This week's Photo of the Week was taken by Alex Morritt of Santa Cruz la Laguna. Alex photographed these two lovely senoritas during the Fiesta de Santa Elena in Santa Cruz in May 2012.
If you have a photo to submit for the Photo of the Week series, please contact me.
View the Photos of the Week archive at: http://santacruzlalaguna.weebly.com/photos.html
- 30 January, Vitriol, a conceptual Dance Performance, 7 p.m., La Cambalacha, San Marcos (see below for details)
- 31 January, Isla Verde Fair Well Party, Santa Cruz la Laguna, 5:30 p.m. - ? (see post of 12 January for details)
- 31 January - 4 February, Super Adobe Hybrid Workshop, near the cemetery, Santiago Atitlan (see below for details)
I don't know much about this, but it sounds interesting! Not appropriate for children under the age of 12. Q30 admission.
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This is a 5-day workshop that covers the theory of creating arches, forms, domes, vaults, hybridizing super adobe, wood, bamboo and ferrocement.
If you are looking to build some unusual and creative structures, this looks like the workshop for you! For more information: 3308-8012 & 4252-8855; [email protected]
On Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/UlewAtitlanBioConstructionManiPadmeSa
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Medoh Walker recently researched the recycling situation for the residents of Santa Cruz and beyond. Here is her article on what she found out.
How Can Pana Help Us Recycle
By Medoh Walker
As a newcomer to Santa Cruz, I was interested in learning more about how our personal garbage can be handled here. The new services instituted in Panajachel last year have made a great difference now dividing organic an inorganic waste and picking them up now 5 days a week. The muni does all the rest of the separating and makes compost for sale. That is quite different from here in Santa Cruz were we must carry our garbage to the village dump. So, being a devotee of protecting the environment, I continue to separate my organics for composting, paper and cardboard for burning and collect my glass and plastic bottles and metal cans to bring to Pana. What about the rest, like all those plastic bags, etc?
So I went to Pana and met with Carlos Matzar of the Oficina de Ambiente on the left corridor as you enter the park of the Municipality. Understandably, Panajachel cannot handle general trash from other villages and asks that we respect that by not dropping our garbage, even recyclables, in the waste bins now seen around Pana. However, we do have options, thankfully, for where we can bring things that are recyclable.
Where can I take my recyclables?
We presently have two options at 3 locations:
The Recycling Center or, more properly, El Centro de Acópio Recyclables, is a block above Chalo’s on Callejón la Navidad on the right-hand side halfway down to the river with a large green gate. They are open 8 – 1 and 2 – 5 Monday through Saturday. If they are closed for lunch, you may leave your bag of recyclables near the bottom of their nearby tree.
Besides the Acópio itself there are also a couple Mini Recycle Centers of a stand of 3 metal recycling bins. The bins are labeled ORG for organics, PET for plastics and LATA for metal cans. There is no mention of glass and, unfortunately, the bins appear to be collecting all types of garbage, which the muni must then sort after collection.
The most convenient one for us coming from the boat is located by the bus stop shelter on the right of Calle Principal a bit around the corner of Calle del Embarcadero.
The other one is on Calle Santander a little below TELGUA on the same side of the street.
There are numerous white plastic garbage cans mounted on poles along the streets in Pana and the town will sort through these for recyclables. However, again, we are asked NOT to use these for our own garbage from home, recyclable or not, and to do our part in retaining good relations with Panajachel by not inappropriately burdening their system with our out-of-town personal garbage.
What does the Acópio de Recyclables (Recycling Center) recycle?
ORGANICS:
- Kitchen wastes from vegetables and fruits including tea bags, egg shells, fish and animal bones
- Garden waste including wood, ashes and even hair.
From this they make compost to sell for Q40 a costal. (I don’t put animal food wastes – bones, fats, eggshells – in my compost to avoid attracting rats, etc.)
NON-ORGANICS
- Plastic grocery and shopping bags (this was a surprise!)
- Plastic containers, bottles and tops of plastic type #1 and #2, transparent or opaque
- Aluminum and tin cans – beverage and food cans
- Glass bottles – clear and colored
- Plate (window) and mirror glass but separate from bottle glass (for reuse only)
- Energy-Saver light bulbs – these are very toxic
- Paper – office, newspaper, paper- and cardboard boxes, cartons (no phonebooks)
- Electronics – old phones, televisions, computers, parts, etc.
- Dead Batteries – also can be left off at Kodak opposite Sandra’s
My sense is that if you have something you think could be recyclable take it to them and they will sort it out if necessary. It seems a better alternative for them to make the decision than to put it in the dump. After recycling, composting and burning paper/cardboard items, my trash garbage is next to nothing, perhaps a medium-sized bag a month.
What don’t they recycle?
- Personal hygiene products (used toilet paper, diapers, tampons, condoms, etc.)
- Medical waste (gloves, pill bottles, pills, needles, etc.)
- Other than #1 and #2 plastics and unmarked plastics (styrofoam, packaging, etc.)
However, I’d rather send them items I’d prefer not to put in the dump and have the sorters at the Acópio dispose of them as they see fit, like vitamin bottles, for instance.
What happens to my recyclables?
After cleaning and sorting everything into separate groups, each one is made into a packable form and gathered into their respective containers to be hauled to Guatemala City and sold to support the Acópio.
Incidentally, in the case of glass there is a large 3-sided concrete open box that is used for dealing with glass bottles. The worker standing at the open side of this box and wearing heavy gloves and safety goggles throws bottles of the same color against the far wall shattering them into the accumulating pile of broken glass. It looks quite dangerous and is a noisy job as well, but what a great way to let off steam.
According to our new Santa Cruz Facebook Group, there is a buzz about possibly organizing a monthly boat to Pana for recyclables.
More to come . . .
Carlos Matzar
Centro de Acópio Recyclado
Officina del Ambiente
Callejon la Navidad
Municipalidad de Panajachel
5784-6488
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The March 22 Festival is gearing up and they have released the list of the Bands for 2014!
- Naik Madera- Feminist Boogie
- Zanates N'Stereo- Reggae Rock
- Sol Andino- Andean
- Carlos Funk- Blues
- Remolacha Beets- World Boogie
- Killer Tomatos- Ska
- Son de mi Tierra- Marimba
- Coro de Niños de Nebaj- Cute
- Marco trio Electric- Psychedelic
- Pablo Robledo- Troubador Rock
- Dr.Nativo Y Los WarriorkandeL.A. - HipHop/Cumbia
- LeRoy Mac- Bluegrass
Also, Radio Festival Atitlán will be presenting a special show each Friday night at 6 p.m. highlighting a different group that will be planing at Festival Atitlán 2013. We will be playing their music and giving information about the artists..... Tune it in!
La Radio Festival Atitlán estara presentando un programa especial cada viernes a las 6PM introduciendo cada uno de los grupos que estaran tocando en el evento de 2014. Cada semana presentaremos musica y informacion de un grupo diferente.... sintonizalo:
http://www.festivalatitlan.com/radio/index.html
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Casa Milagro, operated by Thilda Zorn, is the only organization in the area that supports elderly widows. In Guatemala, widowed women above the age of 60 do not receive much financial support. Casa Milagro attends to the needs of these women, in place of the government and their families.
Widow-to-Widow is a new program at Casa Milagro inspired by a friend of founder Thilda Zorn. Dorothy, a recently widowed woman herself, decided to support another widow in need by providing her a month’s worth of basic food provisions and toiletries.
Casa Milagro has decided to expand Dorothy’s generous idea into a program for widows in developed nations to sponsor a widow in need in Guatemala. Twenty five euros or thirty-five dollars a month will support a widow with basic food staples (corns, beans, rice), fresh fruits and vegetables, and toiletries, such as soap for personal hygiene.
You obviously don't have to be a widow to help. All donations are welcome! To learn more visit the website: http://casamilagro.wordpress.com/
Or contact: [email protected] 4571-0053
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Geoff Bendeck, a former La Iguana Perdida Manager, is coming to Guatemala for two weeks to finish his first novel. He'd love to house sit for you from roughly March 15-30th! If you will be out of town and need someone to watch your place for all of the two weeks or part of it please contact him at [email protected]