High Hopes for Nature-Based Tourism in Jamaica
Before leaving Jamaica, several weeks ago, I had an opportunity to hike through a portion of the St. Ann’s Forest Reserve near Oche Rios in the company of two men from the Hills United Development Organization (HUDO). This organization represents the interests of several tiny rural communities in the region. The two men were anxious to show me the area they hoped to develop as a nature trail with an interpretive/visitor centre.
Montego Bay Marine Park
In my previous blog, I wrote about the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and the valiant efforts of the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust to protect and conserve them. In this blog, I’d like to profile Montego Bay Marine Park and the remarkable group of volunteers who have dedicated themselves to its protection and restoration.
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park of Jamaica
Yesterday was an awesome day! With the business meetings associated with the biodiversity curriculum project completed, I spent the day exploring the Hollywell Recreation Area within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park with Susan Otoukon, executive director of the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust, the ngo charged with the responsibility of managing this protected area.
Glimpses of St. Lucia
As I write this, waves slam against the sand beach just metres from my hotel room in the wake of a tropical storm that passed over Barbados on its way towards St. Lucia, where I was just the day before. I’m in the Caribbean to hold meetings related to the contract that EKOS won from the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to re-vamp high school curriculum to include biodiversity themes.
Solar Wall Collects Heat - Even in the Coldest of Prairie Winters!
Another innovative renewable energy project at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada, near Selkirk Manitoba is the installation of a SOLARWALL. Like the other green technologies installed at the Parks Canada site, the SOLARWALL showcases the simplicity of energy efficient technology, as well as both the long term cost savings and decrease in greenhouse gas emissions that result from such technologies.Biodiesel: From the Deep Fryer to Your Tank!
Vegetable oil…whoever thought you could fry it and drive it? The pursuit for a cleaner- burning, non-toxic, biodegradable, renewable fuel source to power our vehicles has lead to an innovative development known as biodiesel.
Made from animal fat or vegetable oil, biodiesel is created by separating out glycerin from oil to create “methyl esters” (bio-fuel) which can then be blended at any level with petroleum diesel. Unmodified diesel engines in cars, buses, trucks, tractors and boats can all benefit from biodiesel. Not only does the fuel burn cleaner than conventional diesel, but it elongates engine life as a result of the built-in lubricant.
Canadian Wooden Domes - Reinventing Domed Dwellings
Think you know what a dome is? I thought I knew. I recalled the domes that some of my friends built and lived in. Funky structures that never seemed to live up to their potential as perhaps the best design for living and work spaces. Maybe okay for hippie communes of the 60s or back-to-the-landers of the 70s, but definitely not something you’d expect to find as suburban homes for the masses.
Well a company from the Southern Interior of BC has set out to change all this.
Test Driving GM's New Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Equinox
Considered by many as the “silver-bullet” for achieving sustainable transportation, hydrogen can be made from water and returns to water or water vapour as it is converted to electricity to power vehicles. There are numerous technological challenges which result in few vehicles being produced and those that are come with very hefty price tags running into the six and seven figures.
Adapting to Climate Change in the Fraser Basin of British Columbia
As part of the Natural Resource Canada funded project on climate change adaptation in the Fraser Basin of British Columbia, EKOS produced two 12 min. videos designed to stimulate dialogue among local government representatives, scientists and engineers on how to adapt water related infrastructure. Each video applies peer-to-peer learning by having mayors, councilors and senior policy advisers as the main delivers of the message, supported by clips from three highly respect climate research scientists from University of British Columbia (UBC)Adapting to Climate Change in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia
As part of the Natural Resource Canada funded project on climate change adaptation in the Fraser Basin of British Columbia, EKOS produced two 12 min. videos designed to stimulate dialogue among local government representatives, scientists and engineers on how to adapt water related infrastructure. Each video applies peer-to-peer learning by having mayors, councilors and senior policy advisers as the main delivers of the message, supported by clips from three highly respect climate research scientists from University of British Columbia (UBC).