By Eliot Allen* Solar energy panels stand in the middle of the lush Green of the largest urban rain forest in the world: The Tijuca National Park, in Rio de Janeiro. Those solar panels stand on top of houses whose residents also manage to produce biogas from organic waste and also work on a prototype for a small hydraulic generator. All of this happens in a name with a … [Read more...] about Green favelas: a sustainable approach in three steps
Getting Rural Electrification Right: Lessons from Northern Haiti
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
Can technology help us cook a better meal?
Español | English Cícera is a Brazilian single mother who works as babysitter for Ms. Silva. Every day, Cícera leaves her home at 6:00 am and spends two hours in traffic before she arrives at Ms. Silva’s house. There, she takes care of baby Carlinhos, until 6:00 pm when she goes back home to take care of her own children. During one of my business trips to Brazil last year, … [Read more...] about Can technology help us cook a better meal?
3 ways to make people-friendly cities
Español | English David Sim is a partner and Creative Director at Gehl Architects in Copenhagen. He and his team are currently working with the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative (ESCI) in Xalapa, Mexico to improve its public spaces and make the city more sustainable. From his experience in Xalapa, Sim tells us about three ideas to make people-friendly … [Read more...] about 3 ways to make people-friendly cities
From “Magic Town” to Smart City: The Case of Tequila, Mexico
Español | English When we think of smart cities, what image comes to mind? New York? Tokyo? Barcelona? Perhaps that of a global city with massive transportation infrastructure, intelligent waste management systems, and real-time traffic monitoring to ensure safety and comfort for its citizens, businesses and visitors. However, the time has come for Tequila—a town located in … [Read more...] about From “Magic Town” to Smart City: The Case of Tequila, Mexico