The Next Central American Hotspot?
In the past, two Central American countries dominated the claim to picturesque beaches, peaceful vacations and tropical getaways. Mexico and Costa Rica has claimed a vast majority of the tourism pie for the past decade. Today, however, Nicaragua aims to get their own slice of that market.
An image of violence and political unrest has hung over Nicaragua in the past, keeping potential tourists from exploring what the country has to offer, but this perception of the country has changed as more and more adventurous souls have wandered across the Nicaraguan border. The changes in perception are due in part to efforts made by the Nicaraguan tourism bureau, which is working hard to spread the word that modern Nicaragua is very different from the Nicaragua of the revolutionary 60s and 70s. The tourism bureau has a right to these claims- Nicaragua is after all, a much changed country, and what country doesn’t have some sort of political unrest looming in it’s past? Even Costa Rica can’t deny going through a Civil War in the 50s before finding a peaceful democracy, and despite Mexico’s recent violent outbreak, tourism increased by almost 18% in 2010. Those brave souls that do reach past Nicaragua’s reputation, are greeting by a friendly country which some local tour guides say is “the safest country in the Americas”.
In 2012, 1.07 million travelers entered Nicaragua to find a tourist mecca. They were welcomed with open arms- tourism is over a 300 million (more…)
Nicaragua is Ahead of the Curve: a Hydropower Destination
A whopping 33.8% of Nicaragua’s energy came from renewable resources in 2008. That is more than twice as much as China (17.8%) and well over three times as much as the United States (10%). What is Nicaragua doing that allows it to be so reliant on renewable energy? Investing in hydroelectric power. Nearly 46% of Nicaragua’s renewable energy comes from a hydroelectric turbine. Turbines like the one found on Lago Apanás are responsible for powering the small country.
Lago Apanás, or Lake Apanas, is a quick 10-minute drive from the municipal of Jinotega. The 51-square kilometer reservoir is filled by Río Tuma. This reservoir alone provides over a third of (more…)
The Caribbean Goes Wild
The more we prepare for Honduras, the more delighted we become about running this trip. Check out this video clip that originally came from the BBC’s Wild Caribbean special:
(source: BBCWorldWide)
You can see that we’ll be staying in the perfect place for visiting the Mesoamerican reef. (The Roatán islands are above the northern Honduran coast).
In The Press: Achieving beyond your comfort zone
LJ, a Globetrotter participant was featured in a semiannual publication by Severn School. From building a baseball backstop to picking beans, LJ stepped out of his comfort zone and found that helping less fortunate communities gave him a sense of achievement, and a lasting desire to serve.
(By clicking on the image below, you can view the full-size article).
Going Solar: What You Probably Didn’t Know
Solar energy- you’ve heard about it. You may have even been stopped by an environmentalist saying you should support it. If you’re really cool, maybe your own house uses it. But how much do you really know about solar energy? Plants make the process of turning light into energy look easy, but producing a solar cell is far from simple. Here’s what you need to know about solar energy.
The beginning:
A french physicist, Antoine-César Becquerel, first observed the effects of solar power while experimenting with an electrode in an electrolyte solution. As light graced through the solution, Antoine observed a voltage. That was 1839. It wasn’t until 1883 that Charles Fritts was credited with developing the first solar cell, made of gold-coated selenium. Most of today’s solar cells are made of a silicon conductor, which Russell Ohl started working with in 1941. With the discovery of the silicon solar cell, solar energy research pick up pace. By 1955, a solar battery had been produced by 3 American researchers at Bell, and was used to power the telephone carrier system of Americus, Georgia.
Production:
Today, the production of solar energy is a precise process. SolarWorld, one of the worlds largest producers of solar cells, uses a four-step process:
1. Grow a polysilicon crystal: Polysilicon, and a very small piece of silicon with boron is heated until it molds together. The boron ensures that the new metal will be positively charged. When the mixture is cooled, it hardens into a single solid crystal.
2. Cutting wafers: The polysilicon crystal is then cut. It is first squared off into a uniform cubic shape, to make it usable, and then sliced into a wafer-like structure. The wafer is then textured, or etched, to increase surface area. This maximized the absorbing power of the cell.
3. Becoming a cell: A blue-purple silicon-nitride solution is painted onto the wafers, to increase light absorption and minimized reflection. The now purplish-wafer sheets can absorb the suns energy, but they have no means to harness it. Thin metal pin-stripes are added to the surface to pull the energy towards a a single concentrated area. The solar cells are complete, but to be used efficiently, there is one more step.
4. From cell to panel: Finally, the thin solar cells are now strung together and laminated onto a glass frame. The frame is given a junction box, where energy is collected from the metal pin stripes and harnessed for use. A solar battery is born.
Nicaragua going solar:
Today’s fast paced but increasingly eco-conscious world has a lot to gain from solar energy. Even when you take into account the green house emissions released in their production, studies show that over the course of their life the use of solar panels can cut pollution by 90%. Unlike natural gas and coal, the sun isn’t going anywhere, so we can use it’s light with out worrying about depleting it’s stores.
In Nicaragua’s case, solar power can help in even bigger ways. Remote villages, isolated in the mountains and far from any other forms of civilization may find that solar panels are the easiest way to get electricity. A solar panel is a local source of energy, which can be installed virtually anywhere. Connecting an off-the-grid hut to a nearby solar panel requires only a small amount of wire, while trying to create a live wire that connects that same hut to a power plant miles away could require a so much labor and capital to install that the home simply has to go with out electricity. When one thinks about how much their life slows down simply in a power outage, it’s easy to see why solar energy may be the answer to some rural families’ prayers.
No matter your knowledge of solar cell production, there is one thing all of us can understand, and that’s how much life slows down with out electricity. When your power goes out, what’s the first thing you do when it comes back on again? Turn on the lights, cook dinner, or check your email? When was the last time you did a school project with out electricity? If neither your school nor home had electricity, what would you be missing? (Lights, research abilities, movies, science projects).
These are the things Al Campo International keeps in mind on the Globetrotter Solar project. The Globetrotter Solar teen travel adventure camp specializes in the installation of solar panels in remote villages. The trip’s goal is to bring light to rural classrooms that would otherwise be dark. In schools, the entire community can benefit from the panels. If you are interested in volunteering on our next solar project, click here and find out more.
Read more…
Growing Beyond Rice and Beans
In off-the-grid Nicaraguan villages, lack of infrastructure has it’s consequences. Labeled as “food deserts,” families have little to no access to certain food essentials that most of us take for granted. Almost all of the farm land in these areas is used for subsistence farming: staple crops like corn and beans. The crop from these staples is one of the only food sources the community has.
While corn and beans can fill tummies, a diet based on only a few ingredients leaves gapping holes in the nutritional intake of growing children. These holes are widened further (more…)
Secrets from Copán: Unsolved Mystery of the Collapse
After studying the Mayan ruins of Copán for three decades, William Fash, and archeologist from Harvard University, is still trying to figure out one thing: how did such a powerful dynasty fall?
The sudden drop off in construction of new temples leaves archeologists wondering: Did the entire city collapse suddenly? (more…)
Ana Ramirez’s Nicaraguan Experience
Our friends back at St. Andrew’s wrote an article on their trip to Nicaragua. Read the full article here.
…Imagine a hill with no roads, no electricity and no running water with a few houses, most made of wood, with dirt floor and sheets for walls. Yet the material and economic scarcity was quickly forgotten by (more…)
Sneak Peek: Honduras Scuba, Spanish, and Service Trip
Calling all 2012 Honduras travelers! We’ve just gotten back form a week in Honduras, and have a fantastic trip set up for you. Check out these pictures, and start packing your bags! July 30th can’t come soon enough.
Our team made a quick trip to the Mayan city of Copán to scope out the best views for you….
Opportunities for International Baccalaureate Students
Are you (or your son/daughter) an International Baccalaureate student? Did you know that Al Campo has a special trip designed around the IB curriculum?
