The trans-Caribbean trash exchange program

Ti Malice on a Florida beach (by balloonsblow.org).

Recently, Florida resident Tom emailed me asking about the Ti Malice brand that he saw in the billboards in this post.  Turns out the tubs that hold this yellow margarine-like product are washing up in Florida, and apparently enough of them that caused the Floridian beach comber to inquire ‘What’s up with Ti Malice?’  See the photo taken by Danielle and Chelsea of Balloons Blow, a non-profit that picks up trash from Florida beaches (and visit their facebook page).

Ti Malice is a character in a Haitian children’s story.  He is the mischievous counterpart to his friend (or brother?) Bouki.  And he is causing more trouble by washing up in Florida.  This poses the questions:

• Are there more tubs of Ti Malice than other brands being used then thrown away in Haiti?
• Are the Ti Malice tubs sturdier than the other tubs?

Might make a good Master’s thesis!

And will also make a good classroom lesson about littering and the trash disposal systems in Haiti.  As far as I can tell, people either burn trash or throw it in the streams and on the beaches.  I’ve also seen systems (well, once, on a missionary compound) in which two pits are dug, one for burnables, and one for things that shouldn’t be burned (plastic, glass etc.).  This second pit is buried when full and another pit dug.  I’ve also heard that garbage trucks pick up residential trash in Les Cayes, but I have never seen this nor do I know where the trash is taken.  

I think I will make this a student project this fall: Report on trash disposal practices in Les Cayes.  Then perhaps we will have a campus clean up and brave a beach cleanup.  Once I learn what we should do with all the trash!

The 'dock' in Les Cayes where we were picked up in the little wood boat to go to Ile a Vache.  While waiting we saw a woman dump her garbage here.

The beach in Jacmel.  We saw people come out and dump their garbage here!

Furcy to Jacmel hike

In the spirit of promoting ecotourism in Haiti, I want to share this blog post that details a hike from Furcy to Jacmel through La Visite National Park.  I've never done this hike nor do I know these people, but the detail is great!  http://ryanandmelissaalberts.com/3399/hiking-the-mountains-of-haiti-from-furcy-to-jacmel/

Transport Chic - bus between Les Cayes and Port

The bus in Les Cayes, with our luggage on top.

Last week we took the Transport Chic bus back to Port au Prince from Les Cayes.  The bus was great!  And air conditioned.  It stopped in Miragoane for a bathroom and food break at a restaurant/convenience store.  It dropped a couple people off at the towns closer to Port, so you could probably hop off anywhere along the way.  And the ticket was only $10.  You buy it at the bus station the day before.

They strapped luggage to the top of the bus (you get to take one piece of luggage-on-top for free, and no one asked for a tip to put it up there or take it down).  The stop in Les Cayes is along the main road into downtown, Ave. des Quatre Chemins.  We had a 9am ticket for a bus that didn't leave until 10am.  But you want to be there in time to get on first so you don't end up with the little middle aisle seat that folds down.  And sitting up front might make you nervous - you'll see all the things that the bus is trying to pass, and all the traffic coming toward you.  We were oblivious to this in the back row, except for Don who could see right down the aisle.

The stop in Port is across from the stadium, at a very busy intersection.  The Transport Chic office building is painted purple.  We arrived at the terminal at 2:30pm, so it was a 4.5 hr ride, with about 20 minutes at the stop in Miragoane around noon.  We passed through Leogane around 12:30pm.

Here is someone else's post about it: http://sweethaiti.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/transport-chic-air-conditioned-mini-buses-to-les-cayes/ 

Inside the bus.

The blans had the back row to themselves.

The office in Port au Prince.

Looking at the stadium across the street from the Port au Prince office.

Great workshop at AUC

We had a great 2-day workshop for the sophomores at AUC.  The first day was in the classroom, where Dr. Donald Huggins and I discussed the biological, chemical, and physical components of watersheds and water quality.  Students asked a lot of thoughtful questions.  The second day we all went to a river crossing in Simon where we applied all the classroom concepts by filling out a stream evaluation form and measuring the in situ chemistry of the stream.  Dr. Huggins even found a dragonfly nymph to demonstrate how they catch prey.  Thanks to the University of Kansas for helping with funding and to AUC for hosting us!

Aquatic Ecology workshop for AUC students

Here is the schedule for the Aquatic Ecology workshop that Dr. Donald Huggins and I are presenting at the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes Haiti.  This is for the SOPHOMORE class at AUC, since they took Tropical Ecology last fall but we never got to go in the field.  There is room for 30 students.  Other students may come if there is space, but no more than 30 total may be in the workshop. 

Tuesday May 7th
9am - 12:30pm Classroom lecture about water quality and importance of watersheds

Wednesday May 8th
8:30 - 10:00 am Half the class will meet to learn about equipment and how to evaluate the stream behind campus.
10:15 - 11:45am The other half of the class with meet to repeat this.

3:00pm  Dr. Huggins will give a talk to everyone at AUC about environmental engineering.

Thursday May 9th
 8:30 - 10:00 am Half the class will meet at AUC to walk to the canal near SEED to learn how to evaluate it.
10:15 - 11:45am The other half of the class with meet to repeat this.

Dr. Huggins will also speak at the Botanical Garden at 4pm on Friday May 3 about why we need to protect Haiti's watersheds.  Dr. Huggins is a scientist in the aquatic ecology unit at the Kansas Biological Survey in the USA. 

Thanks to the University of Kansas for contributing travel funding for this trip!

Tending to Eden – the link between poverty and the environment

Hillside garden where once there was rainforest.

If you think that poverty is an issue we must do something about, then you need to read the book “Tending to Eden” by Scott Sabin.  It presents how poverty is inextricably linked to environmental degradation and that if we are to care for the poor, we must also take care of the environment.  This became apparent to me after several visits to Haiti.  In US we are shielded by government infrastructure from the effects of environmental degradation, while in Haiti most people live directly off the land, obtaining water, food, and fuel directly from the source (streams and wells, the land, and trees).  Helping the poor is a mandate common to most religious beliefs.  And to do this, we must also protect the environment.  Another great source of information mentioned in “Tending to Eden” is the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment which assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being.

Bottom line – if you care about the poor, you must take care of the environment.  If your church or other organization is challenging you to help the poor, challenge your church to include the environment in that calling.

Spring from which people obtain drinking water.

Woman washing clothes at drinking water source (and where livestock are on the banks with access to the water!).

The new Bradt Haiti travel guide

Paul Clammer’s Haiti travel guide was finally released in the US.  If you came to this blog via that guide, you’ve found the right place for information about birding in Haiti’s Central Plateau and Southern Peninsula.   

• Follow this link to learn more about birding and cultural tours in the Pignon and Hinche area of the Central Plateau, along National Route 3 between the two towns (and this for a species list).   

• Follow this link to go the Audubon Center website for information about birding and tours in the Les Cayes area on the Southern Peninsula.  You can borrow books and binoculars from them, as well as a guide.

A recent convergence along National Route 3 near Pignon is a guest house, Haiti Unlocked, run by a man who grew up there near Bohoc, and a back packing outfitter, Expedition Ayiti, who leads hikes in the area.  Pair them up with the bird guide Louiders (pictured below) and you’ll have a great excursion!

If you need a bird book for your trip, Princeton's Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti is the one to use.

Please leave comments about your experiences with these groups so they may improve their services. 

Birding in the Central Plateau with guide Louiders.