Author: George Besch

George Besch holds degrees in Ecology and Natural Resources Planning, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, was a Fulbright Scholar to the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Denmark, and the Acting Head of the Department of Appropriate Technology and Human Ecology at Western Washington University. His work includes a Statewide Plan for Illinois, Regional plans in PA, CO, and NM, and site plans or feasibility studies in the UK, France, Austria, India, and Australia. These projects included climatological aspects and lead to his noting that WNY has not only comparative advantages in its natural resources, but in its being exceptionally well-positioned as the effects of climate change impact elsewhere more frequently and severely, prompting him to return to WNY and start Designing to Live Sustainably. After initially publishing and speaking of these advantages, including the expectation of climate migrants, a collaboration with Stephen Vermette at BSC’s Department of Geography and Planning began the process of documenting WNY climate’s differentiation as a precursor to more elaborate downscale modeling.

Authors: Allison Leet and George Besch As more serious events — including the effects of climate change–occur more frequently all over the nation and the world, we must keep in mind the supply of our goods and services as they make their way to and from our region. In our previous articles we offered reasons for choosing synergy–a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts–over zero sum thinking–a belief that whatever is gained by one side is lost to the other. If Buffalo and WNY applies synergy to its planning and prepares for the effects of climate…

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Authors: Allison Leet and George Besch How do we use knowledge of the effects of climate change we are likely to experience and collaboration to facilitate Buffalo and Western New York (WNY) in preparing for those effects? We need to learn more about them, and find our way to authentic collaboration and the synergy that will result in thriving, not just surviving. As a climate adaptation leader in Buffalo, non-profit organization Designing to Live Sustainably (D2LS) is pursuing the Weathering Change in WNY initiative in partnership with the Buffalo State College Department of Geography & Planning to more-than-sufficiently adapt and…

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Authors: George Besch and Allison Leet In September I wrote about what synergy could achieve, and what the alternative, zero sum thinking, leads to. We face those alternatives right now. We have the potential of becoming one of the most livable, sustainable, and socially-just cities in the world, if we choose to develop the synergy, and plan our built environment and social infrastructure accordingly. That doesn’t come automatically just because there are a lot of good people and organizations involved in that planning. We will succeed and prosper with collaboration. Many cities set a course to becoming sustainable. Seattle, for…

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Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. In contrast, Zero Sum thinking believes that whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other. The first encourages cooperation and collaboration, while the second encourages competition. While many scientists were warning of global warming much earlier, revelations about it began appearing at least as early as 1953 in publications such as Time Magazine (The Invisible Blanket); the NY Times (How Industry May Change the Climate); and in 1958, in a film by Frank Capra for Bell Labs (Unchained Goddess). However, rather than respond appropriately,…

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