Something thats keep popping up as a question is; “how do they survive economically here in Auroville”. This day we had a economic talk by one of the persons working here in Townhall, Auroville and he showed us how much percentage of Aurovilles money that comes from donations from the outside (mostly the western world). He showed graphics that Auroville don’t make it by itselfe and need help from the outside.

But did not Auroville want to go away from the western world of money dominance, individualism and capitalism? But still they could not function without some help from it? It makes me think of a metaphor that Auroville is like a rebellious teenage and the western world are som rich parantes. The teenager want to see the world and spread love and a better place for everyone, the teenager dislike the parents stif and way of living without solidarity, but the teenage still receives an allowance from the parents every month to continue.

This doesn’t make Auroville as good as I thought before, but I talked a bit with Anadine, a guy that helps us Linnaeus and AUP students and have grown up here. He said something that turns this around. He talked about that you can be here to make money, but you want to do it in a fair way, a way that take in count what is best for people, nature and everything else on the planet. I think that they are not there yet, but they are striving for independence and experimenting to find a sustainable way to do survive without the western parents.

Then I start to think, are their any non-profit organizations that are completely independent? If you look at the big Organizations, they all get money for “the outside”, by donations from both corporations and private persons. Would it be possible to make the whole Auroville self-sufficient and only rely on them self? I think that they really could make it, if they just continue, and then they would have achieved something really remarkable! – to make profit in an ethical way.

Many times when I start to question Auroville and how it’s become, I think back on what a women said the first day here; “Auroville is not perfect, but we are striving for it”

December 29

Another question about sustainability may be, what about when it merely appears to be sustainable? Terms like ‘green washing’ are well known by many, and when one thinks of Auroville, it may seem to be a less likely place to find green washing. I’d say that the quality of being ‘less likely’ is true. Yet of course, just as all other places, Auroville is a place with people, minds, intentions, all of the possibilities that can arise from such a combination, and some say, green washing as well. Within Auroville, one can observe some inspiring approaches to the production of goods, shelter, resource consumption, business and lifestyle. While so many of the NGO’s and projects in Auroville exemplify among the most noteworthy approaches to these concerns, many conversations with a variety of individuals during my last month have offered some contrasting thoughts as well.

An older man, Tamil Nadu native and Aurovillian, expressed to me that he felt strong concerns about what he called green washing among some projects in Auroville working with local and indigenous communities and producing products to be sold to the national and international market. To summarize his thoughts; there were projects, led usually by European Aurovillians with decision-making power, that demonstrated particularly pleasant relationships with the locals they employed while there were visitors present to learn about the given project. And that such pleasant relationships might be less impressive if observed while there were no visitors present. In addition, this man expressed that the products themselves claimed so loudly to be made by local and or indigenous communities or groups of women that were being empowered and benefiting significantly from the training and selling of products when in reality, there was visible disparity regarding how much the project leader received and how much the local people received; ultimately using the story, value and international attraction towards indigenous, local or women-based projects to sell a product attached to an idea that was deceiving. In effect, green washing. And even worse, capitalizing on the story of the lived experiences and situations on others in order to sell a product.

This man, over time, had observed the contexts that he spoke about with me. With or without the story of this man, the same issues are easily observable on an international scale as well. Organic coffees, all kinds of foods, apparel and products claim to be fair trade, ethical and standing in solidarity with those communities growing the coffee, sewing the clothes or making the products. In reality of course, the consumer knows either consciously or somewhere in their peripheral awareness, that they don’t know the actual history or social-political context from which a given product comes from. Product designers, advertisers and marketing experts would have no power without the willingness of the consumer to trust what the label says, to believe the story being told.

If we consider not the possibility but rather the plausibility of sustainability in practice, it becomes clear that no theory offers success. Instead, only people and their individual desire, will, solidarity and action can lead to success, sustainably. What does ‘success’ mean in this context? The intentional practice of sustainability, regardless of how imperfect the way there may be. And what could such a large term like ‘sustainability’ refer to? Perhaps, an approach and practice that assures all involved are cared for with equality and able to care, speak and provide for themselves as well.

Thinking twice, especially when offered stories pleasant to our ears and minds, may encourage ourselves and others to see the difference between what seems to be and what might be. And most importantly, that we, even the most determined to bring change to the world, are equally susceptible to the very qualities and decisions we profess to change in the world, one day.

The one who stayed in India – AUP

On the final day of this practicum, a few students took the opportunity to explore Agra and its cultural heritage. The Taj Mahal is located there and is a shining example of Mughal hardstone carving, an art that is nearly lost today.

After visiting this great monument and seeing the grand-scale of this work, we visited a small workshop of artisans who are continuing this extremely manual, fragile, and amazing art form. Each inlaid piece is ground by hand!

These complex carvings into the marble of the Taj Mahal were made for each semi-precious stone that would be inlaid into it so that each design would be flush against the marble. The effect is stunning.

Intricate inlays of flowers set into the marble of the Taj Mahal’s interior.

A close up of one of the inlaid patterns.

This was an amazing last day to spend in India as part of this practicum. To be able to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site, then meet some of the artisans who are trying to preserve this Mughal art which made it.

By Felicity Foster

Us westerners backpack through India and South East Asia wearing all the same uniform; alibaba pants, a loose tanktop and a mulitude of various bracelets decorating our wrists. We buy these attributes along Khao San Road in Bangkok, Kuta beach, Bali or just about anywhere in Goa, India. These are clothes and bracelets that locals would never wear but that are solely there for tourists to buy. Clothes, jewelry and souvenirs in this part of the world are many times ridiculously cheap by American, German or Swedish standards and we buy them in large quantities, tempted by the price and out of desire rather than need. After we return back home from our travels, we unpack our backpacks and soon realize that those alibaba pants were cool on the Phi Phi Islands but that they will never see daylight again when taken back to our regular setting of Paris or Stockholm. The colorful alibaba pants are tucked away to the darker areas of our closets and added to the ever growing pile of things that we don’t actually need.

From a sustainainable point of view, this behaviour of ours is problematic. As most familiar with theoretical writings on sustainable development, the concept is usually referred to as resting on four pillars comprising; environmental-, economic-, social- and cultural sustainable development. When all pillars are taken into consideration, development is the ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs. When buying pants, shirts and accessories that often are of low quality and that will be fashionable only for a very limited amount of time, it is troublesome from an environmental perspective. The dying of cotton pollutes rivers and plastic is essentially extracted from fossil fuels, just to give a few examples of how every material thing that we own has an impact on mother earth.

When looked at from the angle of cultural sustainablility, additional problems are to be found. Much of what we purchase are items that are specifically designed for tourists, often with the asemblance of local culture to convince us we are consuming local and culturally indigenous products. Our choice of purchases thereby do not support and contribute to the continuing existence of local culture but rather encourage further production of products oriented merely for foreigners. At the risk of exaggerating I would like to at least issue a warning that our consumption pattern in these countries are to some degree threatening the development and diffusion of local culture expressed through for example arts, clothing and jewelry.

Indeed, travellers like myself and others are, in many aspects, contributing to much needed economical development in third world countries through our consumption. Through expanded tourism, previously poor and deprived areas have been able to create a better life for themselves and their families. The flow of money has increased and economically contributed to development which is, no doubt about it, much welcomed. Economical development is by all means a beautiful thing when it contributes to the eradication of poverty and brings about brighter futures for people. But, it has a tendency to be over shadowed by other equally important aspects of sustainable development such as cultural and environmental degradation.

A somewhat sustainable depression A few days ago now, a few of us students visited Sadhana Forest. Sadhana Forest engages in tons of awesome sustainable projects but first and foremost concentrate on reforestation and water conservation. When we first arrived, we had a thorough demonstration on how to use their fully compostable toilets and I think I speak for more than myself when saying that putting our newly acquired knowledge into practice was somewhat nervously carried out. We were taken on a guided tour on the grounds and ended up in their main hut where a documentary was shown and we were served a great vegan dinner before getting on the bus taking us home.

Overall, it was a very inspirational and great visit showing that some people are indeed willing to go to great lengths to live sustainably. One the one hand, I would say that we could all use a little bit more of Sadhana Forest inspired thinking in our lives in order to live sustainably. The work that they do is nothing less than admirable. On the other hand though, I couldn’t help but feeling a little exhausted and bewildered, do we all have to turn into vegans and stop using toilet paper in order to have the slightest chance of not destroying the planet we inhabit within the next fifty years or so? How can an average person like myself, who likes travelling to distant places and hot showers, be a part of a movement towards sustainable living? The thought of giving up taken for granted comforts like flying, an occasional soda and butter on my bread scares me.

I consider myself a person who take steps towards lessening my ecological footprint but after my visit to Sadhana Forest, I realize that there is so much more that I can do. I used to give myself credit for choosing vegetarian and organic food, for not having a car and for recycling meticulously. Partly because of the visit to Sadhana Forest I have come to better understand that small behavior changes like the ones I have adopted matter little in terms of enabling a bright and green future for generations to come. And honestly, realizing that makes me feel paralyzed more than anything else. I’m sorry to say, but that hardcore vegan-, almost no electricity-, hut life lived in Sadhana Forest is not for me. Yet, I sincerely want to be a part of the movement towards a sustainable future. Is there a middle road or is it perhaps time for me and others to step up our game and start making some radical changes in our lives, Sadhana Forest style?