In the midst of the buzzing Green Zone at the COP22, I had the gift of having a brief yet enriching exchange with an indigenous woman from the Brazilian amazon. Indigenous peoples are among the first to experience the effects and injustices of climate change. They have the smallest carbon footprint yet they are the ones forced to … Continue reading A Conversation with a Forest Guardian
Category: Climate: Soil and Water
What Is Solid Rain?
In the last couple of years, I have been noticing that our weather patterns have changed in a drastic way: it's either later, short or not here at all. This is a problem for agricultural use, we need food and for that, we need good soil to produce these healthy and nutritious foods. Soil and … Continue reading What Is Solid Rain?
The Sounds and Sights of the Forest
Have you ever been to a rainforest? Well, I’m going to take you to one now. Imagine yourself in a beautiful, relaxing rainforest. You can hear the trees swaying and the birds chirping, monkeys swing overhead and bugs crawl beneath. Many people call the rainforest the lungs of the earth because of the clean fresh … Continue reading The Sounds and Sights of the Forest
Saving Systems
Before humans knew that the Earth was round, gravity existed, or that we were not the center of the universe, the rainforests of the world regulated global weather patterns and provided oxygen for us to breathe. They housed the most biodiverse ecosystems: unique places where life thrives in abundance - and they still do to … Continue reading Saving Systems
Claylicious
On day two of Sumatra, we got to experience a hair-raising rafting trip across the Alas River in Aceh. During this adventure, we were able to take small breaks, one of which included an unexpected science lesson about clay. Clay is a soil that can take thousands of years to form. It is made by … Continue reading Claylicious
The King Of Bitters
Today I met a king, the king of bitters. Sambiloto is known to be one of the most bitter tastes you can achieve naturally, putting it to my tongue seemed toxic and I questioned whether it was safe to consume. Even with such a bitter taste, it is so beneficial, that it has become one of the most … Continue reading The King Of Bitters
A Breath of Fresh Air
It took eight hours to drive to Ketambe, a small village in Sumatra, from the airport. My fog-clouded mind, still numb from waking up at 4am, could barely take in the sights and sounds that accompanied us as we traveled. We drove through small cities covered in light and smoke that clung to my hair … Continue reading A Breath of Fresh Air
Rocket Stoves: Propelling Cooking To New Levels
The rocket stove is a new innovation in stove technology. It uses a smart and efficient design to be more suitable than the traditional open fire stove. The rocket stove in the Kul-Kul Farm intrigued me. It was originally designed to be used in less developed countries, where the effluent from open fire cooking and heating … Continue reading Rocket Stoves: Propelling Cooking To New Levels