YOUTHYOUTH AND AND THETHE MOUNTAINSMOUNTAINS StudentStudent Essays Essays on Sustainable on Sustainable Mountain Mountain Development Development Volume I 2013 Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief: Dr. David R. Connelly History & Political Science Chair Assistant Editor/Administrative Support: Kimberly Williamson Utah Valley University Faculty: Dr. Keith Snedegar, Professor of History Dr. Baktybek Abdrisaev, Lecturer in Political Science Dr. Michael Minch, Associate Professor of Philosophy and director of Peace and Justice Studies Sara Ulloa, Assistant Professor of Languages Community Support: Robin Bucaria, teacher from Copper Hills High School in West Jordan, Utah Utah Valley University Students: Jordan Giles Jesler Molina Mark Petersen Utah Valley University 800 University Parkway Mailstop 185 Orem, Utah 84058 801-863-8487 YOUTH AND THE MOUNTAINS Student Essays on Sustainable Mountain Development The following essays are on a variety of themes that relate to sustain- able mountain development, both at home in Utah and around the - gions, alternative energy production, political arrangements, and the importanceworld. They of cover women such in variedmountainous topics ascommunities. conflict in mountainous This volume rein- cludes essays that were written by students at Utah Valley University and also includes essays written by local high school students who competed in the Utah High School Essay contest, held in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Table of Contents Introduction: Dr. David Connelly………………...………………..1 Introductory Essay: “Sustainability of Prophetic Politics: Defini- tion, Differentiae, and Deterrents to Sustainability in Societies” Author: Luis Alfonso Miranda Perez…………………...…………5 SECTION I: MOUNTAIN ISSUES IN UTAH AND IN THE UNITED STATES “Conflict in the State of Utah: A Survey of Conflict Among the Indigenous Paiutes and Modern Threats to State Security” Author: John McClure……………………..……………………..17 “Mormon’s Political Challenges Settling in Utah” Author: Jordan Giles…………………..…………………………29 “Consequences of Environmental Service Agreements in Wasatch County” Author: Jordan Giles......................................................................39 “Sustainable Mountain Development: State Rights vs. Federal Rights” Author: Thomas Hone……………………………………………46 “American Attitudes towards the Global Warming Consensus” Author: Gregory Haddock………………………………………..57 SECTION II: INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN ISSUES “Mountain Conflicts: The Ferghana Valley” Author: Alexis Sagen…………………………………………..…66 “An Andean Perspective” Author: Will Welch……………………………………………….84 “Women of the Andes: How Secular Education Enhances Women’s Health and Society in General” Author: Jared Martin……………..………………………………90 SECTION III: UTAH HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY WINNERS 2013 Winner: Maranda Fisher “Running Out of Water”………...………………………………103 2013 Second Place Winner: Quinn Everett “The Case against Water Contamination in Utah: The Hazardous Factors that Led to Pollution and the Poor Policies that Tolerate it” …………………………………………...........................…...…109 2013 Third Place Winner: Maison Evensen “Water Rights and Preservation”………………………………..116 2012 Winner: Justin Ngo “Wind Energy for Mountainous Regions”………………...……122 2012 Second Place Winner: Jacob Adler “Sustainable Energy Sources and Benefits of Thorium in Modern Society”……………………………..............………………….126 2012 Third Place Winner: Amber Kelpacz “Micro-Hydro Power”……………………………...…………...132 . 2011 Winner: Shelby Jorgensen “Women’s Education in Mountainous Regions”………………..137 2011 Second Place Winner: Katie Pontsler “Women of the Mountains: Past and Present: What Can We Learn From These Brave Souls?”……………......…………………….142 2011 Third Place Winner: Ivan Delgadillo “The Benefits of Mountainous Communities Can Achieve Through Women and Education”…………………………………………146 1 Introduction Whaia te iti kahuranga ki te tuahu koe me he maunga teitei. Aim for the highest cloud so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain. – Maori Proverb Utah Valley University, its faculty and students have set high and lofty goals in the area of sustainable mountain develop- ment. Utah Valley University joined the United Nations-related Mountain Partnership in 2006 in an effort to reach out to other mountain communities; from the mountain community that Utah Valley University calls home to the mountain communities around the world in an effort to strengthen co-operation and understand- ing of the challenges and issues that are unique to mountain living. Since 2006 Utah Valley University has hosted three ‘Women of the Mountains’ conferences; two in Utah and one in Peru. We have also organized the ‘International Mountain Day’ three times in order to promote mountain issues in the state of Utah and beyond its borders. Utah Valley University also sent a delegation to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) that was held in Rio de Janeiro in June of 2012. Utah Valley University faculty and students were able to contribute their thoughts and ideas to the final document of that conference as well as to the activities under the umbrella of the Third Global Meeting of the Mountain Partner- ship, which were held at the Mountain Pavilion during that time. Mountain issues are of special importance to us as we call the mountains our home. Utah Valley University is nestled near the mountain range known as the Wasatch Front. These mountains have historic significance for all the people of this area. The mountains have been a source of life and renewal; first to the Native Ameri- cans who first inhabited this valley and then later to the Mormon pioneers who used the mountains as a source of water to irrigate this dry desert land and also as a natural defense against unfriend- ly armies who sought to push them out of the valley. Mountains have ever been an indelible part of Utah’s culture and identity. Raising awareness of mountain issues and creating part- nerships among mountain communities had been at the heart of 2 all of Utah Valley University’s efforts as a member of the Moun- tain Partnership. These efforts have had a positive affect for all who become involved. Utah Valley University students who dili- gently work with their professors to achieve these goals find them- selves a part of a global network of mountain communities; they have seen beyond the boundaries of their own mountains and gain an increased understanding of the world around them through firsthand experience. This firsthand experience is in keeping with the commitment to engaged learning that Utah Valley University strives for. While many undergraduate universities in North Amer- ica learn about international diplomacy from books, Utah Valley University students have opportunities to learn about it from first- hand experience. And they even created a vehicle for that purpose by uniting in a coalition of several student clubs at Utah Valley University, named Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF). This volume is symbolic of the efforts of Utah Valley Uni- versity and UIMF to raise its students as a new generation of lead- ers in advocacy of the United Nations-related sustainable mountain development (SMD) agenda within Utah and the region. It con- tains student essays that discuss the issues of SMD such as the en- vironment protection, conflict resolution, and alternative energy use in the mountain regions, the need to constantly be listening to the prophetic voices among us, gender issues, and the benefits of governments working together for the good of the mountains. In section I of this volume essays that related the mountain issues of Utah and the United States are considered. The conflicts of the early Mormon pioneers are discussed as well as their political challenges settling the Utah Valley. Governmental cooperation in sustaining mountain environments is also a focus on one of the papers. Section II contains essays that discuss mountain is- sues in different parts of the globe such as the Ferghana Val- ley in the mountains of Central Asia and the Andes Mountains. The final section highlights the successes that Utah Val- ley University and UIMF has had with the High School Essay contests with topic chosen to cover mountain issues designated by the United Nations for every year. The Utah Valley Universi- ty High School Essay Contests began in 2011 to coincide with the 3 second Women of the Mountains International Conference that was held in Orem, Utah. High school students from around the Utah and Salt Lake Valleys were asked to submit essays on top- ics related to the event. As an established tradition to host those gathering annually, similar contests were held in 2012 and 2013. Although, Utah Valley University’s students efforts were overlooked in the United Nations Secretary General’s (UNSG) re- port in 2013 on sustainable mountain development, nevertheless, we will continue to engage youth for the mountain cause advoca- cy both in the Rocky Mountain region and globally. We hope the publishing of our first volume of student essay’s will be significant proof of the renewed efforts from Utah Valley University’s students as a whole in achieving their goal to make a real difference in the lives of the local and international communities. The distribution of Volume I of Youth and the Mountains is scheduled for the 4th Glob- al Meeting of the Mountain Partnership held in Erzurum, Turkey. In attempting to change the world in this way Utah Valley University students are aiming for the clouds but if we miss, according to the proverb, we will hit the lofty mountains.