Kimberly's Ramblings, Notes and Misc. Thoughts

Social Responsibility vis a vis Bargain Hunting and Looking for Freebies

2010-02-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

I´m just wondering if it is borderline exploitative behavior to try to get things for free or on sale....I mean, someone else is paying the real hidden cost...also, many small vendors offer bargains because they are desperate - is it responsible to pay less than full actual cost? If its a big company, do we drive prices down by bargain and sale hunting and this cost ends up being paid by someone along the production line, such as factory worker or natural resource seller?

How about trying to get in for free to events and clubs? Aren´t we trying to enjoy for free something that has a real, hard cost to produce? If the venue makes less money, employees make less or get laid off...

Someone tell me. How does bargain hunting & always trying to get stuff for free relate to social responsibility?

This Emotional Life - a three part series on PBS

2010-02-21T22:26:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the production, This Emotional Life and wanted to take a moment to jot it down somewhere where I could easily find it later. It shows how we are all interconnected and also speaks about how early attachments to caregivers are the building blocks for a child´s social relationships.

The link to the site and to watch the videos is: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/

No time to wait

2010-02-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

by Kimba

Started circa 2006

today was not much

different

than yesterday

same situation

same contemplation

same melancholy

same fears

same dreams

same tears

Sometimes is seems

its all about

the

MOVEMENT

goods

A constant struggle

of balance

of keeping it simple,

always ¨in alignment¨

with love.

But each day

its MORE complicated

So enjoy the

contemplation,

meditation,

reflection...

but convert the solid insights

into

immediate

manifestation

How to avoid sales, how not to have to be in sales...

2009-12-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

Its a world of salesmanship - yes
sales man ship
salesman ship
sales manship

I never saw it like this before
is it saying that ´sales´mans the ship ?
or that the ship is a ´manship´?

Wait, perhaps its subliminal
linguistic cunundrum
is saying yet something else

that its the ship of a salesman

like this

salesman ship

so, the mantra or course of the salesman
but actually more like the vehicle that
carries him through life

ventas in spanish

ven tas

its not as layered as the english version

but I´m sure a Latin specialist
may
beg
to
differ

What is the roots of ´ven´?...

why am I aboard this ´ship´?

and thus,

procrastinating once again
such as writing a semi-narrative poem about it and
dissecting
its
parts
as if that will help me forget about it

I am constantly trying to avoid doing sales
thinking about how not to have to be in sales
and then turn around and know that
sooner or later, as a business owner,
and development specialist
I have to do sales, like I just did
in that last paragraph!!

ALAS!!

I know the answer to not have to do it
over
and
over
again

especially among my
personal circle of friends and family

get it out online - web 2.0 weaving and beyond

youtube
twitter
facebook
and all the rest

but not as Kimberly María

my core needs to stay authentic
and not have to embark on this sailing ship
on a daily basis

automate it enough to pay
my dream assistant
and move on...

to do what I really want to be doing

spending close attention to the children
be with them
learn and teach with them
explore and rebuild
jump and stretch
plant gardens
and
swim

for in noticing the joy of a young child
over the smallest wonders
I relive the profound simpleness of
life and happiness sweeps through me

feeling alive
in the moment
truly joyful in the simpleness
without a thought to where the next
check needs to come in
to feed my boys
give Andrew repose
and not be limited
to
do
all
I
came
to
do

The salesmanship thing
doesn´t quite resonate with this picture
and most especially if its a
´manship´ or
a ´salesman´

And where´s the WOMAN anyways?

another example of gender bias

(not upset)

or
perhaps
my dream assistant
is
meant to be man?

oh...

I hadn´t
thought of THAT...

P.S. Ready to be my client-student-partner? :)

Visit www.ConexionesInstitute.org

Its been a while but I´m still here

2009-12-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

I´ve been so focused on my business and fundraising sites that I have spent little time creating words for the sheer pleasure of sharing a thought, an idea, an expression, a poetic moment...

I have written a few poems recently, but scribbled on random pieces of paper that end up crumpled under who knows what, for who knows how long and with no certainty of ever being recovered. I guess those are the ones that sprout from a moment of time between a semi-chaotic existence where only the digital files get tucked away in their respective place.

And thus, I allow myself to just ramble a bit on this post...get some of that poetry that bounces around within out - if not just for the sake of my children who must wonder what I think as I run and sometimes crash through this existence as their mother.

When the poetry is flowing I am neither running or crashing, simply being. Simply enjoying the moment of discovery that comes with each new breath. Río babbling at my side and my oldest son feeding me his newest sandwich creation. Yummy vida!

Its time to start a Spring Detox!

2009-03-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is totally unrelated to most of my blog posts, but today I cam across an article called "5-Step Detox to Revitalize You" and I wanted to take a moment to jot it down somewhere I will not lose it!

I especially want to go to the farmer's market near my house next Saturday and purchase the needed ingredients to create the following concoctions (sp?):

Detox Broth: Add as many of these ingredients as you can into a large pot of filtered water: collards, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, dandelion, Brussels sprouts, daikon radish, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, garlic, leeks, fresh fennel, anise, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Boil until all ingredients are soft. You can make in a large batch and refrigerate for up to three days.

Detox Juice: Juice the following together: Aloe vera juice (which can be found in most health food stores), apples, asparagus, beets (including greens), cabbage, carrot and carrot greens, celery, cucumbers, and parsley. You can also purchase vegetable juice from the store, but be sure that it has no added salt or chemicals.

My work as an intercultural relations consultant (specializing in North-South American relations)

2009-02-15T19:52:00.000-08:00

My interest in U.S.-Latino relations came from early influences - I was raised bi-culturally in Central America & the U.S. After witnessing first hand the terrible social wars of the 1980s, I decided to focus my higher education & career on cross-cultural communications & applied skills that build positive relations between U.S. Americans & Latinos, the two identities I carry within me.

My applied skills start with culturally sensitive Eng/Spa communications in various formats. Effective communications are the foundation for peaceful coexistence & conflict prevention. My clients choose me for this simple, but important task, because they know their communications must be free of cultural blunders & that I take great care to assure their message is conveyed in the intended tone & presentation style. When requested to do so, I employ my knowledge of cross-cultural psychology to coach them in making sure their message is well received by their target audience.

I also apply my knowledge of Latin & U.S. culture in the areas of cultural sensitivity trainings, stakeholder engagement, intercultural conflict prevention, cross-cultural community building, as well as analyzing projects for their long-term social sustainability. I am currently training to help leadership teams meet the requirements of guidelines such as GRI & Fair Trade. As a cultural broker, I am a source of strategic contacts & human resource support for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, California & Mexico.

My clients include government agencies, international businesses, nonprofits & NGO’s, film production companies, & educational institutions.

As a mother of two boys (ages 1 & 11), I work mostly from my home in California these days - providing translation services & coaching in the above areas on a project-based or hourly basis. I give back by supporting youth empowerment, multicultural education & community art projects.

Travel opportunities for all will help make globalization happen naturally and beautifully

2008-12-02T14:49:00.001-08:00

Mark Twain once said, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

Who would of thought that Kimberly would be doing Hypnosis??

2008-11-25T14:01:00.001-08:00

More like a meaningful hobby, I open my hypnosis clinic once per week to help folks access their deep subconscious so they can make positive lasting changes, release unexplained deep blockages & phobias, heal from grief, access past life memories, expand their consciousness, etc.

I also act as a sort of "existential detective" by helping clients tap into their higher self/soul to see the "bigger picture" of their lives & understand why they are here, what their purpose is, why the world is the way it is, the meaning of the events in their life, recognize their soul mates, etc.

I draw upon psychology, quantum physics, cutting edge brain & neurological studies, human development theory, hypnotherapy, NLP, social psychology/anthropology, a mosaic of ancient spiritual teachings, shamanism, etc. I also host a free monthly discussion about these related topics. Would love for all my SF friends to join this existential exploration!

Tel. 415.367.3696
kimberly@soulperspective.org

Wish List: Master of Advanced Studies in Intercultural Communications

2008-11-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

I found my ideal master's program to continue my applied learning within the field of cultural brokerage and intercultural communication that I do through Instituto Conexiones - Connections Institute.

It is called the Master of Advanced Studies in Intercultural Communications and is being taught at the University of Lugano in Switzerland. Their website is:
http://www.mic.unisi.ch

The faculty includes the head of the Swiss International Cooperation Program and other seasoned veterans in the intercultural relations fields. Their courses touch on almost every aspect of the applied work I have been doing over the last 10 years in this field.

The only thing is that it is in Switzerland and thus, perhaps does not have the focus of Latin American-U.S. relations that I am specializing in. Having said that, I wouldn't mind going to school in Switzerland for a while and learning from the European models so that I can transfer some of that knowledge to my work in the America's. After all, the Old World is centuries ahead of the New World in these kinds of things since their intercultural mixing and coexistence experience has been going on much longer.

One benefit is that since my boys and I are looking to move to Europe in the next 10 years or so, starting off our new life in Europe by attending this university, which could lead to local work, might be a good strategic move. But Barcelona is still our first choice...

And I am still developing my path as a therapist & counselor (starting with my hypnotherapy practice), so I've been considering master's programs that are more psychology based, such as social psychology which touches on the social/cultural aspects and also provides me with more tools and training in relation to one-on-one and group therapy.

Its like I want to be a shrink for social structures/businesses/organizations as well as to inviduals and I have a special interest on identity and cross-cultural themes and how these relate to interpersonal & international relations, which ultimately affect our psyche and day to day experience.

that is just about enough rambling for today...

Obama as a global citizen and cultural broker

2008-11-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling happy with the results of the election and have ushered it in
as a teachable moment for our 11 year old. We have been discussing Obama as a
global citizen - someone with enough mixed heritage to represent a globalized country (and understand a globalized world). Since we are mixed race/ethnicity family, Joshua is understanding how his mixed and sometimes confusing identity is very similar to Obama's and thus, people with mixed identities have an important role to play in today's world - as a bridge and cultural brokers that can bring people of all backgrounds together. Obama is able to identify and see the perspective of many and see our interconnectedness with ease.

Our family made last night (Nov. 4, 2008) memorable by going out to Mitchell's for a late-night treat and engaging in local conversation and spontaneous revelry over ice cream ;) We also heard his acceptance speech from our car as we cruised through San Francisco and saw people flooding around cafes and bars broadcasting the election and speeches. People were honking their horns and rallying.

Cheers,

Kimberly

Looking at the Bigger Picture when 'Saving the Rainforest' - A Costa Rican story

2008-08-14T20:51:00.001-07:00

By Kimberly Newton de Klootwyk, 2006

Also published in Dominical Days, Voice of Nosara, Mariri & TriplePundit

under the title "The Hidden Impacts of Conservation and Green Investment Initiatives in Developing Countries"

In Latin America, particularly Costa Rica and Brazil, we are seeing a record-breaking increase in the amount of foreign conservation groups and green investors arriving ready to buy as much land as they can afford in order to "protect the rainforest" and calling on their friends, relatives and business partners to join in – often times at the expense of farming, ranching and indigenous communities that are seen as 'destructive' and contributing to the environmental problems of the region. Foreign-owned private protected areas, organic farms, native tree plantations, eco-communities, summer camps, retreat centers, and other eco-friendly land uses are replacing the clear-cut ranch and pesticide laden farms once owned by the local people. And although there is no denying that the local people are often times mismanaging precious resources and that most of these types of land buyers are hundreds of times better than large scale land development companies or mono-crop plantations that are also coming in by the thousands and openly destroying endangered ecosystems and local communities, eco-minded land buyers are also having an impact, and not always a positive one. And if the goal of 'green' investors and conservationists is to help solve problems such as environmental degradation, cultural extinction, and social injustice, then it is increasingly important for them to see the larger potential impacts of their interventions so they can help advance genuine solutions to these issues, instead of inadvertently contributing to them.

Foreign conservationists and green-minded investors buying land in developing countries for ecosystem protection and to carry out their eco-friendly business visions don't expect to be seen contributing to a problem. Most come to places like Central America with noble ideas and conservation-oriented economic models that are vital for our developing economies. There is also no denying that environmentally and socially responsible land-buyers, conservation groups, investors, etc. are an asset to Central America and similar regions. In many ways, they are the 'saving grace' and the kinds of allies we need to help us face the many challenges we are dealing with. They can help advance sustainable development, enrich society with new ideas, provide green business opportunities for locals, create national green markets, and enhance social and political stability. But what many of these well-intentioned land buyers don't realize is that when land is taken out of the hands of historically marginalized people, such as indigenous or farming communities, even when for the right reasons, social tensions and other types of ecological impact are increased. It takes a local perspective and a wide-angle view of the dynamics involved to understand how this is possible.

I speak from experience. I am a Central American and have spent years studying these issues and conducting applied work in social and ecological justice organizations both in the U.S. and at home. I did not grasp this concept for a long time either. It wasn’t until 2003, when I helped start Costa Rica Conservation Trust (CRCT), a U.S. non-profit dedicated to protecting the rainforests of Costa Rica, my father’s country, that the error of my previous assumptions about how to help my people and endangered ecosystems came into clear focus. Along with this, came the harsh realization that well-educated Central Americans, like me, are often just as disconnected from the reality of our own countryside-dwelling people as the foreigners that are coming in to try to help us are. This is important to note because we are usually the sector that foreign investors and organizations like CRCT speak to or reach out to about their projects and where most of our political leaders come from. Little do these well-intentioned foreigners know that we educated urbanites are often times just as clueless about the true impact their ventures will have on our most marginalized people. Luckily, with my involvement in CRCT and my decision to volunteer as their field researcher, the wool fell from my eyes.

CRCT’s original approach was to buy farms that were for sale bordering an ecologically sensitive Costa Rican reserve on the northern portion of the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor, home to the highly endangered Baird’s tapir and jaguar. This is a typical conservation strategy employed by hundreds, if not thousands, of conservation groups worldwide and I had supported other similar groups in the past. It seemed like a good idea at the time because we would prevent destructive entities, which are increasingly coming into Costa Rica, from buying these lands by taking them off the market and putting them in the hands of ‘responsible’ owners. We envisioned expanding protected areas, consolidating biological corridors, and establishing eco-campgrounds and educational trails where visiting guests could learn about the rainforest and thus, be inspired to ‘save it’ and donate money to help us put more land under ‘trust.’ After coming up with this plan in meetings and desks far away from the actual site of action, I moved out to the target area and began meeting with the farmers and ranchers of the areas where CRCT intended to buy land. As I attended these meetings and conducted one-on-one interviews with farmers that were selling their land, very important questions quickly emerged that I simply could not ignore. I felt these questions needed to be answered before moving forward, as I was no longer convinced that our efforts would actually save the rainforests or help anyone over the long term.

Why are the farmers selling their land even though they express a desire to not do so? What will happen to the farming families that are displaced by these land purchases? Will they ever be able to buy land again? How will this transfer of land ownership to foreign organizations and individuals affect the social and political stability of this region, especially if locals can no longer afford to buy land in their own country? Will displaced farmers create more environmental problems elsewhere as they migrate to overcrowded, overtaxed urban centers? How many of them will end up in the United States, where they will adopt a consumer-based, disposable lifestyle and become part of the ‘20% of the world’s population that consumes 80% of the world’s resources’? What happens when large amounts of arable land are allowed to convert back to forests? Will the local populations have to start importing corn, wood, beans, and other products that they traditionally grew on their small farms? How is that ecologically sustainable? Is sustainable development economically viable enough to help small farmers keep their farms? Is it enough to move small farmers out of poverty and improve their quality of life so that they no longer need to hunt, log or raise cattle in an unsustainable way? Are local farmers able to manage their own lands sustainably and do they even want to? What will enable them to do so? Is socially responsible conservation even possible, or must we always choose between the animals and humans?

In pursuing the answers to these questions, I joined local committees, met with government entities and local grassroots environmental groups around the country, as well as studying similar cases from around the world. In doing so, I found that there were hidden impacts with our plan that could end up being worse for my people and the environment and that the “collateral” damage might not be worth moving forward with our original plan. I also found that countless local groups are equally or even more concerned about their own fragile ecosystems and are trying to convert to sustainable income strategies but are facing multiple threats and obstacles. Ironically, in addition to the threats from agro-businesses and land developers, their culture and lifestyle was also being threatened by conservation groups and foreigners coming in buying them out because they are seen as too destructive to stay on their farms.
I listened closely to the stories of the local people – stories filled with difficult and ironic decisions, such as ‘whether or not to clear a new area for pasture so they can get a few more heads of cattle on the farm to pay for one of their children to go to college so they can eventually stop relying on unsustainable cattle ranching.’ It was obvious that many were causing environmental damage because they did not have any other way to make a living and the way they did things was what was taught to them by the government and the agro-chemical companies in the past. Some are simply stuck on an agro-chemical treadmill that they don’t know how to get off of. Selling their land seemed like the only alternative to many of them.

In response to this, I began implementing a socially responsible approach to conservation through CRCT that included the local people’s ideas and initiatives as the core – I worked to empower them to try out their eco-friendly income-generating ideas and to make the necessary changes to become the caretakers of their own precious rainforest and thus, hopefully make enough money so they would not have to sell all their land. By providing them with the necessary inspiration, education, resources, and inroads to the burgeoning market of conscious consumers, the farming communities I worked continued to prove that they were more than willing to engage in the greening of their local economy. I have seen them help each other build methane-digesters on their pig farms to stop pollution of their waterways. I have seen them establish and manage recycling centers. I have seen them build up ecotourism cooperatives and create a multitude of related sustainable income strategies to replace destructive practices, including establishing eco-campgrounds, organic farms, botanical trails and other sustainable tourism initiatives. I have seen them denounce the illegal hunting and logging activities of their neighbors and relatives. I have witnessed them develop and carry out environmental education programs with their children, and I have been amazed at how they will travel for miles on foot through the rainy jungle to attend meetings where they collaboratively develop these solutions. Their only motivation is saving their farms, simple lifestyle, and the natural resources they depend on. Every time CRCT and other support groups provided the strategies, assistance, and space for collaborative problem-solving, the locals have proven themselves, especially the youth.

On the flip side, I have witnessed many rural farming families in Central America sell all their land because of pressures from conservation groups, agro-businesses and foreign land developers. Because of economic desperation, in large part due to either climate change, the agrochemical treadmill, or the drop in beef and coffee prices (or a combination of these), most start off thinking of a willing buyer as a ‘gift from heaven.’ But all too often, illiterate farmers that sell their land find out too late, that the amount they received for their farm was, in fact, not much money at all. Most of them have to pay off debts, divide the money among their children (sometimes up to 18!) and move to the city. Low educational levels, unfamiliarity with market-driven urban culture, and a desire for material commodities they never had before also contribute to their money quickly running out. Thus, within a few years, many families end up as nomadic migrants living in the ghettos of Latin American and U.S. cities, where drugs, violence, gangs, and prostitution consume many of their youth. With no land to go back to, a disintegrated family, and few marketable skills, many of the honest ones end up living an impoverished nomadic life as day laborers, landscapers, domestic maids, etc. And desperate ones fall prey to the temptations of the underground economy or turn to crime (i.e. armed robbery). This is not to say that there aren’t wonderful ‘success’ stories, but these are the minority. And all too often, ‘success’ includes loosing their cultural identity and adopting a materialist lifestyle.

Many farming families struggle to keep their farms, and make difficult choices in order save their land. Many of the men (and sometimes the women) go up to the U.S. illegally in search of a living wage, and leave their families behind. Once established abroad, some never return because they are undocumented and the journey is too risky to undertake twice, while other migrants die or are killed during the difficult journey north, leaving many fatherless children strewn across the landscape. Increasingly, the mothers are forced to venture into the city to find work to feed her children, all too often in the prostitution sectors.

I also want to highlight that massive illegal migration also causes social and cultural tensions in the receiving cities and countries, to the point that the U.S. is building a wall on its border with Mexico to try to stop the flow of these kinds of immigrants and private militias there are taking it upon themselves to kill any “wetbacks” they find crossing into their “territory.” In the urban centers like Mexico City, San Salvador, Guatemala City, Los Angeles and Chicago, gangs are increasing and underground economies involving weapons and illegal drugs are growing. In the local cities, which are often not prepared for this massive migration of the farming sector into their city limits, a host of other problems are ensuing, including lack of access to clean drinking water, sanitation systems and housing. These ghetto conditions are causing deaths in children due to unsanitary conditions, and frustration, hopelessness, and increase radicalism among the inhabitants that have no where else to go.

In Central America, history has shown us that when indigenous and marginalized people feel unjustly displaced and hopelessly desperate, there is a higher chance that they will turn to armed resistance, political radicalism, and to eventually demand land reforms. In addition, owning the land one tills is a strongly held cultural value. To the displaced farming community or indigenous group who find themselves unable to own land again in their own country and living in desperate conditions, it makes no difference if the new land owner is a large multinational, an elite family or a well-intentioned green-minded entrepreneur or conservation-oriented non-profit group. To them it is the same old story of displacement and injustice. The Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas is an example of this. The Zapatista rebellion was sparked in large part due to a large scale conservation project that drove off thousands of farmers and ranchers from one of the last remaining pristine jungles in Mexico. In El Salvador, my birth country, we watched in horror as hundreds of acres of forest were burned down by disgruntled ranchers upset about a new protected area that would force them off their lands.

Significant cultural impact is also involved in all this. Many leaders of conservation organizations and green-investors understand the need to live closer to the land and many try to live a simpler lifestyle. In part, this is why many buy rainforest farms in places like Costa Rica or help set up eco-communities. But ironically, the farming and native communities that epitomize these values in their centuries-old way of life are becoming extinct to make way for these vacation farms, eco-lodges, eco-communities, meditation/yoga resorts, and private reserves owned and operated by foreigners wanting to “commune with nature.” Along with this cultural extinction, we are losing knowledge of age-old uses of medicinal plants, agricultural techniques and ways to live closer to specific types of lands.

The social and cultural issues involved are multi-faceted and complex, but rural to urban migration contributes to environmental problems as well. For example, urban households create, on average, two to four times the amount of garbage that rural farming households produce. After leaving the countryside, families that once lived on the same farm are now dispersed throughout numerous urban households. As each household rapidly adopts the consumption-based, disposable lifestyle typical of urban areas, they begin to create much more garbage than they did as one unit living on a farm complex. Also, the amount of resources consumed by urban dwellers is exponentially higher than rural people. This ingestion of resources and creation of waste is increased even more if members of the family end up settling in the United States (a very common scenario).

To add to the irony, it is also common for those farmers and ranchers who were considered an environmental threat while living in the countryside to become migrant laborers for large agro-businesses or factories owned by multi-national corporations that cause much bigger environmental problems worldwide. The huge landless and displaced labor force (willing to do anything to make some money) creates an atmosphere in which large manufacturers and processing plants can pay low wages, deny worker rights, and curtail environmental regulations, providing companies with higher profits that can be used to exploit more natural resources globally or lobby for decreased environmental protections. So as a cheap laborer for a timber company or plastic toy factory, it may be that the individual now has a greater negative impact on the environment than as a “destructive” rancher back on his small rainforest farm.

Furthermore, a significant number of displaced families that cannot afford to buy land again and that opt out of horrid conditions in the cities, end up going deeper into the jungle, where they squat new land, and clear whole new areas of virgin rainforest, bringing a host of new environmental problems into sensitive ecological areas and conflict with the local governments, especially when they cross national borders. Poor migrant families also contribute to the hunting of endangered animals for survival. For example, in Costa Rica the green iguana is increasingly at risk because the poor displaced Nicaraguan farmers, who are coming into the country in search of work, are killing it to feed themselves and their families. I hear the same problems are occurring in Africa with endangered monkeys.

In Central America, there is no denying that we need foreign investment and are in desperate need of allies with win-win mentalities that can bring resources and new ideas that will help us develop our local green economies and protect our endangered ecosystems simultaneously. But as our governments sign off on neo-liberal trade agreements and decrease regulations on foreign investors, the large and often illiterate farming and indigenous sector is left defenseless. Small locally owned businesses are also having a hard time competing, as is happening in the eco-tourism sector in Costa Rica where locals are going out of business because of foreign-owned tourism agencies and eco-lodges that have more capital, contacts and access to technology.

Thus, a more complicated and very ironic ‘bigger picture’ surfaces and it soon becomes obvious that green sector businesses and conservation initiatives, particularly those working in developing regions like Central America, must look at as many angles of their impact as possible before embarking on projects that could have negative repercussions down the line. And although they are certainly not the main cause of a lot of these problems, they can be part of the solution and are in a particularly good position to lead and model the way for the ‘less-conscious’ sectors of society. Conservation minded businesses and non-profit organizations are the cutting edge when it comes to finding and implementing creative solutions for long term sustainability, social responsibility and prosperity for all. They are also the ones more willing to hear this message and make the necessary changes to assure a positive ecological and social footprint in all that they do. The growing number of conscious investors and conservation groups can opt to work with us to accomplish mutual goals, rather than unintentionally ignoring the hidden impacts of their projects. I am reaching out to these types of foreigners and entrepreneurs because it seems like these sectors want for us in the developing world what we want for ourselves - long-term prosperity, economic growth, healthy communities, vibrant ecosystems and peace, which will benefit us all as well as our shared planet. Our differences are often simply a matter of awareness levels and perspective.

To help further research and advocate about these issues, an institute is being created called Instituto Conexiones (Connections Institute). Our aim is to help U.S. entities carrying out non-profit or for-profit projects in Latin America become aware of their hidden impacts, and provide hands-on, cross-cultural liaison and project development services to help them become true allies to the local people and environment of their sphere of influence. We invite you to join us in our efforts and to comment on what is presented in this publication. E-mail us at info-at-connectionsinstitute.net

++++++++++++
Special thanks to editing work of Lorna Li and Tanya Ridino

Photos courtesy of Jon Orlando Photography.

I should approach these folks someday - perhaps as a volunteer

2008-07-10T16:52:00.001-07:00

International Institute of San Francisco

Nonprofit
Type
Address	657 Mission Street Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone	415-538-8100
Email	iisf@iisf.org
Web Address	http://www.iisf.org

Description

The International Institute of San Francisco is dedicated to helping immigrants, refugees, and their families become effective, responsible participants in community life. The Institute has served immigrants and refugees in San Francisco since 1918 and in San Mateo since 1974. The Institute's Immigration and Citizenship programs provide low-cost legal immigration services to clients who are unable to hire private attorneys. The Institute's refugee program does refugee settlement and provides health screenings and translation services to refugees. The YouthCares program helps youth help senior citizens in their community and provides tutoring at Newcomer High School in San Francisco. The English-in-Action program pairs students with volunteer tutors for one-on-one conversational English practice.

ARPA Program in Brazil Appears to have a Solid Grasp and Ideas About How to Incorporate the Human Element into the Conservation Equation, etc.

2008-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

draft post (may need editing)

I was pleased to begin this Sunday with a report by DW-TV on a conservation program in the Amazon that is showing success. It is called ARPA -Amazon Region Protected Area and is being funded by the WWF, together with the World Bank, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Government of Brazil. I must say that I am not a big fan of some of these organizations, but this initiative caught my attention.

What I particularly liked about this program is their realistic inclusion of the human communities of the area and their immediate need to have a livelihood. It appears, on paper, to be just the type of case study I have been looking for as part of my applied research on conservation initiatives that are socially/economically sustainable over the long term.

I know I dwell on this subject and some of my conservation colleagues have expressed that today's international environmental movement* is very socially responsible and no longer infringing on human rights or displacing rainforest communities. But I have gone over case study after case study and each time find that the conservation projects I choose to study in depth don't take the human element into consideration far enough or they have a top-down approach on how to get local populations that use the rainforest to stop destroying it.

Alas! A top-down approach is often not effective in the long term because the local people feel no ownership in it, and from my research and conversations with local "beneficiaries" of these projects, they tend to resent this approach because of its disconnection with their real needs, desires and home-grown ideas. They call them "paternalistic," but all they have access to so they hold their tongues.

Conversely, there are some international organizations that fund only locally created/managed projects - which is great because it makes sure that the projects are bottom-up, participatory and "of the local people." After all, when we are not paternalistic, we can see that local people are perfectly capable of problem solving and undoubtedly know best what is good for themselves and the land.

However, what local organizations often need is a continuous relationship with an international entity in a 'developed' area of the world that can do fundraising, educational outreach, publicity and help them stay connected to the newest ideas and trends in the fields related to their project. I can't tell you how many times I receive emails and calls from fellow Latin Americans working on social enterprises, and conservation/sustainable development projects. They all ask/need the same thing - do you know what organization can be our U.S. contact/partner? They know they need to harness the power of globalization in order for their projects to succeed and grow, but they don't know where to go or who to trust.

It seems that local organizations often are isolated and are provided with an either-or situation. To get funding, they either must accept paternalistic type interventions whereas the funds and decisions are managed by an outside organization or they are provided funds to "do their own thing," but without the solid partnership and collaboration with an international administrative/fundraising partner that has a presence in the United States or Europe (where most funding for conservation projects and the market for sustainably produced rainforest products are).

This catch 22 was in large part why I helped start Costa Rica Conservation Trust and Instituto Conexiones. However, funding has been the main issue since the Latin American folks that contact me are often on a shoe-string start-up budget and paying U.S. wages and budgets is quite insurmountable for them. Instituto Conexiones sometimes works out a commission type system for those projects that include the sale of a product or service (i.e. fair trade coffee, eco-tourism destinations, etc.), but this model does not work with all those who approach us for cultural brokerage services.

And I have yet to find a funding source that has a whole-systems approach and incorporates both funding for the local organizations to develop and carry out their home-grown conservation and sustainable development projects, but that also gives funding for them to have a presence in the U.S./Europe through a contact/partner in those lands. It seems that no one wants to pay for a Latin American initiative to have a more global presence and if they have a global presence already, they are considered "too big" to be considered for funding because they are not "grassroots" enough.

I need to do some more research and thinking on this...

*I'm speaking strictly of projects that are funded with money from outside the country where the conservation initiative is hosted (as that is my focus).

Equitable Cultural Integration and Sustainability in a Globalized World

2008-05-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I am obsessed with this topic - but it is my life's study - perhaps someday it will make it into book form or be my doctorate thesis. For now, I am simply using the platform of Instituto Conexiones and its blogs to post my notes, ramblings and research on this large topic.

If I could stop thinking about it so much, I certainly would - but just like an artist needs to express herself on a canvas, as an applied social scientist, I need to keep researching, reading, applying my knowledge and sharing my results with the world...

Because I am not in a position to enter the workplace as a full time employee, I chose to be an independent researcher at this time, but perhaps when my boys are older, I can join forces with organizations that are out there working on this topic in a more applied way than I am now.

Enough rambling for now....

Recently found my long-lost Salvadoran Nanny!

2008-05-20T16:20:00.001-07:00

I have been praying for years to find a woman that raised me until I was 14 years old! Last I knew from her, she had emigrated to the United States and was somewhere in Los Angeles, California.

I was so happy to find out that one of her sons had found my brother on My Space!! I went down to Mexico a couple of weeks ago and had a layover in L.A. - I was so excited that we would have a few hours together during my layover.

Finding her is like finding a mother. She gave me much insight into my childhood, the tragedy that occurred with my parents divorce, my brothers and sisters, etc. But most of all, she gave me uncondicional love, something my biological mother has been unable to do. But it all makes sense now - my disconnection from Carletta is in large part due to the fact that she did not raise me. I was coddled, changed, washed, fed and tucked in at night mostly by this incredible woman, who lived and worked in my home for more than a decade for pennies...

I am eternally grateful to her for everything she did for me and my brothers and sisters. At the same time I feel very sad because she has worked soooo hard her whole life and she still, at a very mature age, has to work harder than I think she should. She works from 10pm to 6:30am in a factory in L.A.

She also had to make great sacrifices for what she has. She had to leave her 10 year old son behind in El Salvador to go to the United States and find work as an illegal immigrant. She did not see him for 10 years! I can't imagine having to leave my little boy in order to find work. But before this, she only saw her two eldest boys 1 day per week while she worked in my father's house taking care of and raising my brothers, sister and I.

I am left eternally grateful for her sacrifice and realize how very lucky and fortunate I have been in my life.

If God grants me the ability to make a surplus income, I am obliged to do something to pay her back in some way for all she has done for me and her sacrifices. I wish I could retire her today so I am motivated now more than ever to work harder so I can have enough income to do more for her.

Convivencia Equitativa y Sostenibilidad en un Planeta Globalizado

2008-05-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

El reto mas grande de este tiempo es la convivencia justa, equitativa - interconectado con las necesidades basicas de la vida, como son los recursos del agua, aire y tierra. Estoy preparandome mentalmente con una base de investigacion aplicada para poder opinar sobre este tema.

Tengo que buscar mi thesis para publicarla en algun sitio pronto. Trata sobre la convivencia entre los musulmanes, christianas y judios en Espanha entre los 700-1500, o algo asi. Por ahi anda circulando en mis discos y diskettes - pero quien sabe cual?

Me pondre a buscarlo uno de estos dias o de seguro aparace simplemente porque pense en ella.

My heart aches & reaches out to the suffering

2008-05-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

I just needed to express my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loves ones and homes in the recent cyclone, earthquakes and tornadoes. I can't hardly stand to watch the news, it is so depressing. I wish I could do more....

Culinary Travel - Costa Rica

2008-05-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

My sister, Tamara, has a wonderful organic farm on the edge of a 150,000 acre rainforest reserve in Costa Rica.

Although she is only half-Costa Rican, she has adopted the traditional lifestyle of the rural Costa Rican as if it was always her way of life. Her life revolves around the growing, harvesting, processing and cooking organic home-grown meals for her family and guests.

She has been operating a small B&B - Mountain Inn, Finca 3 Semilas, for a few years now, but one thing she has not made apparent in her marketing and publicity initiatives is the culinary aspect of her farm. All who have visited this amazing place have comented on the delicious food she serves, but I feel more can be done to make Finca 3 Semillas a culinary destination.

There are hundreds of people obsessed with food and especially home-grown, slow, ethnic, traditional, organic food...I aim to work on making Finca 3 Semillas a Culinary Travel destination as a way to support the healthy lifestyle my sister is living....

I'm working on some blogs and want to publish some books soon

2008-04-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

I recently came across the very information I've been waiting for - how to convert my blogs into e-books.

I love writing and I am currently managing a dozen or more blogs on topics ranging from Social Responsibility, Intercultural Relations and environmental justice, among other things.

I hope to eventually make my research more available to the world.

When I'm ready, I plan on looking into PayLoadz, an e-book publishing site where I could possibly publish my blogs in e-book format. I came across a great article that tells me step by step how to do it.

One of these days I will...

Why Maria???

2008-04-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

My parents named me after my grandmother, whose birth name was Maria, not Marie. I aim to rescue my Italian roots...

Thoughts on Deforestation

2008-04-05T11:05:00.001-07:00

I was recently asked by a high school student to answer some questions about deforestation. I responded to this young man as part of a my job as Membership Manager for Rainforest2Reef. I was really glad to have the opportunity to answer and wanted to document it somewhere where others could comment. I may end up turning this text into an article someday, but for now, here is my rough draft -

1. How do you feel about deforestation?

Deforestation is an ugly concept these days because the rate of deforestation is very alarming, as there have never been so many humans inhabiting the planet as today. This makes the pressure on our natural resources unbalanced. Humans have exceeded their fair share of this important resource. They also cut and burn many trees to grow crops and build houses. Many trees have been wasted in this process and much CO2 has been released into the atmosphere, which contributes greatly to climate change.

There is no doubt that humans are grossly dependent on trees for oxygen, raw materials for their homes, paper, fuel, etc. Luckily, wood is a renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable material, compared to other building materials. But we must realize that not all wood is the same, that trees are part of larger ecosystems, and we must take into account the needs of the other plants and animals when extracting or growing trees for our human needs.

For example, old growth trees/forests are so rare these days that they should not be touched at all. Rainforest2Reef helps protect some of these last remaining old growth forests in Mexico. Endangered species of trees should also not be touched and instead should be planted to bring them back. Managed tree plantations are a good way to have wood for human needs, but they must have species diversity and simulate real native forests so that animals can live in them. Also, selective wood extraction (versus clear-cutting) does not destroy the ecosystems upon extracting the wood.

Another important aspect of unsustainable deforestation is that it leaves patches of isolated forests all over the Earth's landscape. If corridors of standing trees were left to connect the isolated forest patches, animals would be able to 'commute' from one forest to another and thus, not die of starvation and diseases related to genetic isolation. Rainforest2Reef also works on helping create these biological corridors across great distances in order to connect isolated forest patches and give animals like the jaguar and monkeys a chance to survive amidst deforested areas of land. Important natural corridors include riparian areas (next to waterways), around springs, the tops of hills and ridges and areas that are too steep to support human interference (steep hills should always have trees to hold down the soil and help stop erosion - a huge problem that is killing water life and coral reefs).

In summary, deforestation is a complex topic. On the one hand, we need wood products and cleared land on which to live and grow food, but on the other, the way we have gone about deforesting the land so far has been very unsustainable. Luckily there are organizations like Rainforest2Reef working to help humans manage forests more sustainably and halt the traditional forms of destructive deforestation.

2. How long do you think it will take before logging is stopped?

As mentioned above, logging will probably never stop because of the interdependence humans have with trees and the needs humans have for cleared land. The idea is that unsustainable logging be stopped altogether, that all old growth forests and endangered species be protected, that biological corridors be created between isolated forests, and that reforestation happen in the critical areas where it needs to happen in order to save our watersheds, endangered species, and other natural resources.

We also need to work on halting unregulated deforestation and starting reforestation efforts around the world as much as possible in order to curb climate change. Rainforest2Reef is developing a carbon offset program at this time that will help fund a massive tree planting initiative as a way to clean the excess polluting carbon that is in the atmosphere. We have a brochure that contains a pie graph that shows the impact deforestation has on climate change.

You can view it online at:

http://rainforest2reef.org/pdf/Rainforest2Reef_broch5.pdf

3. What kind of logging is acceptable

As mentioned above, we now have the option of sustainable tree plantations and selective extraction, although most types of sustainable wood extraction are still in the applied research stage so they are not perfect. But they are better choices to unregulated and clear-cut logging, as we have seen in the past.

4. What kind of deforestation do you have in your area?

In Mexico we still have slash and burn type of deforestation, mostly to grow crops, for cattle pastures, and to establish villages for nomadic & poor populations. Slash and Burn agriculture is an ancient indigenous practice that worked fine when small groups of semi-nomadic agricultural people could move around every few years and live in various plots of land spread throughout a large forested area, and when CO2 emissions were not so unbalanced. But in today's overpopulated and sedentary society, this old practice en masse is very destructive to the forest ecosystems, soil, air, and water ways.

We also have clear cut logging, which is usually sponsored by larger national or international corporations. We have been very successful in halting deforestation in the Calakmul and La Selva Maya areas of Mexico because we pay the indigenous land owners for protecting their forests. This gives them a sustainable way of making money off of their land, instead of cattle farming or selling logging concessions to logging companies.

5. What can an everyday person do to help stop deforestation?

We can each work to make sure it is done sustainably by buying only "sustainably grown" wood products, organically grown foods, shade grown coffee, etc. We also must reduce our consumption of all kinds of resources, particularly non-recycled paper products. We can also make sure to reuse what we can, such as using both sides of a paper, buying used furniture and clothing, etc. Ironically, we must also stay away from biofuels that come from soy and corn crops because there is a current increase in deforestation in tropical areas in order to grow these crops for the biofuel market.

I also recommend visiting the following websites and organizations, as they have information about deforestation as well: www.earthday.net and www.oneworld.net.