15 jul 2010
14 jul 2010
Eco-parks
It is neither a place for practising adventure tourism, nor leisure activities to share with the family. An eco-park is a space where home waste which cannot be put into traditional containers is selectively classified.
Garbage like oils, junk, radiographies, light bulbs, ink cartridges, electrical appliances, mobile phones, batteries, paints and debris are deposited in eco-parks. There are also “green spots” for the collection of gardening waste, as well a free of charge door-to-door service for collecting old furniture.
To date, the Spanish government has called for 27 tenders to build eco-parks all over the country. This project aims at satisfying the need to build places where citizens can deposit waste in an organized, selective and secure way, and where residues can be collected by authorized staff in order to be reutilized or eliminated in a controlled way.
An eco-park has about 1,200 m2 , it includes a room for educating and lecturing on environmental issues, leisure areas for disabled people, locker rooms, a control booth and a room for storing residues temporarily, as well as a third building for special residues. It also has garden areas, and two more areas: one for big objects (woods, furniture, electrical appliances - white or brown), and another one for conventional residues which cannot be deposited in street containers.
None of these residues are of industrial origin because these “green spots” are thought for citizens’ use. Since eco-parks or “green spots” have rooms for educating students, citizens and housewives, they have a twofold function: a place for collecting garbage and a training space to accomplish a sustainable development.
Recycling batteries (Part II)
Batteries make using many electrical appliances easier, but once they exhaust, they are likely to end up in garbage dumps if we throw them with the rest of the waste, which will result in the contamination of underground water, the soil, and food chains – which eventually affect human beings- , or in incineration plants - whose fumes produce volatile toxic substances which contaminate the air.
Where should batteries be thrown?
They should be taken to recycling plants where dangerous metals can be properly separated from the rest of the components. Unfortunately, there are very few plants of this type in the world, because the process of recycling is very expensive. Argentina
I recommend buying products which do not need batteries. Only buy rechargeable batteries, and preferably those made of Ni-MH (Niquel-Hidrato de Metal) or silver oxide and Zinc-Air, whose components have a low toxicity level. Avoid buying/using those with a high content of mercury and cadmium.
As consumers, we must favour practices that do not contaminate. Remember: everything we throw to the soil comes back in one way or another.
The end of Light bulbs
The end of Light bulbs
The National Act No. 26473, which prohibits importing and selling incandescent light bulbs is gradually moving forward throughout the entire country. This Act is expected to come into force as from January 1st, 2011.
Argentineans will have to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), which are promoted as better light producers, since they are believed to save energy, which may result in a more efficient home economy and in the country’s possibility to overcome the serious energy crisis we are going through.
The use of compact fluorescent lamps has been promoted by the media since 2008 as an “energy-saving idea”. Low energy lamps are said to have a longer duration – an average of 6,000 hours, or in other words, 6 times more than incandescent bulbs.
As a way to propel the campaign to replace incandescent light bulbs, and in agreement with the Act unanimously passed by the members of the Congress, about 5 million of compact fluorescent lamps were distributed across the country free of charge. In our province, the distribution of the 114 thousand lamps sent by the national government was in charge of the local electric energy company, EDESAL, and the municipal offices.
While this campaign is carried out, and everyone replaces incandescent bulbs with CF lamps, no information has been given to citizens regarding the dangers of having incandescent lamps at home (they have a high content of mercury, a hazardous metal). No campaigns to inform about how to manipulate them has been made, and no regulations for their final disposal have been discussed.
Once the Act was passed, the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial - INTI (Nacional Institute of Tecnology) showed that many of these lamps have a shorter life span and are less efficient than what is indicated by the manufacturers. The INTI also declared that “if the lamp explodes, mercury goes out into the air, which causes a wide range of systemic effects on humans’ health, affecting kidneys, liver, stomach, intestines, lungs and the nervous system. Microorganisms convert inorganic mercury into methyl-mercury, a very toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative form of mercury which is easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract”. Other reports inform that mercury – if the lamp explodes - sticks to any type of textile fibers, including carpets, curtains, linen, etc, which may give off mercury fumes for a long time. Similarly, it has been proved that these lamps can damage the skin, since they emit UV rays, which may also cause vision disturbances and headaches.
A policy worth imitating is, for example, the one adopted by the European Community, which allowed saving 20% of energy on the one hand, and generating an additional 20% of energy, on the other, by using renewable sources. People in Brussels (Belgium) is provided with information on how to save energy by the electric energy company itself, and they also have access to soft loans to buy double glass windows, which make heating systems more efficient in winter.
Most toilets in Europe have two flush buttons, one for solid waste (which allows a full flush of the cistern), and the other for liquid waste (which allows half the flush of the cistern). This system for saving water is based on the fact that producing tap water consumes a lot of energy. In Colorado (USA), energy is produced through solar panels.
Unfortunately, the legal framework in
Tourism and Education
Argentina has a huge territory where all climates are possible, as well as a varied geography and landscapes which let one enjoy the contact with nature. It is the ideal territory to do adventure tourism, and it offers numerous opportunities for those who love this type of activities.Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which is booming and which is becoming more popular in San Luis every day due to the fact that it implies choosing unusual destinations for holidays, changing sun and beaches for exploration and active sightseeing.
As a lecturer of the course “Tourism and Recreation” –which is part of the Teaching Training Program in Physical Education at Instituto de Formación Docente Continua (Teaching Training Center) “Juan Pascual Pringles”- I work on the description of adventure tourism activities through comments and analysis of different tourism service providers and emphasize all the tasks that must be done before planning. After that future teachers are instructed on fundamental concepts, necessary to plan those activities from a theoretical point of view.
In the following section, I will refer to the work carried out by Ivana Paola Cerizola, a fourth year student at the Teacher Training Program in Physical Education.
How to plan recreational-tourist activities
We must emphasize the following aspects:
Destination: place (mountains, plains, river area, lake area, etc.) - Climate – Indoor or outdoor activities (visits to museums, play areas) – Solutions to problems in the schedule.
The tourists and their needs: Number of people - Age – Fitness -Security (first aid kit and suggestions for being comfortable – for example, wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, proper shoes and comfortable clothes, etc.) - Medical record.
All these recommendations must be given before starting the journey/activity, and as soon as the guide or the instructor for a particular activity is introduced.
What should be considered when travelling with students?
Destination: Does the place have basic health services? How old are the students? Is there any specific characteristic which should be considered?; Special education needs; How many students travel?; Which activities will be prepared for those students who do not travel?; What time will they leave school?; Why is this trip organized? Objetives and educational content; How will other areas or subjects collaborate with this activity in order to be considered interdisciplinary? What will we do when we get to the place?; How are we going to get there (transportation); How will the activity be financed? (Will it be sponsored by the school? will the students pay for it? How many people are necessary to work on this activity? (Number of teachers, instructors, etc.); How should the students prepare for the activity? (clothes, proper shoes, bags, food, solar protection, etc.). It is important to remember that those topics which are intended to be worked in an interdisciplinary way must be dealt with before the trip.
Some final recommendations: do not forget to ask for parents’ authorization; (if it is an outdoor activity) do not forget to teach rules to project the environment; always think about an emergency plan in case of accidents (emergency phone number, first aid kit, knowledge of the closest health center).
What must be considered during the trip? call the roll before leaving; check students periodically during the trip; remember basic behaviour rules; follow the schedule.
Guía Hueney in Santa Fe
The beautiful city of Rosario celebrated the Flag`s Day with different artistic, cultural and sport activities during four days.
Guía Hueney was there to introduce San Luis and its publications, together with Camtur (Cámara de Turismo de Potrero de los Funes [Potrero de los Funes Chamber of Tourism]), the Ministry of Tourism and other private organisms.
Ente Cuyo, the tourism organization which brings together the provinces of Cuyo región - Mendoza, San Luis, San Juan and La Rioja - made also an excellent presentation.
More than a magazine
Guía Hueney is a project of work carried out by people from San Luis, and it is aimed at spreading information, as well as the work of those who collaborate with us.
Throughout these four years, we have organized and/or participated in activities to reinforce our goals, and we have also been awarded prizes and the recognition of our followers.
* I Campaign: Sol, Agua y Sierras junto a Guía Hueney (Sun, Water and Hills with Guía Hueney)
* Artistic-photographic shows: “Naturaleza Partida” (Broken Nature) y “Arma Cabezas” (Mind-builders)
* Graphic and Online Editing* Radio and televisión columns
* Bilingual editions
* Project for the creation of the Ecological Park
* Open doors days and micro-enterprise projects fairs
* Tourism:
Nogolí - La Carolina - Cortaderas
San Martín - Dique La Huertita
Potrero de los Funes - Buena Esperanza
Ranquel community - El Volcán - El Trapiche
* Certificate of Recognition for Working in favor of the Environment
* II Campaign: Eco 2008
* Edition, Design and Prologue of the book “100 años de Educación Permanente” (100 year of continous education)
* III Campaign: Ecological San Luis
* IV Campaign: Potrero Salud
* I and II Independent Art Park
* Natural Torism Attraction: El Cacique
* Numerous raffles
* Seminar on Climate Change “Rumbo a Copenaghe” (Towards Copenaghe)
* Medium invited to Gaby Herbstein’s photographic show “Huella Ecológica” (Ecological print)
* V Campaign: Aromatic Plants
* Discussion forum: “Cuidemos Nuestra Tierra” (Let’s protect our Planet)
* Fashion parade in aid to Betania Foundation and Ce.de.vida (Center for the development of children with Down Syndrome)
* Press coverage at Mar del Plata
* Proposal for the preservation of native forests
* Project for Protecting Natural Zones as tourist attractions
* Press correspondent in Spain
* Campaigns in:
Río Negro
Buenos Aires
Chubut
Córdoba
Santa Fe
* 1st International Meeting of Animal Abuse, Wellbeing and Behaviour
* I San Luis Book Fair - 2008
* “Ciudadano Solidario 2009" Award
* Book Project “Elijo Potrero, elijo San Luis” (I choose Potrero, I choose San Luis)
4th Anniversary
Hueney and Friendship
We celebrate one more year. We have made friends from the beginning of Guía Hueney, and now thousands of people share our views on art, culture, tourism and ecology. Born out of a dream of three friends (Nélida Olguín Frontini, Beatriz Peralta and Paola Irastorza), Hueney has now become a shared pleasure with people from Argentina
I always say: people who are with me are the best human beings. They are great, professional people, and above all, good friends. I thank you all of you for trusting Guía Hueney project and me. I send my love to my family, who are always present, at the right moment.
New RAFFLES to go on celebrating
Register via e-mail at guiahueney@hotmail.com or send us a text message to (+54-02652) 15-548696 with your name, the last three numbers of you ID, and the place you are from. Registration ends on August 23rd 2010.
You can win a weekend for four people in Potrero de los Funes, at Cabañas Paihuen. Visit the website at www.paihuensanluis.com.ar to know more about this place.
The raffle will take place on 08/24 on radio (Digital 101.1) program Artículo 21, at 9 a .m (local time) (www.radiodigitalsanluis.com.ar).
Lucky winners
In previous editions of Guia Hueney, the results of the raffle were published. The prizes included stays at Apart Hotel La Quebrada and Cabañas Viejo Caldén. The winners enjoyed an excellent service and lovely days to rest in Potrero de los Funes.
www.cabaniasviejocalden.com.ar - Tel: (02652) 15-244773
Hueney’s 4th Anniversary (San Luis, Argentina)
Guía Hueney is an independent publication.
A medium within the media...
A magazine to belong.
Member of CAMTUR (Cámara de Turismo de Potrero de los Funes [Potrero de los Funes Chamber of Tourism])
Member of FOAPRA (Spanish acronym for “Federation of Environmental Organizations and Animal Protection Organisms”)
INSPIRACTION Collaborator (Madrid-España)
Hueney exchanges information with PARTIDO VERDE (Green Party) (Lebannon)
Registered before Medios de Comunicación y
Publicidad (San Luis Government’s Media and Advertisement department)
Honorary members of Biblioteca Popular Urbano J. Núñez (Public Library) from Potrero de los Funes
Art, Culture, Tourism, Ecology
News from the sky
by Aldo Hugo Olguín
Professor of Mathematics, Physics and Cosmography
July 2010 will be an unforgettable month! July is known as the month of aphelio, the point at the year when the Earth is furthest from the Sun, which the Earth reaches every first week of July.
It is during this month that we can observe one of the most beautiful sights, and those who live in latitudes like San Luis’ have the privilege of being able to observe the very center of the galaxy we are part of, the Milky Way.
If we look up to the highest point in the sky (Zenith) at midnight, we will easily find Scorpio and Sagittarius, a zone densely populated by nebulous-like heavenly bodies which shine among the galactic dust and gas. Part of the zenithal light we will be receiving comes from the nucleus of the Milky Way, from a highly dense heavenly body located at the center of the galaxy at such a distance which can be calculated in about 25,000 years. Thus, we could ask ourselves: what happened on Earth at that time? What was the sky like?, and so on. The fact is that the light we see travels throughout the space for a long time, which varies according to the distance there is between the Earth and the object we observe – the furthest the object, the longer the time the light will take to get to the Earth; for example, it is 8 minutes from the Sun, it is 2 seconds from Venus, the star we see at dusk, and it is about 1 second from the Moon. What we see is no more than a reflection of the past.
Other extraordinary beautiful – though simple- events you cannot miss are:
- July 11th from 4pm (local time) on, partial sun eclipse (do not observe it directly. Use a perforated carton so that you can project the sun over another white carton. In this way, you will be able to see and take photographs of the sun without having your eyes hurt).
- July 15th at dusk, heavenly bodies’ reunion: the moon will be near Venus, Mars and Saturn among the Leo stars (look for the crescent moon, next to the horizon at dusk, by the planets).
- July will say goodbye with a beautiful meteors rain which will finish by the end of August.
Happy Friends’ Day for Everyone!
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