During the month of July, Annabel Arana (visual artist) and myself (aspiring anthropologist) will be trekking across country to work on several organic and sustainable farms. We will take the practices we have learned from these establishments and convert them into urban sustainable movements in our own neighborhoods: Washington D.C. and New York City.
With guidance from rural communities, Americans living in metropolitan areas can also strive for more sustainable lifestyles. How can we begin to inform and encourage urban dwellers to begin the necessary steps to curb their consumption habits when they do not even know why it is so important? Therefore, Annabel and I will be traveling across the United States to explore the definition of sustainability and transfer that research into urban project goals.
What is sustainability? Sustainability is when an individual or group produce and consume their own energy and agricultural resources without relying on outside sources. One can achieve, or strive to achieve, sustainability in a variety of ways, including creating (and using) solar, wind, or water power and using these energies to grow their own food for consumption. Traditionally, sustainability has been thought of as a rural and suburban practice, but recent movements towards urban sustainability, as with the usage of solar panels, green roofs, blue roofs, and rain barrels, have been employed.
During the course of our trip we will be completing work exchanges on two organic farms, one in Utah and one in New Mexico, where, through our labor, we will learn various sustainable methods and interpret these methods into comparable practices for urban areas. Each farm was discovered through an online sustainable farming database called. www.wwoofusa.org. "Wwoofers" perform work exchanges for a set number of hours a week and receive room and board for payment. As urban dwellers, we need the guidance and knowledge of experienced farmers in order to achieve their success within our own neighborhoods.
The Farms:
The first is in San Juan Valley, Utah. Here, we will stay at a vineyard founded by a recent college graduate, who, through his college experience, learned of the heavy importation of American supermarkets. After he graduated, he knew a sustainable lifestyle was the key to environmental responsibility and proceeded to open his own organic farm and vineyard. His farm quickly grew into a small sustainable community which no longer requires outside help to feed or power itself. In Utah, we will learn first hand what it means to cultivate and harvest our own food sources with energy created ourselves. This illustrates the transition from borrowed energy to created energy and how this creation is used to support agricultural cultivation.
On route to New Mexico, we will make a stop in Acrosanti, Arizona, a city famously known as one of the most sustainable cities in the world. We will further understand what it means for a community as a whole, rather than mere individuals, to be sustainable. We will see people working in unison and striving for the same gal, as well as get first hand experience on how these commonly thought of as rural actions can be applied to urban communities.
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, we will be working at a farm known for its green construction and it relies completely on solar power. Here we will gain knowledge about how alternative energy is used on a large scale, learn about waste minimalization, as well as learn how to use green construction materials in order to promote sustainable and eco-friendly architecture in urban environments.
Who are "we"?
We are two students, researching urban sustainability and marketing in the United States. Natalie Colao is a graduate student at Hunter College in New York City, whose master thesis focuses on enacting sustainable practices in urban locations. Her research is done with the intent of causing proactive movements and rally supporters toward the cause of self sustainable practices and the reduction of food importation and modification. Natalie's research partner on this work study is Annabel Arana, psychology major and visual arts minor from Fordham University. Annabel is currently working at a D.C. based PR firm, Brotman-Winter-Fried Communications, producing videos for clients such as Easy Energy, the company responsible for inventing a green hand-held electrical charger named YoGen (this client will be aiding us on our work study) and California Tortilla, a Washington D.C. based restaurant known for its honest and fresh ingredients. Annabel will be responsible for documenting the development of the summer work exchange and supplementing visual research materials for Natalie's master thesis.
Traditional and Social Media
Traditional and social media will be used for record taking purposes. A 35mm Nikon N90s camera will document progression of the journey as well as a Fuji digital camera. Various forms of social media (such as facebook, ustreamtv.com, blogspot.com, twitter.com and youtube.com) will be used to inform the public about our intent and operations.
As you can see, throughout this trip, Annabel and I will be recording every step of the way for you to see. You can follow us my blog, our facebook pages, twitter accounts, and youtube channel.
During the process of our journey we will learn about sustainable practices beyond the East Coast, and more importantly, beyond the mcMansions of suburbia.
Follow us throughout the month of July to learn about energy consumption, agricultural production, and the fun of ecotourism in America!
