Español | English A couple of years ago, during one of my first trips to Trou-du-Nord, a bustling town of about 45,000 people in Northern Haiti, I met Emmanuel, a mason who spends much of his team in the Dominican Republic working construction. The day I met Emmanuel, he was busy at work finishing up a new home for his mother. What struck me most was that he was using … [Read more...] about Getting Rural Electrification Right: Lessons from Northern Haiti
Recycling: The Price is Right – part 2
Español | English In a previous post, I gave an overview of one of Ecuador’s new “green” taxes: a USD$ 0.02 charge on non-returnable plastic bottles (made of PET, a material that can take up to 700 years to decompose). What impact do these tax instruments have on informal recyclers? Meant not only to stimulate the local recycling market and to address the negative … [Read more...] about Recycling: The Price is Right – part 2
Recycling: The Price is Right
Español | English It is clear that the rate of recycling in our cities could be higher, but it is harder to find the best mechanism to achieve it. Many policies have looked to economic solutions to incentivize a change in habits. For example, the Limpinho 3R program allows diligent users to accrue tradable points and exchange them for goods and services. Limpinho’s … [Read more...] about Recycling: The Price is Right
Electric Bikes in Latin America: A Sustainable Transport Alternative?
In aspect and basic design, electric bikes, or e-bikes, do not differ from the traditional two-wheel, human-powered bicycle. E-bikes simply add a nifty feature to the centuries-old crank technology: a rechargeable, battery-powered motor that supplements pedaling speed for the rider in need, whether on a steep hill or during a particularly long-ride. E-bike users in Buenos … [Read more...] about Electric Bikes in Latin America: A Sustainable Transport Alternative?
A Sustainable Mobility Plan for Northern Haiti
Follow Patricio Zambrano-Barragán on twitter Español | English This entry is part of an ongoing series about ESCI’s work in Northern Haiti. New development projects, such as the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC), have sprung up throughout the region, promising opportunities for economic growth and rapid urban development. In this context, the challenge for Haitian planners … [Read more...] about A Sustainable Mobility Plan for Northern Haiti