Meaningful Engagement (4)

Taking the idea of "meaningful engagement" and running with it, I have decided to tackle issues discussed in my last post around the wealth gap disparity in Aspen.

As a chemical engineer, I immediately tackle this by identifying what about Aspen makes it such a wealthy spot. The first, and lesser issue lies in its location as transportation is hindered due to it being surrounded by the rocky mountains. 

Wanting to preserve the landscape,  resolving this issue would lie in making advancements (through research and engineering) to determine methods that allow for an easier method to transport a large number of goods. One solution would be to use aviation advancements to avoid the difficult terrain altogether.

The second and larger issue lies in the high demand for tourists and potential homeowners to move to the town. This, coupled with the low room for growth (as an effort to protect the nature around the community) perfectly culminates in a climate suited to be expensive. 

The pathway I would use as an engineer would circle around discovering how the community can be more efficient with its limited space without sacrificing its inhabitant's perceived luxury.

Instead, I aim to tackle this by encroaching on existing wildlife in an environmentally conscious way to retain the integral nature prevalent in Aspen. This could be as simple as camping, to something more complex like buildings that focus on the nature around them rather than removing it as a perceived obstacle.

Figure 1: An example house

In any case, my efforts highlighted above serve as informed, innovative solutions to an ongoing issue ultimately aiming to focus on ensuring I am engaging meaningfully as I travel.