I spent last semester in Disney World doing a professional internship with the Labor Operations department. One of the perks that Disney offers its ‘cast members’ is free admission into the theme parks. Needless to say, I took full advantage of this practice and spent a good deal of time exploring each theme park. One attraction that I personally find fascinating, but is often overlooked by the tourist crowed, is Living with the Land in Epcot’s Land Pavilion. It is a slow moving boat ride through a greenhouse facility that details new and emerging research that the cast members in the land have been doing. While you might not expect to find plant biologists at Disney World, they actually have a number of doctors doing research in the facility.
I have always found this attraction interesting because it details newer methods of growing that I had never seen before. Along with impressive things like the world’s largest tomato tree, they also talk a lot about research they are doing on growing plants in dry and arid soil – or even without soil. They discuss how this could be used to help feed people who live in places where the soil is not good enough to grow things on its own. They also grow all of the plants organically, using a few strategically placed bugs to ward off pests.
Dwarf Pepper Plants Growing in the Living with the Land Attraction
However, after taking this class I wonder if research like this could also be used to make for a more sustainable world. Could this technology be used not only to feed the millions of hungry people around the world, but also to make a world where we can support ourselves better without continually destroying our environment? Or are we just looking into another way to mass produce food without a thought for the effects it will have on our earth? The name of the attraction certainly implies that its focus is on working with the land instead of destroying it, and the research is enough to make me at least hopeful, but what do you think?
"Living with the Land." Walt Disney World Resort. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/living-with-the-land/>.
"Living with the Land." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_with_the_Land>.
Very interesting and observant Liz--and your questions are compelling and right on. I wonder if attractions such as this one contribute to consensus trance--we believe we are doing enough--that science will save us....
ReplyDeleteI went to Disney World a few years ago and never saw this, I really wish I could have checked this out it sounds so interesting. Something that really struck me from this was not just what they are doing and how it could help our world, but how wonderful it is to know that such a wealthy, thriving private business is using their money and their property to help the common good. I know we have been talking a lot about private property and how these businesses can use their land for their own selfish needs and its great to see something as powerful as Disney using their private property not just selfishly. If every big business would use some of their land and money for something like this, we could really make a change in our world.
ReplyDeleteI have been to the living on the land. It's a pretty cool exhibit. However, I always found it ironic that Disney has a place like that in Epcot. Disney parks are from from using efficient resources throughout their parks, so they are not exactly practicing what they preach. It's good that they are attempting to educate people about the land, but most people ignore that ride and head straight for Soarin'. It would be interesting to see a more effective way to get the environment involved in theme parks.
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Disney World, so I don't know much about it, but I believe that this is a great idea. I know that Walt Disney had come up with an idea originally to have a town called EPCOT that would be right next to the amusement park. He had many ideas for this place that were supposed to be revolutionary. The problem was that his plan was never put into action, so the town was never built. If it had been built, I would not be surprised if this had been one of his many ideas for a more sustainable environment. I find it very promising that they are working on methods of growing that can help the poor and less fortunate. If the method of growing plants and food in dry and arid soil works, then this would greatly help solve the hunger issue in the world. I also like the fact that the plants are grown organically and do not have pesticides all over them, making them less toxic to us.
ReplyDeleteI think that this a great move on Disney's part. It's a great way to get information out to American's in an educational way, while providing the information in a vacation setting, so it doesn't feel like actual learning. Disney has a large impact on very young people and maybe, a "cool" sustainable practice might stick in the head of a child and they might get home and ask their parents to plant a tomato tree in their backyard. This not only exposes children to sustainable practices, but it also gets parents involved. Hopefully, if these children are influenced by the sustainable attractions, they might carry those practices with them throughout their lives and pass them on to friends and even their own children.
ReplyDeletePutting information into a theme park attraction is a great way to get people to listen who otherwise would not. Children are easily excitable so planting ideas like this in their head is a good start toward having sustainability affect their actions. Unfortunately, I would guess that this ride isn't typically that busy because it is more of an educational one. In terms of your comment about America finding a way to turn these ideas into mass production I feel is the most realistic outcome, unless policy is made to control this. As long as there are no policies against mass production, companies will do whatever they can to make as much money as possible, and that typically comes in the form of mass production.
ReplyDeleteContinuing research could have a huge impact on society and food systems. I has been a while, but I think I remember seeing the same attraction the last time I was there in grade school. It is interesting to see how they grew all of those plants and vegetables in their controlled environment. It also begs the question of how it could affect our food systems. Maybe one day people will have their own indoor gardens where they harvest their own foods. Or maybe communities will begin building facilities that grow produce like this for the entire community.
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