25/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Blind Spot: DVD by Media Education Foundation
DVD on Peak Oil
We’ve been impressed with information and resources available from The Media Education Foundation, and this new DVD seems just as important and well done as their other offerings.
In this haunting portrait of America’s oil-fueled excesses, director Adolfo Doring explores the inextricable link between the energy we use, the way we run our economy, and the multiplying threats that now confront the environmental health and stability of our planet.
Taking as its starting point the inevitable energy depletion scenario known as “Peak Oil,” the film surveys a fascinating range of the latest intellectual, political, and scientific thought to make the case that by whatever measure of greed, wishful thinking, neglect, or ignorance, we now find ourselves at a disturbing crossroads: we can continue to burn fossil fuels and witness the collapse of our ecology, or we can choose not to and witness the collapse of our economy. Refusing to whitewash this reality, Blind Spot issues a call to action, urging us to face up to the perilous situation we now find ourselves in so that we might begin to envision a realistic, if inconvenient, way out.
Certain to inspire debate in classrooms across a range of disciplines, especially in economics, environmental studies, the natural sciences, and political science. More info and view the trailer.
Tags: Blind Spot, Coming Changes, Earth Changes, Global Climate Change, Media Education Foundation, Oil Crisis, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Posted in Conservation, Environment, Film/DVD, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
22/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Yuri at his storefront, Hauraz, Peru
Climbing Gear Manufacturer Grows Business in Huaraz, Peru
I’ve known Yuri Yamirez for about 12 years. We met through his brother Jorge Martel, with whom I guided on Huascaran and other peaks in the Cordillera Blanca near Huaraz. Back then, Yuri had one sewing machine and was making tents and anything climbing related. He had a chaulk bag inlaid with traditional Peruvian material. Now, he’s got a staff of 8 or so people and is selling items in Europe and the USA. We’ve had his items on our website’s fair trade page for some time, but haven’t done his stuff justice.
Yuri in Yuraq Janka workshop
Peru’s tourism trade is booming, and it’s good to see Yuri has benefited from the rise in Peru’s profile worldwide. His company is called Yuraq Janka, which means (we think) the Cordillera Blanca in Quechua. Yuri does great work. We purchase one of his 40 liter climbing packs (model: Chacraraju 40) which is one of the lightest you’ll find anywhere. If you want more info check out MSI’s fair-trade webpage, or his website, which is still under development but does have an index page and contact info.
Tags: Cottage in industry in Peru, Fair Trade, Hauraz, Huascaran, Jorge Martel, Mountain Spirit, Peru, Randy Richards, Yuraq Janka, Yuri Yamirez
Posted in Fair Trade, Peru | Leave a Comment »
21/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Organization does good work in Uganda
Christina & Matthew Tamer
I ran into the sister and brother team, Christina and Matthew Tamer at Boston’s SOWA Market yesterday. Their booth was next to Mountain Spirit Institute’s. I overheard them saying they were volunteering for a non-profit started by Karen Sparacio, and their org is dedicated to improving the lives of families in the Acholi area of Uganda who have been displaced by war. They focus on providing funds to help the women start small businesses ant to pay school fees for the children there.
The woman in Acholi make beautiful bead jewelry, using magazine paper to create colorful and unique pieces. One project of Project Have Hope is to promote beadwear parties and share the hand-crafted jewelry with friends while benefiting the Acholi area. For more information click on the link to check out their website.
Tags: Acholi Quarter, Boston, Christina Tamer, dontations, empowering woman, Fundraising, loans, Matthew Tamer, micro credit, Mountain Spirit, Project Have Hope, South End Market, SOWA Market, Uganda
Posted in Service, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
21/09/2009 by mtnspirit
MSI’s First Peruvian Trade Goods Market, A Success
Amanda Richards at SOWA, Boston
Director Randy Richards, and Chief Operating Manager Amanda Richards traveled to Boston, a few days after having arrived back in the U.S. with tons of goods purchased in Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Huaraz and Lima, Peru. The goods were sold to raise funds for liability insurance and other costs associated with running Mountain Spirit. Although they didn’t sell everything, they re-cooped their costs of goods purchased in Peru.
MSI's Booth: SOWA'09
“Although we’ve been running programs since the late ’90’s,” says Richards, “in many ways we’re still a start-up organization.” He adds, ” We still don’t have the funding quite yet to earn a salary from MSI, but we feel we’re over the hump. We’ve been around long enough, that some people are recognizing the name, plus we’ve got more experience in what we do.”
If you would like to make a donation to help fund operating costs for worthwhile programs that help children, families and adults get into nature, please contact us or send a check now to:
Mountain Spirit Institute
POB 626
Sunapee, NH 03782
Tags: Amanda Richards, Boston, Dexter R. Richards, Fundraising for MSI, Mountain Spirit, SOWA Market
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
18/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Lebanon NH, A top Ten City to Raise an Outdoor Kid,according to The Outdoor Foundation and Backpacker Magazine.
Magazine says Director Heath's Rec. Dept. gets the job done
MSI Director Cindy Heath who has also headed up the Lebanon City Recreation Department in New Hampshire for 26 years, has received notice that her city has received the tenth slot in the USA of the nation’s top 25 place to beat nature deficit disorder. Heath’s recreation department has focused on providing outdoor adventure opportunities for its youth for years and receiving recognition at the national level continues to inspire the department. Whether it’s engaged in actively leading residents into the outdoor adventure playground that surrounds the town, providing maps to conservation lands or offering advice to families getting started on their own, Heath, wants to motivate residents to use and enjoy what the region has to offer.
MSI Director Cindy Heath
Cindy Heath also serves on the board of directors at Mountain Spirit Institute. When asked about the #10 position in the poll, Heath said, ” We’re excited about what we’ve accomplished in the community. We have a solid program of diverse activities from rock climbing and hiking to snowshoeing.” She added, “Our goal is just getting people outside, and the poll confirmed that we’re on the right track”.
Editor’s Note: Pop Quiz – Name the peak and in what mountain range it is located, which is featured on the cover of Backpacker Magazine above. The first one to guess correctly receives a copy of the Peruvian Folklore band Chimu Inka CD “Fusion Etnika” sent by mail to their address.
Tags: backpacker Magazine, Lebanon, Mountain Spirit, Nature Deficit disorder, New Hampshire, Outdoor education, Richard Louv, Top Twenty-Five place's to beat nature deficit disorder
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Focus on MSI People, Holistic Living, Inspirational People, Leadership, Mountain People, MSI News, Service | 2 Comments »
18/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Richards Writes Article for Sustainable Travel International Assoc.
MSI Founder R. Richards was invited to write an article for Sustainable Travel International, an association to which MSI belongs. Richards returned to Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru shortly after having led a program to the island in July of this year.
When Richards mentioned some troubling trends he’d observed on the island, to Sustainable Travel International’s Val Vanderpool, she asked him to write an article on what he’d seen during a second trip back to the island in August. Richards went back to not only observe trends and interview islands about the state of tourism in their villages and homes, but to find families willing to host MSI particpants for future programs. Read the article.
Tags: Amantani, Kantuta Lodge, Mountain Spirit, Richard Cari, Sustainable Travel Insternational, Val Vanderpool
Posted in MSI News, Peru, Sustainable Living/Communities, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
17/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Fair Trade Goods – Fundraiser, Proceeds for MSI Insurance
Boston's South End Market
Fresh from Peru, Randall and Amanda Richards will take fairtrade items they’ve purchased to Boston’s South End Market (SOWA). Proceeds from all items sold goes to not only to help defray Mountain Spirit Institute’s liability insurance and other operating costs, but to the makers of the items as well. On sale will be traditional weavings, bags, hats and other items from the Cusco and Machu Picchu area, and other parts of Peru, as well as zamponas, flutes and CD’s from the Cusco band Chimu Inka. The band visited New England in 2008, performing and teaching about Peruvian culture and music. MSI runs programs to Peru, New Zealand, India and the USA.
The New York Times says about SOWA market:
“This is Boston’s version of London’s Portobello market, with vintage clothes sellers and young fashion and jewelry designers rubbing elbows with artists and cheese makers and antiques dealers. What’s exciting about this market is that it changes each week. So, some Sundays you’ll discover a local artist who is there only that day. Everyone sells from tables beneath white tents.”
If you’d like to see some wonderful handmade items from the Andes, or learn more about our Mountain Spirit Institute programs stop by our tent this Saturday or Sunday at: 540 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA
If you would like to contribute to Mountain Spirit Institute, please click here. All donations are tax deductable and go to benefit MSI programs.
Tags: Amanda Richards, Boston, Boston's South End Market, Fundraising, Mountain Spirit, Randall Richards, SOWA
Posted in MSI News, Peru, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
11/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Small Island on Lake Titicaca Peru faces Tourism Issues.
Jose Mamani & Family circa 1997
Amantani is a small remote island on Lake Titicaca, Peru. It can be reached by a four-hour passenger boat ride from Puno. It’s an island facing growth and tourism issues.
During my first trip to Amantani in 1997, I fell in love with the place. There were no cars nor roads, virtually no electricity, and only a few dogs, cats, and few horses, and three thousand people which made for a serene place. What struck me then, was the way the islanders worked together to make the community function. Most of that is still true, but unplanned tourism is threatening how the islanders work and live together as a community.
Tourism has had an impact, both good and bad. My last visit to Amantani was two weeks ago, which was part, fact finding mission to discover what’s going on, and part reconnaissance for Mountain Spirit Institute’s intercultural experiential education semester programs. Although I had just been there three weeks prior, with a small group of Mountain Spirit students, I returned because I needed to update my perspective about the island. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Amantani Island, Kantuta Lodge, Sustainable Travel Insternational
Posted in Conservation, Environment, MSI News, Peru, Sustainable Living/Communities, Sustainable Travel, Traveling, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
04/09/2009 by mtnspirit
Blowing into a Zampoña at 11,000 feet can have dizzying affects
By Randy Richards
Making Zampoñas - Cusco
On our recent Peru’09 Program participants had the opportunity to learn how to make Zampoñas and how to play them. Facilitator Guillermo Seminaro first helped participants adjust and shave down bamboo tubes, then put them together to make the Zampoña. That day, (and for the rest of the trip) he taught them some traditional Peruvian folklore songs.
Tuckered out!
All loved the experienced. S Smith really got into, not only the zampoña, but the charango as well. Here he is, at left, shown after the results of high altitude zampoña playing. Beginners have a hard enough time not getting dizzy at sea level. Here you can see the thin Cusco air, and the zampoña got the better of him. He recovered just fine, without incident. As you can see there’s a smile on his face.
Tags: Cusco, Experiential Education, Making Peruvian instruments, Making Zampoña
Posted in Experiential Education, Music, Peru, South America, Traveling | 2 Comments »
04/09/2009 by mtnspirit
More Than We Bargained For –
Cruz del Sur’s “In flight” Video Selection – Either Haphazard or Hypocritical:
By Randy Richards
Mt. Huascaran from Huaraz
You can’t make this stuff up. On a recent bus ride on first class Cruz del Sur, a South American bus line, from Lima to Huaraz ,Peru, we experienced quite good service until it got to the video selections. South American buses are known for their selection of violent action movies. Nobody seems to know why. Maybe they think we like them, or, there’s something embedded in the Latin American psyche that shies away from thoughtful movies on buses.
So when Denzel Washington starring in Man on Fire turned violent midway through the film, we weren’t surprised, and just covered up the speaker with Styrofoam and looked at the scenery. What was surprising was the the bus company’s next selection, Fire Proof, an evangelical Christian selection preaching salvation. While it had some good points on how to maintain a good marriage, the preaching to us, as a captive audience kind of sucked, especially being a Pacha Mama sort of guy.
It cracked me up: First came Man on Fire, then, Fire Proof. As I said, you can’t make this sort of thing up. If you’re considering Cruz del Sur, (which I have used for over 12 years), just remember to bring ear plugs and a bandana for covering your eyes, to control your own environment.
Cheers from Huaraz, Peru.
R. Richards
Tags: Cruz del Sur Bus, DVD and violence, evangelical movies, Video Selection
Posted in Holistic Living, Peru, Room For Improvement, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
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