Archive for the ‘air - land - quality of life’ Category
Make the Winter Olympics Urban
March 5th, 2010 | 
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We did not see much of the Vancouver Winter Olympics as we were in Brazil . . . though it was a delight to watch some events on Brazilian TV, which was uninterrupted by commercials! Whatever you may think of the Olympics, the athletic feats are impressive, the stories behind some of the Olympians are compelling, and it looks like Vancouver put on a great show. I'm not surprised--it's a beautiful city and the perfect place to showcase such an event. (more...)
Posted in International, air - land - quality of life, construction and architecture, politics | 
Tags: 2014 Winter Olympics, British Columbia, Canada, environmental justice, environmentalists, green building, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Korea, Olympics, PyeongChang, Russia, Sochi, Vancouver, Vladimir Putin | 
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Parkman Triangle Hits Pay Dirt!
Well, actually it was free dirt. It's been an eye-opening experience working on the Parkman Triangle Project. I've spent many hours this month calling contractors, from trucking companies to landscapers to plumbers to dirt companies. What money we have really needs to go to plumbing, so to save about $2500, we decided to see what we could scrounge up from contractors who are working on projects and need to dump their dirt. (more...)Last Sunrise in Mangue Seco
I can't believe it has already been a week since we left Mangue Seco, Brazil. It truly was a place to get away from it all. When we think about making an escape, we fantasize about the beach, but the reality is, famous resort areas like Hawaii, Cancun, Miami, Punta del Este, the French Riviera, and Phuket really just take you away from the crowds and noise at home to . . . crowds and noise at the beach.Mangue Seco ("dry mangroves") is a refreshingly unique experience. This little peninsula, where the Rio Real River and Atlantic Sea meet 200 kilometers northeast of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, was unknown until 20 years ago. A soap opera, Tieta do Agreste, based on a Jorge Amado character, was filmed here in the late 1980s, and then the word got out. But not too many words. Because no roads exist that can take you to this collection of sand dunes, it is a chore arriving here. No direct bus service from Salvador is available, so the most realistic option is to hire a driver. You then cross the Bahia-Sergipe state line, drive to a small village, Pontal, and from there a speed boat will pick you up, backtrack to Bahia and its secluded corner treasure, Mangue Seco, and take you to your pousada (inn). (more...)
Posted in International, air - land - quality of life |
Tags: Brazil, Mangue Seco, Pousada o Forte, Recanto de Dona Sula, Salvador da Bahia, sorvette, sustainability, travel, wildlife |
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Parkman Triangle: Stage One!
I was thrilled to find out that work Parkman Triangle Park has finally started. I took the dog out for a walk to see for myself, and I like what's been done!
The asphalt has been ripped out, and soon the water main can be installed. It turned out to be quite a job. The workers who were at the site told me that it turned out there were two layers of asphalt: one was the original street, and then you had the top layer which has been home to illegal parking and Sunday flea markets for years. The workers seemed excited about this project, too: they had also worked on a similar greening project in East Hollywood. (more...)
Heaven is Mangue Seco, Brazil
Mangue Seco is about 200 km northeast of Salvador da Bahia. We'll be here for 6 days total. It's wonderful--not much to do but enjoy the mangroves, palms, endless white beaches, fresh fruit, fresh fish, and the best ice cream ever. We do not want to leave. I cannot wait to write more about it! It is hard to get here. You basically have to hire a car and then a small boat takes you to your pousada (inn). Lack of infrastructure has kept this place prestine--for the most part.
While I still have 'net connection, I do have to say that our biggest disappointment is the garbage. Trash collection is haphazard at best. The views are splendid, but the plastic bottles and bags can spoil the mood. Some of it washes ashore from elsewhere, but too much of it is because of the locals. Our innkeeper, Ives, does what he can, but it's an uphill battle.
If you're old enough to remember paper straws . . . I wonder what you have to say if I opine that we should bring them back, especially to a precious spot like Mangue Seco.
Posted in International, air - land - quality of life, food and consumer products |
Tags: Brazil, garbage, Mangue Seco, recycling, Salvador da Bahia, travel |
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Parkman Triangle-Demolition Monday?
GGP is in Brazil with little internet connection, but we have heard that demolition on Parkman Triangle may start on Monday--so stay tuned. Let's hope this finally happens. Since we cannot be there, please take pictures if this happens!!!!
Many thanks to John Southern and Ara Babaian for all their work.
Grandma’s House
Years ago my brother wrote this poem for my father. Our grandmother passed away in 1990, but her hearty and giving spirit still stays with us. Her little house in Fresno has not really changed much since she moved out 24 years ago, but every time I visit Fresno, I have to drive by for a quick visit to the home where as children, we shared so many beautiful memories.
All these buzzwords we currently hear (sustainable, green, eco-, etc.) were not thrown around during her lifetime. But as I read this poem, I realize that we would all be in a better place if we lived as simply, frugally, and generously as she had during her 85 years.
And while we discuss and agonize over all of our problems, issues, and controversies, we often forget that the best solutions were offered by those who came before us.
(more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, art and culture |
Tags: Armenian, cooking, Fresno, Ovsanna Kaye, San Joaquin Valley, slow food |
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Save the Date: Women in Green Forum, September 1-2, 2010
Are you an engineer, fully engaged in green tech issues, and often walk into a room full of men? Are you interested in eco-fashion? Perhaps you are a graduate student wanting to enter this space. Or maybe you have a passion for electric vehicles. And you probably aware that many of the green revolution has its roots in women like Rachel Carson.Have I got the conference for you, September 1-2, in Pasadena.
Spearheaded by Jaime Nack of Three Squares Inc., The Women in Green Forum will bring together an international audience of women focused on environmental issues, including academic researchers, business experts, energy analysts, and technology developers. (more...)
Parkman Triangle Park in Silver Lake
At the corner of Silver Lake Boulevard and Parkman Avenue lies a 2000-square foot patch of asphalt that has lain empty for decades. Occasionally, trash is strewn across it; sometimes there are unpermitted weekend yard sales or flea markets; often cars are parked on it illegally. Years ago this space was paved over to make right turns off of Parkman to Silver Lake Blvd. safer, but the redesign left wasted space that currently does nothing for the local community.But soon, after two years of research, phone calls, and neighborhood activism, this barren space in Silver Lake, south of Sunset Boulevard, will become a vibrant park, thanks to the Parkman Triangle Improvement Project. (more...)
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden
Rio is one of those must visit cities, so you should be sure to visit before the 2016 Summer Olympics in case its leaders decide to erase its wonderful retro sheen.Naturally the beaches are lovely, but you must visit the Botanical Garden, at the foot of Corvocado mountain. When we visited in 2004, we happened to visit there on a very rainy day, but we loved every moment of it. Whether you are into orchids, palms, carnivorous plants, cacti, or flowers, you will be in heaven.
The Real California
I spent MLK weekend in Fresno visiting an old college friend. The drive to Fresno is about four hours, and takes you to a completely different world than to which we are accustomed in Southern California or the Bay Area. We tend to be dismissive of this part of the state, but there is much that the San Joaquin Valley offers the visitor. For better or for worse, that bag of goodies you have snagged at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's most likely had its origins in this region, the true bread basket (or gift basket?) of America. Fresno County is the largest agricultural county in the nation; its neighbor, Tulare County, is number two. (more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, art and culture, construction and architecture |
Tags: Armenian, farming, Fresno, San Joaquin Valley, Tower District, travel |
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A Story Recycles
Companies from your corner hair salon to Wal-Mart are all on the sustainability bandwagon. When you walk into a shop, it's now common to be bombarded with signs bragging how "green" a company's "recycled" and "eco-friendly" products are. Professional services firms are riding this wave as well, creating "green" committees and including "sustainability" sections on their web sites.
Try selling this to Margie Pabigian, the facilities manager of a West LA law firm, and she'll just shrug her shoulders and laugh. Sustainability, recycling, and living simply has been her family's story for a long time. (more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, art and culture, business |
Tags: Armenian, Charlie Pabigian, Margie Pabigian, paper, recycling, United Paper Stock Company |
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A Korean Winter Dream
Two events occurred after I left Korea that I wished I could have witnessed. First, the 2002 World Cup, though being there in 1996 when Korea the bid with Japan was interesting for Koreans' collective angst at having to settle for co-hosting that extravaganza. Second, last week much of Korea was buried in 10 inches (25 cm), of snow, a record since the country first gauged statistics in 1937. In addition to the traffic, I can only imagine the mayhem resulting from those trying to trudge through Myong-dong in platform shoes or delivering noodles or appliances on the back of a motorbike. Perhaps this was a case of best witnessing the news from the safety of television. However, what that odd weather pattern does remind us is of Korea's third attempt to host the Winter Olympics, this time in 2018 in PyeongChang. (more...)Delivery with some Seoul
When I lived in Korea during the mid-90s, one of the simple pleasures in life was having everything delivered. Whether it was the yogurt lady, adorned in yellow vinyl in case the tropical monsoon storms suddenly unleashed their fury; the dry cleaning cantor (when he came to our building, I thought he was loudly chanting "Satan," but he was just booming the Korean word for laundry); the devilishly delicious plates of greasy jja-jjang-myun, a noodle dish swimming in black bean sauce; or a refrigerator that my dear friend arranged to have dragged across town to her apartment . . . delivery, usually by a scooter, was mostly a happy way of gathering goods and services. What amazed me is that anything got delivered at all: Korea has the most illogical address system, a matruska-like mess where you go from large (as in country, then province), to small (the block number or building name on the street). I always loved going into the local restaurants and looking at the local precinct maps. Block number 2 on my street may have been next to number 3, or 31, with number 77 following. I got dizzy trying to figure out the madness. When Korea co-hosted the World Cup in 2002, logistics slightly improved as streets were given name, but that U2 song still reminds me of Korea. (more...)
Posted in International, air - land - quality of life, energy, transportation |
Tags: electric cars, electric motorcycles, hybrid, Hyundai, Kia, Korea, plug-in, Seoul |
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Trees are your best antiques. ~ Alexander Smith
Well, maybe not these.
My brother, who lives in Brooklyn, sent these photos through his iPhone as he was taking his dog out for a run. As much as I love New York, one image that always sticks with me are the piles of garbage that line the streets almost every evening. When he went out the other morning, garbage pickup day had a little more festive ring to it.
(more...)
Posted in air - land - quality of life, food and consumer products |
Tags: Christmas trees, holiday tips, New York |
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