Kurt Archer

My Choice! is a project that aims to raise awareness among the youth about Sustainability. We offer a holistic understanding of sustainability taught through a simple model known as Society, Economy and Environment.

The Environment is impacted by our human footprint; this footprint is the result of diverse community interactions (economy, leisure, family) in any given society. Social activism, or civil society, is shaped by embedding values in the people that are part of the society and who will take up responsibility for that society. It is therefore vital for youth to grab this inclusive picture of sustainability to ensure a positive future generation of prosperity and increased quality of life.

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In other news, Delhi announced recently that they’ve banned plastic bags altogether to fight our dependency on this polluting convenience. After the Oct 2nd nation wide ban on smoking, India is taking even more bold steps on the fight against climate change.

Plastic bags have become such an item of dependence that shop keepers simply don’t know what else to use for their goods and liquids. Rightly so, it will be an uphill battle, but the government is more sure than ever that this is the right step, and it will take time to adapt, however after the initial two month period, shopkeepers caught providing the bags could be fined upwards of 1 lakh rupees (roughly $2,000 USD) or upto 5 years of jail term.

With such a move we will begin to see a demand for cloth and glass making a comeback in India, as these two are the most viable alternatives to plastic bags. No doubt this would also spin off some R&D on bio-degradable plastics and weaning off of petroleum based plastic for the more carbon neutral alternative of bio plastics (soy, vegetable oil, corn stalk).

I wonder what the world would be like today if Ford was able to organize the plastics industry to build exclusively from soy and bioproducts rather than petroleum oil. Needless to say, world war 1 kick started the oil dependency in plastics movement.

A famous quote comes to mind that is so fitting, attributed to an ancient chinese proverb.

“When the winds of change are blowing, some people are building shelters, and others are building windmills.”

4 Months and 1 week ago I left Karachi to begin a tour of Asia in hopes of learning and experiencing different sustainability initiatives, and to inspire some kids.

Here are the results:

As I return to to the cold Canadian climate, I do so with a lot of experience and networks under my belt.

In the coming weeks you will find a new site up and running, devoted more to my personal journey in sustainability.

Keep checking back as more photo albums, articles and results will be posted.

Have a happy new year!

So many of you have been asking what I have been upto, and why I have stayed in Bangalore for so long. Well, that is because I have signed on to a small project here called: My Choice! Here is a small blurb about it:

My Choice! is a project that aims to raise awareness among Indian young generation about Sustainability Issues.
We offer to deliver a holistic understanding of Sustainability seen as People, Society and Environment. For us, Environment is impacted by human footprint; human footprint is the results of community interactions in Society (economy, leisure, family) , Society activism is the expression of embedded values in the people that are part of the society. It is vital for Youth to grab this inclusive picture if we call on more responsibility from them.

The projects will have a 3 step learning approach. 1. Classroom presentations to inspire youth to get active. 2. Simulation and learning activities about sustainability. 3. A project competition on sustainability, where students get mentors and are awarded prizes based on creativity, sustainability of design, and general youth choice.

It has been a pleasure to settle down and work with this team and helping to see their passion become a reality.The output of this project has the opportunity to be a part of a best case practise, I will be sure to share the output afterwards with you all.

Looking forward to hitting the road soon again!

Well after a serious infection of writers blog, I have recovered and ready to reveal some exciting updates from my end.

Since my previous post, I’ve travelled past Mumbai, Hyderabad and have now landed in Bangalore.

Some highlights include:

Mumbai traffic is scary. As is their mass public transport system. As I was leaving Mumbai by train from the AIESEC Interns flat towards central, I was caught up in a sea of people, and all I could do was flow with the crowd and hope to get on a train. Thatwas the easier part. As I left the train, I had old men looking at me with buldging eyes and pushy hands shouting go, go GO! I did not understand their urgency until the train came to a stop and the sea became a two way waterfall. Yes, try and imagine that, a sea of people trying to gush out of the train, while another sea tries to gush its way in. Unlucky for them, I have two large bags, one straped in front and one behind, and in a rambo style move, I leap. Yes, LEAP towards the exit of the train to see terrified men trying to scurry out of the way. If freedom ever tasted sweeter, it was after burst forth from this maze that I savoured in it. Now I realize why so much money was spent in Delhi to ensure the same style of mob movements do not occur with their metro. Crazy!I have crazier stories about cab drivers trying to rip me off, but maybe ill save that up and tell ALL of them in one go, since haggling with Cabs and rickshaws seems to become the highlight of all my trips.

Aside from the traffic Chaos, Mumbai was good as usual, aside from the ear infection (i have not had an ear infection since i was 4! yea, got me too.) I got to see the best and worst of the city, dined at Leopolds, ran into Shahid again, ate with the bollywood stars, chatted with some highly articulate beggars, and caught up with great friends. So it was good, but being ill really dragged me down, and it was here that writers block kicked in. The train to Hyderabad seems to have dawned a found energy in me.

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