Dowser » Doni Bloomfield

A tale of two gap years: from Thailand to the Middle East before college

Dowser — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:58:02 +0000

It's becoming increasingly popular to take a gap year either before college or between college years. Many youths are choosing to use that time to make a positive impact in the world. Here, Doni Bloomfield (right), an incoming freshman at the University of Chicago, and Aaron Flaster (left), a rising sophomore at Lewis and Clark College, talk about their gap years (between high school and college) and explain what they gained from the experiences. #

Bloomfield: Aaron, what spurred you to take your gap year? #

Flaster: My parents were the ones who suggested it [laughs], which I still find to be a little surprising. My immediate response was, 'Oh no way, I'm dying to go to college.' But when I thought about it, it seemed like I would be passing up an opportunity that might not come around again. #

Bloomfield: So it was pretty easy to take the year off? #

Flaster: Actually, my dad has a good picture of me in the San Francisco Airport twiddling my thumbs with a fairly nervous look on my face before I set off. It was a little unusual to take the year but it was the best decision I've ever made, and I'm grateful I had that opportunity. #

Bloomfield: I definitely got a huge amount out of my gap year, which I spent in Israel. But it was probably a somewhat easier choice on my part: something like 80% of my grade went to Israel after their senior year in high school. What did you do during the year? #

Flaster: For the first three months I joined Seamester, which is a four-month stay on a 112-foot sailboat. You work as a crew-member and take four classes at the same time. We went from Northern Australia up through Indonesia and Malaysia to Thailand – scuba-diving, touring the islands and learning how to work a ship. #

Bloomfield: Did you stay in Thailand for a while? #

Flaster: I stayed in Thailand for two months, teaching English to novice monks, and I lived with a host family. Afterward, I lived in the monastery for two weeks and practiced meditation four times a day. That was my first introduction to Buddhism and it's still something that is a very integral part of my life today. #

Bloomfield: From there, where did you go? #

Flaster: I came home for a few weeks and saw my family and then went down to Argentina with the Foundation for Sustainable Development, a small NGO. I worked with a sewing cooperative; three local women started the cooperative with one foot-powered sewing machine in 2006 and have since improved to five industrial strength sewing machines. I basically helped out where it was needed because the women couldn't leave the community – there was a lot of patriarchal dominance. That was an incredibly realistic look at development work and it is still motivating what I want to study, what I want to do in the future. What'd you do in Israel, Doni? #

Bloomfield: I was at a Yeshiva for the year. Yeshivas are Jewish learning programs where one studies Jewish texts in depth. Often when religious kids go to Israel for a year, one might expect them to become ultra-Zionists, but it was actually a very different experience for me because I was in the West Bank. #

While I was there, the problems of the Israeli presence in the West Bank really hit home, of the disparities between Israelis and Palestinians. For example, across the road from my Yeshiva there was this Arab fruit stand set up, and it was astonishingly beat up. Often, villagers would ride past on donkeys while sleek modern cars zipped down the highway. I could see firsthand what the occupation meant to Palestinians in the area. But I was also able to see the complex problems that pulling out of the West Bank would cause, as friends of mine lived in places that would need to be demolished if Israel pulled out. #

I think what our experiences illustrate is how powerful the tactile experience of traveling and seeing other cultures can be – how they can bring home something that isn't easy to express in any other form. #

But I think it's fair to say that you don't need to go to Thailand or the Middle East to get a full gap year experience. Probably the best way to economize is to stay right within this country – a country of 300 million people, a country the size of half of Europe or more – I mean, the United States is huge. #

Flaster: I think of that a lot as well. I think the stigma that you have to travel to a Third World or remote country for it to be a 'gap year' is not true. I was hoping to spend a good deal of time in the U.S. but it just didn't work out. I chide myself because I could drive 45 minutes north or south and be in completely different cultures. There are so many ways to structure a year in the United States within your state or your community. The important part of the year is not necessarily where you go but rather meeting new people, broadening your horizons, being challenged in new ways and– #

Bloomfield: And taking on some independence. #

Flaster: Right, taking on independence, learning to be an adult and maybe having a better idea of what you want to pursue in college. Programs like Global Citizen Year, among others, offer financial assistance, and that allows people from almost any background to have a fulfilling gap year. And you can gain that anywhere – you can gain that next door or halfway across the world. #

This interview was edited and condensed. #

Garden State law invites consumers to sell solar energy

Dowser — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:40:15 +0000

As the sun shines across the Garden State, one beam slices down into Rockaway, New Jersey, striking a massive new solar panel installation. Neither prompted by federal stimulus dollars nor inspired by a nearby LEED-certified building, these panels are a pretty straightforward business investment. #

The panels atop H&H Mack Sales, one of the largest truck dealerships in the state, are the result of a new incentive that just rolled out last month: selling solar power from individuals and businesses to energy corporations. According to New Jersey law, energy companies need solar energy to be a fixed portion of all the energy they create. Because of the somewhat cramped confines of New Jersey – the most densely populated state in the union – there aren't many vast stretches of land to lay out solar panels. So New Jersey set up an auction system for energy-users across the state – from homeowners to business proprietors – to sell the energy they produce from solar panels to energy giants. And best of all, these homeowners and businesses then get to use that energy for free. #

The president of H&H Mack Sales, Bill Horne, explained that the company decided to turn to solar power because of its environmental and financial benefits. "I carefully evaluated the significant revenue from [selling the solar energy at auction and] the elimination of up to 80% of my electric bill,” he said. Requiring energy corporations to buy solar power acts a direct subsidy on individuals buying solar panels. #

Perhaps even greater than encouraging homeowners to go solar, this market incentivizes creating efficient,inexpensive solar panels: at a low enough cost, solar panels can pay for themselves. Take, for example, products like the Sunfish, a solar panel that'll be reaching stores in mid-2011. The innovation here is scale: huge solar panels are expensive to buy and install, so they went small and efficient. These plug-in panels can be installed pretty easily in an hour and can be yours for just under $800. With the largest model (which sells for $4,000) you could be making almost $1,200 a year, at current prices, from energy companies in New Jersey. You can even sell the energy you'll produce in the future – up to 15 years down the line. #

This is just one of a huge number of experiments going on in solar energy across the U.S. Massachusetts is operating a similar market with a guaranteed lowest price of $300 per megawatt hour; New York offers income and sales tax exemptions; California offers rebates for every watt of energy produced. In fact, even beyond federal incentives there are systems in every state in the U.S. Here's a helpful map. The laws themselves may not be able to eradicate climate change and our dependence on fossil fuels. But with the right incentives, the market may be able to innovative us towards a workable clean energy future. #

Photo: Gray Watson via Wikimedia Commons #

All a-Twitter with #SummerImpact contest

Dowser — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:07:27 +0000

Summertime, and the tweeting is easy...It's only been three days since we launched our social change Twitter contest, #SummerImpact, and we've already racked up quite an array of amazing responses to the question, “What purpose-driven projects have you been carrying out over these few balmy months?" #

We started the contest as a way for people to share with one another what they’re doing to better their communities and plant the seeds for folks looking for guidance, inspiration and solution-oriented ideas to apply to their own efforts. And it’s working! From Stockholm to Cambodia, from San Jose to Ecuador, from clothing drives to cutting carbon emissions, we've seen a huge range of social innovation. Here are a few recent #SummerImpact tweets: #

These are just a few of the dozens of responses we've received, and there are still two days left to share what you're up to this summer! Tweet to @dowserdotorg with #SummerImpact by Friday, August 6, and you'll have a chance to win one of five $30 Amazon gift cards – as well as to share your story in more detail on Dowser. #

Weekly Links Roundup - July 29: American transportation gets greener, electric apparel, and more

Dowser — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:43:37 +0000

All around us, people are working on innovative solutions to pressing social problems. Often, though, those stories can be difficult to track down. Which is why we’re regularly scouring the Web to highlight who’s solving what and how. #

I'm leaving on a jet plane (preceded by a bicycle) #

Portland, Oregon, already one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation, is opening its airport to bike-lovers everywhere. With a bike path to the airport in place since 2005, all it needed was a spot to assemble and disassemble bikes before and after flights – and now it's got one. (Spring Wise, “Portland Airport Installs Bike Assembly Station for Travelers”)

Our be-rivered planet #

Last week we mentioned how NASA has mapped the world's forests. Well, more progress on that front as the rivers of the world have now been digitally catalogued as well. Right now less than one percent of the earth's water is both fresh and accessible for human consumption. As the population of the Earth grows, this new data will be increasingly useful. (The Star, “McGill Prof Creates First Accurate Map of World's Rivers”)

Chevy Volt slams on the gas (but first, the electricity) #

The highly-anticipated Chevy Volt is finally available for pre-order. Uniquely, the Volt offers the ability to drive the first 40 miles electrically (more than the average American drives per day) after which the car switches to gas, totaling about 240 miles per gallon. But it may face some stiff competition: Nissan's new Leaf, a fully electric vehicle capable of driving 100 miles on its battery, has already sold out its pre-order of 13,000 cars. (Daily Finance, “GM Prices the Chevy Volt at $41,000. Will Buyers Plug In?”)

Power the iPod you're listening to – on your morning jog #

Advances in the flexibility and lightness of solar cells made at the University of Southern California may allow us to reap power from light splashing across our clothes. While not as efficient as larger solar panels, these offer another way to transform our energy landscape, powering ourselves wherever we go. (TreeHugger, “New, Transparent Solar Technology Could Hide Photovoltaics in Your Clothes”)

What solution-focused news stories did you come across this week? Let us know in the comments. #

Photo: Christopher Isherwood #

Weekly Roundup: Who's solving what and how

Dowser — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:58:15 +0000

Everywhere, people are working on innovative solutions to pressing social problems. Often, though, those stories can be difficult to track down. Which is why we’re scouring the Web to bring you weekly links highlighting who’s solving what and how. #

Soap Operas for... Global Health? #

TV is a dubious force. It can trivialize life or expand awareness of crucial issues. From the UN-backed “Under the Sky,” a soap opera designed to help Haitians learn about hygienic steps, to the drama-packed education offered by such shows as "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Treme," to a new initiative that attempts to educate Americans about global health disparities on primetime TV, we’re seeing more creative minds focusing on how to enlighten as well as entertain. (World Changing: “Impactful Media: How TV is Shifting the Global Landscape for Good”)

A Buoyant Solution – The Return of the Blimp #

With fuel costs rising and governments on the lookout for ways to reduce greenhouse gases, the blimp of old may be a useful alternative to airplanes as a way to ship goods, with larger storage bays than 747s and 90% fewer emissions. (PSFK: “A Revival of the Blimp” via T he Guardian)

Our Forested Planet #

While blimps may help cut emissions, it would be useful to know how much carbon the world's forests are absorbing. Trees consume carbon and emit oxygen, so estimating tree mass worldwide is vital to understanding how much we can safely emit. Fortunately, NASA has just made a major step forward in estimating our forest's carbon consumption by creating a map of the world's forests, from the towering redwood to the spindly spruce. (NASA: “First-of-its Kind Map Depicts Global Forest Heights”)

Muddying the Waters #

New Yorkers were a bit taken aback by the unusual vending machine next to Union Square. Instead of selling soda or Smart Water, this dispenser sells “Dirty Water” in eight deadly flavors – among them malaria, dysentery and hepatitis. Donations go to UNICEF’s Tap P rogram to help clean water around the world. (Osocio: “Dispensing Dirty Water”)

Military Starts Demonstrating Some Real Air Force #

As we discussed last week, the U.S. Army has started making strides in lowering its reliance on traditional power sources. More good news on that front as the first wind turbine on an Army base opens, generating 1.5 megawatts annually, saving over $200,000 a year. Not much in terms of military expenditures. But hopefully more will come along these lines. (U.S. Army: “First Wind Turbine in Army Begins Generating Energy at Tooele Army Depot”)

What solution-focused posts and articles did you come across this week? Let us know in the comments. #

Photo: Dirty Water Info Gallery #

Weekly Roundup: Who's solving what and how

Dowser — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:11:53 +0000

All around us, people are working on innovative solutions to pressing social problems. But those stories can be difficult to track down. Which is why we’re scouring the Web to bring you weekly links highlighting who’s solving what and how. #

Video Games for Change #

Whether or not they actually lead to violence, a lot of video games are big on blood and gore. But a new breed of socially-conscious games is on the rise. Behavioral experts say these "games for good" can be used to teach empathy—a core skill for anyone who wants to cause social change. Educators, foundations, and government agencies are taking an interest—and market demand is on the rise. (Stanford Social Innovation Review: “Game Theory”)

Pentagon Tapping Geothermal Energy #

The U.S. military is the single largest consumer of energy in the world, so it has a huge incentive to shift from expensive fossil fuels to renewable sources. That's why the DOD has a bunch of initiatives in the works to shrink its carbon footprint, like this drive to tap geothermal energy to power military bases, which might even produce some extra juice to give back to the grid. (Clean Technica: “Geothermal Energy Could Make the Department of Defense a Supplier of U.S. Energy, Not Just a Consumer”)

Businesses Tout "Integrity" #

With job growth still sluggish and the economic recovery faltering, corporations are struggling to gain whatever branding edge they can — witness the uptick in new programs designed to showcase companies' integrity. From PricewaterhouseCoopers to Michelin Tires, companies are touting their ethical cred, whether it's by helping local small businesses, pushing behavioral standards with bonuses, or supporting causes their employees care about. (Advertising Age: “Return on Integrity is the New Bottom Line for Marketers”)

Simplifying Emissions Reporting #

The two bodies that gather carbon emissions data from businesses have teamed up in an effort to streamline the reporting process. A "linkage document" released this week compares and contrasts the (overlapping but different) methodologies used by The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a first step toward standardizing the system for greater efficiency. (Just Means: "Global Reporting Initiative and Carbon Disclosure Project release linkage document")

What great solution-focused posts and articles did you come across this week? Let us know in the comments. #

Photo: animebay.net #

Weekly Roundup: Who's solving what and how

Dowser — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:12:06 +0000

All around us people are working to solve pressing social problems, but these stories can be difficult to track down. So we'll be scouring the Web regularly to highlight a few of them. See below for this week's selections. #

Donors may wonder about the impact of their gifts, but they rarely drill down into the details. A new online tool called GiveLoop puts the numbers out in the open. The theory: more transparency will mean more giving.

(Beyond Profit: Giveloop: Micro-Giving, Version 2.0)

Some hopeful news from Detroit: Ford predicts that by 2020 a quarter of its cars will be electric, compared with 2% today.
(Nicer News: "Ford to be 25% Electric by 2020")

The Department of Energy is opening a super-green 220,000 square foot research facility. It's cut energy consumption in half and draws from onsite solar panels for the rest. But, at $259 per square foot, it doesn't come cheap.
(Good: "The Department of Energy's New Net-Zero Building")

On a more cost-effective note, it turns out that wind power can be a cash saver—to the tune of up to $28 per megawatt hour. Good to keep in mind during tough times, like this East Coast heatwave.
(EcoGeek: "Wind Power Lowers Electricity Costs")

What did we miss? What great solution-focused posts and articles did you come across this week? Let us know in the comments. #

Image: GiveLoop #