By Irani Arraiz* Imagine life without access to electricity. No TV, no fridge, no washing machine! (Have you ever had to consistently wash all your clothes by hand?) When I was a child, I spent summers in my grandpa’s ranch in the plains in Venezuela, without access to electricity (because of the ridiculously low population density). I loved being in contact with … [Read more...] about Best invention ever? Hands down, the washing machine … after electricity, of course
What does and doesn't work in development
Empowering communities helps reducing crime in Trinidad and Tobago
By Dana King* Trinidad and Tobago shows how working with the community is the best weapon to fight crime. Betheem Gardens is a low-income neighborhood and crime “hotspot” that sits on the outskirts of Port of Spain and runs alongside the East/West corridor highway and Trinidad’s largest landfill. For those that live in this community, the stigma associated with the … [Read more...] about Empowering communities helps reducing crime in Trinidad and Tobago
What does energy efficiency have to do with hotels in the Caribbean?
By Christiaan Gischler* and Alice Driver** The Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Program (CHENACT) helps hotels embrace renewable energy and energy efficiency. Around 25 million tourists visit the Caribbean each year, making tourism a key driver of the economy that accounts for 30 to 50% of direct and indirect employment in some countries. In most families, at … [Read more...] about What does energy efficiency have to do with hotels in the Caribbean?
Winds of Change in Uruguay
Por Steven Collins* Uruguay is demonstrating that there is more to renewable energy than lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy is a big deal inUruguay; over two-thirds of the country’s energy comes from hydropower. However, droughts in past years have left the country’s reservoirs dangerously low, and as a result, hydropower facilities have struggled to meet … [Read more...] about Winds of Change in Uruguay
Are School Funds like a Party Cake? Taking Leftovers Home
Imagine that you are a parent and that last year you contributed US$20 to your child’s school to buy cleaning supplies, fix broken windows and pay for the phone service. Different from last year, now imagine that this year you get to choose with other parents what to do with government funds that could be used to buy cleaning supplies, fix broken windows, and pay for the phone … [Read more...] about Are School Funds like a Party Cake? Taking Leftovers Home