top ten places to travel

I have been thinking about the places I want to visit and see someday (if not sooner). Most of them are a bit off the beaten path. In no particular order:

one.
Maldives: a series of atoll islands off the southeast coast of India.

two.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: I would like to climb the mountain before the glaciers are gone, please.

three.
Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates: a small country packing a big global economic punch. Masdar seeks to be the first zero-carbon emissions city on earth.

four.
Croatia: said to be a beautiful country, yet-untouched by too many tourists, on the Adriatic Sea.

five.
Greece: who wouldn't want to see the history, the hillside of white villages, and the fantastic Mediterranean seascapes?

six.
Madagascar: An African island of oddities (unless you live there; then they are normal). I really want to see the Baobab trees!

seven.
Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia, Chile & Argentina: amazing mountains, glaciers, waterways, culture, and fauna all at the tip of the South American continent.

eight.
Taj Mahal, India. I would like my picture taken with it.

nine.
Cuba. Only because I can be Canadian and can go there freely.

ten.
Iceland. Extreme snow and ice, with hotsprings, waterfalls, volcanoes, and fantastic local culture.

interesting animation

I recently bumped into this German video. It's an eight minute animated short film that puts time into perspective. I couldn't help thinking of the verse: "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." But, watch it for yourself: Das Rad (The Wheel).

Other modern day life-applicable messages that I have found in culture recently:

Regarding the phrase, "don't rock the boat":
...sometimes, a boat needs to rock; a boat needs to head straight for the heart of a storm and come out on the other side, weather-beaten, but with flags flying. -- book: marisa de los santos --

Flying by the seat of our pants...often turns out to be the best way to fly. -- book: marisa de los santos --

A lot of great things come out of messy and complicated things. -- tv: brothers and sisters --

There's no weakness in forgiveness. -- tv: friday night lights --

A longer life isn't necessarily a better life. -- 1st presbyterian church, bellingham --

poly-what?

I recently was disgusted at myself when I realized I bought eggs in a poly-styrene carton a couple weeks ago. I couldn't believe I accidentally took a dozen of these fragile orbs home in, what is better known as, styrofoam. I am the shopper who will spend a few extra cents for the cardboard package. And, I'm the person who decided this summer that I should avoid smoothie stands that only have styrofoam cups for their beverages and pass on church coffee in styrofoam cups.

Polystyrene is one of the worst man made materials to dispose of. It is not recyclable (except in very specific places and under specific circumstances) and it does not biodegrade. It's a substance that is made for the sole purpose of being "disposable;" but the irony, is that is does not "dispose" of itself in a landfill.

Did you know that: "Polystyrene packing peanuts are banned [in Antarctica] under the Antarctic Conservation Act" (National Science Foundation). A number of cities and states are working on bans for polystyrene take-out packaging (see NY Times article on Portland below).

So, what can you do to help the situation?

one. Avoid purchasing polystyrene products. Also steer clear of items that are packaged with polystyrene.

two. Kindly suggest to your churches, businesses, and friends that they should look into alternatives to polystyrene products. Paper products are nearly as economical and much more biodegradable and there is nothing wrong with using the "real" plates and cups! It just means you might be the dishwasher!

three. Be an advocate and write companies who use polystyrene packing materials. Encourage them to use starch-based, cardboard, or paper products to cushion their merchandise for shipping.

I believe we have moved to the other side of the Information Technology Revolution and are heading towards a Sustainability Revolution on a global scale. I invite you to be trendy and do your part.

Here are a couple of links to pro-active earth-friendly companies and ideas:

Wikipedia's explanation of polystyrene.

Treehugger.com on the the best coffee cup.

The Fairmont Eco-Meet Program.

The Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (671.2, 671.3, 671.12).

Naturopack: Sustainable Packaging.

Portland, Oregon passes a Ban on Polystyrene Foam Items.

a birthday party

Saturday evening was the big birthday party for Shaun's girlfriend, Gabi. They had been planning and brainstorming about this for awhile and very excited to host the event. They both spent a lot of time making a massive four layered cake which tasted wonderful.

To get there, I took the Metra and caught a cab. This was the first place where my guide book has gone wrong. It recommended tipping the taxi driver; when in fact, it's not necessary and he rejected my offer. I won't complain. And, now I am feeling more comfortable with the transportation systems in place here.

The party was at a place called the Ekoa Cafe. This place just opened about three weeks ago and is getting great reviews in a few Sao Paulo newspapers. The Ekoa was built around environmentally sustainable concepts, so even the light fixtures (pictured here) have been made from reused materials. In this case, some old coffee filters. Gabi works in sustainables and environmental projects, so it was the perfect place for her to host her party; and the atmosphere at Ekoa Cafe is warm, inviting, cozy, and comfortable.

Most of Gabi's friends speak English. I have rarely been in a room full of people from so many places and who, collaboratively, have traveled to nearly every end of the world. Many of these people have worked as part of an international student internship program. It's great to see so many people here and they have all challenged themselves by being here and learned Portuguese as part of the process.

There were a couple of "firsts" for me at this party. The first was chimarrao (definitely follow this link for a better explanation); also known as mate. I have seen and heard of it before, but this was the first time I tried this beverage. When I arrived, we were a small circle of people gathered. When one person finishes their drink, they fill the gourd with hot water and pass it along to the next person. This warm beverage tastes like tea. The bomba (straw) draws from the bottom of the cup where the water has filtered through.

This, of course, was my first Brazilian birthday party, and my first opportunity to meet a group of people here. I met a lot of interesting people and heard many unique and interesting stories from all sorts of folks.

After the cafe closed, we went to a pub down the street. The area we were in, Vila Madalena, is known for it's nightlife, so we found a place where the 10 of us who remained to sit around a table together. Most folks got beers, but I was encouraged to try caipirinha (another "first" for me); a uniquely Brazilian drink. I was not disappointed. I ordered the traditional caipirinha with limes, sugar, and cachaca (Brazilian liquor from distilled from sugarcane). Fernanda was enjoying one made with strawberries. It was great and one was enough!

I was a bit worried about traveling back to the hotel by myself, and so relieved when a couple at the party said they would drive myself and two other girls back to our part of town. I don't mind having the transportation figured out for me; rather than negotiating times and taxis. We ended up being dropped off around 1:45am; quite the night of socializing!

juxtaposition

To my beautiful Washington sunny September day:

: a head on train crash in Los Angeles.

: bombs go off in Delhi.

: a hurricane strikes Texas.

: a plane crashes in Russia.

: political unrest in Bolivia.

oh, for a lot of extra dollars

These are so cool. It is Washington, recycled, creative, and gorgeous! If only I had a couple hundred to decorate my life with these!
-- Glass Eye Studio --

diseased

Last night, over dinner, a group of us were talking about disease; particularly flu virus, colds, and immunizations. I have been sick more times this year with two colds in Antarctica (back-on-back), food poisoning in Australia, and the flu in Haiti. Beyond being updated with my normal shots, I should not contract yellow fever in the next eight years, nor typhoid in the next two years. By now I should be doubly protected against Hepatitis A for life and I have started the Hepatitis B series as well.

Since I have supported the One Campaign (against AIDS and global poverty), and I've been to a couple parts of the world where nasty diseases are prevalent, and I'm still on weekly doses of chloroquine to knock out any malaria bug I may have caught in Haiti, a couple of new discoveries in the news caught my attention as particularly interesting.

The first is a discovery about malaria, how it attacks the body, and how a treatment may be created. The disease can be particularly uncomfortable, stick with its' host for a long time, and kill if not treated properly. The prescriptions can have some strange side effects and long term use is questionable with some people. So, any research towards an immunization or a means to irradicate the disease from a body is great news!

The second is a connection between susceptibility to HIV and a malaria gene found in people of African descent. Strangely, while those with the gene tend to contract the disease with more early problems, many often live longer with HIV (by two years) than those who don't have it.

There has always been this myth that people in sub-Saharan Africa were more likely to get HIV because of differences in their sexual behaviour, or that they are more promiscuous. This shows that it's not that simple, and I think it will be an important message for education programmes in these areas. -- Dr Ade Fakoya, BBC --

People are so smart! I am impressed with the developments that continue to be made in so many areas of the world; with disease, technology, physics, biology, and generally how the world operates.

only in the news

I've run across some interesting news stories and commentaries lately that are of some interest. If you would like a little cynicism, or mild entertainment, here are my recommendations for the week:

Antarctica's resupply of...

A British perspective on ads in America.

A little Egyptian age gap.

Other Iranian thoughts on marriage.

Stay tuned for this Antarctic movie premier.

fueling life

I just read an interesting article from The Economist. Sometimes it's hard to see outside of a situation; say, rising fuel costs. I have a bit of a luxury in not driving my car right now, but can definitely relate to having to fill up for nearly $4 when I'm paying for a tank of gas for Laura's car.

This article challenges the reader to think past "relief" and towards what might come of the prices. The author goes beyond the issue of whether there is or is not enough oil in the ground and who's allocating it at what price to others.

I tend to agree with most of this writing. We should think beyond our personal need for a few minutes and consider a couple other angles of the issue. Higher fuel costs are not friendly to anyone who has a car, but I am excited to see where this pressure puts the state of technology and sustainable energy in the next five or ten years. There are an amazing number of projects and prototypes in development or fresh on the market. If big oil is making the big money, it seems to me that they will be putting themselves behind big alternative energy initiatives in the long run.

environmental stewardship

There is a lot of "green" information out there in reaction to the climate change issues and limited natural resources on earth. Regardless of how you feel about the issues facing our "green consciousness," most people will agree that we should be stewards of the world we live in. I don't put much stock in the "carbon neutral" concept; that we can "buy" our way to neutralizing carbon emissions. Paying someone money is just another way of attempting to legitimize an overuse of non-renewable materials. Planting trees is great, but they should be doing that themselves, not paying someone else to "allow" excessiveness.

I've compiled a list of 10 easy things you can do to begin making a mark. It might look small on a single household level, but it doesn't have to be embraced by many to begin making a difference. Feel free to post your own ideas as comments below:

one. Bring your own mug when you go out for coffee or ask for a "for here" cup if you're staying awhile. Carry your own silverware in the car so you don't have to get plastic ware for take-away foods. Only take as many napkins as you think you will use. Rather than purchasing case upon case of water bottles, buy one or two reusable bottles (and a purifier if you're concerned about water quality) to keep on hand.

two. Be conscious of how much packaging you are purchasing with your products. When available, select brands with recyclable, or minimal packaging.

three. Recycle everything you can find a receptacle for. Sometimes this means driving to a recycling center.

four. Purchase cleaning products, soaps, and health care products that are biodegradable.

five. Turn off lights when you are not using them (this is a hard one for me).

six. Walk, run, or ride bike to the grocery store, post office, bank, work, and so on. Or, combine trips. It's good for you and will save some money.

seven. Bring your own bags when you go shopping.

eight. Be creative and reuse products for a different purpose. Example: bottles (fine oils or liquor bottles) can make attractive decorations in your home, or become an interesting vase. Use styrofoam packing peanuts to create your own bean bag. I'm sure you have some great ideas to add to this point!

nine. catch your favorite magazine online rather than purchasing a hard copy.

ten. use rail, carpools, or buses for transportation.

If you're feeling real audacious look into alternative lifestyle choices for your home: solar panels, wind power, rainwater collection system for laundry, shower, and toilet water.

radio in antarctica

NPR came down to Antarctica while I was there this past summer. In Air Services we accommodated these guys as they made some trips back and forth to a few different places on the continent and to Christchurch. Their work has been put together at this website. There is a lot of great information and links to other Antarctic stories at the bottom of the article.

I highly recommend this video about the South Pole and McMurdo Station (4 min) and this radio broadcast (15 minutes) from the South Pole. I like it because I recognized places and faces. You might like it for the perspective it gives you on a place few people get to visit.

the world we live in

Most of you probably know I'm a touch green around the edges and I have an interest in sustaining and conserving the earth's resources. I just finished watching the BBC produced, Planet Earth series and was impressed with the "astonishingly beautiful created world" that is portrayed.

This series features a multitude of episodes on different ecosystems and life cycles across the globe. Their photography is stunning and the amount of time they put into their program is simply amazing; it's a testament to the quality of their work. The object of these programs is to show the magnificence of this created world that we live in and provide a general understanding of what sort of animals and unique organisms share our world.

The last disc of the series is about the human impact on the world and goes to length in arguing what it means to be sustainable and ethical. The series addresses climate change, pollution, and other hardships faced by different parts of the earth. What I really appreciated was that, in the middle of this whole argument, many of the people said it shouldn't matter who causes what and whether we are in the middle of a natural climate change or a human-accelerated burst of global warming. What really matters is that we, as a human race, are stewards of the world we live in.

Steward: One who manages another's property, finances, or other affairs (dictionary.com). To do this well, we need to be responsible for our own actions, and we also need to act with wisdom in regards to everything we do. We are not only responsible for ourself, we have a whole community of people and ecosystems under our individual care. We are here to serve our Creator and co-inhabitants.

The bigger question then, is what can I do to make a difference? Here is a start:

one. Why do we need our cucumbers wrapped in plastic? Buy products based on their packaging; or rather, their lack of packaging.

two. Take the time to find out what you can recycle, and go out of your way every now and then to bring specialized items to appropriate recycling dealers.

three. Be aware of how many bottles of water you consume. And, understand that drinking water out of a glass bottle is healthier than drinking out of most plastics. If you require filtered water for your discriminating pallet, filter your own at home and fill up reusable bottles. They work just like the new ones you might buy at the store.

four. Reuse bags; or better yet, get reusable shopping bags for your groceries.

five. Purchase cleaning products, shampoos, and soaps that are safe and biodegradable.

six. Begin researching solar, wind, or other alternative energy for your home. We are on the cusp of being able to efficiently power our lives in an entirely different way! I even watched a feature on a group who was taking rain water from their storm drains to use for their toilets, and washing machines for an $8000 investment in collection and distribution pipes. In the meantime, watch your energy consumption and turn off the lights when you leave the room.

With the amount of clean energy projects and the green mentality in the current pop culture, the prices of environmentally sustainable and biodegradable products is going down. Sometimes, even if we have to pay a bit more, it's worth considering how we might best be a steward of our resources and environment.

One of the final quote from the Planet Earth series: "Our individual contributions can add up to something better."