Bottle it: The Culture of Bottled Water in Paris

For a culture so aware of the serious environmental threats we face, it is interesting to see how many plastic water bottles the French use. For instance, we were at the International Energy Agency in Paris discussing environmental sustainability, and what were we offered? Plastic bottles. Even worse, 15 out of the 16 people drank them. Yes, that one person was me. So why do people need to drink bottled water when there is perfectly clean tap water? Well, let’s start from the beginning.

After I watched the documentary Tapped, I learned that it was the French company, Perrier, that popularized bottled-water in the 1970s. It was for the elite. With the “most natural” of all waters, why would it not be (disclosure: in reality 40% of bottled water is really filtered tap water)? It was exported to America where it simply became the convenient norm. Did you know that Americans use enough water bottles to circle the earth 250 times in just one year! Crazy! Anyway, back to France.

It has become such a standard that no one thinks otherwise. While many Parisians will pass a plastic bag tax in a second, they will not think twice about gulping down a plastic water bottle and then throwing it in the trash. Trash, not recycling. Granted there are some recycling bins, but for all the bottled drinks that Parisians use, you would think there would be more.

I have been playing a little game to see how long it takes me to find a recycling bin after drinking a nice Orangina. So far my average time is 20 minutes. That’s 20 minutes of active looking. Remember that convenience is the key to effective recycling, so if there are no recycling bins in sight, most people will not hold onto a bottle 20 minutes, much less 1 minute, before they toss it. 

Some of the recycling bins I saw-
The idea of recycling on one side,
trash on the other is an idea
we need to adopt in the US! 

That said, some of the French bottled water companies do something very interesting. According to Prof. Christian De Perthuis, a leading environmental researcher, they pay the plastic bottle tax. This is basically a few cents per bottle that goes to fund the recycling pickup. This has been encouraged and tried in a few parts of the States (six states have adopted this method of funding for bottled water). The company is able to put the label “100% recyclable” to show its generosity. (NOTE: Recyclable does not mean the bottle is made from recycled material!) Unfortunately, in the U.S. many of the bottled water industries such as Pepsi and Nestle have too much power for this ever to happen.

So, the French are ahead of the U.S. on their way of funding the recycling of water bottles, but as for the use of them, that is another story. Like I said before, it is just ingrained in the culture. And once something is ingrained in a culture, especially the Parisian culture, it is hard to change. 

Our group (The School of Ethics and Global Leadership)
with Prof. Christian de Perthuis

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

Many people look down on Cuba and consider the US ahead of their time. However, after I visited Cuba and watched the documentary, The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, I learned that it is ahead of the US in a few ways.

In the 1990s, Cuba reached “Peak Oil” (the point at which oil rate of production peaks and then heads into a steady decline) after the Soviet Union cut off all oil exports to them. There was an immediate crisis in Cuba often referred to as “The Special Period,” which included frequent black outs and shortages of food. The Cubans were forced to come up with alternatives, first, after the downfall of the Soviets and then, the embargo with America in 1992. So, how did they survive?

They reused the beer bottles to store tomato paste

They changed their ways to more sustainable practices. The Soviets originally supplied the Cubans with large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. Once they cut off their supply, the Cubans adopted sustainable practices to include composting, crop rotation, green manure and worm humus (richer humus worms produce after they consume organic compost). From the 1980s to present day, Cubans were able to reduce their use of pesticides from 21,000 to 1,000 tons. Now, 80% of their agriculture is organic (without pesticides). Even more, the produce Cubans consume is grown locally though urban agriculture and other methods. Because farmers are able to provide food and money for their family, farming is considered one of the best jobs in Cuba.
 

To store the heat from the sun

I asked one farmer who works on an organic farm if Cubans would use pesticides if they were accessible to them. He responded that he wouldn’t because he realizes the damage it would do to human health and the health of the land. As of right now, pesticides are quite limited and expensive in Cuba due to its embargo with the US. I only wonder what will happen when the embargo is lifted. Will Cuban farmers fall victim to the low prices and high production? Or will they use what they learned from the past to resist these harmful chemicals?

The best meal I have ever had- and it was all organic!

When will America hop on board to an agricultural system based on the well-being of human health and the earth instead of the fast-paced, mass-producing ways of a backward society? Will we only be able to reach this turning point when we hit “Peak Oil” production or will we be able to start moving in the right direction of sustainable agriculture without being “forced” into it? 

 

     These pictures are all from Organoponico Vivero Alamar, an organic farm outside Havanna, Cuba

 

 

 

 

 

Wrapped in a Cultural Misunderstanding/ Enveloppé dans la Mésentente Culturelle

If you come to Paris, you will notice that a hot topic here is the issue of immigration specifically immigration from Arab countries. There is a serious clash between many French and Muslim people. The answer for why falls under a few categories- the first of which is referred to as “Laïcité.” Laïcité is similar to the American idea of secularism. Religion here is under the radar. One French attorney referred to it as “a private sphere.”  In America, people are used to discussing religion at the dinner table, wearing religious symbols and using it as a guide to many political and social decisions. In other words, it is in the “public sphere.” The United States embraces multiculturalism and prides itself in being a mixing pot of cultures. On college applications, the US system awards you for being from a different background. On job resumes, the US system celebrates people who are bilingual. We allow for yamakas, crosses, and head scarves. In Paris though, things are different.

Wearing your religious symbol for all to see would be equivalent to wearing your underwear outside your pants. It puts those around you in an uncomfortable position. You can see then why many French and Muslims would butt heads. To many Muslim people, religion isn’t something to keep locked up inside one’s home; it is something that guides everyday lives. To many, it is something that needs to be in the “public sphere.” And so, many Muslims want their religion to guide their everyday lives- they want to wear their hijabs, pray in the streets (because there is a limited number of Mosques), and some even want gender-oriented gym classes and swimming pools. But to the French this doesn’t make sense. Why would they want to do this? For the French culture, religion should not be part of one’s everyday life.  And this misunderstanding, you see, is the catalyst to many of the tensions. If this were the only problem though, it would be manageable. Things could be worked out. The real problem here is the timing.

Right now, the use of the French language and culture is declining. French schools are teaching more and more classes in English, international schools are replacing the typical French/ Spanish option with Mandarin and Arabic.  There is an influx of immigrants to France from all around the world. And so the pure, “Gallois” French cultural is changing. All of a sudden a people whose entire family tree is from France, who speak French with a French accent, who understand the subtle cleverness of the language are being “infiltrated” by people who are not Gallois and view certain issues differently than the French. And this scares many people. Especially the Conservative French population who are trying to hold on to the days of The French Republic.

Arab Immigrants, clearly fit into this “other” section. They have made the decision to move to France, but are not interested in assimilating into the French standards. And here is where the problems begin. Because unlike the States that allows for a “tossed salad” society, the French society expects everyone to not only conform, but have the desire to conform to the French identity, image and values.

So the danger holds not just in la Laicite or le Gallois, but in the timing. Because all of a sudden the French have a reason to be in panic. They are losing their language, and now they have someone to point a finger at. The Muslims. The Muslims who refuse to accept the French culture, cause impurity to the “Gallois” race, and are therefore easily a victim for groups like The National Front who are looking for a group to blame.

The scary part is this all sounds too eerily familiar. A group to blame for the decline of a society. Hitler and the Nazi party started on the same ground. They were in fear of Germany losing its National Identity, and therefore looked for a minority to blame- the Jews.

Luckily, France is not in the exact same position as Germany was. It only has a small percentage that belongs to these extremist, anti-immigrant groups, and most importantly France has a leader that speaks out against it.

Earlier this week, there was a debate over whether President Hollande had the right to ban five Neo-Nazi groups just in the last week, and whether he should have the right to prosecute people that partake in hate speech like a French Mayor who stated last month that “Hitler should have killed more Gypsys.” Many argue that this is a violation of the treasured freedom of speech; however, I am starting to understand why it is necessary.

In this turbulent time, when tensions are running high in the anti-immigrant extremist parties, and people are looking for someone to blame for this decline in French language and culture, it is all too easy to point fingers at the Muslim people. It is now that Hollande must rebuke all racism groups and comments before turmoil erupts. Because if he doesn’t, who knows what will happen?

And so, the Parisians and the Muslims have clearly reached a cultural misunderstanding. Wrapped in it are head scarves and prayer books, Laicite and Gallois, but hopefully somewhere deep down is an opportunity for the French to adapt to a more multicultural approach to keep up with the changing world.

Who doesn't like looking at food?

 Typical Bakery- Paul

 For everyone that didn't believe I was adventurous- Les escargots!

 La Tarte de Fraise- translated to the best dessert on Earth!

 The best fallafel in the world- even Lenny Kravitz says so!

Largest Nutella I have ever seen and roughly 40 euros!

Not your average Starbuck's selection!

 I know this doesn't really count, but what a great piece of art by Roy Lichtenstein!

Voila! The most amazing pizza



Meet Nike

Meet the Greek goddess Nike. She was found off of an island in the Pacific Ocean. Presumably, she once was leading the way on the deck of a ship to symbolize victory. While most historians claim that the right way to view her is from the lower left, I preferred the lower right because from there you can see her strength. You can see her right leg in front, and her figure pushing through the wind. To me she symbolizes the strength of a woman.

Let's Just Plea Bargain- The differences between the French and American Legal System

Today, we met with a French attorney and he brought up some interesting differences between the US and French legal system. For example, “plea bargaining,” a term we use here in America to reduce charges against someone in exchange for something such as information, is completely unlawful in France. It is against the civil law and French principles (most importantly egalite (equality)) and even more it is seen almost as a game. And, I guess if you think about it, the French could have a point. We compromise the person’s consequences based on the information they can give us. Is this really ethical? In fact, this is not the only game-like part for the French. For example, throughout the DSK trial, many French couldn’t believe the photos that the news would print of DSK within the first few hours of his conviction. This could be in part, because for the French, no matter how unlawful a crime an official is accused of, they are still representative of France and the French government, and people would never want others to portray France in that manner. In America, though, the thought process is different. To many people in the media the question is who can get this story out first, not, what kind of image does this portray for our society.

 

And so the French see the American Legal System much more like a game or reality show. In France, you can't run for a position in the court and are not appointed like you are in The States, and therefore, politics is not intertwined with the judicial system. Instead, if you are interested in obtaining a position, you go to law school either to become a lawyer or a magistrate. It is much more cut and dry. There is rarely a jury, and therefore, many of the citizens don't know much about how the French legal system works. In fact, many French people know more about the American system than the French system.

Not such a tossed salad

Are you fluent in more than one language? Are you from a different background then where you are living now? In the US, we look to check off as many boxes as we can. On College Apps, you are automatically put ahead of everyone else if you are bilingual or from another country. 1/15 Native American- check, 1/8 Hispanic- check, 1/6 African American- check. Check, check, check. Why? Because we value a diverse and eclectic student body. This doesn’t just apply for colleges, this applies for the country as a whole. However, this is not the case in France. In France, there are no boxes to even check for race and religion. Instead of the “tossed salad” approach, which celebrates a blend of cultures, France pushes for assimilation. Do as the French do. In fact, this push toward a Gallois culture has often ended in subtle acts of racism. For example, students who have Arab names, are having trouble finding internships, and people who live in the poorer “banlieus” (suburbs) are at times, automatically thrown out from the job pool just because of their zip codes. Will France move away from the ideals of “la Republique Francais” to accommodate this diverse group of people? 

We meet an artist who put together a piece of hundreds of different faces of children 

Jardin de Luxemburg

The beautifully manicured lawn is decorated with violet and pink flowers with beautiful gothic architecture and clock-town buildings. There, I sat next to the fountain and watched. That’s it, simply watched. I saw a man across from me with a pink shirt look at the Zeus-like sculpture towering over the young couple and imagined that he too was an apprehensive father giving off his daughter in marriage. I saw the young couples make love in the broad daylight, and the old ladies sit down for hours. The hustle and bustle of the US just didn’t seem the same here.  

Do you bring your own bag to the market?

They even come on wheels!

Even if they may not be up to speed with reusable water bottles, Parisians are still ahead in the use of reusable bags. In the “supermarches,” the easiest way differentiate between a tourist and native is whether or not the shopper brought their own bag. It is a habit that the Europeans were able to adopt- maybe one day most Americans too will automatically reach for a reusable bag when they head off to the market. 

The Green Tax

Taxes. Not a pretty word. But what if you could substitute a new tax for an existing tax? This is the idea of a Double Dividend. Dr. De Perthuis, a leading climate researcher, explained that this was the basis of CDC Climate’s proposed green taxes. Taxes to prevent pollution would replace the unpopular labour tax, and therefore the public would have a clean living environment with no additional fees. Not so bad for a tax.  

Nuclear Energy- What does the future hold?

Did you know about 75% of France’s energy comes from nuclear power. This highly controversial topic started when French lobbyists explained to the public the benefits of nuclear energy, convincing them that it would get them out of tough economic times. However, Dr. Christian De Perthuis, a leading climate researcher, points out that many costs were not thought off. As experts have taken a closer look, it appears that nuclear power will actually cost three times the predicted price. Take nuclear waste for example. The waste was originally dumped into the ocean until people realized that this caused other health risks. Now, France is taking heavy precautions to avoid any nuclear accidents like Fukushima.  But this is not cheap. In order to cut costs, France is starting to invest in large scale projects with companies like EPR.

However with such difficult economic times, some experts say France needs to reduce their reliance on nuclear energy dramatically. The president, Francois Hollande, too, made a promise to the Green Party that he would cut the use of nuclear energy from 75% to 50% by 2025. The real question then is where will France get their energy? Will they look toward renewable energy sources such as biofuels? (Sidenote: Many Nordic countries have become heavily reliant on biofuels which entail sustainable tree management and controlled fires to create energy). Or will France become dependent of countries such as Algeria for imported oil?

What makes good art?

We started our discussion with one simple question “What makes good art?” Controversial, yes. Subjective, yes.  But as we have traveled from The Louvre to the Musee d’Orsay, the Musee de Rodin to the Jardin de Luxemburg, I have come up with some simple signs.

1.     It needs to make you think. Good art is complex in a sense. There are subtle details that create a story inside a frame. We had to do an assignment to consider good art. The assignment: look at a painting for 30 minutes. That’s right. One painting, thirty minutes. And if you could find a story, feel the artist, pick up on more and more of the subtle details within that time, then you would have a good clue that you were looking at good art. Luckily, I was able to find “Le Lecture” and “Jeunes Filles au Piano.” Both Renoir, and both, in my opinion, excellent examples of good work. The brushstrokes come to life as the girls’ hair looks as soft as silk and their cheeks rosy with color. The pastel colors naturally make you happy, as they follow one of Renoir’s strictest values that “there are enough disagreeable things in life for us not to make any more of them.” Indeed, these paintings are magical as they show the two sisters working together.
2. There needs to be some sort of message behind the paintings- specifically by illustrating a social injustice that calls upon the public to act.
3. It encapsulates a historical moment that will be preserved for the public to learn about and learn from.
   
   
   
   
   
    

What does the IEA say?

Today, we met with the Ambassador Richard Jones and Philippe Benoit, Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Since Climate Change is caused in large part (60%) by the energy sector, he dealt specifically with Global Warming. These were some of the suggestions he posed to our group. He emphasized the role that we, “the future generation,” needed to play instead of relying on the generation in power. With over 7 billion people who create over 30 billion tons of CO2 a year, there is no choice but to act now!

What the government needs to do

·         Reduce fossil fuel subsidizes!

Focus in on…

·         Electricity

·         Transport

·         Building Efficency

·         Industry

What Can You Do

·         Be Aware

·         Change Starts at Home

·         Influence Those Around You

·         Share and Communicate

·         Get Involved

Difficulties

·         Economic Development (reliance on fossil fuels, difficulties with change, people see tradeoff between environmental and economic efficiency).

·         Growing Population

·         Historically powerful countries were also large emitters

·         Emerging emitters

Political Change

·         Needs to be a by-partisan topic

o   Similar to the issue of gay rights which has now been adopted, in many cases, by both parties.

 

Keys to International Negotiations

·         Understand where they are coming from

·         Understand where they perceive you are coming from

Peak Oil

Peak Oil. Ever heard of it? To summarize, it is theory that we are going to keep steadily consuming oil until we reach our absolute maximum supply (the peak), and then the rate of production of oil will fall into a rapid decline. The real controversy is when this will happen? Some predict it will happen any day, others estimate it will be several years, however, the IEA (International Energy Agency), which we met with today, denied the theory of peak oil. Instead, they believe we will adapt to alternative sources of energy, and reduce our reliance on oil way before we ever run out of it. In other words, we will avoid this problem completely. Is this possible? Are we moving fast enough, adapting quick enough, to avoid peak oil? Or will we continue to rely heavily on this natural resource until it’s too late? 

Not Your Everyday Lemonade

Citron Presse. Lemonade, simple right? Not exactly. The waiter comes out with a tray. On it is a vase filled to the top of its decorated neck with cold water. Next to it, a glass is filled halfway with fresh lemon juice. And lastly lies a small sugar packet on a pristine white plate. And then, you create your masterpiece. Not as simple as the dyed-pink drink at a lemonade stand in The States. Like Elaine Sciolino mentions in her fabulous book (and guide to France!), La Seduction, the presentation of a meal is just as important as the quality of the meal itself. And it shows. Yesterday, at a crepe stand, the man refused to cut the crepe in half because he didn’t want to ruin the presentation. In America, we think it all goes to the same place; in France, they think “Quelle est la beaute de la repas?!”

It's the Little Things

It’s the little things. Little toilet paper. Little ice cream scoops. Little breakfasts. Little conversation. But that’s all they need here because they savor every wipe, bite and minute. If there is one thing to learn from the French it is less is more.