Reading Response #15: A New Model for Civilization

Clearly the population of the earth will continue to significantly increase. How are we to survive, as civilization spreads out into inhospitable lands? And how can the earth even support such a massive strain on its resources? Weisman and Kratochvil take a glimpse into a scientific experiment that could provide many answers, in their article “Nothing Wasted, Everything Gained.”

It began in 1971, a challenge to transform a barren savanna into a habitable place. What occurred would have unlikely been foreseen. Now sitting in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by guerrilla armies, is the thriving village of Gaviotas. Here scientists, without the interference of politicians, have managed to create a sustainable industry, while emitting absolutely no emissions.

By planting trees that would thrive in the region, the Gaviotan people have brought back diverse wildlife and plant species. Trees also function as the source for their sustainable industry. Tapping trees in rotation every eight years, similar to maple-syrup production. Gaviotas is doing so well, that it is actually building more factories to support new sustainable operations.

A simple life, like the one lived in this village may only appeal to few. However, technologies and ideas, that have developed as a result of this experiment, can be extracted and applied in small ways elsewhere. In fact they already have been. After being introduced, the tools used in the village have spread throughout the region. Given proper resources these technologies could be exported to impoverished nations to help boost their quality of life. The model for production, set in this village should be a lesson to all manufacturers in ways to minimize the polluting methods currently practiced.

Reference

Weisman, A., & Kratochvil, A. (1998). Nothing wasted, everything gained. Mother Jones, 23(2), 56. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

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