Tatooine, Toilet Phones, Socks and Robots

When we flew over Arizona, I thought we had reached Tatooine.  Growing up in the bayous and swamps of Louisiana, the Virgin Mountains looked much more like an alien planet than an earthly biome.  The strange natural beauty of Arizona and Nevada was mesmerizing and a stark contrast to the explosion of man-made clutter once inside the Las Vegas Valley.  Even as a seasoned air traveler, landing in Las Vegas is unsettling—the heat from the surrounding desert is trapped inside the valley, making for a turbulent and nauseating landing.

After the initial discomfort of descent into the valley, the first thing you see upon exiting the plane is an island of slot machines—Welcome to Vegas.  My colleague Evan and I talked excitedly as we headed towards baggage claim—even seeing a flashing advertisement for HPE Discover as we descended the escalators.  Neither of us had ever been to Vegas or Discover, and we were both ecstatic for the opportunity.

Upon reaching our hotel, I hit my head on the glass of the Lyft in shock.  The Venetian Hotel and Resort is a meticulously detailed replica of Venice—complete with the Grand Canal, Doges Palace and Rialto Bridge.  A doorman opened the car door and told us about the 15 pools on floor 4 and I thought he was kidding—he wasn’t, and he didn’t mention the others on floor 10. The lobby was breathtaking—marble floors, a golden fountain and a gondolier playing classical guitar. I couldn’t help but audibly giggle or sing along to his instrumental rendition of La vie en Rose. 

My personal hotel room was enormous.  The bathroom was overflowing with marble and gold, the bed was big enough for 4.  I counted 3 televisions, and the window view was complete with the nearby volcanic rock mountains.  I collapsed on the couch and had to take a few deep breaths—the lavishness was overwhelming.  Many people don’t know where their next meal will come from—but here, everything is ornate, rich and flashy.

Perhaps one of the most interesting and peculiar aspects of my hotel room was the corded landline—with two lines, cause one line wasn't one—mounted on the wall beside the toilet.  I wonder what sort of communication need you have, beyond emergencies, to direly need to make a phone call, with the ability of call waiting, while using the toilet.  I suppose business in Vegas never stops—that, or it’s continually the 1980’s.

Downstairs, I met up with my colleague and friend Zack.  It was definitely refreshing to see a familiar face with in such an overwhelming place, and I instantly started to feel better and excited about the opportunity to represent HPE at Discover.  We walked through the hotel and into a mall where a literal river was running through.  I heard this odd sound of opera and realized the river—or Grand Canal, I should say—was complete with opera singing gondoliers.  

Looking up, there’s a false sky imitating daylight to set the romantic mood.  The little shops and restaurants were all made to fall under the Italian architecture and fit within theme, and I was both impressed and overwhelmed by the amount of detail.

We had walked so much within the Venetian that I was under the impression I had been walking the strip—I hadn’t.  Vegas hotels are so huge that it gives you that impression, but the reality is that Vegas is just an over-sized Disneyworld for adults. 

After a bit of ice breakers with the other Young Employee Network (YEN) ambassadors who had already arrived, I was set to meet up with Dr. Tom Bradicich--an important executive and VP of Servers, Converged Edge and IoT Systems--to talk about and film a video on the non-profit he founded and currently runs called SOC.  This non-profit is focused on helping the homeless, including sick and needy children, by giving them the number one requested item at shelters--socks. 

Despite being in a tech company where we call even our CEO by her first name, it's still a bit intimidating to talk to executives. But, Dr. Tom was completely empathetic and excited to talk to me despite my relative un-importance (professional ranking, at least), and he was incredibly down-to-earth and kind-hearted in person, too.  

We filmed an interview to promote his non-profit, complete with a sock scarf and sock puppet, and I can now say I understand a bit about what it's like to work on SNL.  There were teleprompters, cameras, lights, and a seemingly unnecessary (but totally necessary) amount of people behind the camera all talking at once, and I was initially a bit terrified.  But, Dr. Tom and the crew were all encouraging, so I quickly became comfortable despite the initial awkwardness.

After the interview, I was able to meet back up with my fellow YEN Ambassadors and learn more about all the different roles and booths we'd be stationed at for the rest of the week.  

I was assigned the Hybrid IT section; my role was to greet customers, assist with demonstrations, give demonstrations if necessary and help customers better understand HPE products and solutions. This demo was perhaps my favorite--and was most definitely one of the most popular--represents a partnership with PTC who designed the predictive analytic software and Texas Instruments who designed the 100 sensors throughout the demo.  This solution shows how data from the manufacturing floor like temperature, vibrations, humidity, motion, etc., can be analysed 'at the edge' with HPE Edgeline server.  Edgeline, unlike traditional servers, is engineered to withstand environmental fluctuations, and is able to analyze the enormous amount of data where the data is being generated.  This saves time and resources since the data doesn't have to be sent to a data center where the servers ultimately consume much more energy, and any data that signifies possible issues can be identified in real-time through PTC's software.  The software monitored the health and functioning of all manufacturing floor parts, alerted you to any possible part failures and gave an educated estimate on when that part would fail--allowing for you to better plan and spent money on fixing parts only when you needed to--and thereby minimizing any downtime from complete failure, and increased the positive yield of the floor. 

The PTC guys and I debated what the robot should be named, and I still don't think we came to a consensus. My vote is for Helga, as her precision and drive seemed very stereo-typically German. 

Loire Valley Wine, an Environmental Scientist's Perspective

I've recently returned from my graduate work in France.  I know, it sounds awful, right?  I drank wine, dug for worms in mudflats, went on a field trip to Germany and embarrased myself in French every day.  I highly recommend the utterly bewildering and humbling experience of living abroad in a country that doesn't speak your native language, and I assure you that it's not easy--at all.  But, there's at least wine in France to both wash away the harder moments and cherish the ones that make it all worthwhile. 

Prior to pursuing my degree in France, I worked in wine and fine dining.  Being able to go to France and drink wine as a scientist, however, was unimaginable; I was able to see firsthand why wines tasted a certain way from one region to another based on the environmental conditions.

One of the interesting things about France is that for such a relatively small country (well, compared to the U.S.A. at least), it has a huge amount of ecological diversity that allows for a diversity of wine grapes.

Geological Structure Map of France ( Adream)

Judging by the Geological Structure map, you can see that the landscape of France changes quite a bit depending on the region.  Alpine tundra, mountain forests, Mediterranean beaches--France is composed of many different landscapes that are shaped by these underlying geological structures.

Since I was living in the Loire, however, I'll focus more on how geology, climate, pedology and landscape affect the taste of the Loire wines.  Explaining all of France's many wine regions might take me a lifetime. 

The Loire is the longest river in France.  In fact, it drains an area amounting to over 1/5th of the entire country. The Loire valley region served as the major trade route between the Atlantic and Paris, making it once the most powerful region in France after the royal kindgdom itself.
Yet, it wasn't just trade that made the Loire wealthy.  The Pays-de-la-Loire is the meeting ground between four major geological structures: Massif Central, Parisien River Basin, Massif Armorican and the Loire River Basin.  The Loire begins in the Massif Central, the volcanic mass of the Auvergne Mountains, and ends 630 miles (1.012 km) later in Saint Nazaire on the Atlantic coast in the Massif Armorican.  Thus, the types of sediments and species are a lot different at the Loire's source than at its mouth.

If you've had some French wine, you've probably heard about Champagne (as in from Champagne), Bordeaux and Bourgogne (Burgundy).  If you're well-seasoned, you'll know that the Loire produces a huge diversity of wines at a much lower cost than the three more well-known regions.   One reason that the Loire can produce such a multitude and diversity of wine is because the temperate, maritime climate leads to warm summers and cool, rainy winters that allow grapes to ripen. 

(Check out the map in full here)

Another reason for the Loire valley's diversity of wines is the soil itself.  The different geological structures make for different soil types across the region.  These soil types make different varietals (types of wine grapes), and the flavor characteristics of these varietals vary distinctly between what part of the Loire they're found.  

Looking at the map, you can find argillaceous (clay), sandy soil in the Chinonais, freestones in the Saumurois, shales in the Anjou, and lastly gravel and limestone in the Touraine.  These are the very soil types which are reputedly some of the most suitable for growing vines.

(Photo from Ackerman)

I know that soils and weird French names are a lot to take in, so let me focus in a little more.  I visited Ackerman Vineyards, a winery located in Saumur, France on the left bank (South) of the Loire.  Most Ligerian vineyards are located on the left bank of the river because the landscape is hilly, allowing for protection from an overabundance of wind, rain, flooding and sunlight.  This is in contrast to the right bank of the Loire, or the floodplains, that might be great for growing crops but is much too rich to grow stubborn wine grapes.

Because Ackerman is in Saumur, it falls closer to the sedimentary rocks of the Parisien Basin and is thus composed of rocks like limestone (whereas the Massifs have metamorphic and volcanic rock types like slate and shale).

Limestone soil is apt for growing subtly effervescent Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes.  Why?  Calcareous, calcium rich soil retains water, encouraging cation exchange and thereby allowing the vines to adequately absorb nutrients.  Even more, the soil itself is more acidic and helps the grapes maintain a crisp acidity. 

Ackerman is renowned for making Cremant de la Loire, which is essentially sparkling wine made from regional grapes in the traditional method.  The traditional method refers to a process of making sparkling wine; first, you ferment the grapes to produce a still wine.  Seems simple, but then, you have a choice of 4 different methods to create the CO2 bubbles through another fermentation process.  The traditional method's secondary fermentation takes places in the wine bottle, as demonstrated above.

Ackerman combines its local grapes Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc to make its sparkling wine. Whereas typical Champagnes taste buttery, yeasty and toasty, Cremant de la Loires will have a crisper, more citrusy taste.  But, of course, this is merely a generalization.  Aging, climate patterns from the vintage (year of harvest) and methods will alter the wine's profile.  The difference in flavors and scents across types of wine is derived from the different grapes, soils, geology, climate and methods.  It seems complicated, but, if you've had enough wine in your life, you'll be able to taste and smell the difference.

I know I've been going on for a while now, but I'm going to add one more cool fact about these wines:

The rolling limestone hills of the leftbank lead to a lot of excavations, allowing for the construction of all the famous Loire chateaux.  Once the hills were excavated, however, huge caverns were left behind.  These troglodyte caves were used for the secondary fermentation of sparkling wine, as the caves maintain a constant temperature of 55 degrees F (12 celsius) and balanced humidity year round, providing shelter from vibrations and light that would otherwise spoil wine.

These caves were also used to cultivate mushrooms and snails.  And, oddly enough, served as homes to poorer residents of the region.  Today, however, these troglodyte caves are expensive and posh homes in the countryside of a famous French wine region.

Pictured above is the town of Montsoreau and its troglodytes and tufa rock homes nestled in the hills.  Or, as I'd like to think, a French Shire. 

Cafe Citoyen

Cafe Citoyen

I've discussed songs that teach sustainability, habits one can better ecologically, but I've stumbled upon another interesting thing to consider: Café Cityoen. While couchsurfing in Lille, France (Northern), my friend Stephanie and I stayed at a boy Rémi's house. Rémi works at Café Citoyen--a bar that prides itself on uniting a community of people who chose to be ecologically responsible by selling only organic, faire trade and vegetarian products. Even more, the café hosts talks, film screenings, concerts and debates on various issues regarding ethics around the world.

"Sur les themes d'environnement, de la protection de la nature, des Droits de l'Homme, de la coopération internationale, des iniatives alternatif...etc. Ces animations ont pour object de s'informer, partager, échanger sous une forme ludique ou artistique (spectacles du théàtre ou musicaux) avec toujours le souci de l'objectivité et de l'ouverture."

On the themes of the environment, of the protection of nature, of the rights of Man, of international cooperation, of alternative iniatives...etc. These animations are for the purpose of informing, sharing and exchanging under one form, games or artistic (events of theatre or music) with always the concern of objectivity and of openness (open-minded).

I am no translator, but you get the point. I took the quote from the menu--and even walked in on a screening of a particularly saddening BBC documentary on a massacre in Scotland that I had never even heard of. I found the Café to be particularly engaging--to bring people together to share ideas and concepts over a sustainably produced beer or a healthy meal. It's not exactly putting an end to global warming by existing, but it is promoting critical thinking and community on things we need to be brave and selfless enough to think about.

The Softer Side of Plastic

(Image of a "oxo-biodegradable" plastic bag from PG.com--International Packaging)

More and more, the use of plastic bags at grocery and retail stores are being questioned. As I have experienced in France--you have to either bring your bag or buy one at the store. In the United States, the state of Oregon is examining a law that will eliminate single-use plastic bags. (Read more here)

One of my friends lent me a plastic bag full of CDs. Yet instead of being mesmerized by the CDs, I found myself playing with a purple plastic bag from Etam--as I found an interesting message in the bottom of the bag:

"Ce sac est oxo-biodégradable. Sa durée de vie est limitée dans le temps car après fragmentation, il devient biodégradable. De par son mode d'élimination, il préserve l'environment."

This sac is oxo-biodegradable. It has a limited life because, after fragmentation, it becomes biodegradable. Its elimination mode preserves the environment.

Using words like "mode d'élimination" made the bag seem like a prop from a sci-fi novel, so I decided to read what oxo-biodegradable actually means. As many people know, plastic itself is very durable and takes at least 3 to 6 decades to decompose (other studies show up to a thousand years--but since plastic bags have only been around for 50 years, let's not get ahead of ourselves). This is why research has gone into trying to speed up biodegradation in plastic. Oxo-biodegradable bags contain metal salts that speed up biodegradation by breaking down molecular chains in the polymer (compound of large molecules made up of repeated, linked monomers). At the end of the plastic bag's use, it begins to fragment. Once this process begins, the bag is consumed by bacteria and fungi--as the added chemical allows the molecular weight of the bag to be accessible to micro-organisms. The biodegradation process continues until all that is left of the plastic bag is: CO2, water, and humus--not leaving behind petro-polymers that damage the environment. This process, unlike many other "sustainable" projects, will not cost much--as these bags can be made using the same machines as normal plastic bags and the added chemical only accounts for 3% of the bag. (Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association)

There are strong arguments for and against the use of these plastic bags: for one, using these bags will maintain current jobs and lives that depend upon the plastic industry--and will abandon some of the unsustainable practices they once held. On the other hand, a large part of our environmental crisis is our overproduction and over-consumption--the exploitation of our resources; rather than making our plastic bags less harmful, we should simply stop making them altogether. Another argument against the use of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags is that they are advertised with a misleading message. My response to this claim is that with any new technology, one must understand what it is and how it works before he or she uses it.

Whatever the better answer is, one thing is certain: there are so many innovative projects and ideas to be realized that will help us better live in the world. It is our responsibility to continue to educate and challenge ourselves on these matters.

Viva Las Vegans

(Viva Las Vegans is a delicious, well-priced vegetarian (with Vegan options) restaurant in the St. Michel neighborhood of Bordeaux, France)

As winter in the Charente always comes with continuous rain, the landscape around me has changed since I arrived in October. For one, all the dry creek beds and low rivers have filled with water. Even in my small town--beautiful canals have begun to flow with water, giving life to the formerly silent and desolate dirt.

These rivers and canals were not always dead during the summer and autumn. Actually, they used to be even more full in the dry seasons than they are now in the rainy season. Upon asking the villagers why this could be, they told me about the problem of agriculture in the region. All around the Charente region are fields--grapes for pineau and cognac, vegetables for produce markets, grains and cereal for bread and breakfast foods. Yet the most common field use is maize for beef cattle. In fact, many people in the region blame the beef business for irrigating water for corn feed to the point of seasonal desertification.

Despite this problem, vegetarianism and veganism is nowhere near as culturally accepted in France as it is in other countries like England and the United States (at least in certain regions). Vegetarianism and veganism, however, are receiving serious consideration in France due to the ecological motivation: it is more sustainable to eat a vegetarian diet than a omnivorous diet.

Putting aside the ethical motivations, many people are changing their diets to be more sustainable. Beyond the rare vegetarians I have met in France, almost every person who realizes I am a vegetarian tells me that they are interested in either becoming one or reducing their meat and dairy intake. Even by reducing meat intake, one can reduce their carbon footprint, land-space use, energy consumption and resource consumption.

Livestock agriculture is the fastest growing sector in agriculture and is also "one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems. Urgent action is required to remedy the situation" (FAO). Livestock agriculture generates more CO2 emissions than transportation--and accounts for 37% of all human-induced methane. Furthermore, livestock now accounts for 30% of the world's land-use. And, beyond the space and gas production, livestock also produces land degradation--and poor policies and execution lead to desertification of formerly arable land (just like in my region).

Not only does livestock agriculture take away water, but it also leads to pollution and eutrophication (when substances like nitrates and phosphates are so concentrated in a water source that it diminishes oxygen and kills inhabitants--like the Dead Zone in the Gulf). Some of these pollutants are animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones used to artificially improve the "quality" of production, and the fertilizers and pesticides for feed production. While water filters get a number of things out of the water, we are still drinking these hormones and antibiotics in our purified water--a feat that has lead many studies on whether or not there is a correlation between a decline in fertility and oral contraceptives) In attempt to feed all these animals, water cycles are often disturbed (again, like in the Charente) and can even damage entire ecosystems. (All of the previous information can be read about in more detail here)

By choosing not to eat meat, you are choosing not to add to the demand for businesses that are causing ecological harm. There's a lot more to think about here though--as dairy production can also be blamed for these problems. Even soy products can be questioned, as the soy industry has grown so much in recent years that it is causing significant problems in countries like Paraguay (read more).

The bottom line is that we must think about the ecological cost of what we are putting into our bodies. The next time you go to the supermarket--or hopefully the farmer's market--ask yourself how that product was produced. The more aware you are of how every thing you do has a consequence, the more able you will be to take responsibility for yourself.

To the trees, citizens!

I have not been able to post my writing lately, as I have not had a computer for the past two months. Alas, I will soon be reunited with my handy Macbook and will be back to contemplating nature.

While visiting a friend's family this weekend in Frontenay Rohan Rohan, I saw a six year old girl type a song name into Youtube and load a video. This is indeed the computer generation.

While I was shocked at her computer comprehension, I was more shocked by the song that came onto the screen. You can watch the music video below, and I strongly suggest that you do.
"Aux Arbes Citoyens"

Even if you don't know a word of French, it's easy to discern the message of the song by watching the music video. Yannick Noah is a retired French tennis player who has started his own charity for underprivileged children and has now become a popular musician. This song is played on radio stations throughout France, even if it has a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmental consciousness. How often are songs like this popular for mainstream audiences in the United States?

Just by watching the video, we understand that there is some sort of nuclear, or at least destructive, energy being planned for the entire planet. A bunch of guys in suits are plotting where to put the power plants, but the men are completely unaware of what is happening to four children across the globe: a boy in Africa watches a goat collapse from thirst--water shortage, a girl in Greenland literally has the ice melt from beneath her while she is fishing--global warming, a girl in a South American rain forest is bombarded by machines tearing down the forest-deforestation, and a boy in India is sitting on the harbor when a boat comes in with radioactive, toxic waste--pollution. These kids are pretty fed up with their homes being destroyed, so they march over to the world's leaders and take over the meeting. After explaining how to derive energy from natural means, the men in suits applaud the children.

The video alone is quite provocative. Yet the six year old who showed me the song in the first place was singing along with the video. She knew the words just as well as she knew the words to Inspecteur Gadget (en francais). Take the title of the song: "Aux Arbres Citoyens." Aux is the plural equivalent to at, arbres means trees and citoyens means citizens. Thus, the title basically translates to "To the trees, citizens" Yet the French say "Aux armes, citoyens" meaning "take/to arms, citizens" in referencing the French Revolution--when the starving peasants rose up against the French government and took complete control in a particularly violent manner. Furthermore, "Aux armes, citoyens" is in the French national anthem commemorating when the people of France stood up for justice. Another level to the meaning of the title is that "Aux Arbres" and "Aux Armes" sound particularly similar in French and is a play on words.

Commanding citizens to go to the trees sounds a little bizarre, so let me discuss the song a little more. The first few verses are about the condition of the world: poison in the water, cement in the fields and mountains. The earth is hurting, and we are losing our culture and history because of it.

Then, the chorus states "Puisqu'il faut changer les choses, aux arbres citoyens ! Il est grand temps qu'on propose un monde pour demain!" Since we must (it is necessary) for us to change things, to the trees, citizens! It is time for us to propose a world for tomorrow!

The next set of verses say that we should spread the word, form an army of reeds (imagery, of the earth, that calls to a plant that is so strong it does not even break in strong wind). "C'est vrai la terre est ronde, mais qui viendra nous dire qu'elle l'est pour tout le monde...Et les autres à venir... " It's true that the earth is round, but who will say to us that she (the earth) is for everyone and the others to come. Thus, we must share the earth with everyone on it (unlike now when we have obesity problems in America and not enough clean water in Africa) and with those to come--the future.

"Plus le temps de savoir à qui la faute de compter la chance ou les autres. Maintenant on se bat avec toi moi j'y crois." No more time left to know who is to blame, to count our chances or the others. Now we must fight, with you (your help) I do believe. Hence, we should stop pointing fingers at one another and unite together in order to face our ecological problems.

I cannot say for sure whether or not the United States has radio hits that seek to encourage the public to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious. I hope that you will consider what American music is about and compare it to this song by Yannick Noah--a man who is continually voted most popular singer in France. Even a pop song can make a different in a country's lifestyle, as many other people like the six year old I witnessed are singing along to this song. Perhaps if America could produce more music, more art, more films and more literature--even fashion--that seek to capture just how important it is to be environmentally sustainable, maybe the youth of America could take control of our unsustainable, unjust practices and make the world a better place for everyone.

Overcoming a Fear, Relearning Greek Mythology, and Counting the Ways in Which Spiders Are Actually Pretty Amazing

Upon traveling alone to Bordeaux, I found myself wandering around a city with churches older than United States of America. During one of my walks, I arrived at CAP Science, a museum designed for children to help them better understand and appreciate science. Though I seemed to be the only person unescorted by a child, I brought my English-French dictionary and walked inside an exhibit dedicated to spiders.

I am no different from just about everyone else when it comes to squeamishness around spiders. I think they're beautiful--and I will stare at them as long as they remain still and at a safe distance from my skin. This unfortunately does not always go as planned, and I too weep at their sudden movements in my direction.

Spiders, as I learned, are actually pretty incredible beyond their fright factor. For one--they are one of the oldest organisms to date on our planet. There are many records of spiders in amber--be it their bodies or their webs. Last Halloween, palaeobiologist Professor Braiser at the University of Oxford examined amber found by hunters in East Sussex. This one piece of amber contained a spider web dating back to the Cretaceous period--140 million years ago (BBC article). Spiders are not only older than the human race, but they date back to the age of the dinosaurs and thereby survived what the dinosaurs didn't.

In addition to being our elders, spiders have "one up" on humans. Spider webs can lift five times more weight than steel. Scientists have been trying to determine how it is spider silk is so strong and how to replicate it in technology. With this innovation, scientists could even create bullet proof vests capable of stopping a bomb (ABC News). Try to reflect on that for a moment: tiny little critters that we give a bad name are capable of creating technology beyond human capability.

There's a greek myth about a woman from Lydia named Arachne who was talented in the art of weaving--so much that she claimed to be better than Athena--a goddess. As in any myth, gods do not particularly enjoy when mortals think they are better than the gods, so Athena descended from her mountain dressed as an old woman and warned Arachne to not offend the gods. But, Arachne was quite confident and told the stranger just how confident she was. Of course, the old lady challenges Arachne to a weaving contest, and only after Arachne accepts does she reveal her true form as none other than the goddess Athena. So, Athena weaves an intricate scene of Poseidon and herself giving gifts to the people who named their city after her. Arachne weaves not only a tapestry of Zeus' mistresses (how rude--he's Athena's father), but makes it so life-like, intricate and beautiful that even thick headed Athena admits that Arcachne's is better. But, Athena is enraged that Arachne would call such a challenge, think so highly of herself and weave something insulting, she curses Arachne and tears up her tapestry. Humiliated, Arachne hangs herself. Athena then takes pity on Arachne and brings her back to life with the juice of aconite, but brings her back as a "spider." Thus, Arachne and all of her descendants will forever hang and be masterful weavers.

Why would I bother retelling a long story about spiders? Well, it's important to see how a society before us had respect for spiders. All these myths about Black Widows biting off the heads of their lovers or films like Arachnophobia are just as inaccurate as Jaws. Spiders may be creepy because they have eight eyes, eight legs, and tend to make their way into your house, but they're actually worth admiration. There's an ancient proverb, " If you wish to live and thrive, let the spider stay alive," and many people in Ireland and England don't kill spiders because it is a sign of a "happy home." Even more, when Jesus is born under King Herod's fear of the Messiah and order to kill all newborns, it was a baby spider who hid Jesus from the soldiers in the cave. It's said that Joseph prayed to God to protect Mary and their baby, and the spider heard the prayer and weaved a massive web that impressed the soldiers so much in its complexity, that they assumed it had taken days to make, and they didn't want to enter the cave and destroy it.

So, you might not be cured of your fear of spiders. I certainly am not about to feel comforted by their presence in my bedroom, but I do hope you will reflect on their capabilities, and the way they are portrayed by other societies. If we reevaluate the way we see nature--and all of its inhabitants--we can better appreciate just how incredible the world really is.

A Lesson in Sustainability: France

It's been a good while since I've written in this, but I do have a good excuse; I have moved to France!

France is different in many more ways than the language, the age of the villages, the holidays, the way people greet each other, the dishes, the weather, etc. Though I have discussed France's lack of political activism in conservation and ecological awareness with passionate French men, France is miles ahead of the United States in sustainability.

For one: At the grocery store, there are no bags. You have to bring your own, buy your own at the store, or simply go without a bag. (The U.S. is making an effort towards this, but paper and plastic bags are still conveniently available)

Secondly, most people buy what they can at the farmer's markets: produce, poultry, beef, sea food, cheese, milk, beans, clothes, bread--everything. Farmer's market products are not only cheaper than a supermarket, they are locally grown or produced and are thereby more sustainable than the imported Spanish tomatoes that are sold at the supermarket. (And much more sustainable than the South American imported produce I mentioned in a previous entry). Plus, you get to support a farmer rather than a farming industry.

I do not have a car. Yet, I can walk to the farmer's market and two super markets. I can walk to the pharmacy, clothing stores, the train station, the pub, and several different churches. When I do take transportation, it's the SNCF train or I ride in a car with someone else--and it's usually more than two people in the car. The cars, at that, are all manual transmission, are usually small passenger cars, and do not waste energy on air conditioning. I ride my bike, as do many others, and cyclists are respected on the road.

There are no clothes dryers. This may sound absurd, but it's actually pretty great. I spent about 3 hours sitting in a garden (see above) waiting for my clothes to wash, then hung them to dry. All while sipping tea and reading Dostoevsky. I actually enjoyed doing laundry. My clothes smelled better, I felt better, and it cost less both financially and ecologically.

There is no air conditioning, and heating is only used certain months of the year. All houses and buildings have these magic things called windows--with curtains and shutters that can go from covering the entire window, to having holes for light, and can even be rolled up to any stopping point until they no longer touch the window pane. The windows can open from the top and let in a little air, or they can open completely. The curtains and the shutters can block out sunlight when it's hot, and block out the cold when it's cold. In between, you can let in cool breezes--especially during the day.

Most of the houses and buildings are built into older structures: most of the houses I've been in were built inside of 400 year old farms, 500 year old stables, the working quarters of a castle or an old village. The architecture seeks to work with its environment and even that is more sustainable than America's well known suburban landscapes.

Everything is in smaller portions. And I'm not starving. But, I don't feel obligated to eat as much, and I feel better after I eat. Even coffee--it's served in a small cup, but the ingredients are so rich that a little cup does the job better than a larger cup in America--and it's actually a little cheaper (unless you're in Paris, of course). There is less waste, less consumption, and less energy to transport said waste and consumer products.

I can't begin to tell you how amazing the food is. I never knew a tomato could taste like something! And they're red, are often grown without harmful pesticides or unsustainable farming techniques. (Though, the French call "organic" food "Agriculture Biologique", and there is a difference) The industrialization of agriculture is not as strong in France as it is in the United States, and most of what you eat is actually from a real, pastoral image farm. There are, however, plenty of American industry products to buy for a much higher price in most supermarkets.

While I was at the farmer's market with my friend Claude, we were invited to lunch by a painter. The French are very welcoming, and we ended up staying at Raymond's house for a few hours eating a several course lunch, getting a tour of his garden, learning about his paintings, work within his house and the history of where he lives. The vegetarian fad has not quite hit France, and people are often interested to talk to me about why I chose to not eat meat.

When we got to his house, I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Eating in France is thought of as nourishing the body, of spending time with those you love, and of taking the time to slow down. All too often, eating in America is fast, squeezed into a thirty minute break (in a French high school, the lunch break is at least an hour), and is made from boxes, jars, and bags.

Like I said, it's amazing how much more flavor a silly tomato has when you grow it locally and naturally. Raymond lives off the vegetables, herbs and fruit in his garden, eats eggs from his chickens, and only goes to the market for meat. And I can honestly say that the quality of taste and nutrition is worth the effort to keep up a garden.

So, I leave you with this: America has no excuse. Sure, it will take time for America to adjust its infrastructure--we can't simply start walking across the suburbs of Houston and forget our cars. We can, however, stop offering free, unsustainable bags in grocery stores. We can add bike lanes to more cities, promote and support farmer's markets in our towns (there's even one where I went to high school, and I never even knew!), start our own garden--and even start small, and try not using a dryer. Lastly, we should all make an effort to learn about other cultures' sustainable practices and apply them to our own lives, thereby influencing others and promoting change.

(Raymond,the farmer and Painter, and Claude, a fellow teacher and avid reader, in the garden)

France still has a long way to go, but simple habits that they practice make a difference in sustainability.

Sea World As an Exercise in Mindfulness

Kennin and I petting a dolphin at Sea World.

Sea World was by far my favorite place in the world when I was young. A place where you can watch these beautiful whales leap out of the water and interact with humans as if they were as friendly as my dog was unfathomable. I loved all the shows in which human situations are acted out through sea animals, such as the mystery show starring a walrus.

As a teenager and college student, I went back to Sea World to ride the roller coasters, sit in the shark exhibit for an hour, and feel like a kid again. Over the Labor Day weekend, however, I revisited Sea World as a mentor for a five year old and two year old child. This entire summer has heavily consisted of me getting over my fear of children by interacting with my brother's girlfriend's children, and I've been amazed at just how curious and interested they are in the wonders of the world.

Kennin, the aforementioned five year old who watched Shark Week with me, loves sharks. She asked me to teach her about all the fish around us, so I took her hand and started pointing out sharks, talking about their behavior and having her identify them when they swam by. Sure enough, she started to remember them by their features and even responded to another visitor's spoken out loud thought as to what kind of shark had the giant teeth. We walked around the aquarium and looked at different fish, and she was constantly listening to everything I said, watching the fish, and asking things like, "Are they friends?" or "Where does he live?" Her being engaged in stopping and watching the fish instead of passing by inspired other kids and their parents to do the same; at some points, I was nearly lecturing a group of visitors about what they were really looking at in the tanks.

I don't think a lot of people really contemplate what it is they are experiencing when they look at a fish tank in an aquarium, feed a dolphin at Sea World or watch a Shamu show. This mindfulness makes trips to Sea World not only fun, but it helps to better grasp just how beautiful the world really is and how great it is that companies like Sea World use their resources to save wild animals and show the public what they share the planet with. Perhaps it is mindfulness that allows us to have that curiosity we value in children. If we can constantly remind our selves to really think about where we are, who we are, what we are doing and what we are looking at, we can see the world as brightly as we used to when we were kids.

Jellyfish--Vixens of the Sea

Jellyfish are probably some of the most bizarre, beautiful, and often annoying creatures of the ocean. My good friend and former roommate Courtney could sit, stare and sketch jellyfish while at the Aquarium for hours, and even has jellyfish tattoos on the side of her stomach. Because of her appreciation for these pretty critters, I dedicate this post to her.

Why are jellyfish so alluring despite their tendency to have painful greetings? Well, look at them. How many creatures do you know that are translucent and near transparent? Different jellyfish species are between 95 and 98% water, whereas us humans are a little over 60%. Another reason jellyfish are so pretty is probably because they are radically symmetrical, meaning both halves from the central axis mirror each other. Jellyfish do not have a brain, a respiratory system (breathing), a circulatory system (cycling materials, especially blood, around our body), or even an excretory system (filtering nutrients and getting rid of waste). Because of this, jellyfish actually go to the bathroom out of the same "hole" they take in food from.

Jellyfish don't even look like they should be alive with all their simplicities. Yet jellyfish, as a species, are older than the dinosaurs, and there's even thought to be an immortal jellyfish found (Thank you Christopher for showing me the article!). With so little inside their bodies, jellyfish must be pretty amazing at what they do in order to stay alive so long. Their "senses" consist of a neural net, "eyespots" detecting light from dark, and chemo-sensory pits that help detect prey. Jellyfish never stop growing, unlike us who typically tend to stop growing in high school after we've gone through sexual maturity. Without a respiratory system, jellyfish simply "breathe" in oxygen through their membrane-like skin. In order to swim, they use "jet propulsion" by taking in water through a muscular bell and shooting it out behind them. They aren't even fish, technically, because they don't have gills. Many scientists prefer to call them "sea jellies."

With no real internal organs or complex systems, you may wonder how jellyfish even reproduce. Well, jellyfish can reproduce sexually and asexually. Jellyfish are either born male or female, and each sex develops its eggs or sperm inside a pouch on their body. One fine day, the jellyfish will "throw up" their goods, and the goods pass from the stomach through the mouth. The eggs that stick to the lady jelly's mouth will be fertilized. The fertilized eggs become a planula, which is carried around ocean currents for quite some time until it is able to attach onto a surface and develop into a polyp. The polyp undergoes budding, which is like an asexual development of another polyp, and these polyps lead to the medusa stage. Some polyps actually split open through fission in order to become a medusa. Pretty weird, huh?

One jellyfish in particular, the box jellyfish, is known as the sea wasp. This little baby has 64 anuses (I'm serious) and 24 eyes, though they still can't really see. The box jellyfish is by far the most poisonous jellyfish, and it's sting can kill in 3 minutes. The amount of venom in one box jellyfish can kill up to 60 people. What's even more scary is that it can move at 2 meters.... per second. That means it would be pretty difficult to be stung and get back to shore. Thus, more people die from jellyfish attacks than sharks. Australians are well aware of this jellyfish, and they actually go swimming in regions where the jellyfish are located with women's pantyhose covering their arms and legs because the tentacles' little poison dart like nematocysts won't penetrate it. Additionally, their tentacles are near invisible and are pretty easy to get tangled up inside, which is why jellyfish are so good at finding prey despite the fact that most of them use ocean currents to get around. Think about how incredible it is that something so simple in form is not only alive, but has so much power and potential. Here we are, humans fully capable of adapting for life on every continent and have all kinds of fancy organs and systems, but some little thing that poops out of its mouth can cause us to stop breathing. It's pretty humbling to say the least.

Now that I've terrified you, know that most jellyfish species are not capable of killing you. A lot of jellyfish don't actually cause pain to humans because their stings are so subtle. Most of the ones who can noticeably sting you will not actually kill you, though they might make you whiney, and jellyfish are never aggressive. Jellyfish are just another one of the creatures on this planet that are beyond anything we could dream up, and reminds us that fact can indeed be strange than fiction.

Reflections on "Martian Child"

As I mentioned before with Avatar, my step dad and I love watching science fiction films together. My mom, however, is particularly restless and cannot sit through a movie. This trait made our only family trip to the theatre, that I can remember, to see Lord of the Rings particularly painful for her.

There's a film "Martian Child" that employs themes of science fiction, comedy and drama. The premise is that John Cusack's application for adoption finally comes through after his wife has passed, and he's not sure he has it in him to be a good parent. The child chosen for him by the adoption agent is a ten year-old boy who is convinced he's an alien from Mars and is thus why he stays under a box (as the sun is too bright) and wears a weight belt tying him to the ground made out of batteries. As John Cusack plays a famous science fiction writer, the pairing of these two is particularly amusing.

The three of us sat down to watch the film, and I'm glad we did. (My mom didn't get up once) There's a scene in particular when John Cusack is trying to talk to his new son. The kid's Andy Warhol social skills are making Cusack look like an inadequate parent to the adoption agency, especially when the kid steals from others in order to conduct his "mission" of documenting human life.

Here's what Cusack says: Dennis, can I just say one last thing about Mars? - which may be strange coming from a Science-Fiction writer - But right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that seems to trouble you, called gravity, all the while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour and whizzing through the Milky Way at 600,000 miles an hour in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light; And amidst all this frantic activity, fully cognisant of our own eminent demise - which is our own pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die - We reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of entity, sometimes for reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of the time we just reach out and expect nothing in return. Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird? Isn't that weird enough? The heck do ya need to be from Mars for?

It's surprising when John Cusack can express just how beautiful it is that we are pretty much parasites tearing up our very small corner of the universe, and our lives are pretty meaningless when you compare it to the rest of existence. For us to be alive amid all of this order and chaos is extraordinary enough. I guess when I become upset, lacking in confidence or defeated, I could think about how lucky I am to be a part of all of this--especially since I have no idea how to define "this" with so much out there I will never learn about. Our planet is a very small part of galaxy, and our galaxy is a part of an unknown array of other galaxies in some universe that is apparently constantly expanding. Even on our own planet, we have a lot to learn. There are species we haven't given names to, life in the ocean we are incapable of seeing because of our bodies' inability to withstand the ocean's pressure, ecological phenomenons and animal behavior we can't quite explain. Think about how much you know about the very place you life: how many plants can you name? what do you know about your own body? how does a computer work--really? It's overwhelming how limited we are despite our vast capabilities.

Revisiting Proust on a Night Bike Ride

Photo taken at the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.

I haven't been myself lately. For one, I've had the whole water submerged, The Graduate listlessness of coming home from one life and not knowing how to find the next. Secondly, I'm preparing to move to a foreign country where I'll be completely on my own and speaking a language I can't quite grasp. And in all of these attempts to make plans and steps, I'm worried about a family illness that will be much more difficult to help out with when I'm across the ocean. Needless to say, I've been a bit off.

And in the football crazed, concrete, Baptist haven of Tomball, Texas, I haven't found much to confide these discomforts in. Thus, I decide to take a night bike ride. It's colder out now--the sticky heat of a Texan summer is beginning to pass, and I actually felt chills on my skin. Rather than the makeshift headlight I've created out of a headlamp on my bicycle, I rode in darkness. In the beginning of the ride, the stars were barely visible in the clouds.

I started thinking about living in France. And of all the things to think about, I started imagining all the good places I'd find for reading classic literature since I'll actually have free time. I thought about how I'll experience a different climate--how I'll see the trees change color and learn new names for the life around me.

I stopped after about 20 minutes to drink water, and I noticed the clouds were beginning to fade. And I realized I was cold--which was a relief; the heat seems to drive everyone mad. Then I noticed just how dark everything was. I had almost forgotten what darkness was--where everything bleeds together into one shadow and is somehow unrecognizable.

I guess we forget the brilliance of light or recognize the madness of heat until we are overwhelmed in darkness and or reminded of the cold. And in my anxieties of this summer, I started to learn more about the meaning of one of my favorite quotes from literature: Le bonheur est salutaire pour le corps, mais c'est le chagrin qui développe les forces de l'esprit. Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind (Marcel Proust, Le Tempts Retrouvé, The Past Recaptured). All of this anxiety I feel is completely human, and my ability to confront, face and live with it will only allow me to see more of the beauty in my life.

If you're reading this and have something on your mind, I hope you'll find yourself on a night bike ride. Maybe a walk. A swim in a creek or river. Something that forces you to be alone outside in light or darkness, silence or sound.

Swamp Thing Unveiled

This picture was taken in November of 2009 on an Ecology and Evolution field trip with Dr. White at Loyola University. The canoe trips with Dr. White were one of the greatest aspects of my college education. I encourage anyone curious enough to find a way to take a guided canoe trip in the wetlands.

I was blessed enough to visit New Orleans once again. After having driven from Houston through Beaumont, I was a little grumpy from driving. Once my passenger and I reached the bridges past Lake Charles, we both were instantly relieved at the sight of the wetlands. And it's strange; swamps are generally thought to be horrifying places where diseases brew in infested insects and swamp monsters emerge. The muck and overgrown plants, the seemingly dirty water--it's not as easy on the eyes as a Florida beach. So why was I so relieved to see such a creepy place?

Miami beaches used to be mangroves. (mangroves are like salt-water swamps) It takes a lot of unnatural maintenance and landscaping to convert mangroves into sandy beaches, and is part of why Florida gets so torn up over hurricanes--mangroves and swamps help serve as natural hurricane protection. Beaches can be as creepy as swamps in their own way, as they often get in the way of the natural balances in nature.

Upon the "Bienvenue à Louisiane" sign is also a message to protect Louisiana's coast. Louisiana may not have artificially pristine beaches like Florida, but they do have something incredibly valuable and increasingly endangered. The wetlands surrounding the cities of Louisiana are the same wetlands that Jean Lafitte, a famous pirate in American History, smuggled imports and tricked the British in the Battle of New Orleans. These wetlands carry the sounds of porch music; they house fishermen who live by seasons of invertebrates rather than climate. Louisiana, and especially New Orleans, has such a unique culture that is bred within these peculiar ecosystems that most other people are afraid of.

Anyone who canoes out into the wetlands and watches a sunset can feel just how beautiful a swamp or marsh can be. (Remember: wetlands are literally characterized by permanent flooding. A swamp is mostly water, cypresses, etc. A marsh is full of grasses and water. Swamps and marshes make up the wetlands)

Beyond the beauty and cultural value of the wetlands, wetlands also have quite a few natural perks.

For one, they serve as "sponges" by absorbing and storing water, gradually releasing water; thereby, this process of water storage helps prevent flooding, reduces erosion, and "mixes" water and its components (like soil, debris from plants, etc) so that it flows easier. Thus, there's less hurricane damage, less flooding, less property damage, and healthier ecosystems surrounding the wetlands. Compare this to Miami beaches in which the National Guard has to build up sand bars (which costs A LOT) in order to keep the hotels from literally eroding away. Even in New Orleans East, neighborhoods have been built by drying out wetlands and have shortly ended due to the tendency for flooding.

While the wetlands absorb all of this water, the wetlands are also filtering and cleaning the water. All of the nasty fertilizers, septic tank debris, manure and who knows what are filtered through the abundant plant life and are removed from the water itself. This natural filtration process is so successful that some artificial wetlands have been built in order to treat storm and waste water.

Though the wetlands look like a big green and brown mess, they have an incredibly large array of ecological diversity comparable to a coral reef or rain forest. The balance of life in the wetlands creates an abundance of diverse habitats, allowing for energy to move from plants to small fish and crustaceans, to larger fish, reptiles and even humans. All of this life contributes to fishing industries that help keep Louisiana communities alive.

Consider some of these interesting facts about wetlands from the Environmental Protection Agency:

• In 1991 wetland-related eco-tourism activities such as hunting, fishing, bird-watching, and photography added approximately $59 billion to the national economy. (i.e. if the beauty of wetlands don't convince you of their worth, wetlands are valuable economically through tourism)

• According to the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, almost $79 billion per year is generated from wetland-dependent species, or about 71 percent of the nation’s entire $111 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry in 1997. (Again, wetlands are valuable economically.)

• An acre of wetland can store 1–1.5 million gallons of floodwater. (Wetlands are pretty good at what they do)

• Up to one-half of North American bird species nest or feed in wetlands. (Proof of wetland's biodiversity)

• Although wetlands keep only about 5 percent of the land surface in the conterminous United States, they are home to 31 percent of our plant species. (Biodiversity again)

• Seventy-five percent of commercially harvested fish are wetland-dependent. Add shellfish species and that number jumps to 95 percent. (Biodiversity and economy!)

So. Swamps may not be the ideal location for your next summer vacation. They are, however, beautiful and ecologically productive ecosystems that we should work to protect. Preserving the wetlands preserves the unique Louisiana cultures, the Louisiana economy, biodiversity, property values, esthetic value and helps clean our water. Perhaps the real Swamp Things we should fear are the lumber industries that clear cut the wetlands, the oil industries that trash our wetlands and our own selves for not standing up for these beautiful places.

If you want to find out how to help the wetlands, try the Gulf Restoration Network.

Live Life Like a Sea Turtle

Meet Margot, a baby green sea turtle found by fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. After a particularly cold winter, this critter was too young to swim into deeper waters to stay warm and thereby froze in shallow water. The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans took her in and helped her get back on her feet, or so to speak.

I've found it increasingly difficult to fall asleep lately. I'm sure part of it is being out of school and its rhythm, while part of it is just that there's so many things to think about.

On these nights, I sometimes bring a pillow and blanket into the living room to watch the National Geographic, Discovery, or Animal Planet channel. One night in particular I decided to watch the program entitled "Oceans," which isn't too surprising.

Though I am calmed by watching sharks, eels, grumpy sea lions and orcas, I didn't expect a segment on precious little sea turtles to disturb and depress me for weeks.

I don't think anyone can deny that sea turtles are cute. They swim gracefully, and seeing them while snorkeling or diving is surreal. So when I saw the cutest little baby sea turtles hatching, I was pretty excited. Unfortunately, a few other critters were excited that the eggs were hatching, too because several different birds were waiting for a baby turtle to make its way out of the nest. Almost every baby turtle was either eaten by a bird or raccoon near the nest. Some of them were actually eaten by a terrifying salt water crocodile. These turtles are barely even alive and haven't actually become "sea" turtles yet since they haven't been given the chance to reach the sea.

Needless to say, I was upset for weeks. Every time I read about the sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, I'd get so sick thinking of how much they went through just to live past infancy and how much I hated birds, raccoons and crocodiles for eating innocent turtles.

Once I calmed down, however, I knew it was unhealthy to have something bother me so much. As with anything else, it only gets worse when you try not to think about it. So, I started reading up on sea turtles.

At first, it made it worse. If a sea turtle makes it through the surf for the first time, according to biologist James R. Spotila, it still has less than a 50% chance of survival. The more I read, however, the more I fell in love with sea turtles.

For instance, the sex of a sea turtle isn't determined the way humans are. Humans, as we all know, can inherit either an X or Y chromosome from their father and will become either male or female (technically speaking). Turtle gender is determined by the temperature of the egg during incubation. By this, I mean if an egg incubates at 82º F, he will become a male. If the egg incubates at 88º F, she will become a female. This even means that the position of eggs in the nest can determine what gender the egg will become, as eggs in the center are often warmer than the bordering eggs. Furthermore, if a storm passes through during the middle third of incubation, thereby lowering the temperature of the nest, eggs previously developing into females will become males. How absurd is that?

Additionally, sea turtles' brains contain magnetite, which is an iron compound. Because of this, sea turtles can sense the earth's magnetic field since the magnetite is drawn towards the North Pole. It's like having a compass built in to your brain. This is why female turtles will often find the beach they were born on to lay their eggs many years later (sea turtles often don't lay their first eggs until they are 35--sounds good to me, too).

Despite how cool sea turtles are, there are still very few of them that make it into juveniles. On top of that, beach tourism destroys turtle nesting sites and overfishing makes it difficult for many turtles to survive.

Yet, when turtles are able to live, they really do live. Sea turtles well outlive humans and can live to be over 150 years old! In fact, the Galapagos turtle named Harriet that Darwin brought back on the 1835 Beagle voyage lived to be 176 and only recently died in 2006. Take a moment to think about that. This turtle is older than Darwin's Origin of Species--a book that single handedly altered our understanding of how things change over time. But that ridiculous turtle lived through all of it. The oldest living turtle on record was a 250 year old from the Kolkata Zoo in India. Imagine if we were able to live that long--we would be able to see so much more of the world and do so much more with our lives. Turtles are creatures that may have to truly fight in order to live, but still they live more fully than humans do. Our average lifespan is only around 72 years, yet we spend a large part of it not aware of how lucky we are to be alive.

What can I take away from this besides cool turtle facts? For one, it's hard caring about the world. The more you read and learn, the more you feel incapable of helping all the things that are wrong. However, if we ignore the world and try not to think about it, we only feel worse. By choosing to educate ourselves and face the things that make us uncomfortable, the stronger we are in facing problems and the more beauty we'll stumble upon. Secondly, since sea turtles have to fight a lot harder than we do in order to live, we might as well live life more fully.

Want to read more about these bad asses? I got most of my information in James R. Spotila's book here