“Sustainable Engineering” is the focus of Informed Infrastructure this issue. A general definition of sustainable engineering is designing and operating systems in a manner that the social and environmental impacts are minimized and yet still allows for growth and the ability for future generations to meet their needs. (My English teacher taught me never to use the root word in the definition: I did it!). It has become an important discipline, and students can study sustainable engineering at various universities and obtain degrees in that specialty.
Differing Environments
During the summers, I spend most of my time in rural northwest Indiana (NWI, as we refer to our area). The contrast between living in Chicago, where I resided and worked for 20 years, and NWI is remarkable. In Chicago, public transportation was the easiest way to get around. In my local community, pickup trucks and golf carts are the norm. In Chicago, skyscrapers were what you saw when you looked up. In NWI, my neighbor has a room built on top of his two-story home, the tallest for miles. Otherwise, it’s trees and sky. Both locations are great places to live.
In urban areas, sustainability focuses on water treatment, air quality, reusable building materials, recycling, better fuel efficiency, more-efficient appliances, green roofs, solar panels, etc. In NWI, the population isn’t nearly as dense. Even if everyone had new efficient vehicles and appliances, and we all recycled, the positive effect may not be significant.
Unfortunately, not everyone in NWI has new cars and dishwashers, and we don’t all recycle. While walking through our neighborhood, it’s clear the number of recycling bins is much fewer than trash bins. After a little investigation, I discovered that only 12 percent of the households in our community recycle. The national rate is 32 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, but even that percentage is disappointing considering the minimal amount of effort required. So, we must continue to do our part and help others realize the negative impact on our environment by not recycling.
Differing Farms
A few months ago, I wrote about the huge solar farm project (appropriately named the Mammoth Solar Project) under construction in this area. It will have a tremendous impact on our immediate-future energy needs. But that’s only one part of the sustainability initiatives in rural areas.
Another interesting positive sustainable “project” is regenerative farming. Basically, it’s the process of restoring degraded soils using practices based on ecological principles, including no-till planting, adaptive grazing, and limited use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. There’s always been a risk of negative impacts in using pesticides and, although we’ve learned much about those chemicals, the long-lasting effects may not be known until it’s too late. The use of synthetic fertilizers is really altering the makeup of the soil into something that’s not “natural.” Regenerative farming uses natural processes that allow continued use of our soil without artificial additives.
The concept of regenerative agriculture is ancient, with some practices dating back thousands of years. Indigenous peoples around the world have used farming methods that enrich the land, understanding that humans and nature are interdependent and need each other to thrive. Agricultural and climate research is proving that these ancient practices need to be reclaimed for our future generations.
Farm to Me
One of the great things about living in NWI is witnessing all the food production going on. Sometimes you get caught behind slow-moving farm equipment on the roadways, and sometimes your car gets “washed” by the overspray of irrigation systems. But you also get to see the growth of our food supply throughout the seasons. We’re used to seeing huge farms with huge pieces of equipment, but with the growing interest in regenerative farming, we can see relatively small farms being successful with positive, sustainable processes in place.
I’ve been fortunate to come to know a farmer (I’ll call him Dan) who employs many of the processes in regenerative agriculture. Dan has a small farm and grows corn, the best tomatoes I’ve ever eaten and other vegetables. He farms mostly by hand with small machinery for plowing. He says he’s interested in maintaining the health of the soil and isn’t concerned that his yield may not match the standards of commercial farms.
Dan will take the time to give a tour to anybody who wants to learn about his farm, and I’ve walked with him through his fields more than once. But mostly, it’s really comforting to get to know the farmer who grows my food. 
About Robert Schickel
Robert Schickel was born in New Jersey and received his BS in Civil Engineering degree in 1971 from Valparaiso University in Indiana. His career started as a bridge design engineer and expanded to include design of various transportation facilities, including highways, bridges, rail lines and stations, and airport runways. Mr. Schickel managed engineering offices ranging from 20 to 140 people. He also served as a consultant to a large utility company.
Mr. Schickel currently resides in Indiana and serves as Adjunct Professor for the College of Engineering at Valparaiso University. He enjoys his retired life at his lake house, playing golf, listening to music and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
The post From the Editor: Finding the Many Faces of Sustainability first appeared on Informed Infrastructure.