ReciCaribe Recycling Center

  I finally succumbed to Alaine’s (from ATEC see below) pleas for volunteers to help out at the recycling center and although my legs and back were a bit sore, it was a very rewarding experience learning about the whole process, helping out, and meeting some of the great people in the area who are working to make this corner at least or the world a better place.  There are many people interested in helping the community and protecting the environment in this area and because there is not really a local paper or news program, you really will not hear about them.  However, in the last few months I have met and talked with people who are helping and teaching kids and adults, heading up efforts to find and stop the people cutting and using illegal wood from the surrounding mountains (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cOSVaoUuI ), teaching people about sustainable eating (See info below about Finca la Isla Botanical Gardens), providing affordable pet spy/neuter services, and beach clean-up projects just to name a few. And of course you can never overlook the good works of Barry and Nancy Stevens at the Bridge ()helping the BriBri through loans, school assistance, soup kitchen, social/legal support and more..It is all very encouraging in an area mostly known for jungle and beach fun (I hear there is some night life too).

Anyway, we all arrived at the recycling center and quickly were oriented by those who had been before and the full time employees and got to work taking huge bags, emptying them out and sorting plastic, aluminum, glass and of course the trash that sneaks in.  The folks Mis sam’s brought sandwiches, Bread and Chocolate brought in some great chocolate (go try it).The output of the center is sold to some businesses in the province that make recycled building materials and to the main recycling centers.

Recyclabes - Plenty to do ;0)

So, next time you visit Puerto Viejo, or the surrounding area, or anywhere else for that matter, make sure to ask about recycling and other positive things going on and find a way to support them.  It feel good mon..

Info about the good people at ATEC

ATEC is Puerto Viejo’s original ecotourism provider! Local Tours. Very Busy Local Staff. Unrelenting and enthusiastic commitment to our community and our environment.

Tel: 2750.0191 and www.ateccr.org     www.greencoast.com/news

From the Finca de Isla Newsletter

Botanical Garden: The garden is open Friday through Monday 10am to 4pm. Admission is $5 per person, a self guided tour booklet is $1 and available in Spanish, English, French, German and Dutch. Guided tours ($10/person or minimum $30) available, please book in advance. Telephone: 2750-0046. The garden experience includes a delicious sampling where you can taste seasonal fruits and chocolate, and learn about spices like cinnamon, black pepper and vanilla.  It is also great for seeing poison dart frogs and wildlife.

Farm: We are busy with the major harvest of the year: Durian, Mangosteen, Rambutan, Langsat, Sapote Columbiano, Mabolo, and Black Pepper. The kitchen is busy preserving and drying, making jams, jellies, chutney and pickles, drying fruit and baking cookies. We are winding up the first stage of our Reforestation Project on the Pacific coast and getting the nursery ready for upcoming landscape projects here in town.

Info from Barry and Nancy at the Bridge

http://www.elpuente-thebridge.org/

From Sept newsletter>>Our current total level of monthly spending for the Education, Food, and Administrative Programs is $2,750. This will increase to $3.250 when we hire a full-time Microloan Manager and restart that program. Nanci and I use our Social Security payments to completely cover Administrative/Overhead expenses, with what’s left going into the other programs.

You’ve seen what, with your help, we’ve been able to do here. This year, we’re supporting and assisting 39 children in school, and more than 50 people a week come to The Bridge for food.  We’re about $1,000 a month in expenses to be covered by unpledged donations. From time to time, we get individual donations that help make up the difference. We also have suppliers who know what we do and who are willing to wait for payment.

 We’ve mentioned Timoteo Jackson in many of the previous issues. He’s a tribal elder that we’ve been working with on several projects, and he visits us to help celebrate special occasions. I thought you’d enjoy getting to hear him speak on one of his favorite topics – protecting the indigenous reserve against development. You can find him on YouTube by clicking here www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cOSVaoUuI

 Yes, it’s in Spanish… some of you know Spanish, and all can get an idea of his environment, and his body language needs no translation.