Thread: EWB International Conference 2009

So I am still at what is probably the world's largest annual gathering of globally-minded student engineers and professionals, the Engineers Without Borders Annual International Conference. There were over 7 presentations, and mine was not one of them.

It does not cover all topics of sustainable engineering projects in developing nations; in fact many were workshops on how to better understand a community you work in. But project groups also presented the work they have been doing as well as how to create an engineer for the 21st century.

If you have any questions, ask them itt and I will try to answer them. Results may vary.

Here's my conference:

"I am AWESOME"

Here's your conference:

"Dur durdurdurdur o luke i am tawgs conforonz i r stoopid LUL"

Oh and my question is:

What great new ways are engineers looking to save the thrid world? By marketing $100 laptops for regions of the world where there is no electricity or not enough food, water, and healthcare to keep these people alive, let alone wifi or people to repair the notebooks when they break down? Or by inventing purifying water straws, which even at a few dollars per straw are still unaffordable by a majority of the world's poor?

Originally Posted by coqauvin

togs when are you going to reveal to the third world that the living standards we enjoy in the first require the oppression of the third, and that the globe literally cannot support a 'first' world environment in every country?

"Ancient European Secret," eh?

Originally Posted by coqauvin

togs when are you going to reveal to the third world that the living standards we enjoy in the first require the oppression of the third

I think at least some people in the third world already know that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_qaeda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_revolution

Originally Posted by coqauvin

and that the globe literally cannot support a 'first' world environment in every country?

The problem isn't the globe, it's the technology. The globe could support a first-world standard living for all seven billion people--or more--if we had the right technologies in place.

Originally Posted by Syme

The problem isn't the globe, it's the technology. The globe could support a first-world standard living for all seven billion people--or more--if we had the right technologies in place.

Well, of course... and if we had the technology in place, we could also be mining on other planets, have colonies on the bottom of the sea, etc.

I'm just saying that I have my doubts as to how fast these technology will or can be developed, but maybe I'm just being overly pessimistic.

And is it just a matter of energy production? I think it's also a matter of material supply, which probably can't increase very markedly even if we are eventually able to harness more abundant and "renewable" energy supplies. If the rest of the world's standard of living increases, I don't think we Western (or Western-like) nations will be able to maintain our extremely wastful lifestyle.

Originally Posted by sycld

Well, of course... and if we had the technology in place, we could also be mining on other planets, have colonies on the bottom of the sea, etc.

Hah, exactly. But that technology isn't in place, so we can't do those things. Just as the technologies needed to sustain a good living standard for 7 billion people aren't in place, so we can't yet do that either. I'm not trying to say that the needed technologies exist but haven't been implemented, or that they're right around the corner. I recognize that they're still in the future. If I gave the impression that I was saying "Don't worry guys, everything will be okay soon because of technological improvements", then that was a miscommunication on my part. My point is, though, that the globe's carrying capacity depends entirely on our technologies; it's not fixed. As various technologies improve, we will see a corresponding increase in the planet's ability to support consumptive populations. Just because we don't yet have the technology to support 7 billion people at a first-world living standard (or the technology to take advantage of resources in space, or to colonize the sea floor, or anything) doesn't mean we never will.

Originally Posted by sycld

I'm just saying that I have my doubts as to how fast these technology will or can be developed, but maybe I'm just being overly pessimistic.

I guess it depends on your definition of "fast", but yeah, it will definitely take many, many decades. I'm certainly not saying that I think technological improvements are going to give the whole world's population a high living standard anytime soon! I expect that there will still be plenty of poverty and human misery for the rest of our lifetime. In fact, even if all the needed technologies were in place right now, I'd still expect that, because technological deficiencies aren't the only stumbling block here--there are also obvious social and economic and political issues to be addressed.

Originally Posted by sycld

And is it just a matter of energy production? I think it's also a matter of material supply, which probably can't increase very markedly even if we are eventually able to harness more abundant and "renewable" energy supplies. If the rest of the world's standard of living increases, I don't think we Western (or Western-like) nations will be able to maintain our extremely wastful lifestyle.

Totally depends on the material resources you are talking about. Aside from fuel resources (fossil fuels, etc.), most of the important ones are plentiful enough that we can probably rely on them lasting at least until we're able to take advantage of extraterrestrial resources. I don't think there are any material resources that are both so scarce they are going to be entirely depleted before that happens, and so crucial that civilization can't get along without them.

Originally Posted by Syme

Totally depends on the material resources you are talking about. Aside from fuel resources (fossil fuels, etc.), most of the important ones are plentiful enough that we can probably rely on them lasting at least until we're able to take advantage of extraterrestrial resources. I don't think there are any material resources that are both so scarce they are going to be entirely depleted before that happens, and so crucial that civilization can't get along without them.

Perhaps so, but I'm really not sure about that. Many raw materials prices seem to be going up: everything from helium (neccesary in semiconductor processsing) to copper, and I've gotten the impression that it's due to higher demand, though I can't be certain about that.

And what I hope is that we're going to move away from putting most of our used materials into the dump but instead start to recycle most of our waste. Think about this: that aluminum that went into your soda can was sequestered in the earth for geological time scales. We hauled the ore up to the surface, processed it, used it in a soda can, and threw it in a dump for what's essentially a blink of the eye. It'll then stay in that dump for another countless number of years if something else doesn't happen to it. And aside from inorganic waste, what about all that celullose from our paper and waste from our food that is not allowed to decay back into the ground where other plants and retake up that nutrients and recycle it back into the food chain?

Think about it if everyone threw as much crap away into landfills as industrialized citizens did. I can't imagine that this could be sustained for very long.

These are all great questions that I will answer in the morning, When I am not so drunk or making out with Panamanians.

Making out with her? What is this the 50's? Jesus TOGS you are such a little pussy and I will keep calling you such until you stick your penis into that Panamanian/Columbian/whatever.

Originally Posted by sycld

Oh and my question is:

What great new ways are engineers looking to save the thrid world? By marketing $100 laptops for regions of the world where there is no electricity or not enough food, water, and healthcare to keep these people alive, let alone wifi or people to repair the notebooks when they break down? Or by inventing purifying water straws, which even at a few dollars per straw are still unaffordable by a majority of the world's poor?

There is no new way when the engineer himself of herself is adapting everything to the community abroad. The goal of EWB is to provide sustainable and logical engineering solutions to communities around the world. A clear majority of these projects fall under water and sanitation. That is, tapping springs across valleys to bring water to community that cannot access it, building wells, etc. Projects such as these are based mostly in Africa but I was at a session talking about Southeast Asia etc. Other projects include construction which is where our project falls under. These projects are pretty much universal. There is a lot you can do for a community and we don't enter a village/town/community and just do this for them. There is a lot of cohesion. 2/3 of a project (Exlporatory and Assessment) is finding out from the community what the biggest problem they see is. It may be completely different than what you think (and it tends to be). This is not a us and them. It's us with them and we grow better for it,

Originally Posted by Syme

TOGS, what the Third World really needs from you engineers is more cluster bombs and landmines. Get on it.

Boeing was a company that came as a sponsor of the conference and I have to say there was just a hint of hypocrisy in what he spoke about. How they were interested in partnering with EWB and I was all like "lol u guise mayk da baumas that deestroi da ereyting we mayk"

Originally Posted by coqauvin

togs when are you going to reveal to the third world that the living standards we enjoy in the first require the oppression of the third, and that the globe literally cannot support a 'first' world environment in every country?

These changes do not come overnight. And actually, specialization in economics/trade can support these things.

Originally Posted by sycld

Making out with her? What is this the 50's? Jesus TOGS you are such a little pussy and I will keep calling you such until you stick your penis into that Panamanian/Columbian/whatever.

Yes, well, she wasn't the girl I was pining after and when that girl found us it got reallllllllllllyyyyyyyy awkward.

Okay well she claims Panama but is truly from Columbia but hates the association of cocaine and Columbia. She has an amazing body. Pictures to come but Yes amazing questions.

Technology is certainly on our horizon, but in order for education to even become a reality we want to ensure that communities have basic life necessities which are sustainable.

Funny you should bring up the Fonz.. I totally met him while in Milwaukee:

ok

Let's not forget there is an amount under the fucking water unreachable.

This is no longer my thread. Which is fair enough.

Originally Posted by TheOriginalGrumpySpy

This is no longer my thread. Which is fair enough.

Hey, that's what happens when you don't poast.