We had a full day at Victoria University in Wellington! I was happy to see so many aspects of sustainable development come to life on campus. For example, we got a glimpse of one of the bee hives and we also explored the milk room, which uses glass bottles for whole milk, along with the worm farm. The Living Pa project seemed like a massive undertaking but I can’t wait to see it fully functional! It will definitely be a job well worth the hard work and wait, as a building that completely sustains itself is not only rare but a huge step towards green development.
I also enjoyed talking to each of our hosts about the challenges of sustainability. The Living Pa project is an obvious example of how difficult it is to be completely 100% self-sufficient, as seen by the strict requirements of waste management, materials used, and more. However, there are difficulties even in day-to-day efforts, and it is important to consider these without glossing over or shaming valid reasons to be slightly more wasteful. For example, air travel has an undeniably large carbon footprint, something to be considered by tourists around the world, but Dr. Schott noted that sometimes what’s strictly best for the environment is not always best for the societal greater good. He mentioned flying around the world to give talks about how bad flying is in regards to CO2 emissions, but he explained that he felt his efforts to convey sustainability challenges in person outweighed the environmental cost of air travel. Obviously sustainability is a large and complex issue with not only several challenges, but several viable solutions. The real challenge then is coming up with the best solution of the array of options and encouraging society to follow.
