Kellogg+journal

Scott Kellogg journal 4/7/14 As we have discussed, the demand for fish protein in the world is enormous. Two major limiting factors to fish consumption include the impact we are having on oceanic ecosystems through overfishing, and the amount of toxins that accumulate in the tissues of fish. While we are working to reduce toxicity in our water bodies, and advocate for more sustainable fishing practices, it may still be possible to raise fish in a manner that is sustainable, and one where the fish grown can be assumed to be relatively low in contamination. Aquaponics is an excellent way to be growing fish and plants together in an integrated, intensive, and closed-loop system. Because you are in control of the inputs going into the system (food and water) you can lower the concentrations of toxins found in the fish to a level well below those that would be found in fish taken from an urban river. Additionally, by building a food chain for fish from terrestrial sources, it may be possible to reduce the impact that we have overall on oceanic fisheries. The basic theory of aquaponics is as follows. Fish produce ammonia, a form of nitrogen, as a by-product of their metabolisms. If ammonia concentrations become too high in any body of water, they can become harmful or deadly to the fish. In a natural pond, there is a relative equilibrium that exists between fish and microorganisms, with the latter converting the fish ammonia into harmless forms of nitrogen. In a home fish aquarium, or an intensively stocked fish farm, the concentration of fish per volume of water is far greater than what would ever be found in nature. For this reason, home aquariums and aquaculture farms must use electric pumps to pass their fish water across synthetic filtration media. Doing so removes ammonia (and fish poop) from the system, keeping the fish healthy.
 * Aquaponics: an interim solution for sustainable fisheries**

Aquaponics differs in that it recreates the conditions found in a natural body of water in order to harness fish ammonia as fuel for a biological engine. Comprised of a community of organisms including fish, plants, microbes, worms, and snails, an aquaponics system transforms ammonia through microbial processes into nitrate, a form of nitrogen that highly usable by the edible plants being co-cultured in the system. Aquaponics is an intensive method of food production that is appropriate for urban environments where natural waters may be too polluted to allow for raising fish. Additionally, an aquaponics system is a fantastic teaching tool that demonstrates the concept of cyclical ecosystems, as well as micro-modeling how aquatic environments function in the world at large. Aquaponics is highly scalable, the same basic principals can be applied to systems ranging in size from a five gallon window unit to a giant system contained inside a warehouse.

Aquaponics is referred to as a soiless growing method. This means that unlike a traditional garden bed, the plants do not derive their sustenance from the soil itself, but rather from the nutrients that are present in the fish-enriched water that is delivered to the root zone of the plants. The origin of these nutrients is from the wastes created by the fish, in the form of both ammonia-nitrogen and their solids (poop). Most of the macro and micro nutrients required by a plant for healthy growth can be provided from this source.

Because fish are cold-blooded animals, their bodies are not warm enough to harbor pathogens that can be dangerous to humans. This is why the manures of warm blooded animals should never be used on edible plants before they are sufficiently aged or composted so as to ensure the death of any pathogens.

In soiless gardening, soluble nutrients are delivered directly to the plants. Therefore, they do not need to grow as extensive of a root mass as they would in soil, which is normally necessary for acquiring nutrients and moisture. Because of this, plants in an aquaponic system can be spaced much more closely together, allowing for a more intensive use of space ( another plus for the use of aquaponics in an urban environment).

It’s important to mention that soil less gardening should only be seen as something to compliment, not replace, traditional soil based gardening. As is requires nearly constant mechanical aeration and filtration, it uses considerably more energy than old fashioned dirt growing. It is, however, a fun method for growing fish and plants that can add to the variety of any food system.

It’s also important to distinguish aquaponics from hydroponics. While both are soiless growing methods, that is where the similarities end. In aquaponics, the source of the nutrients are fish wastes, which are in turn made from fish food. Hydroponics relies on synthetically produced, salt-based fertilizers that are either mined or manufactured. The residual nutrient solutions used in hydroponics are loaded with salts, which cannot be applied to soils or compost piles without eventually causing their salinization. Aquaponic waters, on the other hand, contain no salts and actually make fantastic plant fertilizers in and of themselves. Additionally, hydroponics is a sterile system. Hydroponic growing media must continually be sterilized, which is energy intensive and contrary to the growing acceptance of the fact that any organic system consists of a balanced microbial ecology, not a dead one. Contrary to hydroponics, aquaponic systems are microbially diverse and rich, their success being contingent upon a healthy and functioning bacterial ecosystem.

In any aquaponic systems, there are two main components. They are the fish tank, and the grow bed. The fish tank is the container that houses the fish. The grow bed is component that contains the plants and the media in which they are growing. The fish tank can be made out of any number of materials. For small set ups, a simple glass aquarium, fish bowl, or big pickle jar will work fine (I regularly find aquariums discarded in people’s trash – do doubt a failed attempt at raising tropical fish ). Larger systems can be made from recycled food grade fifty five gallon barrels, bathtubs, or kiddy pools. Very large systems will require a bit more planning and engineering, but are completely feasible. Fish tank materials should be made from glass or plastic – pretty much all metals except for stainless steel will be toxic to fish. As with anything, it’s good to start small, making little mistakes, gaining confidence, and scaling up incrementally.

Temperature fluctuations are highly stressful for fish. For this reason, it’s preferable to have as large of a container as possible – a large mass of water will reduce the daily swings from high to low temperatures. For this reason, it’s best to keep small aquaponic set ups indoors where the temperature is controlled and therefore more moderated.

The grow bed is the vessel that will contain your plants. It should be made of more or less the same materials as the fish tank. As the fish water will be cycling back and forth between the two components, any toxic materials that would leach from the grow bed would also impact the fish. The grow bed is filled with a growing medium. This medium can be any number of rot-resistant materials that allow for water and air to pass between them. Simple pea gravel is a common choice. Others include vermiculite, crushed brick, volcanic stone, or hydroton (manufactured expanded clay). The primary role of the growing medium is to give the plants something to root into, and to provide surface area for microbial colonization.

Because terrestrial vegetables cannot survive with their roots immersed in water (they will rot), they need to live in a reasonably well oxygenated, and moist environment. This is achieved in an aquaponics grow bed by using a technique called flood and drain. Flood and drain systems are designed to have an electric pump (on a timing switch) fill the grow bed with fish water once every forty five minutes. The pump will run for about fifteen minutes, after which it will shut off, and allow the water to drain out the bottom of the grow bed, back in to the fish tank. As the water drains, it pulls oxygen in behind it, creating an environment for plant roots that is both moist and well aerated.

In aquaponics, there are a few basic ratios that apply to any sized systems. Once mastered at the small level, they can be scaled up accordingly to any size system. The most important number is the ratio of fish tank to media bed. To begin with, the grow bed should be roughly equal in volume to the fish tank. This will ensure that there is enough surface area for microbes to grow on and to adequately de-nitrify the fish water. Once a system has matured sufficiently, and the microbes have established themselves it may be possible to add more grow beds and have a greater grow bed to fish tank ratio. Another important ratio is the number of fish that can be kept per volume of water. The basic recommendation is that there be one fish for every five to ten gallons of water. So, a fifty five gallon barrel could reasonably have between five to ten fish living inside of it. This is assuming that the fish, when fully grown, are weighing around two pounds. If they are especially large fish, the ration of fish to water should be less. It may be possible to have more fish per gallons, but it will be necessary to use even greater amounts of aeration and filtration, increasing the energy demand for the system, and the likelihood of high fish mortality should the power fail.

Aquaponics, in its essence, is a microbial system. The bacteria are fundamentally what drives aquaponics, convertin ammonia into plant food. When an aquaponics systems is first set up, the microbial community will need time to mature before they can effectively be converting ammonia. It’s recommended that an aquaponics system be fully set up and allowed to cycle for a minimum of three months before any fish are added to it. In order to speed up the process of microbial colonization, it can be helpful to first inoculate it with bacterial cultures collected from the wild. This can be done by sucking up sediments from a relatively non-polluted water body, using a turkey baster. In these sediments, there will be an enormous diversity of types of bacteria, many of which will happily colonize a grow bed. After being collected, the sediments can be injected directly into the grow bed, where they will set up shop.

Worms are also an important component of aquaponics. Red wigglers (//eisenia fetida//), also known as compost or manure worms, are a species of worm that thrive in high nutrient environments, like a compost bin or an aquaponics grow bed. They play an important role in the grow bed, consuming fish solids and transforming them into a more stable material. Without them, the pore spaces between the grow media would quickly clog. Because grow beds are only periodically flooded, and remain oxygenated most of the time, the worms are able to survive the flood and drain cycle. When it is first set up, a grow bed can be seeded with a handful of worms. They will quickly begin multiplying once fish waste is being delivered to them. As we mentioned before, if done properly, aquaponics has the potential to greatly reduce the impact that we are having on global oceanic ecosystems. Currently, one fifth of the world's population relies on fish as its primary source of protein ([]). \ In order to meet this demand, the oceans are essentially being vacuumed of life. Global demand for fish has prompted the commercial fishing industry to harvest fish from the sea at an unsustainable rate. Reports from NOAA predict that if this trajectory continues, the planet could be facing collapse of its oceanic ecosytems by mid-century.

Large-scale commercial fish farming, as it is currently practiced, does nothing to reduce the impact we are having on oceanic fisheries. A farm raised salmon is fed a diet of processed fish protein. The source of this protein is the pelletized remains of fish caught on fishing ships. Because it takes between two to five ocean caught fish to raise one farm raised salmon, eating commercially farmed fish can actually worsen our impact on the oceans. For this reason, it's important to be making foods for fish from terrestrial sources (see silkworms and black soldier flies), and to be raising fish that eat close to the bottom of the food chain. By combining these two approaches, it can be possible to sustainably raise fish. The best types of fish to grow in an aquaponics system are those which are low-trophic. A low-trophic fish eats close to the bottom of the food chain, if it's not exactly herbivorous. This basically means that they can be fed a wider variety of foods, and unlike top level predatory fish such as bass, trout, and pickerel, don't require high level protein in the form of smaller fish. Low-trophic species could also be called detritivores (detritus eating) or opportunivores (willing to eat what ever they have the opportunity to get), and will eat everything including vegetable scraps, insects, worms, snails, and some aquatic plants. Some low-trophic species include catfish, carp, goldfish, sunfish, perch, and tilapia.

Tilapia is a speices of fish very commonly raised in aquaculture and aquaponic systems. They, unlike the species previously mentioned, are genuinely herbivorous. While other fish may occasionally nibble at a plant, tilapia will enthusiastically devour them. Additionally, they are tolerant of crowded conditions, can breed in captivity, and are highly marketable. Tilapia, however, are appropriate to raise only under certain circumstances. Being a tropical fish, tilapia will only grow in warm water ( temperatures in the 80's are optimal) and most varieties will die if the temperature drops below fifty five degrees. As tilapia may need a year or more to grow to full size, it's likely going to be necessary to heat your water at some point if you live anywhere outside of the tropics. If you live in mild climate, such as the southern US, it may not be too difficult to keep water temperatures that high. In a colder climate, however, it's going to be very difficult to keep the water that warm, even in a greenhouse. Keeping water sufficiently warm for tilapia year round in a cold climate is simply going to be an energetic and economic loss. The one exception may be is if you have a space that is being heated for free. One possible example of this may be a greenhouse attached to another building, and warmed by the waste heat given off from it. 3/26/14

Some food for thought following yesterday's conversation. I don't agree with the all the author's conclusions, but it's an interesting analysis. Excerpted from Green Left Weekly https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/37965

It is often thought that concern for the interconnection of living systems is a modern development. But Karl Marx's talked about it repeatedly throughout his //Capital//. Marx didn't use the word "ecology" — it was coined in 1866 — but metabolism. He argued that capitalist accumulation shatters basic processes of ecological sustainability "by destroying the circumstances surrounding [natural] metabolism". Marx called this "metabolic rift". So, he said, what is needed is the "systematic restoration [of natural metabolism] as a regulating law of social reproduction". In other words: farming and other productive activities have to restore the ecological balance, and this can only really be achieved under a system where people and the environment come before profits — socialism. Australian-developed permaculture farming principles aim at restoring this balance. Within capitalist Australia, permaculture remains a fringe movement. But in socialist Cuba, it has become mainstream. Viewers of the inspiring film //The Power of Community// can see with their own eyes the depth of meaning that Marx attached to "healing the metabolic rift". It is a physical healing of the land, combined with a spiritual rejuvenation of human society.

3/25/14 Had a visit yesterday from a group of students from the Parsons school. They were high school age students with emotional disorders. It was a positive experience overall, and the students were very responsive to interacting with animals - chickens, rabbits, etc. It's interesting how animals have the ability to open open people and have a highly therapeutic effect.

3/25/14  Below are a list of questions to help students with their soil case study. In addition, it'd be great to do some basic soil diagnostic experiments with the students just to give them something to tangibly relate to. I'd like to do a soil jar "shake test" to have them become familiar with different soil particle sizes (sand,silt,clay) and also a soil water timed infiltration test (pouring water into sand/clay/mixes and timing how long it takes water to pass through, then adding organic matter to each to note the effect on moisture retention).

Questions for soil case study:

1. What are the primary physical characteristics of soils in your county? Do they range greatly, or are they fairly homogenous? Does their variation correlate to geographical features such as mountains and valleys? Use the NRCS soil survey and your county soil and water conservation office as guides.

2. What are the primary agricultural uses of soil in your county? Is their much farming, ranching, or forestry in your county? How would the agricultural use relate to soil conditions? Has the predominant agriculture use changed significantly over time? (i.e., gone from ranching/hay to forest?)

3. What issues impact soil health in your county? Is the soil particularly subject to wind or water erosion? Has significant topsoil loss occurred? What efforts, if any,exist in your county to educate people about and protect their soils?

4. If you've chosen an urbanized county, can you say what the relative ratios of pervious to impervious covers are? How does this impact water quality in your county?  3/19/14 Great day in class today, I was glad to see the students responding to the systems curriculum so well. Introduced the fish today. Explained how they need time to acclimate to the temperature differences and that was why they needed to sit in the water for 10 minutes of so, and that there was limited air in the bag, so we had to aerate while we were waiting. The smallest fish immediately darted between the holes in the divider, which allows it to select its preferred environment. The worm bin is looking nice. There were seeds sprouting inside of it that we transplanted into the gravel bed in the aquaponics system, which I would expect to grow. Removed algae from the fish tank and fed it to the worms. I think it's important to emphasize to students that we are in no way advocating that aquaponics replace traditional soil based gardening. There are people who advocate for this, but they are coming from a more techno-utopian/futurist perspective. In places in the world where there are more abundant water resources, aquatic farming makes more sense. But in other regions, it would require essentially covering the earth's surface with impermeable membranes to be filled with water. The energetic input required to drive aquaponics is relatively small, but still substantial. It cannot compare in overall efficiency with soil based farming. It's also very important for us to retain our connection with the soil, and soil based processes, which could be lost if all food was produced through soil-less practices. We also need to explain the continuum of resilience and efficiency as it applies to aquaponics - the most intensive aquaponic systems are pretty much on par with factory farming. I see aquaponics as a fantastic teaching tool, appropriate in some situations (particularly urban), but being really nothing that is ever more than complimentary to soil based farming.

3/14/14 I've been thinking about possibilities for what I can focus my energies on for the remainder of the class, and have come up with an idea. I propose to design curriculum around combined sewage overflows, or CSOs, in the capital district and their impact on the local watershed. This curriculum would be put into practice in a culminating event involving the release of a floating island restorer into the Hudson in conjunction with the high school students of Radix's 4H Earth Club. The curriculum could also be used with the Thursday high school researchers at RPI(in the soil and water component) and with Tamarac elementary (introducing "pollutants" into the aquaponic system through lego city). More details are below.

Older cities throughout the US commonly employ combined sewer systems, a single set of pipes in the ground which handle both sewage and storm water runoff. Under dry conditions, these pipes deliver wastewater to processing plants for treatment and discharge. However, during rain events these pipes can become overwhelmed with storm water. In order not to back up into streets, they are designed to spill over and discharge into local water ways. The introduction of both raw sewage and household and industrial pollutants into the watershed is devastating to health of aquatic ecosystems and to the people living on them. Algae feed off the nutrients contained in the sewage, proliferating rapidly. When they die, their bodies are consumed by bacteria. This leads to depleted oxygen in the water bodies which causes massive fish die-offs,or dead zones. This entire process is called "eutrophication". The frequency of CSOs in the Hudson River renders large parts of it unfit for either fishing or swimming. Additionally, a slew of industrial and pharmaceutical pollutants are introduced into the environment in this way.

CSOs are particulalry common in urban areas due to the preponderance of impervious covers (asphalt roads, concrete sidewalks, rubber rooftops, etc.). When water is not permitted to infiltrate into soils, it instead rushes off and overwhelms the sewers. Strategies for combatting CSOs range from the large scale and political (inserting a second set of pipes to handle storm water and sewage separately) to the small scale and community-based (rainwater collection, asphalt removal, construction of rain gardens, coordinated "don't flush me", etc.). In this curriculum, I will discuss these approaches, as well as possibilities for aquatic remediation following CSO events, such as the floating island restorer.

The floating island restorer, or floating trash island, is a floating structure made of bundled plastic bottles that supports aquatic vegetation. The roots of plants growing on the island are suspended in the water column and provide attachment sites for microbial biofilms. The attached bacteria can facilitate the degradation of both biological and chemical pollutants passing through the water column. There is a growing body of scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of restorers, which are increasingly used to remediate polluted water from both municipal and industrial sources. I personally have overseen the development and deployment of several in both Austin and the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. When made from recycled plastic bottles collected from the banks of the affected water body, cleanup occurs in two ways and becomes a fun, participatory event for local residents.

In conjunction with the 4H earth club, we are planning to construct a floating island sometime in April which will be "incubated" in the Radix greenhouse aquaponic pond until its deployment into the Hudson River near the outfall of the Beaverkill Creek/sewer in South Albany sometime in June. Both the construction and the deployment are planned to be open, participatory public education events. I hope to involve students from Albany High's AP Environmental Science class in the action as well.

While we recognize there is a complex mix of legal issues regarding placing a floating island in the Hudson, and that the impact of one island on overall water quality is negligible, we are hoping it will be seen as primarily a symbolic, educational action combining science and art that will bring awareness to the health of the local watershed and the continued problem of CSOs. Ideally, it will inspire further action involving larger scale endeavors of a similar nature. We intend to have local youth (youth FX) document the action with video, and to post such documentation on the internet. If the island remains at its anchoring point, its growth and development over the course of the Summer will be additionally documented ( they commonly become habitat for wildlife, as well!).

There is a direct connect between aquaponics and CSOs. The microbial processes in an aquaponics system that transform fish waste into nutrients are the same as those that occur in a river or lake. In this regard, the concept of scaling can be introduced. Additionally, the effects of overloading or stressing a system and forcing it into a regime shift can be explored, as well as a conversation about resilience, both ecological and social (how human health relates to the well being of the watershed).

I think this can be a fun and interactive way to continue developing curriculum around systems. We can look at hydrology, wastewater treatment, river ecology, soils, social and political structures all as a combined system. Spinoff discussions can encompass alternatives to our current system of wastewater treatment (particularly in the context of the amount of energy used to maintain them) and in regards to food (how CSOs in part prevent us from eating fish/shellfish from the river). John Todd, the author of the ecological engineering article, has done quite a bit of work with floating restorers and this may be a good opportunity to apply some of the principles of ecological robustness/resilience to the conversation.

From a sociological perspective, many points are brought up. First, people's lack of connection/relationship with the rivers that were the original reason economically or ecologically that their cities existed in the first place. There are many physical barriers to accessing rivers, including highways and fences. It's commonly inflow-income neighborhoods that access is most limited. Creating an island will help local residents develop a connection and concern for the well being of the watershed, and will give them a reason to approach the river's edges. Additionally, there is great reluctance on behalf of governmental agencies to provide any warning system for CSO events, which can greatly affect the health of swimmers downriver.

3/7/14 I was asked to present about vermicomposting at the science fair at the Delaware Community School, a public school in Albany. I brought in the container of worms to a table with a display set up by the organizers. Youth were particularly interested in digging through the worm bin and examining the worms inside. Many were interested in examining the worms, and holding a bundle of them in their hands. While most students didn't stay long enough to have an in depth conversation about worm composting, I believe there is a huge value in letting them just touch worms and to not be afraid of them.

3/1/14 Yesterday I went and did a program at Giffen elementary school in the South End of Albany in conjunction with the boys and girls club. I have been trying to get an "in" at Giffen for some time now, as they are the school that is most closely located to Radix, and has been historically difficult for any organization to build connections with. There were two groups of students, one of 3-4 graders and one of 1-2 grader. I brought in two trays with the intention of teaching them how to grow micro greens, short rotation vegetables that can be grown intensively in small spaces such as apartments. I brought in a tray of pea shoots, which are sweet. The students happily ate them all, needing little prompting from me. We began a conversation about vegetables, which kinds the student liked to eat and why. From there it lead to gardening, who had one and who had experience with gardening. It was interesting that many of the students reported having grandparents with gardens and who had taught them something about gardening. I allowed the students to put there hands in a container of soil, squeezing it, smelling it, and asking them questions about its a color, texture, etc. They were all very enthusiastic about participating. I asked whether students thought soil was alive or not, and went to describe the number of organism living in a spoonful of soil. What made soil healthy or not? Leading to discussion about compaction, drying out, and toxicity. The I brought out some vermicompost, or "worm fertilizer" containing a number of worms. Kids loved playing wight worms, and they all wanted to take one home. Got to slide in fun worm facts. We mixed soil and vermicompost, and used that to make our trays. I then gave each student a few pre-soaked pea seeds that they spread about on the tray. Trays were placed in a sunny area, I explained how they'd have to water them daily, and could harvest them in 3 weeks time. The best part then was letting them tear apart the tray that we harvested, letting them examine the matrix of soil, worms, roots, and seeds. The experience was both literally and figuratively grounding for all, and the counselors all agreed that it went well and invited me back to harvest the peas in 3 weeks.

2/27/14 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/02/140211-germany-plans-to-raze-towns-for-brown-coal/ Here's a link to an interesting article in National Geographic about the expansion of brown coal mining in Germany. Brown coal, or lignite, is a lower energy, dirtier type of coal than the black anthracite that is more commonly mined. It produces a far greater number of greenhouse gas emissions, and has a much lower return on energy invested. Numerous villages are being razed in Germany to allow for coal mining. The article points out the many contradictions in Germany's energy policy. Germany is working towards developing a greater renewable energy sector, and has promised to phase out nuclear power by the 2025. It is interesting, then, that they are still developing so much of a "dirty fuel" infrastructure. It was argued that the phasing out of nuclear may necessitate more of a shift to coal use for electricity production, as alternative energy sources are still being developed. To me, it is an interesting indication of nations' willingness to mine these "unconventional" fuel sources as more high grade energy resources become less desirable. The demands of an expanding economy will force this, unfortunately at the expense of environmental integrity, communities, and very much to the detriment of the the climate.

2/24/14 Had an interestingly engaging week with a number of environmental education opportunities - February vacation and lots of families looking for activities for their children. Had a visit with a homeschool group of pre-school age children. It's always a bit of a challenge with children this young, i really just terry and maximize touching animals, soil, water, developing some basic connection with these elements. Too much discussion goes over their heads, keeping it simple is ideal, less is really more. Had an interesting meeting with an engineer who has been commissioned to build an aquaponics system in Brooklyn. Had a lengthy talk with him about the practicalities and limitations of such systems. Whoever is being left with it needs to understand the system in all its components - mechanical, biological, chemical…Often times it sounds really appealing, but the maintenance is significant…Micro scale systems are more likely to be taken care of over time.

2/13/14 Great time in the classroom yesterday! It seems like the students were excited and enthusiastic about everything we had to show them. The systems modeling seemed to work well, and was not too far over their heads. It was fun setting up the aquaponics system. The whole set up had to be emptied cleaned, resealed and pressure tested before being deployed, but seemed to function just fine. It was the first time I ran the pump while it was filled with gravel/sand, which seemed to slow it down a bit. The kids participated in filling it with gravel and water, which was a fun and physical way to involve them in the set up. We inoculated it with the initial organisms, snails, microbes, plants etc. Students will make observations over the next few weeks regarding reduced turbidity in the water, activity of snails, and growth of plants. It was interesting to break open the water hyacinth and have the students make the connection between its structure and the similarities to styrofoam. There, the seed could be planted that there are natural analogues/alternatives to certain synthetic materials. It was also great that they were able to make the connection between chlorine in pools as a disinfectant and what effect that has on microbial life/human bodies. It would be great to bring a worm composting system into the classroom and integrate the two systems - worm castings and worms fertilize/inhabit the aquaponics, while dead plant matter feeds the worms.

2/13/14 Attended the DEC's public hearing about the proposed oil heating plant at the port of Albany. Instantly, DEC attempted to deflect any responsibility for regulating the hugely increased amount of train traffic coming into Albany with a crude oil load, claiming that its regulation is the responsibility of the federal government. Numerous people spoke out against the proposed plant, including myself, greatly concerned about the risk it poses to the immediate safety of the surrounding communities, and to the long term health of those living in its vicinity who may be exposed to the volatiles released during the process of heating the oil. It's fundamentally a classic example of an environmental justice abuse. Our society's demand for cheap petroleum, coupled with the massive profit potential of its sale, however, will unfortunately more than likely ensure that the trains continue to role. Any challenge to the petrol industry needs to be backed by functioning positive non-polluting and renewable alternatives in order to add validity to any critique.

2/10/14 Went to a planning meeting at Albany Hight to establish an environmental club on campus. I was inspired to see the energy and enthusiasm of youth leaders. It's interesting that there always seems to be one adult who is a little overly enthusiastic and has huge ambitions, wanting to launch a massive scale program with external funding. These ambitions can strip power away from the youth, and become a colossal failure after capacity has been overshot and there is not the basic on site support for sustaining such endeavors. A sentiment that was echoed afterwards was the need to start small and be student directed. Building just one raised bed garden is a good start. Demonstrate that it can be cared for and grow slowly and incrementally, empowering the students in the process. They are excited to partner with Radix, and I pledged our logistical and informational support.

2/4/14 Downloaded the ocean arks curriculum. Did a workshop with them in 2003, where I got a chance to be familiar with their educational curriculum. They've done some great pioneering work in developing a solid scientific foundation for complex systems.

2/2/14 Worked on modifying the bicycle generator to be usable by children. It's designed originally to be used with an adult bicycle, has to wrap tie-down webbing around the turbine spindle so that it would make contact with the wheel. Kids were very eager to use the generator, and were amazed when the light bulb lit up. With the charge controller, it's very easy for them to generate too much power, tripping the circuit. It was suggested that more bulbs be connected in series, making it more difficult for that to happen. Did some preliminary explanations of how mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. 3rd graders seem interested and responsive. How des this simple mechanical system get linked to broader ecosystem considerations?

1/30/14 Reflecting on the writing of the differences about environmental attitudes as they fall along political lines, I have to think about how the libertarian sensibility can be appealed to. How can good environmental stewardship be linked to self-interest in a way that it results in a benefit to the collective whole. Perhaps a waste and consumption are not the biggest problems in and of themselves, but more that the materials that we are consuming have been imbued with toxic materials. The perspective of historical ecology shows us that there are many examples of human societies where anthropogenic impact has resulted in increased soil fertility, biodiversity, and ecosystem function overall. Could similar systems be designed for today? One shortcoming f the mainstream environmental movement is its constant refrain of seeing humans as inherently destructive, and urging us only to do less. This is not nearly so compelling as telling people to continue consuming and to build soil with their by-products. Obviously there are limits to this, and the potential exists for the wrong person to use this as a justification for unchecked consumption, but it could serve as a starting point for reframing environmental discussions.

1/31/14 Interesting exercise yesterday in plotting how systems can be taught to young children. Reflecting off of what Kim has said about how teachers are mandated to teach about systems, but for most that is going to mean simple, linear, mechanical systems. Most people would conceptualize a system as being no more than a lever and a pulley. I've been reading a lot about complex adaptive systems lately, as well as complexity science. I'ts an interesting framework that is being developed that has potential applications in fields as diverse as weather prediction to sustainability to computer science. The notion that emergent phenomenon exists, that complex systems can display phenomenon greater than the sum of their parts. It's an interesting puzzle to think how this can be conveyed to young children in a way that is comprehensible. it will be interesting to see what happens on Wednesday a Tamarac with the bicycle as a first teaching tool.