Monetizing Sustainability
I can hear the dissenters now. "Oh, here we go again with cap and trade, or some other scheme that's not based in economic reality, that's supposed to kill two birds with one stone." I would tell the dissenters that they're exactly right. The current economic realities are based on an antiquated system of a few capitalistic players getting a firmer and firmer grip on power, thus widening the income discrepancy, quality of life, hunger discrepancy, satisfaction discrepancy, you name it, in this world. All of the environmental money and resources out there, we've got to leverage them towards a new paradigm that will grow the ranks of conservationists while improving their lives.
UUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRCCCHHHHHHHH!!!... Let's back up. What am I feverishly writing about? I'm writing about my radical plan to maximize political leverage and conservation money to improve the lives of those living in the dirtiest, most environmentally-denuded areas around the world. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but it needs some more pushing, because it could work.
Example: While working as agriculture extension worker on the Northern Coast of Leyte, Philippines, I wanted to plant mangroves. Thousands and thousands of mangroves. That was my plan. I went with my surly companion Edwin one morning on a little motorcycle with 10 nylon feed sacks in tow up a washboard gravel road that skirted a storybook coast in one of the poorest villages of the poorest Municipalities in the poorest region of the Philippines. Edwin would swerve mud holes and volcanic cobbles as he loudly spoke to me over the motorcycle's engine, smiling his big smile and laughing a deep, heartfelt laugh. We stopped, and for hours we picked up propagules: big, long mangrove seeds that would sprout in damp beach sand just days after being planted. All of our sacks full of propagules, we returned to town, and I paid for snacks as students and I planted over 3500 of the little sticks, which took root and bore leaves within the month. You plant mangroves to protect the ocean, and to protect people against storm surge when huge typhoons come along. It helps with shrimp habitat, coral reef development, and shellfish. Mangroves are vital. Unfortunately, I came outside one day to see that most of the mangroves had been uprooted, tossed to the side by fishermen who didn't see a need for the little trees. When I traveled to a nearby town, I heard about a successful mangrove planting that was taking place. Villagers were paid 3 pesos apiece to plant 500 mangroves in front of their house. Mangroves were their responsibility, and they'd lose face if they let their mangroves die. (Losing face is a big deal in Southeast Asia.) As it turns out, all of the mangroves in this little town, at least the ones in front of the villagers' houses, were healthy and strong. My plan had fallen prey to the fallacy of the commons and poor community engagement and incentivization. But this little town had shown that conservation, when incentivized the right way, can improve lives, and improve overall resource protection, and with higher shellfish and fish yields, can increase revenue and eventually, the tax base. Oh, and the most ardent protectors of the natural environment in the little town? The villagers, who had seen the benefits on both sides of the new incentive-based conservation.
Back to the big picture. Just like mangroves in a tiny village, we can incentivize conservation and sustainability, but not in the old paradigm of capitalism and quick returns. We have to invest in the future, and, it will pay off. Our current system is so adulterated with special interest money convoluting the facts that we have a hard time picturing what this really could look like. The United States spends so much time and money working to improve the third world, undo wrongs that were done long ago, restore order to nations that have dealt with despots and oligarchs for too long. But I'm conviced that if we worked to incentivize conservation in cunning new ways, we would improve quality of life long term, and sew the next generation of multinational environmental thinkers.
And if you'll excuse me for a bit, I have to add key words here that will bring unassuming readers to this page who might be looking for a worthy cause to pursue {SEX, TEBOW, FANTASY FOOTBALL, BILL COSBY, TECH, CLOUD, TECHNOLOGY, MEME, DRONE, SEX, SEX, SEX, CLOUD, BOMB, BILL COSBY, JUSTIN BIEBER, BELIEBER}
Whew, I feel like I just sold my soul.
UUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRCCCHHHHHHHH!!!... Let's back up. What am I feverishly writing about? I'm writing about my radical plan to maximize political leverage and conservation money to improve the lives of those living in the dirtiest, most environmentally-denuded areas around the world. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but it needs some more pushing, because it could work.
Example: While working as agriculture extension worker on the Northern Coast of Leyte, Philippines, I wanted to plant mangroves. Thousands and thousands of mangroves. That was my plan. I went with my surly companion Edwin one morning on a little motorcycle with 10 nylon feed sacks in tow up a washboard gravel road that skirted a storybook coast in one of the poorest villages of the poorest Municipalities in the poorest region of the Philippines. Edwin would swerve mud holes and volcanic cobbles as he loudly spoke to me over the motorcycle's engine, smiling his big smile and laughing a deep, heartfelt laugh. We stopped, and for hours we picked up propagules: big, long mangrove seeds that would sprout in damp beach sand just days after being planted. All of our sacks full of propagules, we returned to town, and I paid for snacks as students and I planted over 3500 of the little sticks, which took root and bore leaves within the month. You plant mangroves to protect the ocean, and to protect people against storm surge when huge typhoons come along. It helps with shrimp habitat, coral reef development, and shellfish. Mangroves are vital. Unfortunately, I came outside one day to see that most of the mangroves had been uprooted, tossed to the side by fishermen who didn't see a need for the little trees. When I traveled to a nearby town, I heard about a successful mangrove planting that was taking place. Villagers were paid 3 pesos apiece to plant 500 mangroves in front of their house. Mangroves were their responsibility, and they'd lose face if they let their mangroves die. (Losing face is a big deal in Southeast Asia.) As it turns out, all of the mangroves in this little town, at least the ones in front of the villagers' houses, were healthy and strong. My plan had fallen prey to the fallacy of the commons and poor community engagement and incentivization. But this little town had shown that conservation, when incentivized the right way, can improve lives, and improve overall resource protection, and with higher shellfish and fish yields, can increase revenue and eventually, the tax base. Oh, and the most ardent protectors of the natural environment in the little town? The villagers, who had seen the benefits on both sides of the new incentive-based conservation.
Back to the big picture. Just like mangroves in a tiny village, we can incentivize conservation and sustainability, but not in the old paradigm of capitalism and quick returns. We have to invest in the future, and, it will pay off. Our current system is so adulterated with special interest money convoluting the facts that we have a hard time picturing what this really could look like. The United States spends so much time and money working to improve the third world, undo wrongs that were done long ago, restore order to nations that have dealt with despots and oligarchs for too long. But I'm conviced that if we worked to incentivize conservation in cunning new ways, we would improve quality of life long term, and sew the next generation of multinational environmental thinkers.
And if you'll excuse me for a bit, I have to add key words here that will bring unassuming readers to this page who might be looking for a worthy cause to pursue {SEX, TEBOW, FANTASY FOOTBALL, BILL COSBY, TECH, CLOUD, TECHNOLOGY, MEME, DRONE, SEX, SEX, SEX, CLOUD, BOMB, BILL COSBY, JUSTIN BIEBER, BELIEBER}
Whew, I feel like I just sold my soul.
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