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At 2017 EWB-USA Conference in Milwaukee<\/a>, I arrived in time to check into the hotel, catch the end of the reception and say hello to some colleagues. Then we watched Before the Flood, <\/em><\/a>an hour an a half long documentary, that takes a look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZFmVRsQho4Y<\/a><\/p>\n Afterwards, we discussed the film and what we might be able to do to address climate change. During the discussions, I heard strong recommendations for the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming<\/em><\/a>, edited by Paul Hawken.<\/p>\n Friday, 10\/5\/17 Cathy Leslie\u2019s introduction noted it is the 15th anniversary of Engineering Without Borders USA (EWB-USA)<\/a>. The talks are due to be posted online, but weren’t as this was posted. Check back at the conference link 2017 EWB-USA Conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n We heard keynote speaker, Paul Schmitz<\/a>, author of Everyone Leads: Building Leadership from the Community Up<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Climate Change Session<\/strong><\/p>\n Kevin Hagen introduced the adaption to climate change session.<\/p>\n Kevin Andrezejewski spoke to ESC irrigation, crop waste re-use, and crop cooling initiatives.<\/p>\n Frank Bergh led the Energy session.<\/p>\n Session facilitators recappped sessions: noting risks, opportunities, actions, and metrics.<\/p>\n Lunch, Keynote<\/strong><\/p>\n In keynote by Joby Taylor, from the Schriver Center at UMBC<\/a>, he liked the \u201cWithout Borders\u201d aspect, and programs that encourage us to think globally \u2013 as if we have two passports: one for our country and one as a global citizen or human being.<\/p>\n He joked about having dropped off Chris Bleers, EWB-USA Director of Operations, at his Peace Corps village assignment. He showed EWB-USA\u2019s vision and mission statements, spoke to them. Then showed the Peace Corps’.<\/p>\n He showed photos of his first Peace Corp assignment in Gabon, Africa, and his experience with the villagers who showed him the old abandoned school on a flat soccer field. But then they walked to the new school site on a steep hillside where he was to build the new school with them. He argued it was the wrong spot, but they were adamant.<\/p>\n He quoted Th\u00edch Nh\u1ea5t H\u1ea1nh, Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, and mindfulness advocate<\/a>. \u201cDon\u2019t just do something, sit there.\u201d He used it. Listened deeply. He learned the hillside was between the two smaller villages. The communities chose the location so, during construction and afterwards, both groups would own it, and their children would go to it. He got it – realized they knew this was necessary for the the success and sustainability of the new school.<\/p>\n He spoke of:<\/p>\n Earlier in the day, he\u2019d learned of and strongly supported the work of the EWB-USA offices in Guatemala and Nicaragua. He challenged them to also offer deep crosscultural learning to teams.<\/p>\n He discussed the Baltimore Highway to Nowhere<\/a>, built 40 years ago as part of slum cleaning, and the tough neighborhood that it has impacted. However, now he works there and there is lots of organizing – it\u2019s a borderlands, with projects emerging. He recommended Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities<\/em><\/a>, as the urban planning book to read.<\/p>\n Joby encouraged us to work locally as well as internationally. He spoke to his view of hope as a commitment rather than a feeling or prediction, but as a life orientation, as a core commitment to resisting cynicism, resisting closing ourselves to others and the world. He cited Howard Zinn\u2019s, The Optimism of Uncertainty<\/em>,<\/a> \u00a0and closed with quotes from Schriver:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can change the world today is the same thing that has changed it in the past-an idea and the service of dedicated, committed individuals to that idea.\u201d<\/p>\n and Mead:<\/p>\n \u201cNever doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.\u201d<\/p>\n Energy: Basics, Design, and Applications session<\/strong><\/p>\n Larry Bentley discussed Assessing Community power Options. His talk was chock full of real world electrical practices and photos.<\/p>\n Louis Woofenden discussed solar system design. He walked the group through a lighting example with design conditions, use of resources, and assumptions to design a system.<\/p>\n A team from Walla Walla University chapter and their faculty advisors discussed their solar systems in Japura, Peru.<\/p>\n Their advisers emphasized:<\/p>\n They discussed how they facilitated helping the community find their new partners – vendors and installation technicians. They spoke of lessons learned: 16 other communities expressed interest in partnering, so the community was pleased and spreading the word. Keeping the students front and center in the interactions with the community and the project management was key.<\/p>\n The students discussed the shift from the hydro, the community initially recommended, to solar as a number of issues emerged. Their team sent a group to bond with the community for a summer and prototyped the solar systems. They needed to translate from English to Spanish to Quechua.<\/p>\n Their video does a superb job showing the community, the work, and testimonials from the families. Great aerial images.<\/p>\n
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\nMike Paddock spoke to an example of an Engineering Service Corps<\/a> hydro-electric recommissioning assessment and implementation initiated by a community in Central America. The recommissioned system can generate 60kw of greenhouse gas free power.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/coyles.com\/patcoyle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/img_1165.jpg\")
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\nKevin Hagen spoke to solar mini-grids in UNHCR refuge camps, with funding from Ikea.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/coyles.com\/patcoyle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/img_1174-2.jpg\")
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\nGerard Daizel spoke to International Community Program (ICP)<\/a> climate impacted projects. Showed an example of Misuuni Water project in Kenya, with extreme climate impact considerations.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/coyles.com\/patcoyle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/img_1166-1.jpg\")
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\nDuring breakout sessions, I took flip chart notes for Mike Paddock\u2019s EWB Operations.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/coyles.com\/patcoyle\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/EWBOps-points_crpd.jpg\")
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