I’ve been involved with Public Lab (and Grassroots Mapping) since 2010, when I wrote to Jeff Warren after seeing the diydrones post showing his map of a settlement outside Lima, Peru. Public Lab is doing a Kickstarter campaign for aerial photomapping kits, from small lifting kites and balloons to the classic larger ones. Jeff, Stewart Long, Mathew Lippincott, and others in the Public Lab community helped me learn simple aerial photo mapping techniques. They also helped me start a grassroots mapping program to map the 40-acre Belize Open Source - Sustainable Development … [Read more...] about Public Lab/citizen science
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Cashews and GPS track in Belize
The two screenshots from Google Earth show today's route and a bit of yesterday's. I caught water taxi to San Pedro at 3pm, then took a taxi to Mahogany Bay to look at their development using houses they prefab in Belmopan. I caught a ride back to town with Scott Fuson who showed me around Mahogany Bay. His friend, Mario, taxied us back. Mario also called and found me a room at Zen Belize. Fred at Zen Belize was very gracious and deserves highest marks. I was able to met up for pizza with our old family friend, Francisco Bergen. I booked a 7am flight on Tropic Air and Mario … [Read more...] about Cashews and GPS track in Belize
Heading for Belize after great week in Nicaragua
This was a very productive week. I'm leaving for Belize tomorrow, returning home Saturday mid-day. With our NGO partner, Alcance Nicaragua, I visited all four of the communities that we are working in. I documented the construction status of our composting latrines in Los Alvarez and El Llanito, near Santa Lucia in Boaco; and El Tunel and La Prussia, near Masaya and Granada. In addition, we were able to talk to the builders, community organizers, and individual family members who are participating in the project. I captured suggestions and observations from the builders to consider for … [Read more...] about Heading for Belize after great week in Nicaragua
Under the bus
I spoke with the guy in the hammock in the baggage compartment of the bus. He assured me that he didn't travel that way, but was just resting for a few hours. Gave me a whole different take on "under the bus." … [Read more...] about Under the bus
Ecostoves in Comejen Nicaragua
Yesterday we left Santa Lucia where we been looking at the composting latrine project and Alcance's work in new communities. We arrived at Alcance's offices in Masaya around 11 am. They gave me an update on their work on the composting latrines in La Prussia and El Tunel and their Initiatives with new communities. After lunch together, the Santa Lucia group went back. I went with Ricardo Rivera and Adriana Cruz to Comejen, one of the new communities they're working in. We met with two families to discuss their experience with the pilot project for ecostoves. These ecostoves are so … [Read more...] about Ecostoves in Comejen Nicaragua