ECHO: Use What We Have to Make What We Need

My first college field trip to ECHO was an eye-opening experience for me. From the introduction to the star fruit to the wick gardens, I witnessed how people use what we have to make what we need. ECHO is an organization that fights world hunger through education of new techniques to make agriculture and farming easier and more efficient. I really enjoyed learning about the Bamboo; there are forty different species and only two kinds: running bamboo and clumping bamboo. I never really thought about how much bamboo can be of use to us. Bamboo can be used as piping, house building material, fencing, etc., and it grows a foot a day contributing to the subject of sustainability. Another fascinating statement that ECHO ingrained into my head many times was: THE WORLD RUNS ON MANURE! I learned about the ducks that ECHO had and how their poop falls through the mesh on the bottom of their pens, feeds the tilapia which then provides a great source of protein to humans.

The manure-producing ducks

I found Vermaculture (worm farm) very interesting because once again, the worms’ poop (castings) is used to fertilize. Human’s trash and compost is thrown into the worms’ community and they break it down forming manure.

Besides the world running on manure, I was also fascinated with the many ways plants can be used as dietary supplements. The Moringa Tree provided vitamin C, A, calcium, protein, iron, and potassium along with seeds that provide a source of water purification. The Neem tree provides brushes, cleans teeth, makes shampoo, soap, and it can be used as a bug repellant. So many different trees at ECHO could be used for more than one purpose and sending these trees to other developing countries is one of the easiest ways to reduce world hunger and nutrient deficiency.

The wick gardens

This field trip made me aware of the struggles other countries are enduring and that world hunger is still very much an issue in the 21^st century. Just standing in those “houses” around an open fire for one minute made me uncomfortable and very uneasy. I find it very upsetting that there are humans just like me living in conditions such as those I experienced at ECHO. ECHO definitely made me more aware of struggles going on in other developing countries and of the many different ways to provide help through efficient agricultural techniques.

The housing developing countries live in (usually 5-9 people stay in one)

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Etters, PA

For the neighborhood I am going to describe I am going to go back to my childhood home. My childhood home is located in Etters, Pennsylvania (York County), and I lived there for thirteen years of my life. When I think back to my old neighborhood all I can remember is my endless backyard. I call it endless because I wouldn’t just count my backyard; I included the Basso’s backyard and the Tamim’s backyard-my two closest family friends. Every time I came home from school I would put on my running shoes and head out the creaky garage door to the two houses to the right of mine. My younger sister and I would go door to door ringing bells and shouting names; running back and forth feeling the cool, brisk, fall air fill our lungs and produce that dry cough only northern states can create. The sun would peak down on us through the tiny oak tree spaces in the grown oak “tree house”. There was a black tire swing hanging from a sturdy branch of an oak tree with as many stories as the years it has been there. The three-inch tall green grass would slow the fast runners down when running up the steep hills sloping from back yard to front yard with scattered trees. The only sound would be the loud screams from victims of the ghost in the graveyard and the quiet whisperings of plans towards the next best hiding spots. Since I have moved to Florida, I realize that I miss the smell of the air. Pennsylvania had such a crisp, distinct smell to the air that just brought a relaxing sense over me. I would only taste the dryness of my mouth; almost like tasting stale blood from bleeding gums. It would almost be painful to swallow because the air was so clean and powerful. I still miss playing with my neighbors to this day; there are no trees to climb until you feel like you are queen of the world and no air to raise the hairs on your arms. I do not hear the comforting, yes comforting, screams of children having the time of their life outside; never anticipating the call of their parents’ voice telling them it is time to come inside and get ready for bed. My childhood home created a memorable childhood that I will never regret and one I will cherish forever.
Word Count: 405