From Baja California to southern Chile, massive farming projects have enriched the lives of few while allowing millions of westerners to feel better about themselves by eating healthy “organic” food.
Just as Uruguayans’ rate of maté consumption is the highest per capita in the world, Uruguay’s people do a nice job plowing through dulce de leche.
In Chile’s Elqui Valley, where reliable fuel sources are scarce, the restaurant Solar de Villaseca boasts 10 solar ovens that allow its staff to serve up to 70 meals a day. If you have visited Chile and were overwhelmed by the heaping plates of food, you would understand what an achievement that is–without gas ovens and monster Viking ranges.
Mining is a dirty, dangerous, and yet necessary business. The workers who endure these conditions, from the copper mines in the Atacama Desert to the coal tunnels in West Virginia, know the perils when they start such jobs, but handle the work with grit, grace, and dignity. The tragedies in West Virginia, Utah, China, and the averted catastrophe in Chile should send a message to the rest of us.
Another photo essay of towns off the beaten path. The largest freight port in Chile is also the busiest on the Pacific coast of South America. San Antonio, about an hour’s drive from Santiago, is a pleasant city of about 85,000. Its climate is similar to that of Northern California’s—and the local terrain is similar to the coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz.
It’s devastating to read about the destruction in Chile. I visited the country in 2006, and was impressed with the optimism, self-reliance, and grit of the Chilean people. The company had made enormous strides since the terror of the Pinochet years. I have a good friend that lives in the southern city of Pucon, and [...]
Third in a review of public transportation projects around the world. Santiago is the Athens of South America. I say that because most visitors dismiss the city as a crowded, polluted, and dull eyesore. But like Athens, once you get past the smog and do some exploring, the city offers much for the visitor. [...]
I’ve already discussed DME (dimethyl ether), as a huge potential fuel source. Most renewable energy advocates have never heard of it, but there’s vast potential for it. DME burns cleanly, gives off no particulates, and is readily available since it is a byproduct of coal extraction, natural gas production, and can be poached from biomass. [...]
Assuming that battery technology is a panacea for our current energy woes is ignoring one side affect: the toxicity, energy and expense racked up from extracting the materials that allow the battery to work. Newer generations of batteries generally use lithium ion technology, and as companies manufacture more and more batteries, these same companies are [...]
I love LA’s metro. Unfortunately, the nearest station is a 20-25 minute walk away, and it’s the most unpleasant walk under highway overpasses and garbage-strewn streets. I’ll take the bus downtown, as it’s an easy 10-15 hop, but forget about taking it to Santa Monica—city buses are not a pleasant, comfortable means to cross a [...]