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Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador October’s gray, overcast skies in coastal Ecuador are generally constant and cover over even sunrise and set (caida del sol or “fall of the sun”). This makes for pleasantly cool weather despite melancholy moods. It has been called “the gringo month” even though tourists are mostly absent because of the resemblance to […]
Read MoreBahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Bahia de Caraquez is a working lesson in urban livability that collapsing industrial society urgently needs to adopt. For a transition toward a more sustainable future, new techniques and practices alone aren’t enough. By themselves they give off a chilly contrived feeling that rings false and heightens a sense of displacement […]
Read MoreJohn Berger belongs to a school of European intellectualism in particular that is internationalist, humanistic and strongly left-wing. Once all-pervasive and still dominant in some areas (labor unions come to mind), it can be found scattered among journalists, artists, academics, novelists, film directors, critics, and many other fields. Some of the general characteristics of the […]
Read MoreBahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Ecuador has just ratified a new constitution overflowing with innovations that make it a trail-blazing 21st Century governing document. Environmental awareness and protection are recognized on a particularly high level in response to present day revelations about local destruction of habitat and species as well as planetary climate change. These are covered […]
Read MoreSeptember 15-26, 2008 Summary: We shift our energies towards securing revegetation sites for planting in the coming rainy season. In the greenhouse seedbeds that were planted a few weeks ago are ready to be transplanted, adding even more trees to the arsenal. Still no new volunteers. On Monday we are at the greenhouse transplanting Guarango, […]
Read MoreSeptember 1-12, 2008 Summary: I return to Bahia from a reverse culture-shock laden vacation to the United States. While I was gone, Jaime held down the fort and was fortunate enough to receive a heavy rain thus saving him from having to water (alone). Despite the lack of volunteer forces, Jaime and I persevere. The […]
Read MoreAugust 4-18, 2008 Summary: Our volunteer numbers continue to dwindle, but we carry on watering. More seeds are collected, prepared and planted in beds in hopes that a bunch more trees will germinate and be ready for planting in 2009. I leave Bahia for a visit back to the US of A and close the doors […]
Read MoreJuly 21-August 1, 2008 Summary: We spend one week continuing the water routine, then it rains over the weekend and we get to spend the next week in the greenhouse and out in the field collecting seeds. Major progress is made in organizing, planting seeds and transplanting trees in the greenhouse. On Monday we head to […]
Read MoreRamon’s Weekly Report #12 Bioregionalism EducationSummer Session, 2008 July 23 & 25, 2008 This was the final week for the first level of Bioregional Education. On Wednesday, after meeting in the park like we always do, I thanked all of the students for having participated in this program. Then we began to talk about all […]
Read MoreJuly 7-21, 2008 Summary: Many of the volunteers finish their stays with us. After getting so far ahead during the whirlwind week of work with the Canadians, I decide to take a weeklong vacation in the mountains. Back in Bahia, we continue watering the sites and two new volunteers, Stephen and Gina arrive. On Monday, William […]
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