Part 2: The Political Predicament of Environmental Conservation

Recently, we discussed Kiko Pellets and their future in water remediation.
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There is no doubt that Kiko pellets and similar technology have the power to change the world. In my opinion, the science of the future is already here; the true culprits that slow down environmental conservation are the inherent government policies and lack of political action to make monumental technology like Kiko Pellets less effective in today’s society.

Chun Pong, who introduced me to Kiko Pellets, explained more about this lack of political action. In addition to Kiko Pellets, Pong described how trash could be transformed into something far more purposeful and sustainable. Unzipping his bag, Pong handed me a grayish substance in the form of a cube, claiming it to be a source of fuel and energy. My jaw dropped when he told me that it was made from our everyday trash. While landfills often contain a lot of hazardous materials, Pong was able to refine the waste to repurpose a harmful substance into a form of energy. 

However, in our flawed and slow world, I realized that every innovation brings a setback. While Pong was able to create the fuel cube out of his own trash, he had trouble receiving permission to use landfill from other places. When he asked his local district’s school system if he could access their landfill for this project, he was swiftly denied. Although it is understandable why some may be hesitant to secede personal property, Pong pointed out the larger problem in our fight against environmental injustices across the nation. 

In a world motivated by greed and finance, many scientific innovations – whether Kiko Pellets or repurposed fuel – are often drowned out in the political landscape. Even if these methods may be effective for environmental restoration, many believe the investment to expand its usage is not worth it, Pong explained. 

Meeting Chun Pong opened my knowledge to developing water remediation projects and repurposed fuel sources. While learning about these great developments brings optimism for the future, there is still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully, applying this technology to the real world will become more accessible and documented.