I think I should say something about my job, since I left you hanging on my first post in June. My job description is becoming more clear as time moves on. I am a program assistant for REAP (Research Extension and Activities Partners) and that means I can do pretty much anything that tickles my fancy. REAP is an MCC program based in Bogra and currently it has projects on HIV/AIDS education and awareness, peace education, livestock research, agricultural research, and appropriate technology development. So far my work has mostly been with the last two things.
There are 5 bideshis (foreigners) in Bogra including me. Nate and Daniel are engineers for the appropriate technology program. Phil is a socio-economist and Jodi works with the livestock program. Nate, Daniel and Phil are currently living outside Bogra at the new model homestead called Adarsho Kamar Bari (AKB). Basically this is the place where the appropriate technology research happens. I've been doing some work out there with the "living machine". The living machine is basically a method of purifying wastewater by emulating a natural wetland ecosystem. The water passes through a series of aerobic and anaerobic tanks where a whole host of bacteria breakdown the solid waste. The final four tanks are all aerobic (oxygen requiring) and open air. In these, plants and fish can live and help to purify the water. We're still in the early stages, seeing if this will work. I still need to go out and do some tests on the water (pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates etc.), but today I planted some tomatoes on styrofoam rafts in the water. Hopefully there's enough nitrate and micronutrients in the water for the plants to survive.
I'm also doing some work on an Analog Forestry Data
base. This is basically a lot of research and data inputing. It's far from complete, but you can see it here: mccb.org/analogforestry
I have a few other ideas for urban gardening that I'm planning, but you'll have to wait to hear about that because this post is already too long.
AKB House
Workshop
Living Machine (last 4 tanks)
My tomatoes
Just so you know I'm still completely normal.
Ben
haha love the pic ben.
ReplyDeletesounds like cool work.
Hope to see your tomatoes alive and healthy when we visit in December, Ben!
ReplyDeleteYou are soo smart. Sounds so cool, having the ability to experiment with whatever you want. I LOVE that kind of stuff. And its nice to see you look like you usually do. Take care, Sam.
ReplyDelete