Don’t tip the locals, build them a library instead

by Neil Woodburn on

Literacy is a gift that keeps on giving–unless, of course, there are no books to read.

This is a tragic situation for those with limited means to travel, because books are often the only window they have to the outside world.

Sadly, public libraries can be a very scarce resource where they are needed most–in developing countries. But they don’t have to be. Providing one for a local community is surprisingly affordable and a great way to give back to the wonderful people who made your travels through this part of the world so enjoyable.

Room to Read is a nonprofit organization which has established 3,600 libraries in the developing world since 2001. Naturally, they are looking for travelers like you to help out–travelers, for example, who have spent time chatting with the small children of a mountain village in Nepal and know the joy that even a few books will bring to their lives.

But let’s not settle on just a few books. For just $3,000 a sponsor can fill an entire room full of books and convert it into a library in Nepal, or a handful of other countries the organization works with.

Naturally, smaller donations will help as well…. So pull on that Santa hat and start giving.

What’s up with those Europeans and their bikes?

by Jerry Guo on

In recent years, European bike-sharing programs have been all the rage (in Europe). The largest of these programs has been in Paris, which only started in July. In this program, as in most others, the costs of the bikes is offset by revenues from outdoor advertising, on the bike posts and shelters.

Now there’s some momentum stateside for these environmentally friendly initiatives. The first city looks to be Washington DC, in a deal sponsored by the advertising firm Clear Channel. There’ll be some sort of membership program along with a per-usage fee. 120 bikes will be the starter pool.

Chicago and San Francisco are also planning their own programs. In many cases, the Europeans seem one ahead of Americans on green initiatives, and I think this is another perfect example. Bikes have been a godsend to China, for instance. Think how much worse Beijing would be if there were 10 times more cars–that’s what we would be facing if everyone there didn’t already ride bikes around.

Mega Native American New Year’s Pow Wow: Where will you be when the sun rises January 1, 2008?

by Jamie Rhein on

“Where will your spirit be when the sun rises?” is the question asked by the organizers of the New Millennium First Peoples’ World’s Fair and Pow Wow. At the end of December 1999 to January 2000, tribal nations gathered in Tuscon, Arizona for the first celebration of their survival, and to honor “Mother Earth,” showcase their culture heritage and highlight their contributions to the world. The changing from one century to another was significant to the multiple day event.

This year marks the third mega celebration. Slated to happen every four years, this New Millennium First Peoples’ World’s Fair and Pow Wow called “Thunder in the Desert” (Dec. 28-Jan. 6) will be bigger than the last. More than 150 tribal nations from North America, along with indigenous people from other countries, will gather at Rillito Raceway Park for 10 days of sharing traditions and customs with each other and offer the bounty of their art, crafts, music, dance, story-telling and food to the public who is invited to attend.

I browsed through Thunder in the Desert’s happenings and they look superb. I can’t imagine how a person could go to this event and be disappointed. These are the best dancers, the best artists, the best story-tellers around. The hard thing will be picking between the options.

The Web site also has a link to lodging in Tuscon. Proceeds to this event will help pay for scholarships. If you can’t make this year’s, the next one will be Dec. 30, 2011 to Jan. 8, 2012.

Happy birthday to the world’s oldest orangutan and gorilla

by Jerry Guo on

I’m mainly posting about this because I found the picture to the right pretty funny. The orangutan you see is of Charly, the oldest fertile ape of his species. He’s fathered at least 18 little Charlys (Charlies?), and has reached the ripe old age of 50.

Interestingly, a neighbor of his at the Frankfurt Zoo in Germany, Matze, also turns 50 today. He’s a great ape who has fathered (only) 17 kids, many of whom are spread out across the world in other zoos. I’d like to think they’ve lived a long life because there’s some sort of lively contest between the two–“I’m more fertile than you are!”

I’d like to use this chance to give a shout-out to the plight of the orangutans. Their species is predicted to die out within a decade or so because of habitat destruction on the one island they live on: Sumatra, in Southeast Asia. Help save them if you can, by perhaps adopting one?

NYT’s series on China

by Jerry Guo on

The New York Times has been running a series this year discussing China’s remarkable economic growth, and how that has impacted the country’s environment. The latest in this saga (we’re on part 6) is the under-reported tale of the last two soft-shell Yangtze River turtles in the world.

Having reported from the Yangtze River, I can tell you that the place is a mess. Having said that, I would urge you to visit the Three Gorges ASAP, since it’ll be flooded for the final time when the Three Gorges Dam is completed in 2009. By then, most of the dramatic sights will be hidden under water, forever.

Like most problems, China’s environmental mess can mostly be traced back to the country’s pervasive corruption. I think most officials recognize the importance of the problem. But there’s simply too many special interests and bureaucracy to really effect a change anytime soon. Just one more reason to visit the Yangtze today rather than tomorrow.