Projects
Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador Coastal Ecuador seems to breed imaginative future scenarios. It could be the sheer biological richness of the country, mixed with hard-pressed economic necessity, but something definitely inspires a sense of starting over in new and different ways. People aren’t generally inhibited about having large visions. One Bahia friend enunciates new ideas as a constant aspect of our conversations. Here’s one that […]
Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador The home for most life on our planet is in water. It is a soupy, form-shifting medium where food can be chased, nibbled, or just plucked as it floats by. Plants and animals that don’t actually live in water require it anyway. All plants need to absorb moisture. Terrestrial animals manage their days around water holes, ponds, lakes, creeks, and rivers. […]
Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador August is the “gringo month” on the coast according to Patricio Tamariz, who believes it brings weather that resembles the Pacific Northwest. Days usually begin with gray clouds that can last into the night, but occasionally surrender to the radiator hot sun of the equator for a few hours in the afternoon. When this acquiescence occurs, there is a peculiar phenomenon […]
Nobody Wins If Nature Loses: Environmental risks posed by 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah San Francisco Bay Guardian Salt Lake City Olympic bid executives were furious when they learned that Nagano, Japan, had beaten them out for the 1998 Winter Games by allegedly paying $100,000 per vote to members of the International Olympic Committee. Determined not to come up short again, key Olympic officials from […]
Bioregional Olympics: Environmental “Greenwashing” of 2002 Olympic Winter Games Background Documentation Index of Materials The Olympic Movement and the Environment “Report and Recommendations” written by the Materials and Resource Management Working Group Guard Fox Watch Monitoring Recommendations Letter from Environmental Advisory Committee Ecological Standards for Activities Prior, During, and After 2002 Winter Olympic Games In Salt Lake City Letter from Diane Conrad Guard Fox Watch […]
Amy Jewel, Field Assistant (Writing from Memphis, Tennessee) “Well, we HAVE to do it.” These words were spoken more than once over the past few weeks by Patrick Rivadenerra, Director of the new Department for Tourism and the Environment, about accomplishing the objectives of his department. They were used yet again last week during a final meeting with Gabriella Chejtman as we discussed the next […]
Amy Jewel, Field AssistantPlanet Drum Foundation We presented the official Spanish version of the Ecological Plan to Dr. Luis Mendoza, President of the Mayor’s Commission on Tourism and the Environment, on Tuesday, February 20th. This is the body that will take the plan to the City Council for discussion and eventual approval, or disapproval. “Nos vimos” (we shall see). During our brief discussion of the […]
Por Amy Jewel (Assistente de Campo, Fundación Planet Drum) Municipalidad de Cantón Sucre (Versión Español) Antecedentes La recolección y destrucción de los desechos sólidos es un desafío que enfrentan todas las municipalidades. Mientras que el número de gente viviendo en las ciudades continua creciendo, la cantidad de basura generada también crece. Es necesario manejar toda esta basura responsablemente. Como muchas otras municipalidades, el Municipio del […]
By, Amy Jewel (Field Assistant at Planet Drum Foundation) Municipality of Canton Sucre [versión en español] Introduction The collection and disposal of solid waste is a challenge facing all municipalities. As the number of people living in the cities continues to grow, the amount of waste generated also grows. All of this waste needs to be handled in a responsible manner. Like many other municipalities, […]
Report #6 from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador The “Ecological Plan for the Development of Canton Sucre (Bahia de Caraquez)” is finally finished! Last Thursday, February 15, six months after the first tentative draft was circulated to instigate a community process for its full development, a public meeting in City Hall solicited and added final comments and suggestions to complete the document. An openly invited group (that […]