps and prolonged droughts. It is a “gritty” plant. Indeed some species of Amaranthus have earned the common name “pigweed” given its resistance to glyphosate herbicides like Roundup. As a mascot for youth environmental leadership, “pigweed” certainly captures these ideals. I hope you enjoy this inaugural edition of Amaranthus: The Journal of Youth Environmental Leadership. In future editions, which will be published annually, I intend to use this space to explore some of my own thoughts about environmental leadership, but our primary purpose for creating Amaranthus was to showcase some of the incredible environmental leadership exhibited by alumni of our programs. The journal begins with a classic example of what is possible with the right combination of opportunity, tenacity, and follow-through. Aaron Feigelman was a standout participant on one of our Summer 2014 programs, where he conceived the idea for a school district-wide solar panel initiative. Nearly four later and that idea has become reality. I could hardly think of a better article to kick-off the inaugural edition of Amaranthus. Enjoy! Jeff Sharpe Co-Founder, Sustainable Learning

MY SOLAR STORY:

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Aaron Feigelman

This is a story that I’ve been meaning to write about for quite some time now. It’s about a project I’ve been working on since my Junior year of high school. It started out as the lofty goal: to successfully push my school district to procure solar panels. This would theoretically save money, save energy, and save the environment — what else could a 16 year-old ask for, right? A girlfriend? Some beer? Nah, I wanted to see solar panels all across my district. Since I’d like to focus this story on empowering you to make a positive change in your community, I’m going to share the key points I’ve learned through my experience — the important points that allowed me to catalyze the solar project in my hometown: Benicia, California. To make a long story short, I brought together a group of local students, teachers, and community members to stand behind the initiative after returning from a Sustainable Summer trip in Ecuador. Together, we researched the economic benefits of solar, spoke at board meetings, and met with board members and the Superintendent on several occasions . Four years later, I’m happy to say the district has constructed a 5.5 million dollar solar project spanning across multiple schools in Benicia. According to the district’s data, the project will yield a net savings of over 5 million dollars for the district over the project’s 25 year lifetime.

Photo by Aaron Feigelman

THE KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Find Industry Experts ASAP Something I learned very quickly was just how little I knew about the solar industry. I understood the basic science behind solar panels, but the economics were complex and not easy to research online. I spent a week trying to understand the different rate structures and potential funding sources for school districts, but didn’t accomplish much. I decided to shift my focus to finding experts in my community who could help me with my project. How did I do this? I literally googled “high school student solar project” and searched through the results for several hours. Eventually, I stumbled upon a local leader by the name of Tom Kelly, who directed a non-profit in Berkeley called HELiOS that specialized in working with K-12 school districts to procure solar. He had all the knowledge and experience to make this project work. I immediately contacted Tom, who encouraged me to pursue the project and agreed to advise me. Over the next year, Tom spent hours teaching me and my team the nitty-gritty economics behind solar and the history of similar projects that have been done in the Bay Area. Without Tom, convincing the board to install solar would have been many times more difficult — and maybe even impossible. Takeways: - When starting any large-scale project, seek out the experts FIRST. They are vital sources of wisdom and advice. Don’t waste time trying to independently pursue the project — the best way to learn what to do and what not to do is through their own experiences. - Search them on Google, LinkedIn, etc. and email them. If they don’t email back, call them until they respond. This takes perseverance and persistence .

Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

2. Build a Diverse Team When recruiting teammates for your project, be sure to seek out a team that is representative of your community. By having a team with diverse backgrounds, you’ll be able to craft more ways to appeal to the city or school board on a logical and emotional level. Since my school district consisted of students and many concerned parents, I made sure to recruit both students and parents to join the team. I recruited my student team members by sharing the idea with friends involved in community service, making sure to find students younger than me who could continue the project while I was in college. I found my parent representative, Gretchen Burgess, through my local Key Club chapter. As a board member of the Benicia Kiwanis Club, a liaison between the club and the Benicia Key Club, and a member of the Benicia Parent Teacher Association, she spoke in support of the project at school board meetings. She was instrumental in providing mature reasoning and added an air of legitimacy to our project. Takeways:

- Understand the wants and needs of the school district or city council. - Recruit a team that can provide solutions to those wants and needs, whether it be through logical or emotional reasoning. - Make sure to have members on the team who are younger than you — this provides project continuity and builds your team’s credibility. - When speaking in front of a city council or school board, having a diverse age range will make your project harder to ignore. From the perspective of the city council or school board, it’s easy to ignore an idea from one person who’s leaving town over the next couple years, but it’s hard to ignore an idea backed by a diverse set of citizens who are there over the long-run.

3. The 3 Ps: Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance Throughout the 4-year process — from ideation to implementation — I had to hone my ability to stay patient, maintain persistence, and persevere through rejection. When starting my project, I cold emailed each city council member and school board member in Benicia — about 10 people in total — and received responses from only two. While they expressed interest in my idea, it was clear they weren’t going to champion my project, so I decided to bring up my idea to everyone that I knew — family, teachers, my high school principal, family-friends, etc.. I continued this for several months, hitting wall after wall but all the while staying positive. During times like these, I felt like nothing I did seemed to be working and no progress was being made, but Tom, my advisor, emphasized the importance of the 3 Ps, so I kept on churning. After several months of this, I reached two breakthroughs:

- First, I arranged a meeting with a family friend who happened to be a school board member, and he outlined the issues he saw with solar — most of which had to do with lack of funding for the project. This greatly helped me understand the school board’s perspective on the topic, so I could focus my research on emphasizing the economic benefits and feasibility of a solar project. - Second, a teacher of mine personally connected me with the school district Superintendent, who agreed to meet with me and hear out my idea. I pitched her the idea and she expressed interest, but wouldn’t promise anything.

These two meetings provided the hope I needed to continue pushing for this project. This pattern characterized by long bouts of minimal progress suddenly met by spontaneous bursts of inspiration drove me to pursue this project all the way into my Junior year of college. By connecting my team and my advisors with the district officials, I was able to synthesize all the resource needed to build this project. Takeways:

- Don’t expect your project to materialize quickly — understand that it will likely take several years or more to gain momentum. - To maintain patience, persistence, and perseverance, frequently voice your concerns to your advisors. If they are hard to reach or unwilling to invest their own time, do both of yourselves a favor — find new advisors. The same goes for your team. - Tell EVERYONE about your idea. Do this until your friends get annoyed with you. You never know who has someone in their circle with skills that can be useful to your initiative.

Closing Thoughts

I’m not a gifted speaker, I’m not from a well-connected family, and I’m not some kind of genius — I’m nothing special. In 2014 I was a normal, idealistic student, and I still am today. When I started this project, I knew nothing about solar. But, with some inspiration, great mentors, and great timing, I was able to successfully accomplish my goal and impact my community. If you’re inspired by my story, this is my advice: GO FOR IT. I guarantee you can come up with at least one issue you have with your community. By following my general advice, you can successfully transform your issue into tangible change. Of course, feel free to share this story and reach out to me with questions or comments. I’m always happy to brainstorm ideas, strategize, or just chat about life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Aaron Feigelman is from Benecia, California and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2014 Amazon program. He currently attends University of California at Los Angeles.

Photo by Andrey Grinkevich on Unsplash

THINKING LIKE THE ABOKE By Layla Gordon

I saw a flash of blue. Soaring through an Amazonian sunset, the cobalt-winged parakeet, or Aboke in Waorani, watched us from above. With a bird’s eye view of the landscape before her, she saw the humans, the predators of the rainforest. As Homo sapiens, we did not belong there. We were there because the generations preceding us destroyed the jungle enough for us to enter; ironically, we were there for conservation. Half of the world’s species live in the Amazon, and approximately every fourteen minutes, one goes extinct. 25% of our medicine is derived from plants in the Amazon Basin. One fifth of the oxygen in our atmosphere is produced in this rainforest. Humans have evidently decided not to breathe or get sick anymore. The immense biodiversity of this region is what allows this ecosystem to thrive, cleansing the earth. Every species that vanishes due to human intervention is a species that digs our grave a few inches deeper. As Aldo Leopold wrote in A Sand County Almanac, “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” He was wrong - no one can live without wild things. Two years ago, I went to Ecuador with a high school sustainability leadership group. Our job was to trek through the jungle under the watchful eyes of the forest while pretending to make a difference. We debated oil drilling in the Amazon as if we were doing something about it. The eyes of the forest laughed at us as we passionately argued with the wind for the forest’s right to exist. When I returned to America, enlightened by my experience, I was asked a simple question: “What did you do?” I didn’t have an answer.

One morning at sunrise, I watched the mist lift above the trees. I heard a bird call. Our guide and researcher, Fernando, came out with a spotting-scope, and within a minute he had found the bird. We took turns looking for it in the lens, until we heard another bird call. Fernando snapped his head up and said, “Toucan”. A minute later, we were looking at a multicolored bill. This went on for a few more minutes until I noticed that flash of blue. The aboke was watching us. I never looked an Aboke in the eye. If I had, maybe I would’ve heard what the forest is telling us. Every time a human cuts down a tree, the rainforest screams. Every time a human kills one of its creatures, the rainforest cries. This is a cry everyone can hear but the all-knowing human. We slash and burn and cut and drill and go deaf because of all the noise. If we stopped for a moment to listen, we might hear what the aboke hears. The Waorani are a Native South American tribe that live about an hour canoe ride from the nearest village with electricity. Several Waorani worked for the researcher we followed around, showing us wild ginger and which ants taste like lemon. They didn’t speak English, but they were our translators. The natives seem to be listening to the Aboke, but we disregard them because they see the world differently than we do. They knew which mushroom could kill us and which could save our lives. They climbed frictionless trees to get fruit and bent leaves into handbags. Living in the jungle their whole lives, they understood something Western culture has been missing for generations. We can’t make this earth better than it is; we can either hurt it, or coexist with it. When the forest talked, they listened. They hardly spoke, but we understood. While the aboke flies, she escapes the predation of man, temporarily not a part of her depleted habitat. As of now, the aboke is not under any concern as to her conservation status. She flees endangerment and manages to stay above her Amazonian companions as their home disappears. The animals of the rainforest are prey to man. As he continues to hunt for oil, rubber and hamburgers, the prey must either fight or fly. With cobalt wings that launch her towards the sun, she must always choose flight. She’s been flying for so long, but how much longer can she stay in the air? Photo by Maclaine Sorden © Sustainable Summer

Walking through the thicket I only see what’s in front of me. I don’t see what was here half a century ago when the thicket was four times as dense. I don’t see the slow destruction from Ecuador to Peru. As Fernando cut through the brush in the name of knowledge, the aboke watched. A four hour canoe ride away, as the villages slashed and burned the forest for their farms, the aboke watched. The last night in the jungle we all sat around the fire, talking. Fernando translated Waorani to English as the native men gave us all names. I sat quietly, listening to people become “leopard,” “axe,” and “star,” wondering who I would become. They got to me last, and looked at me for a few seconds before saying the word “aboke”. I didn’t know what that meant until Fernando translated to “cobalt winged parakeet” and I understood it as the bird I had been watching. I had images of the cobalt wings drifting through the trees, brightening the forest. I never saw an Aboke when it wasn’t flying. I only know those cobalt wings. The aboke doesn’t live outside of the Amazon basin. Perhaps no other part of the world can support something so beautiful. When I left Ecuador, the word “aboke” echoed in my head. I left with an idea that I have to become something more than I’ve been. The aboke watches over the Amazon rainforest, but she doesn’t know what happens in the Adirondacks. She’s never been to Thailand or Austria, but I have. I fly from place to place, watching and listening. Now, I am the aboke.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Layla Gordon is from Goshen, New York and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2014 Amazon program. She currently attends Bucknell University.

Photo by Maclaine Sorden © Sustainable Summer

FARMING: OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES AND THE EARTH By Eve Eismann

I woke up to the distant humming sound of insects. Clamerbing out of my mosquito net, I stumble my way down the ladder in the increasing light of the rising sun. I head to the open air establishment made with a thatched roof to get ready for the day before heading off for morning chores. Slowly, I am joined by the other groggy eyed girls laughing at our dirty hair and the dire state of our clean clothes stash. Our time before breakfast is filled with cleaning out the stalls of the hungry pigs, feeding the horses and cows, and other tasks like collecting water. The rest of our day is spent immersed in the language of agriculture. We listen to lectures on biodynamic and organic agriculture, permaculture, and agroecology. We gain hands on practice with composting and planting. We learn about composting toilets, and we get to plan our own gardens. My entire time at Rio Muchacho while on the Seeds of Change program in Ecuador was full of learning and growth that will stay with me forever. The knowledge that I acquired while in Ecuador left me excited, passionate, and wanting to learn more. So, 3 weeks after my return from Ecuador, I went to Iowa to work on an organic farm.

The sun shone on my back, bathing my hay covered t-shirt in warm light. I was bent over a bed of celery root, spreading hay in between the rows. Insects hummed around me, and the buzz of bee wings filled my ears as they busily flew past. Little butterflies darted in and out of the vegetable beds. The sky was a brilliant blue with a few clouds floating in the sky, their misty shapes allowing for abbreviated obstructions of the blazing sun.

Photo by Maclaine Sorden ÂŠ Sustainable Summer

The heat was steadily increasing since my arrival to the farm at 8am, and the muscles in my back were becoming steadily sorer as I mulched the celery root rows. It was my first day working on Middle Way Farm, situated off of Highway 146 just 5 minutes from the heart of Grinnell, Iowa. I spent the remainder of my days working on the farm by weeding the small forest that had overtaken the carrot beds, transplanting lettuces, mulching the celery root beds, and harvesting little yellow watermelons. Working at Middle Way Farm was not only a wonderful way to obtain a farmer’s tan, but the perfect way to witness some of the practices that my ‘Seeds of Change’ group had discussed while we were in Ecuador. Middle Way Farm is an organic farm located in Grinnell, Iowa that is run by Jordan Scheibel. Jordan grew up in Connecticut, believing that farms were something of the past. However, when he moved to Grinnell to attend Grinnell College, Jordan fell in love with farming. With the knowledge that he had acquired from working on another organic farm in the area (Heritage Farms), Jordan decided to start his own farm in November of 2012. His farm is now a decently sized stretch of land that grows everything from watermelons to dragon tongue beans, delivers well over 50 CSA shares a week, and sells at the local farmer’s market every Thursday. His farm is a flourishing example of how food can be grown without chemicals, and with consideration for the well-being of our planet. Jordan incorporates many of the theories and practices on his farm that my ‘Seeds of Change’ group studied while in Ecuador. Middle Way Farm is an organic farm, which means that it uses no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides for food production. He isn’t a fan of using the organic pesticides much either, which is why he chooses not to grow certain foods. Jordan believes that farmers should grow what grows well, and not try to force foods that aren’t suitable to the area to produce crop. For example, he has tried to grow bok choy and romaine lettuce before, but gave up after realizing that these crops needed to be sprayed with organic pesticides every few days because of the destruction caused by the flea beetle. Jordan prefers to use natural methods of caring for his farm whenever possible, which can be seen in his approach towards his farm layout, as well as how he tends to his crop beds. Photo by Maclaine Sorden © Sustainable Summer

Most of the beds have weeds poking up in between the crops, and some, like the carrot beds, had become so overgrown with weeds that a small forest had replaced the carrot crop, with some weeds reaching a height of 5 feet. Jordan’s farm is handweeded, and with the many other jobs on the farm, this sometimes means that some of the beds become neglected. It’s no matter, though, because within 5 hours I had weeded the length of 1 and a half (very long) beds; just as efficient as herbicides without the detrimental effects to soil, water, plant, and personal health! This summer was a dry one for Iowa. Consequently, the celery root was not getting as large as Jordan had hoped. To solve this problem, he sent me to mulch the beds with hay. The mulch not only prevents weeds from growing, but it also helps trap in moisture, which was exactly what the celery root needed. To combat pests, Jordan mixes rows of flowers throughout his vegetable beds, not only deterring detrimental insects, but encouraging the presence of beneficial ones. Jordan also plants in the ground because he states that the soil has numerous important nutrients that aren’t found in packaged soil, plus Iowa boasts some of the best planting soil in the world. I discussed agroecology with Jordan, as he has an organic farm and incorporates aspects of permaculture into his growing techniques. While Jordan does not practice agroecology (the concept of agriculture based on ecological processes), he has friends who are practicing it in Iowa. He explained that he feels that while he agrees with the theory, he feels that before the land is able to produce appropriate amounts of food (which takes around 10 years), his friends are forced to make money off of spreading knowledge on agroecology, rather than selling food. He stated that he didn’t feel comfortable doing that. All of the theories that Jordan incorporates into Middle Way Farm are what places his farm on a completely different level of quality than a monoculture establishment typically found in U.S. farming. His treatment of and respect for the earth not only provide him with delicious food, but with a piece of land that will retain its quality for years to come. Instead of miles of one crop stretching into the horizon, Middle Way Farm boasts a flavorful variety of food in less than half the space.

Photo by Maclaine Sorden © Sustainable Summer

Instead of an eerie silence hovering about the miles of monoculture, Jordan’s farm is filled with the buzz of insects and the chirps of birds. Ladybugs, butterflies, bees, spiders, ants, and many other bugs call Middle Way Farm their home, as well, alongside the rows of dark green kale, bright red peppers, and plump purple eggplant. This atmosphere reminded me of the natural environment of Rio Muchacho Organic Farm, and many of the other places that we visited in Ecuador. What we eat doesn’t just affect ourselves, our food affects everything from the soil to the water to the air to the bee population. Our food is not just our health, but our planet’s. Our food doesn’t grow at the grocery store, it was in the ground first, and whether it was in the ground surrounded by dying soil and a silent sky, or rich soil and a sky full of life, makes a huge difference. Just like Middle Way Farm and Rio Muchacho Organic Farm, food is meant to be grown in nutrient packed soil surrounded by the buzz of insects and the songs of birds, growing under a brilliant blue sky and a blazingly bright sun. Before embarking on my Sustainable Summer Seeds of Change program, farms were miles of corn or soybeans stretching along the highway. The sound of rumbling cars was more prevalent than the chirping of birds, the hum of insects, or the wind rustling plant leaves. My time in Ecuador completely changed this perception I had had of farming. I realized during my three weeks traveling through Ecuador that farms are pieces of the earth sharing their abundance with you. Farms are rich soil, sunlight casting shadows under vibrant vegetable plants, birds singing, and nature working its magic. Many of the farms around the world today focus on using chemicals and machinery to grow crops and control the land, but truly productive farming works with the earth, not against it. Farms abundant with healthy food and soil, like Rio Muchacho Organic Farm and Middle Way Farm, are helping us return to our roots, our connection with nature. A farm is, of itself, the Earth. It is a small patch of land providing us with fuel. It is the universe itself in the form of a red bell pepper or a delicate lettuce leaf. I find it disconcerting that I once believed that farming was a silent cornfield, and that many people around the world likely believe the same.

Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash

Photo by Corey Blaz on Unsplash

Photo by Michał Grosicki on Unsplash

Photo by Massimiliano Latella on Unsplash

Farming is life itself. It is not only the life of the Earth and the crops, but the life of ourselves. And, how can a farm be life when it is devoid of life’s presence? What is a farm without busy insects, the silent fluttering of butterfly wings, the chirp of birds, and the scent of rich soil? Perhaps a better word for the farms we commonly see today is a factory, a factory of food that pollutes our planet and ourselves. We must return to a healthy relationship with the planet, and reconnect to the universe that resides within our physical presence. We must return to true farming, like that practiced at Rio Muchacho Organic Farm and Middle Way Farm. We must return to life rather than death, health rather than sickness, and nature’s noise rather than eerie silence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eve Eismann is from Vermont and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2017 Seeds of Change program. Eve’s submission was selected by a panel of Sustainable Summer alumni judges as the best narrative journalism from Summer 2017.

Photo by Thomas Martinsen on Unsplash

Photo by Christian Joudrey on Unsplash

Photo by Maclaine Sorden © Sustainable Summer

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN ECUADOR By Anastassia Kolchanov This summer, I had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Amazonian rainforest through Sustainable Summer, an absolutely wonderful organization dedicated to the creation and facilitation of trips across the world focused on environmental justice and sustainability. One of the main goals of this particular expedition, Sustaining the Amazon, was to witness the development of sustainable living and economic practices in a developing country such as Ecuador. During our two weeks of travel, we encountered a variety of local businesses that were using environmentally friendly practices while also creating profit that gave back to Amazonian communities. In this photo essay, I would like to focus on two particular businesses that struck a balance between sustainability and ethics: Kallari Chocolate and Huasquila Lodge’s Guayusa Tea Operation.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Kallari Chocolate: An Indigenous Sustainable Enterprise

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Kallari Chocolate is a unique cooperative that is run completely by Kichwa farmers. From agriculture to business, Kallari Chocolate has built itself almost completely on the support of the local community. In the late 1990s, the local community became tired of feeling powerless when it came to crop distribution, payment, and cacao quality. The Kallari village was willing to come together to cut out the middleman and to change the way the community saw economic security. With the help of volunteers, the community soon adapted its agricultural systems and formed a cooperative of farmers who raised crops organically. The locals adapted from the monoculture cacao trees that lined the valleys to the chakra system. The chakra system was used for centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and is the traditional way to farm in Ecuador. Chakras are essentially farms that utilize the inter-cropping system, in which the farmer plants a multitude of trees, plants, and tubers that all interact with each other. The three images to the left portray one of the local farmers cutting down a palm tree, which can later be used for a variety of purposes. On the left, he shows us the flower of the palm tree, which he harvests to save for later use. The second and third images show the farmer’s process of finding the inner core of the palm, which is harvested as hearts of palm. The outer bark of the palm trees are used as materials for building shelters. Other sections of the palm have holes cut into them, making them the perfect environment for the chontacuro beetle larvae. The chontacuro, in addition to being a sought after traditional Amazonian food, is used in indigenous medicine to heal conditions such as epilepsy and arthritis. This is a prime example of the chakra system at work. One does not see rows and rows of palms waiting to be chopped down for their hearts. On the contrary, the images show a secondary forest that has a multitude of plants useful for the survival of the people, physically and fiscally.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov ÂŠ Sustainable Summer

All parts of the plants are utilized, and the array of organisms thriving in the chakras provide a variety of nutrients for the soil. In fact, the carbon content in the air and root biomass show that cacao chakra systems contain 896% more carbon than monocultures (which is great for the health of the plants and quality of the produce). Thus, the chakra system allows for the communities to give back and maintain healthy, adaptable farms. The three images above portray one of the local farmers cutting down a palm tree, which can later be used for a variety of purposes. On the left, he shows us the flower of the palm tree, which he harvests to save for later use. The second and third images show the farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s process of finding the inner core of the palm, which is harvested as hearts of palm. The outer bark of the palm trees are used as materials for building shelters. Other sections of the palm have holes cut into them, making them the perfect environment for the chontacuro beetle larvae. The chontacuro, in addition to being a sought after traditional Amazonian food, is used in indigenous medicine to heal conditions such as epilepsy and arthritis. Above on the right we have Giovanni, the chief community liason of the Kallari cooperative, crouching next to the participating farmer. Giovanni was our guide during our tour of the Kallari site. Here, he explains to us the agricultural side of cacao: the varieties, ideal conditions, and how to plant it. Giovanni had explained to us that there were five types of cacao, but only one of them was unique to Ecuador: the Nacional. This specific cacao is relatively rare and sought after for its unique taste.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

After leading us out of the chakra and into the home of one of the cooperative’s members, Luis and the family showed us how the cacao was made into a chocolate sauce at a basic level. We participated in the bean shelling process which was an exhaustive procedure, as well as grinding the beans into a fine powder (as seen in the images above).

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Finally, after leaving the Kallari cooperative, Luis took us to the processing facility which gathers the crops of 40 families to be made into chocolate. The processing plant first receives the beans in crates, which are left for several days outside to ferment. The fermentation is necessary to bring out the full richness of the cacao beans. After fermenting for several days, the beans are brought out to dry in buildings such as the one in the first image. They trap the sunlight inside to expedite the drying process. Too little or too much moisture in a bean can yield unsatisfactory results, so Kallari’s employees work hard to ensure the quality of the beans. Following the drying, the beans are packed into large woven bags, with their initial weights coming into the facility and their final, smaller weights leaving the facility. These weights are important to note, since the families are paid by the weight of the beans. Interestingly enough, in order to benefit the farmers, Kallari pays the families the larger weight which in return gives them more income.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

After this, the beans are sent off to various factories around the region to create the chocolates. Luis had mentioned that in the near future, they would like to make the chocolate right in the processing center. In this way, Luis stated, the Kallari company would be even more centralized to the people’s needs in the community. Kallari is a fascinating example of what can be done to improve regional economy while listening and supporting local farmers and ecosystems. This may be the epitome of sustainable alternative chocolate (which is absolutely delicious). For more information about Kallari, visit their website. And if you want to get your hands on some delightful Amazonian chocolate, try Whole Foods or Amazon.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Huasquila Lodge’s Guayusa and Lemongrass Tea Operation

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Huasquila Lodge, an ecolodge situated in the Amazonian rainforest, provides more than just jungle excursions and accommodation. In the recent years, one of the founders of the lodge, Pablo, has taken initiative to capitalize on a product that grows abundantly in the region: guayusa. The guayusa tree produces leaves that contain caffeine, antioxidants, and a variety of other useful properties. The leaves are gathered, dried, and made into a tea, which is easier for the body to digest and has a sweeter taste than most caffinated teas. Pablo has planted several dozens of guayusa trees on the ecolodge’s property, and is working with six other families to maintain the tea operation. All of the families use the chakra system for farming, and all of their products are organic. In addition to guayusa, the operation also grows lemongrass (also known as herba luisa in Ecuador) to sell. On the left stands Pablo, who is holding a bag of lemongrass ready to be sold. Pablo kindly guided us through the various small structures that currently house the drying and distillation portions of the process. Pablo explained to us the process from seed to distributor in a series of steps. With lemongrass, the men from the families generally collect while the women peel the grass into smaller portions. The job is quite meticulous, since the lemongrass has to be peeled in a specific manner in order to avoid cuts along the plant’s sharp edges. After being picked from the fields, the lemongrass comes into the sheds. They can either be distilled into lemongrass oil, as seen with the machine in the last image. Alternatively, they can be stacked onto racks in order to dry into tea leaves. The drying process takes three or so days with both the lemongrass and the guayusa leaves. Afterwards, both are sent off to distribution companies in the region.

Pablo told us that this operation is coming at a very opportune time for guayusa. The tea is making headway in German markets, and is starting to become extremely popular in the United States thanks to Runa. Runa’s Tea operation was founded not too far from Huasquila Lodge. Several years ago, a graduate student visited the area for some volunteer work. He was introduced to guayusa tea, and came the following year to tap into the community’s rich resources. Runa now works with the surrounding communities to grow vast quantities of guayusa in an organic, sustainable, and eco-friendly way. No one in the area every dreamed of profiting from such a common resource, but it turns out that guayusa has saved the region economically (in some ways).Pablo hopes that with his own operation, he can give families a secure income, even if there are only 6 of them for now. Pablo hopes to greatly expand his business in the coming years, and wants to turn to exporting the tea leaves internationally. Pablo continues to dream big, and hopes for a brighter future for his community.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

These are some final parting images from Ecuador. Even through these three small photographs, I hope it is clear just how wonderous and fantastic the country is. The people are no less fascinating. As seen through these two examples, sustainable business is growing in popularity. Traditionally, Ecuadorians have a more intimate connection with nature, in which Pachamama and Pachaalpa (traditional depictions of nature within Kichwa mythology) dictates planting, harvesting, socialization, and much more. Thus, such sustainable agricultural businesses are not as difficult to imagine. There are multitudes of people that are eager to start their own businesses that coincide with local beliefs and traditional respect towards nature. These are the first signs of expansion within sustainability in Ecuador, and hopefully the coming years will give us more entrepreneurs with bright ideas.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anastassia is from New York, New York and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2017 Amazon program. Anastassia’s submission was selected by a panel of Sustainable Summer alumni judges as the best digital entry from Summer 2017.

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov © Sustainable Summer

Photo by Anastassia Kolchanov ÂŠ Sustainable Summer

HYDROGEN FUEL CELL VEHICLES VS. ELECTRIC VEHICLES By Kate Bennett

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Background The environmental issues pressing our world today are diverse and pertinent to the human race. One important aspect of environmental conservation derives from the choices humans make regarding transportation. In 2015 in the United States, 89% of the population owned at least one car, solidifying automobiles as the most popular mode of transportation. However, with growing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and rising levels of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment, humans must create new solutions to move away from the highly polluting current fleet of traditional gasoline vehicles. On the market today, there are a variety of alternatives to gasoline vehicles, the two most popular being electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). Much controversy remains about the environmental sustainability, economic accessibility, and overall usability of both electric vehicles and HFCVs. In this report, I utilize primary source reports and life cycle analyses of both electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to determine which is more environmentally sustainable.

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Hypothesis and Thesis

To start this investigation, I began with the question, Which type of car is more environmentally sustainable: a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle or an electric vehicle? Before conducting research, my hypothesis was that HFCVs are more environmentally sustainable because they do not use an internal combustion engine, and they use no fossil fuels (which I soon found out to be incorrect). After further researching the origins of energy in both electricity and hydrogen fuel cells, the complications behind a hydrogen-fueled economy, and the underlying usage of water in the extraction of hydrogen, my view has changed. Despite the few positive attributes of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, I believe that the overall infrastructure of electric cars with energy derived from renewable electrical sources is the most environmentally sustainable option for the future of automobiles.

Analysis

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In electric cars, energy is stored in an electric battery. For HFCVs, the “battery” of power is the fuel cells, in the form of hydrogen atoms, themselves. To charge the battery in an electric car, humans use electricity from the grid; this can be non-renewable sources, such as coal or natural gas-burning power plants, or renewable sources, namely solar and wind power. The process of obtaining usable energy from hydrogen is a more complicated process. In order to extricate hydrogen from the environment, two hydrogen atoms must be separated from the oxygen atom in water through a process called “electrolysis,” which requires a large amount of artificial energy applied to the molecules. The most common energy resources used to power this chemical process are natural gas and coal. Therefore, although many sources publish HFCVs as having “zero-emissions,” this is definitely not true. Once the fuel cells are working in the vehicle itself, which has no internal combustion engine, there are no emissions. But the process of extracting hydrogen and harnessing its energy is a long, involved, polluting process. The modes of harnessing energy resources for electric vehicles and HFCVs are not the only concerns differentiating the two methods of transportation. The usability and infrastructure both affect the overall sustainability of each vehicle type. For electric vehicles, the infrastructure already exists because of the grid. However, to make electric vehicles an environmentally sound option, humans must make the conscious shift toward renewable energy instead of fossil fuels. The infrastructure for HFCVs, on the other hand, barely exists outside of California and would require trillions of dollars to develop. Much like the oil industry, hydrogen must travel through pipes. Due to the toxic spills and environmental devastation of pipes for oil, having to build new pipes and risk spillage for a hydrogen-based economy seems both extremely risky and environmentally destructive. Furthermore, the use of water is one of the biggest concerns with hydrogen fuel cells. A “well-to-wheels” analysis conducted by Professors Carey W. King and Michael E. Weber at the University of Texas found that a HFCV needs to withdraw 13 gallons of water per mile driven because of the hydrogen used to power the vehicle. Although hydrogen is technically an inextinguishable resource, water is definitely not.

Bibliography Colella, W. G., M. Z. Jacobson, and D. M. Golden. “Switching to a U.S. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Fleet: The Resultant Change in Emissions, Energy Use, and Greenhouse Gases.” Journal of Power Sources. Harvard University, 30 May 2005. Web. Davis, Craig, Bill Edelstein, Bill Evenson, Aviva Brecher, and Dan Cox. “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Study.” American Physical Society. N.p., 12 June 2003. Web. McLaren, Joyce, John Miller, Eric O’Shaughnessy, Eric Wood, and Evan Shapiro. “Emissions Associated with Electric Vehicle Charging: Impact of Electricity Generation Mix, Charging Infrastructure Availability, and Vehicle Type.” April 2016: 2-7. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Web. Schoettle, Brandon, and Michael Sivak. “The Relative Merits of Battery-Electric Vehicles and Fuel-Cell Vehicles.” University of Michigan. The University of Michigan Sustainable Worldwide Transportation, Feb. 2016. Web. Singer, Mark. “Consumer Views on Plug-in Electric Vehicles – National Benchmark Report.” National Renewable Energy Laboratory. U.S. Department of Commerce, Feb. 2015. Web.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kate is from Santa Ana, California and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2014 Costa Rica program. She currently attends University of California at Berkley.

PROJECT MILESTONES By Jillian Magtoto Statement

As a government-run organization, RootlessLA has the potential to service the thousands of homeless in the Los Angeles Area by encouraging them to obtain compostable materials from trash cans around the county and exchanging them for compensation.

The Problem

RootlessLA would address two prominent and pressing issues of Los Angeles county: homelessness and food waste. The ironic connection between homelessness and food waste is fairly evident, for edible foods that are unfortunately wasted would be beneficial to those who are hungry and in need of that food. However, I believe that these two issues can help solve each other through my vision of RootlessLA, an NGO that reimburses homeless people for their collection of food scraps which would later be turned into compost for communities around the county. RootlessLA would help alleviate serious and growing problems of homelessness and food waste. The homeless population of Los Angeles County has especially been on the rise in the past few years, increasing by 23% since 2016 (LA Times 2017). As a result, Los Angeles has consistently been ranked in having the second-greatest homeless population in the United States (American Council of Science and Health 2016). Similarly, food waste deserves immediate attention as 1.2 million tons of food scraps and yard trimmings are thrown away by Los Angeles residents per year. Moreover, roughly half of that waste is compostable (Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tWasteLA 2016).

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Why RootlessLA should be part of the government There are numerous reasons as to why RootlessLA would function more effectively as a government initiative, one of them being that our beneficiaries would most likely be the homeless who are already participating in California’s “Bottle Bill” program, collecting recyclable materials and then redeeming them at CalRecycle recycling centers. However, recycling rates have recently been on the decline, dipping below 80% for the first time in nine years. As a result of the lack of recyclable materials, prices of recyclable stock are unable to compete with the cost of virgin materials that many businesses choose to buy instead, ensuing in the closure of “hundreds of recycling centers in California” in just eighteen months, about 20% of the total (TheGuardian, 2016). Therefore, many of the recycling redeemer centers are forced to shut down. As an unfortunate result of reduced recycling rates and recycling center closures, a massive portion of Los Angeles’s homeless population who heavily rely on the recycling plants are left in a tough position. This is where RootlessLA as a government organization gives a hand to the homeless: the government money that was intended to redeem the homeless for recyclables in the redeemer centers that were shut down will instead fund RootlessLA’s efforts that mimic the recycling redeeming system, but with compostables instead. It would be less expensive than the recycling plants because composting is a simpler process with less need for manpower.

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The Specifics

Compensation for compostable materials will either be given in the form of money or tokens redeemable for donated items such as toiletry kits or clothes, and the amount of compensation would naturally depend on the amount of food scraps. Although trying to find the fairest way of determining the amount of compostable scraps, which come in an infinite array of shapes, sizes, and weights, may seem nearly impossible, determining the volume of compostable materials makes the process more feasible. The way that RootlessLA would determine the volume of scraps is by designating a certain type of trash bag for the job. For just 25 cents, a homeless person can buy one specified trash bag, an EcoSafe™ 6400 100% Compostable Trash Garbage Can Liner, and reuse it until it becomes unusable or causes tears, and can buy another one for only ten cents if he or she shows their broken bag. Although the total cost of each bag would be received, this money helps support and pad the cost of the operations of the program. These bags would be incredibly helpful to the process since although there are variables of the collection of compostable materials that we cannot control, controlling the method of collection across Los Angeles County is crucial, for RootlessLA not only does the system become more unified, it would be easier to ascertain the amount of money to compensate each individual. The EcoSafe™ 6400 100% Compostable Trash Garbage Can Liner comes in various volumes, and RootlessLA would use the 13-gallon and 33-gallon EcoSafe™ 6400 100% Compostable Trash Garbage Can Liners, and compensate $4.50 a full 13-gallon bag, and $13.50 for a 33-gallon bag. So, when people turn over their bags, a their contents will be emptied returned to them. Although there are more and much larger options in terms of bag size, taking into account public perception is critical in the success of this program. Huge trash bags would result in the accumulation of many food scraps, which would produce a strong smell, likely to be unfavorable to the public.

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RootlessLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services would take place in Los Angeles County homeless centers to better ensure that only the homeless are taking advantage of our resources. Another advantage of locating services to homeless centers is that centers can communicate our standards to their local homeless population. This image resembles a flyer that would be communicated with the homeless community of that shelter, entailing all of the acceptable and unacceptable materials that RootlessLA would accept. From these homeless shelters, the organization plans to collect food scraps on Sunday afternoons, allowing the homeless to gather and accumulate scraps during the week. After the collection and reimbursement of the compost materials, the scraps would be driven to a small composting facility with composting tumblers. Starting and testing once compost facility, the location would be fairly uncomplicated because the tumblers would be situated in a vacant dirt lot, and Los Angeles has several of these neglected patches, without needing much maintenance or building of any type. The acquisition of this lot demonstrates another benefit of government involvement, since it is likely to be much easier to obtain access and legal rights to this kind of property.

If RootlessLA acquires excess food scraps that overfill the tumblers, materials be given to a composting center, such as one of many LA Compost hubs, to undergo the process of composting and later be used as organic fertilizer for community gardens. Or, food scraps could be given to Heritage Farms, which would use the scraps for pig feed and would reimburse depending on the volume. RootlessLA would function through government workers of the Los Angeles Sanitation Bureau who are familiar with the handling and regulation of waste. Each sanitation worker would be required to do RootlessLA work as part of their job, though they would not work every Sunday afternoon as the responsibility would be passed around in a rotation system. Workers are more reliable than volunteers, as they would run the program more smoothly and efficiently, and it would better ensure that the money is in safe hands. Although this organization would prove to be an invaluable component to improving the lives of the homeless and providing organic fertilizer to the city, it does come with its cost. So, in order to make sure that RootlessLA is a sustainable organization in terms of being able to support itself, a substantial portion of food scraps would be sold to ethical pig farms, such as Heritage farms, for a low cost. Secondly, food scraps could also be sold to a Biofuel company in need of biomass that would transform the waste into sustainable energy. Thirdly, the compost being made in the compost facility would be sold to Californian farmers in need of dependable, fruitful soil. California is the top 5 agricultural producing state in the United States (usda.gov), consisting of thousands of farms that constantly face environmental hazards such as the recent California drought and soil degradation. Rootless LA would also benefit from government involvement through advertising, and it would also promote itself through the homeless shelters themselves. The shelters would communicate this opportunity to the people, producing a domino effect through word of mouth. Additionally, a social media account would raise awareness and encourage LA residents to donate items which the homeless could redeem their compostables for.

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Works Cited Berezow, Alex. “Which Cities Have the Most Homeless People?” Which Cities Have the Most Homeless People? | American Council on Science and Health. THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND HEALTH, 2017. Web. 16 July 2017. “Clean Air, Green Jobs, and Recycling for AllDon’t Waste LA | Clean Air, Green Jobs, and Recycling for All.” Don’t Waste LA. Don’t Waste LA, 2016. Web. 16 July 2017. Garcia, Jose. “Food Waste Recycled as Biofuel.” Food Waste Recycled as Biofuel. Stanford University, 29 Nov. 2011. Web. 19 July 2017. “L.A. County Homelessness Jumps a ‘staggering’ 23% as Need Far Outpaces Housing, New Count Shows.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, n.d. Web. 16 July 2017. “Selling Compost To The Landscape Industry.” BioCycle. N.p., 11 Feb. 2012. Web. 19 July 2017. Wong, Julia Carrie. “Collecting Cans to Survive: a ‘Dark Future’ as California Recycling Centers Vanish.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Aug. 2016, www.theguardian.com/usnews/2016/aug/08/can-collectors-california-recycling-centers-close. Links: LA Compost- https://lacompost.org/about/ Heritage farms- http://californiaheritagefarms.com/home/ EcoSafe Trash Bags- http://letsgogreen.biz/pages/plastic/ecosafe.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jillian is from California and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2017 Dartmouth program. Jillian’s submission was selected by a panel of Sustainable Summer alumni judges as the best social venture business plan from Summer 2017.

BELOW THE SURFACE: FOR FARMERS BY FARMERS By Kaidy Morgan

What do microorganisms do to assist the growth and potential yield of a crop?

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In a world that is constantly changing it is essential that farmers and people working in agriculture are able to identify ways to adapt their farming methods for the good of both themselves and the environment. In the past farmers have been unaware of the millions of microorganisms that contribute to the make-up of the soil ecosystem, however, recently soil biologists and farmers have begun working together to develop farming methods that will not only improve the health of their soils, but also pave the way towards a sustainable future. Many farmers are being educated about the importance of increasing the level of biota in their soils and are now aware of the important roles that different organisms play within the soil ecosystem.

American farmer and soil scientist, Jim Ippolito has noticed that a high level of a certain species of soil biota known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is extremely beneficial in order to increase the productivity of soil. This microbe is associated with 90-95% of all plants and is essential in order to ensure the healthiest possible crop is produced. According to South Australian researcher, Greg Butler, AMF is like a â&#x20AC;&#x153;spiders web through the soil and if disturbed or broken will simply die,â&#x20AC;? ridding the plant of the phosphorus levels needed for germination and grain production. Once established on the roots of a plant, AMF sends out fine root-like shoots known as hyphae that are able to penetrate microscopic pores within the soil and gain access to water and phosphate stores that would otherwise be unavailable to the plant. These nutrients are vital products required by the plant for initial establishment, as well as healthy development. The AMF hyphae covers a further 25-75 percent of soil area than the plant would have access to if AMF were not present, significantly increasing the area in which the plant can collect micro-nutrients. In farming areas where high tillage methods and processes that constantly disturb the soil are utilized, Mr Ippolito has found that the population of this particular microbe is severely suppressed and the health of both the plant and the soil ecosystem are not at their full potential. When the levels of organisms such as mycorrhizal fungi are low, it is critical that alternative farming methods with minimal disturbance to the topsoil are put into practice. In these areas, AMF are required to constantly re-establish their status within the ecosystem, using vital resources that would otherwise be going directly into the plant cycle.

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In an experiment conducted by Mr Ippolito it was noticed that when a crop reliant on the fungi, such as corn, was planted following a crop that does not need AMF to grow well, such as sugar beets, the young corn plants showed “telltale signs of phosphorus deficiency.”This occurred as result of a large percentage of the mycorrhizal fungi dying because they were not required by the sugar beet plant, meaning that when the corn was planted it did not have access to adequate phosphorus stores. In this case, it is important that the levels of biological activity in the soil is are increased, as the low level of organisms within the ecosystem after the sugar beets were grown had a noticeable affect on the health of the corn plant. The plants were able to grow out of their deficiency as the soil remained predominately undisturbed by vehicles and machinery throughout the growth period, allowing the mycorrhizal fungi to re-establish their numbers in the soil. This particular example depicts the importance of farming using methods that have minimal disturbance to soils. The affects that low levels of mycorrhizal fungi had on the plants were eliminated as the levels of the organism present in the soil increased, meaning that other microbes that have a less visually noticeable affect on the function of the ecosystems were also increased and a healthier soil ecosystem was obtained.

How does organic matter affect the levels of biological activity of soils? The majority of soils that are farmed using traditional farming methods such as tillage and large scale paddock burning, will have a lower percentage of biological activity present within the soils than those that are farmed using sustainable methods such as no-till farming or cover cropping. When paddocks are burnt and soils are regularly turned over and disturbed, it becomes difficult for a high level of micro-organisms to live within the soil profile as they are deprived of food and become dependent on farmer inputs into the soil. Burning is a major issue when referring to soil productivity, as it removes a large percentage of organic material from the topsoil, limiting the protection and food that is available to microbes within the soil. When the organic material of the soil becomes depleted a “dog-eatdog” situation arises, as “instead of being able to eat straw [an organism] eats another organism” in order to survive. This process alone leads to the suppression of many species living within the soil due to a lack of food. Burning off is a farming method utilized as a result of “stubbles not breaking down because of no microbial activity,” meaning that if the biological activity of soil is increased through alternative farming methods such as cover cropping and no till farming, the reliance on paddock burning will be dramatically reduced.

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A study conducted in Western Australia by Grains Research and Development Corporation found that by educating farmers about the benefits of No-Till farming, the adoption of the method increased from 25% to 70% over 5 years. During the final three years of the investigation an estimated extra 12 million tonnes of grain was produced in the state, with an approximate retail value of 2.4 billion dollars. The substantial increase in production and profit of grain in Western Australia is proved to be as a result of the rising number of farmers practicing No-Till farming. A higher level of organic matter present in the soil allowed the levels of organisms within the profile to increase dramatically as they were provided with an adequate food source. It was seen that the increase in microbial activity also enabled plants to grow in dry years as the water use efficiency improved, meaning farmers were able to ensure that they would not be adversely affected by drought.

REFERENCES BookMason, J.M, 2003. Sustainable Agriculture . 2nd ed. Victoria, Australia: Landlinks Press. Pages 4, 10 and 18 Online websitesNutrient cycling in the mycorrhizosphere. 2016. Nutrient cycling in the mycorrhizosphere. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-95162015000200007. [Accessed 10 August 2016]. InterviewButler, Greg. Phone interview. 30 May 2016 Giddings, David. Phone interview. 31 May 2016 Sorden, Maclaine. Inerview. 7 July 2016 Email question responsesMorgan , K.M, kaidy.morgan@sjspl.catholic.edu.au, 2016. Biological activity questions . [E-mail] Message to R.D Daly (rhonda.daly@yladlivingsoils.com). Sent 31st May, 10:22am. Available at: Ylas living soils [Accessed 31 May 2016]. Morgan , K.M, kaidy.morgan@sjspl.catholic.edu.au, 2016. ask a soil scientist question . [E-mail] Message to J.I Ippolito (Jim.Ippolito@ARS.USDA.GOV). Sent 11 May 2016, 8:20:23 am. Available at: ARS USDA [Accessed 11 May 2016]. Morgan , K.M, kaidy.morgan@sjspl.catholic.edu.au, 2016. Biological activity questions . [E-mail] Message to S.C Clark (jumbo20@bigpond.net.au). Sent 2 June 2016. Available at: Scott Clark [Accessed 6 June 2016]. Morgan , K.M, kaidy.morgan@sjspl.catholic.edu.au, 2016. Biological activity questions . [E-mail] Message to R.Z Zwar (rdzwar@activ8.net.au). Sent 1 June 2016 9:16am. Available at: Russel Zwar [Accessed 2 June 2016]. Online picturesSeedlings- Food Tank. 2016. Sustainable Agriculture | FoodTank.com. [ONLINE] Available at: http://foodtank.com/section/sustainable-agriculture. [Accessed 24 August 2016]. Monica Munoz, (2016), African Lovegrass [ONLINE]. Available at: https://onebendintheriver.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/burning-in-wopr-paddock.jpg [Accessed 27 August 2016]. Electronic journal articleFernandes, V.F (for agtrans research), 2009. GRDC Impact Assessment Report Series. An Economic Analysis of GRDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Investment in Western Australian No Tillage Farming Association, [Online]. Jun 09, page 11, 12. Available at: https://grdc.com.au/uploads/documents/GRDC_ImpAss_WANTFA1.pdf [Accessed 27 August 2016].

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kaidy is from Port Lincoln, South Australia and was a participant in Sustainable Summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 Seeds of Change program.

MUNICIPAL MONSTROSITIES By Zac Pinard

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In West Bengal, India, there is a medium-sized city named Siliguri located in a very unique geographic position. The eastern states of India, which altogether are home to 45 million people, are only connected to the main body of their country by a small sliver of land 17 miles across at its thinnest point. This sliver is called the Siliguri corridor, and Siliguri, unsurprisingly, is nestled inside it. Perhaps just as unsurprising is the fact that the city’s transportation infrastructure is a mess. With so many people having to pass through Siliguri to get from one major region of India to the other on top of Siliguri’s own rapidly growing resident and tourist population, the situation has become unmanageable (Bhattacharyya 2740). “Y”-shaped intersections, unorganized public transit, and a mixing of slow and fast moving vehicles have created severe congestion throughout the city, and the increase of collisions between two-wheelers and cars has catastrophically reduced the safety of travel (2740). India’s National Urban Transport Policy is desperately trying to resolve the situation (2738). The problems in Siliguri are familiar for many Americans. The highways of the Los Angeles metropolitan area are famous for making drivers wait in bumper-tobumper traffic for multiple hours just to get to the neighboring city. Residents of Cincinnati and Detroit must rely on personal vehicles for transportation almost anywhere. Jacksonville, Florida, one of the least walkable cities in America is also one of the most dangerous for pedestrians (“Report”). Across the country, people are dependent on cars for accomplishing basic tasks, and this dependence is having severe repercussions for the metropolitan community as a whole. The United States has become a nation of Siliguri’s.

Americans are by no means forced into this dependence. There are proven ways to design a major city that make cars unnecessary, and even obsolete, for residents. These design changes have been implemented in many large cities in other countries, and preliminary versions have begun to take shape in some major American cities as well. However, these successes are often isolated and initiated more as an independent project than as a proponent of a larger movement for healthy urban life. The United States should enact a comprehensive, nationwide plan to redesign all major urban centers away from cars, and instead tailor them to the people within the city. The purpose of this report is to explain in greater detail what tailoring an American city towards people means. First, it will focus on the design flaw that negatively impacts city residents regarding pedestrian-vehicle interactions and explain a better alternative already being enacted abroad. Then it will explain the harm caused by the construction of the U.S. interstate and how its continuation in the current form is also negatively impacting city residents. Finally, it will introduce the current movement to tailor American cities towards people and away from cars by explaining a large-scale highway alteration project in Boston and introducing two authors working to persuade readers to push for major urban redesign. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard not to notice how omnipresent cars are in any given American city. Pedestrians must stop every hundred feet or so for a crosswalk, all while passing parking garages, lots, gas stations, and automotive businesses. According to a study by the University of Michigan, about half of the average American cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land is dedicated to driving space, parking space, and automotive businesses (Melosi). In Los Angelesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central business district, 35% of ground space is used for streets and alleys, and 24% is used for parking (Melosi), effectively dedicating three fifths of the city to cars. People are often surprised to learn that, in the most densely populated areas of the country, space for cars outnumbers space for people and buildings, and actually constitutes the majority of the city.

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Pedestrians face far worse problems from the overabundance of cars than the inconvenience of having to wait occasionally when trying get somewhere. Urban environments are prone to pedestrian-vehicle collisions, which almost always result in injury for the pedestrian and, in many cases, fatality. More than 5,600 cyclists and pedestrians were killed by collisions with vehicles in 2014, and about 115,000 were injured in the same year (“Pedestrian”). According to the Center for ProblemOriented Policing, drivers are often unaware of their risk of hitting a pedestrian, and that risk varies with factors including alcohol, familiarity with travel route, and mobile device usage (Heinonen). Additionally, there is a direct correlation between the traffic flow of pedestrians and vehicles and rate of pedestrian fatality (Heinonen). Thus, urban areas with high traffic flows of both are the most dangerous places in the country for pedestrians. Since a vital aspect of urban life revolves around being able to walk places, municipalities should make a concerted effort to mitigate these inherent dangers of being an urban pedestrian. Car-based cities are not only unsafe for people walking in the city, but for all residents. Pollution, especially as the reality of climate change is presented to a greater portion of the population, has started garnering attention as a serious health detriment, not only for the climate, but also for city residents. The most significant example of this air pollution problem in the United States comes from Los Angeles. According to an New York University study by professor Kevin Cromer, about 1,341 people in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale area die each year from air pollution (Danelski). In the United States as a whole, 9,320 people die each year from air pollution, comparable to the number of Americans who killed in drunk driving accidents (Danelski). These deaths from air pollution are concentrated in cities with the highest traffic rates, and cities with the highest traffic rates are usually those that are the most tailored towards cars. Los Angeles has been struggling with pollution problems for years as a result of its urban sprawl, which necessitates use of cars, so unless it can redesign its infrastructure around the people within the city, these deaths will persist. The United States isn’t the only country with struggling air quality. According to the European Environment Agency, air pollution is also the environmental factor with the greatest impact on health in Europe (Soret). Consequently, many municipalities in Spain have begun implementing changes to their urban design to reverse the negative impacts of the car. The first major Spanish city to implement a large-scale, urban design alternative was Vitoria-Gasteiz (“Superblocks”). Vitoria-Gasteiz won the 2012 European Green Capital Prize and UnHabitat best practice award for its implementation of “superilles” or superblocks (“Superblocks”).

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Pixabay.com

A superblock is essentially a unification of multiple city blocks into one, major block. According to BCN Ecologia, a superblock is: made up of a grid of basic roads forming a polygon, some 400 by 400 meters, with both interior and exterior components. The interior (intervía) is closed to motorized vehicles and above ground parking, and gives preference to pedestrian traffic in the public space. Though the inner streets are generally reserved for pedestrians, they can be used by residential traffic, services, emergency vehicles, and loading/unloading vehicles under special circumstances. The perimeter, or exterior, of Superblocks is where motorized traffic circulates, and makes up the basic roads (“Superblocks”). It’s purpose is to return public space to the citizen and limit the presence of vehicles inhibiting that citizen from moving freely throughout the city. Superblocks are an especially useful tool for cities to improve mobility and urban life not only because they reduce the environmental impacts of vehicles and increase economic activity, but also because they require no major changes in existing urban planning to implement (“Superblocks”). As such, a more famous Spanish city, Barcelona, has followed Vitoria-Gasteiz’s example. In terms of air pollution, Barcelona struggled as much as Los Angeles. In 2008, the European Union set air quality standards of a maximum pollution level of PM10 (Particulate Matter 10 microns) across a number of zones (Soret). In Barcelona, seven separate air quality stations exceeded this limit, most of them by a large margin, but all of them within the traffic-prone urban areas of Barcelona (Soret). According to the study of Barcelona air quality planning through traffic management, the fact that these stations exceeded the limit of particulate matter showed that on-road transport was the principal cause of pollution (Soret). Accordingly, Barcelona implemented a traffic management strategy that largely consisted of superblocks, like those introduced in Vitoria-Gasteiz a few years prior (Soret). The superblock idea has been met with some concern for some Barcelona residents. Josep Mateu, president of the Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia, says that the idea is “well-intentioned,” but if it were applied throughout the whole city, it would create an increase in congestion, which would only exacerbate the pollution problems (Hu). Regarding traffic reduction, Mateu said that traffic “would eventually move to other roads and other districts, leading to a strong division between winning roads and losing roads” (Hu). Other residents have expressed concerns regarding loss of parking availability, reduced access to public transportation stations, and negative effects on business (Hu).

Fortunately, although the implementation of superblocks as a cornerstone of urban design is a novel concept, the superblock itself is not. The first superblock was introduced in the El Born neighborhood in central Barcelona in 1993 (Hu). Salvador Rueda, director of the Urban Ecology Agency, has researched the outcome of the superblock in the El Born region and asserts that this original model, along with a few later examples, teaches us that “initial opposition [to superblocks] gives way to acceptance, in part because of a growing consensus about the benefits” (Hu). In the Grácia neighborhood of Barcelona, introduction of a superblock caused car traffic to drop from almost 96,000 trips/year to 81,500 trips per year, and pedestrian traffic has increased ten percent (Hu). In Vitoria-Gasteiz, particle pollution has dropped 38% and NO2 emissions has dropped 42% since the introduction of the main central superblock (Roberts). On top of that, public opinion seems to be in favor of the existing successful superblocks. People walking and cycling throughout the superblock are much more likely to stop and patronize small businesses, and the local economy of superblock neighborhoods has grown considerably (Roberts). Unfortunately, in the United States, concepts like superblocks are met with more obstacles. New York city’s transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg thinks the idea of superblocks is interesting, but the name “superblock” refers to sprawling public housing projects in some urban planning circles (Hu). This unfortunate nomenclature alone makes her hesitant to implement the idea in New York. Additionally, U.S. zoning policies often require a separation of commercial and residential areas, but in order to sustain a local economy, a superblock would have to consist of a mixture (Roberts). Fortunately, both of these obstacles can be overcome by residents who press for superblocks in their home cities and are willing to promote their walkable urban culture. The demonstration of the unbalanced relationship between cars and urban residents has not been limited to interactions between people and cars on surface streets. Perhaps even more harmful are the impacts of highways on city residents. American highways are some of the greatest sources of air pollution in the country, and have also come under scrutiny from various social justice groups. According to the Economic Policy Institute, federal policy throughout the twentieth

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century used highways as barriers segregating white communities from black communities (Rothstein). In some cases, highways were constructed to remove wealthy, white families from the inner city and relocate them to suburbs, leaving many neighborhoods the city for poorer, underrepresented minorities (Stromberg). Highways are another major example of the negative consequences associated with designing a metropolitan area around cars.

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Even the construction of the interstate system had its roots in racism. The Federal-Aid Highway Act was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, and initiated the construction of the elaborate expressway system we currently use today (Brewman). A massive public works program such as a highway requires the demolition of many neighborhoods if it is to reach a city, and the neighborhoods targeted were exclusively black or Latino. By 1969, nearly 70,000 black or Latino homes were destroyed for the interstate program, and the displacement was championed as a way to “clear out” black and brown ghettos (Brewman). For example, the neighborhoods of Black Body and Paradise Valley in Detroit were both thriving, densely-populated black neighborhoods with hundreds of residences and businesses in 1951, before the interstate (Stromberg). Now they are reduced to mostly empty grass plots next to the highway (Stromberg). Paradise Valley has been replaced by a convoluted series of onramps and offramps where two highways intersect (Stromberg).Due to racial discrimination in suburban areas, the minority communities displaced by the interstate project often had nowhere to turn for housing, sparking protests in cities throughout the nation. From the South Bronx to Miami, up to Milwaukee and over to Los Angeles, displaced minorities organized “highway revolts” that demanded the revoke of their forcible removal, but most of these protests were ignored and the interstate project demolished the protesters’ homes (Brewman). However, some protests were successful. There were plans to construct highways through Northwest Washington DC and Greenwich Village in Manhattan (Stromberg). The difference between these two projects and the majority of demolition proposals was that, in Greenwich Village and Northwestern Washington, the people protesting were mostly white and had the political capital to influence the government enough to relocate the highway, whereas the communities of color that were targeted for demolitions did not (Stromberg).

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Besides their racist roots, highways are still doing damage to urban residents as some of the most pollution-heavy components of cities. A study identifying the contribution of different urban highway air pollution sources confirmed that the major culprits of traffic-related air pollution were goods vehicles (i.e. semi trucks) and cars traveling journeys farther than eight kilometers (Peace). Both of these culprits primarily drive on highways, and as such, highways are the most polluted streets of any given city. This means that, although using superblocks and other urban planning solutions that limit the necessity of cars within a city will reduce pollution, the highway that runs through a city plays the largest role in the environmentally damaging aspect of a city. Recognizing the importance of highways to a city’s environmental impacts, Boston Massachusetts started construction on the largest and most complex highway project in the history of the United States in 1991 (“Central”). The project replaced Boston’s six-lane, elevated Central Artillery with an underground tunnel varying from eight to ten lanes, in order to increase traffic flow in one of America’s oldest, most congested cities (“Central”). It became known as “The Big Dig,” and took over fifteen years to complete (“Central”). Once the project was finished in 2006, it went into its final stages of constructing parks near the tunnel entrance and restoring the surrounding Boston city streets, creating even more benefits throughout the city (“Central”).

“The Big Dig” was seen as one of the great engineering successes in America. As a result of the project, Boston’s highway no longer cuts through neighborhoods and serves as a barrier because it is almost entirely underground. Traffic flow has increased because of a combination of improved surface streets and fewer offramps (“Central”). Boston’s carbon monoxide pollution levels also dropped 12% after the project was completed (“Central”). Unfortunately, Boston is the lone American city so far that has successfully implemented a large-scale project to redesign a city away from cars and towards people. Many authors have recognized this reluctance and mention the relationship between cars and people in books about sustainable urban design. In Ways to the West, Tim Sullivan explains how getting out of cars is reclaiming America’s frontier, and analyzes the ways in which western cities are making themselves more hospitable to lives less centered around the personal vehicle (Sullivan). In Walkable City, Jeff Speck argues that walkability is the single most important factor in determining the success of the city (Speck). There is an ever-growing body of knowledge related to taking city space back from cars for people. However, a scattered combination of singular projects addressing certain aspects of improving city life for residents can only get so far. The idea of reducing the impact of automobiles has yet to reach a tipping point, and can only do so if city residents themselves develop mass awareness and a willingness to demand action from their city governments. Many people have never considered the possibility of an urban atmosphere not dominated by cars, and so the biggest obstacle to implementing change is awareness. If city residents become aware that they can demand the regulation of cars inside cities to outside thriving superblocks or the regulation of highways intruding into productive neighborhoods, then the United States can set a new, more sustainable path for its urban development, because as of right now, its cities are looking more and more like Siliguri.

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Works Cited Bhattacharyya, Dibyendu Bikash, and Soumen Mitra. “Making Siliguri a Walkable City.” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 96, 2013, pp. 2737–2744. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.08.307. Brewman, Jax. “Racism, the Interstate Highway System, and Urban Renewal. “DemocraticUnderground, 2011, “The Central Artery/Tunnel Project - The Big Dig.” The Big Dig, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Danelski, David. “Los Angeles Area’s Air Quality the Deadliest in the Nation, Researchers Say.” Press Enterprise, 10 Aug. 2016. Heinonen, Justin A., and John E. Eck. “Pedestrian Injuries and Fatalities.”Center for Problem Oriented Policing, University at Albany. Hu, Winnie. “What New York Can Learn From Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks.’” NY Times, The New York Times Company, 30 Sept. 2016. Melosi, Martin V. “The Automobile Shapes The City: The‘Footprint’of the Automobile on the American City.” The Automobile Shapes The City: The“Footprint”of the Automobile on the American City, Automobile in American Life and Society. Peace, H. et al. “Identifying the Contribution of Different Urban Highway Air Pollution Sources.” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 334-335, 2004, pp. 347– 357.doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.04.057. “Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crash Statistics.” Pedestrian &Amp; Bicycle Information Center, U.S. Department of Transportation. “Report Documents Preventable Pedestrian Deaths, Ranks Most Dangerous Metro Areas Older Adults, Children Most Threatened by Streets Built for Speed, Not Safety.” States News Service, 20 May 2014. Roberts, David. “Superblocks: How Barcelona Is Taking City Streets Back from Cars.” Vox, 27 Sept. 2016. Rothstein, Richard. “Misteaching History on Racial Segregation: Ignoring Purposeful Discriminatory Government Policies of the Past Contributes to the Ongoing Achievement Gap.” Economic Policy Institute, EPI, 12 Dec. 2013. Soret, Albert et al. “Comprehensive Air Quality Planning for the Barcelona Metropolitan Area through Traffic Management.” Atmospheric Pollution Research, vol. 2, no. 3, 2011, pp.255–266. doi:10.5094/apr.2011.032. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time. New York,Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Stromberg, Joseph. “Highways Gutted American Cities. So Why Did They Build Them?” Vox, 11 May 2016. Sullivan, Tim. Ways to the West: How Getting out of Our Cars Is Reclaiming America’s Frontier. Logan, UT, Utah State University Press, 2015. “Superblocks.” BCNecologia, Agencia De Ecología Urbana De Barcelona.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Zac is from California and was a participant in Sustainable Summer’s 2014 Costa Rica program. He now attends Oregon State University and is studying Environmental Science. He is also the Sustainability Double Degree Student Coordinator at Oregon State University.

INDIA’S AMARANTH: THE POWER OF TINY SEEDS By Sophie Perillo

Amaranth is a remarkable plant. A single tiny seed can grow into a towering plant with cascading clusters of vibrant flowers ranging in color from cream, yellow and pink to magenta, orange and deep red. Each cluster of flowers can produce up to a kilo of seed and a single plant can yield up to half a million seeds! (2) Not only do these striking plants create abundant, nutritious food, they also thrive in a wide variety of growing conditions and require very little inputs from farmers. Although amaranth is likely to have originated in the America’s, cultivated by Incas and Aztec peoples 6-8000 years ago, it has become an important staple crop across India. (3) It’s thought that amaranth was introduced the subcontinent at least 500 years ago (possibly arriving by way of Portuguese traders from Brazil in the south). (3) It is now cultivated throughout India from the tropical, humid southern regions to the cool high Himalayan hillsides. (2) The word amaranthus comes from the Sanskrit word “amara” meaning “eternal,” or “deathless”. It is sometimes referred to as “ramdana” or “food of Gods” and considered a sacred grain often eaten during religious fasting (1). In the high altitude regions of Northern India in the Himalayas, the Garhwal people cultivate amaranth on dizzyingly high hillside terraces. The mountain people say that they can “perform the extremely strenuous farming tasks only because they consume amaranth and millets each day.” (1)

The Garhwhal people’s traditional knowledge measures up well with scientific analysis which shows that amaranth contains high levels of vitamin A, calcium and iron making in a nutritive powerhouse, especially for women and growing children. (3) Some experts even call it “the world’s most nutritious grain!” (2) Growing amaranth requires very little water and it grows well in extreme climates and in poor soils. (2) In fact it requires less than half of what other conventional grains like rice and wheat need to grow. (2) Often it can be found growing wild in the countryside all over India. For these reasons, some experts call it the “food of the future.” (3) Due to amaranth’s nutritional value, abundance and adaptability, perhaps amaranth could play an important role in feeding people across the world as growing food will no doubt become increasingly challenging as global climates continue to change. Amaranth can be prepared in a variety of ways. The leaves and stems when steamed, blanched or fried make a nutritious vegetable dish. Seeds can be milled into a flour that can be used in baking as an alternative to wheat. In the Northern Indian region of Garhwal, delicious Indian flatbread, roti, are made from amaranth flour mixed with wheat flour and water. Amaranth can also be puffed or popped and can be added with nuts, seeds and oats to make a delicious granola or breakfast cereal. In the mountain regions, amaranth is popped and then fried along with flour, sesame, garlic onions to make salty, crunchy snacks called pakoda. (3) You can try making simple, nutritious roti, a typical food of the Garhwhal mountain people of the Himalayas: Amaranth Roti (flatbread) from Earthbound: Navdanya’s guide to easy organic cooking - 1 1/2 cups amaranth flour - 1 cup whole wheat flour Sift both the flours into a bowl. Gradually add about 3/4 cup of water and knead to prepare a stiff dough. Divide the dough into 6 balls. On a lightly floured surface, with a rolling pin gently roll them out to about 4 inch rounds.Warm a cast iron pan to medium heat and place one roti on the surface. When bubbles begin to form, flip it and roast the other side until both sides lighter in color and have dark spots on the surface. Try finishing the roti on an open gas or wood fire flame and it will puff up like a little balloon. Careful not to burn it! Just a few seconds on each side will do. Then, serve it hot with ghee or butter and a little salt to accompany a traditional meal of cooked vegetables and lentils. (1) Diversity: The Hindustan Way. Dr. Vandana Shiva and Radha Holla Bhar, 2001 (2) The Seed Keepers, Navdanya 1995 (3) Earthbound: Navdanya’s Guide to Easy Organic Cooking, 2004

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sophie is a freelance environmental educator dedicated to connecting people to the Earth through service learning, nature awareness practices, ancient food traditions and ecological farming. She currently serves as a “Seed Sower” intern at Navdanya Biodiversity Farm in Dehradun, India where she writes, makes art and facilitates learning sessions for visitors from around the world. Sophie is passionate about regenerative agriculture, cross cultural dialogue, seed saving, traditional foods, herbal medicine and healing the inner and outer environment through mindfulness practice. Sophie can be contacted at saperillo87@gmail.com for personalized learning experiences in India.

Photo by Sophie Perillo ÂŠ Sustainable Summer

A typical polycrop of a pale yellow amaranth variety and mixed legumes on ancient hillside terraces in the Garhwal region of Northern India.

Photo by Sophie Perillo ÂŠ Sustainable Summer

A typical Garhwal polycrop of multiple varieties of amaranth (see red, orange and yellow here) and some eager eco-tourists exploring the magic of Himalayan agroecology.

ABOUT AMARANTHUS

Thank you for reading our inaugural edition of Amaranthus. We hope you have enjoyed it. If you are interested in submitting a piece for next year’s edition, please see the details below. Amaranthus is an annual publication by Sustainable Learning, a Brooklyn, NY-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that specializes in youth environmental leadership programming. The publication’s purpose is to cultivate an intellectual and emotional connection w ithin our community. It is distributed to few thousand readers from our community of program alums and their parents, educators from a variety of disciplines, and the general public that shares an interest in educating for sustainability, youth leadership development, and environmentally-conscious living. Our editorial approach is similar to that of a subscription-based commercial magazine. We do not assume that our p ublication will be read and enjoyed simply because its recipients have an affiliation with Sustainable Learning. We strive to deliver a publication that is stylish, engaging and relevant, with demanding standards for writing, editing and design. Every article in A maranthus has some c onnectionto Sustainable Learning’s mission of cultivating the next generation of environmental leaders. These may be direct (a profile of a program alum or staff member) or indirect and casual (a contribution from an environmental educator with no formal affiliation to Sustainable Learning). Anything that we can put in a printed journal will be considered as long as it speaks to the topics of environmental leadership, education, and/or activism. Although not intended to be an exhaustive list, we will consider publication ofthe following: - creative pieces - photography and illustrations - critical essays - sustainability hacks and DIY projects - academic writing - product and book reviews If your piece will help others be environmental leaders in their communities and can be included in a printed publication, we’d like to take a look. W e have more flexibility with the digital version of Amaranthus, where we can feature video and other digital content. Please email your submission to journal@sustainablesummer.orgby Nov 1st. rose submissions should be 500 - 15,000 words; the majority of published material is under 3,000 words. P Photos and other graphics should be the highest possible resolution, ideally 300 dpi, and include relevant metadata (caption, location, etc) We prefer polished manuscripts to “first drafts,” with the understanding that revisions, additional research and some rewriting may be necessary. Writers will be consulted on revisions; they will not be consulted during copy fitting If we publish your piece, we’ll mail you an awesome “Act Like You Live Here” hat. Except by special arrangement, no compensation is provided.