The First Step﻿

The First Step

12/20/2015

This blog is about my travels in the world, the projects I pursue, the interesting people I meet, and the lessons I learn. The sole purpose of this website is to share my experiences and give new insight to the places others have not yet traveled to, in hopes of inspiring people to step outside the comfort zone and explore the places they are foreign to.

In the middle of September I was put in contact with the General Manager of a world-class beach resort on the island of Sumba, Indonesia. My step-dad, Will Travis, helped me strategically plan the approach and pursuit of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work for one of the most pristine resorts on this planet, Nihiwatu. After exchanging a few emails and Skype calls with the G.M. I finally received the magical phrase, "Welcome aboard the Nihiwatu family."

Although there is not a strict job description, I have been assigned to help with sustainability and waste management, but I want to do so much more than just help the hotel. I want to help the indigenous villagers, who are not yet doomed by industrialization. I want to help educate them about recycling, separating their plastics, composting, farming, and help inspire the foundation for an effective waste collection infrastructure. By doing so ahead of time, this island can be the healthiest and happiest of them all, simply by being sustainable.

If you believe in protecting the environment and recognize the inherent worth of all living beings, the positive impact of a foreign explorer is mutual... I will start working/studying in January, where all my eco-projects will be taking place. I will post the process as well as the final product, which will soon be found on the 'PROJECT SUMBA" page.

I'd like to end this post with one of my favorite quotes by the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". This applies to a journey around the world, and the goals you pursue in the world. This is my first step.

anon

12/17/2015 03:25:06 pm

Hey - congrats on this awesome opportunity!! This sounds amazing. I was wondering what you think about all of the ways your own country, the US, is unsustainable, and ways to fight for sustainability and more on a local level. What made you want to make change in Indonesia when the US is the one perpetuating capitalism and industrialization around the world in the first place? My thoughts are that maybe people in Indonesia wouldn't have to worry about being "sustainable" (does Indonesia contribute to many unsustainable practices worldwide in the first place?) or fight against industrialization if we in the United States were creating change at the root of the problem. What do you think?

Michael

12/18/2015 01:22:23 am

Great question! The US unfortunately has many problems with sustainability due to many factors, the root being supply and demand. It seems that a large scale of outsourcing from suppliers with no consideration for sustainability of natural resources leads to environmental disaster, and it only escalates when trying to keep up with our large consumption of foods and goods.

Forests and jungles have to be burned in order to plant palm trees, which contain a key ingredient in most commercial products around the world. Palm oil (aka vegetable oil in disguise) is found in shampoo, chocolate, detergent, cookies, packaged bread, etc.. Indonesia happens to be the largest producer and exporter of palm oil.

Here's a couple of ways to locally fight for sustainability:

1) Investigate the process. The true environmental values of a company are clear when you closely examine the operations of the business. Look at all the intermediaries from raw materials to the final product, and base your decision to purchase if your research deems every aspect of operation to be sustainable. Be a smart consumer, and encourage others to do the same.

2) Eat less meat. It's recently come to my attention that cows produce a massive amount of methane, which I'm sure isn't anything new to others. But i'm just sitting here thinking, if we're cutting down the trees and plants to make commercial goods and space for raising cows, what's going to purify our air and produce oxygen? Instead, we're demanding copious amounts of livestock to be raised and slaughtered, which produce the kind of gas that displaces oxygen, the most important element of our existence and survival.

3) Spread the word and educate. Our demand of unhealthy and unsustainable products are the direct result of habitat destruction and climate change. Increasing the amount of eco-conscious consumers will force more and more businesses to take responsibility and change their ways. The market trend will lean towards being quality and sustainable driven. This will dramatically decrease the rate of depletion of resources, which will benefit both environmental and human health in the long run.

This is a huge issue not only in the US, but across the globe. Educating the ones who fall victim to unsustainable supplying is a good start. America as well as many other nations need to either change their suppliers, change the process and quantity in which it is supplied, or entirely rid of the harmful ingredient and search for a substitute.

Indonesia as a whole as well as other supplying nations with naturally competitive advantages need to resist from the unhealthy and unethical demand by super-nations, and that's not something I'm battling just yet. Indonesia is the largest island country in the world, and I'll only be on one. After all, I'm committed to learning and helping the hotel first, as well as the people of Sumba.

Thank you anonymous for sparking this important topic.

Russell

12/20/2015 08:51:51 am

Mike-

We are all so proud of you and excited to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity through your writing and look forward to seeing your accomplishments first hand in Indonesia! Love and live the journey.

Russ and family

Myles

1/22/2016 03:40:37 pm

Hey Mike, looks like you gotta a lot of stuff on your hands, sounds fun, atleast your in a place that is hot and nice rather than back on the East Coast where it's a frozen tundra

Have Fun,
Myles

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8/12/2019 12:09:39 am

I also believe in that quote of the Chinese Philosopher Laozi. I believe that you cannot get your goal in just a snap of your fingers. You have to work for it step by step so that the fruit of that hard work is sweet and delicious. You have to be more careful on what you want to achieve. I also believe that you are a good person and smart too because you care to other people and the environment. Since I just read this blog now I wonder where you are now. I hope you succeeded with your goals. Thank you and I hope I could read more of your post.

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3/26/2023 12:54:53 pm

This waas lovely to read

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

The First Step

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“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”― Robert Louis Stevenson

The First Step﻿

Leave a Reply.

Archives

Author

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

The First Step