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Acadiana Center for Sustainable Living
This is the story of vison and intregrity thwarted by corruption and immorality
This is the story of the direction of the University of Louisianna at Lafayette
Students began a project dedicated to providing a living example of how to live a more healthy, fruitful and forfilling life.The project was coined the ACSL or Acadiana Center for Sustainable Living. I was Director and we were allocated an old rurual home which in less than 9 months we completely eco-renovated using only eco-friendly methods and materials. The concept of the house was to show folks how they can make simple, affordable changes in their home and lifestyles that will result in positive changes in the environmenal and themselves.
Various volunteers from the community working to renovate the ACSL house
The project included: chemical-free household living, indoor air quality, permaculture, energy and water conservation and organic gardening/small farming.
Painting and painting using all environmentally friendly paint called Eco-spec by Benjimen Moore
To understand this situation background information is necessary. The project was sponsered by the Dean of the department of renewable resources. The department was best known for its research in water pollution as a result of several inputs including runoff from agricultural fields.
Left: me sanding. Right: the exterior under renovation
The house was surrounded by nearly 60 acres. In front of the house was an small agricultural field used by some faculty of the department to teach students. The ag plot was completely conventional and non-organic. It was located on a steep slope with a stream less than 50 feet at its base. This is a classic case of 'old school', polluting agriculture.
Before and after pics of organic beds in front of the house. Included in pic to the right is a butterfy garden, sunflower garden and veggie garden, respectfully.
The problem here is #1, students are taught to farm in an obsolete fashion, using no conservation techniques and using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. #2, The department prides itself on water quality research and right in its front yard is a terrible example of agriculture which directly pollutes the stream less than 50 ft away.
Everyone above played a significant role in the development of the home whether it was via physical labor or emotional support.
The ACSL project was given half of this field to garden organically. The plot was about 30X30. We turned the rows as to not allow water to runoff into the stream below, made diversion ditches and grassed them, made raised beds, incorporated compost vs fertilizers. In all we created a beautiful model of sustainable agriculture.
The faculty realizing the value of our system vs thier conventional system reacted with malice. They lobbied to regain our plot for no other reason than we were doing something that was going to attract nothing but positive attention and negative publicity to thier system. Instead of being supportative and cooperative these folks, professors --educators not only perpetually lied but were caught dumping poison onto our organic crops.
Following a lack of punishment for these actions, no discipline was given to these men and women for thier behavior. This is the caliber of people teaching the next generation. This is unacceptable. In protest and in keeping with my principles, I gave up my full paid assistantship,free rent and bills, my research and all affiliations I had to that corrupt institution. The project was abandoned. The faculty shortly thereafter destroyed all gardens/crops.
Below is a slide show visually telling this story
