In Scandinavia acres of land have already been devoted to wind farms. These are areas devoted to wind turbines that generate carbon free energy. This is energy that is not made from burning fossil fuels that release carbon into the atmosphere. The turbines do not cause acid rain or mercury pollution. They make an area less dependent on foreign exports of oil and natural gas. Who would complain about such ‘green’ initiatives?

And yet in parts of the UK where sites for wind farms have been proposed residents have been protesting. The media has taken up these stories and give a certain amount of credence to unsceintific notions that wind turbines are somehow bad the health. This is incredible when it is considered how much worse it is for people’s heatlh to be living next to oil and coal burning power stations. Surely no one would rather live next to a nuclear power station than a wind farm? It is obvious media manipulation that these fringe sentiments find there way into the mass media and are given credence as representing the majority opinion.

At the same time the media conveniently buries some stories that don’t suit monied interests. A good example of this is the NiMH battery that was developed in Japan and was used to make electric vehicles. Electric vehicles unlike the current hybrid vehicles on the market do not use an internal combustion engine. They are totally powered by nickel battery and are capable of going 100,000 miles without a change of battery. This technology was bought up by GM along with the patents for the NiMH battery. No other company has been allowed to use this superior green technology. As a result the car industry has bought itself a few more years of market dominance until the patents expire. This is surely significant news and yet no major media outlet has chosen to make anything of the story.

It is time people boycott the mass media until it stops being the lackey of big business interests. Until we do the fate of the planet is very much in the money orientated hands of the few. We must do more to correct the media bias against the green movement.

Since its inception as a tourist area, Koh Samui has developed quickly. It now has excellent infrastructure which includes an extensive paved road system, modern and well equipped hospitals, supermarkets, an airport and even a decompression chamber for divers. It is this developed state combined with cheap prices for food and drink, year round sunshine and lots of beaches that gives Koh Samui its winning formula.

Koh Samui Beaches

The most popular beaches on Koh Samui are Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut. Chaweng has the longest beach and the biggest urban area. Here you will find many resorts, hotels, bars and restaurants. There’s live music, strip shows and bars where ladies are looking for customers. Lamai is more of the same but slightly smaller. Lamai also has a couple of good night clubs and two places showing Muay Thai fights.

Bophut is more sophisticated. There are no sex workers and the original Chinese wooden fisherman’s homes have been converted into cool bars, cafes and restaurants. The beach at Bophut is free of traffic because there is no beach road.

Maenam is the backpacker area of Koh Samui. It is located on the north coast next to Bophut. It has a convenient port for catching a boat to Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. The long beach at Maenam is not great for swimming but has plenty of tree cover and also great accommodation deals.

The south and west coasts of Koh Samui have some beaches that are quiet and less developed such as Laem Set, Lipa Noi, Baan Bang Kao and Taling Ngam. These beaches have few bars and don’t attract the nightlife crowd. Rather couples, pensioners and package tourists often use the hotels on these beaches.

In general prices for Koh Samui accommodation starts at about $30 a night and goes up to $1,000 a night in the high season for private pool villas. There are also private villas to rent, often at knock down prices. Hilton has a resort in Taling Ngam called the Conrad Koh Samui. Marriot and Amari also have resorts on Koh Samui.

Things to do in Koh Samui

There are plenty of gyms around the island. Some of the luxury hotels have their own fitness centers. There are also places like the Kamalaya on Laem Set that specialize in holistic treatments such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi and meditation.

Less spiritual pursuits include diving, golf, go kart racing and canopy zip lines. There is also a tiger show, a butterfly garden and an aquarium to visit. For those looking for Thai culture there are a number of temples or Wats on Koh Samui. These include the famous 12 meter high golden Buddha at Bang Rak and Wat Khunaram that houses a 30 year old mummified monk.

In short there is plenty to see and do in Koh Samui. There’s also a jazz festival and marathon in September.

Koh Samui – the Final Word

People either love or hate Koh Samui. It has exciting nightlife and plenty to do but many people are put off by the seedy nature of Chaweng and Lamai. The island has great facilities and amenities but tends to put its prices up too often. The taxi drivers never go on the meter and are immune to negotiation. Parts of the island feel over developed and nature has suffered as a consequence. The backpackers that used to stay on Koh Samui have long since moved onto cheaper islands. For all these negative points, Koh Samui is still a paradise island that people visit over and over again.

Bamboo Charcoal

Bamboo charcoal has a very high ratio of weight to surface area; more so than normal charcoal. As a result, bamboo charcoal is highly absorbent. In countries such as Japan, Korea and China bamboo charcoal is used in the home to absorb bad smells from the air. You can buy 100 yen bamboo charcoal in packs in Japan for this purpose.

The absorbency of bamboo charcoal also means that it is great for lowering the humidity in a room. It is a much cheaper alternative to controlling humidity in a room than using the air-con or a dehumidifier. Also in the bathroom and kitchen bamboo charcoal can be used to reduce moisture levels and stop mold.

Bamboo and bamboo charcoal are both helpful to improve the hygiene standard of a home since they are both antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-fungal. Having bamboo charcoal around the house can protect the inhabitants.

Scientists have discovered that bamboo charcoal emits negative ions. These are thought to counteract the positive ions emitted by electrical equipment such as washing machines, computers and televisions. They are also believed to improve human spirits. That is why people feel happy when viewing a waterfall or visiting a beach. It is the movement of water and that breaks down molecules into negative ions.

Another discovery is that bamboo charcoal emits far infrared rays. These are also known as the ‘rays of life’ because they help speed up damaged tissue recovery, lower high blood pressure and treat serious diseases such as cancer.

Finally, bamboo charcoal can be used as both a fertilizer and pesticide. It is natural and organic and increases yields of crops without poisoning nature.

Bamboo Charcoal Soap

It is possible to produce soap with bamboo charcoal. In Korea they have found a way to double the surface area to weight ratio of bamboo charcoal to 1 to 1,200 and combine the resulting ‘activated bamboo charcoal’ with glycerin to produce a superior soap.

The amazing thing about bamboo charcoal soap is that it removes dirt particles from the very bottom of the pores of the skin much better than normal soap. It also doesn’t leave a residue layer on skin after ablution like normal soap. This means that after washing with bamboo charcoal soap the natural oils generated by the body are able to moisturize the newly washed pores. It is for this reason that bamboo charcoal soap is ideal for people with acne.

Since bamboo charcoal soap removes dirt more effectively it can remove the bags under the eyes which are caused by dirt building up in the sensitive skin under the eyes.

Conclusion

Bamboo takes only 6 to 7 years to reach full height and it doesn’t require pesticides or fertilizer to grow. In short bamboo is great for the home, for the skin and for nature. That is amazing.

uPVC window technology has come on a lot over the last few years. Now it is possible to find uPVC windows in all styles – patio, casement and bay. uPVC windows also come in a range of colors including wood color. There is plenty of competition in the uPVC windows market, and so if you hunt around you can usually find a good deal.

Wooden frame windows offer very poor insulation. Moreover, the wood needs attention every year to stop it rotting. Wooden frames tend to expand and shrink according to humidity levels. This can cause the glass to come loose in the frame and pose a security risk.

In contrast uPVC windows are not affected by the weather. They have a life expectancy of about 25 years. They are very easy to maintain and clean. Furthermore, with double or triple panes of glass heat is prevented from leaving a room effectively. This has the benefit of reducing heating bills.

Another benefit of uPVC windows is that they usually include multi-point locks that improve the security of a home. Burglars think twice when confronted with uPVC windows.

One of the strongest arguments against uPVC windows has traditionally been the problem of disposing of the uPVC frame after it is not wanted. uPVC frames used to be left in landfills. Both Europe and Japan have started running systems for safely disposing of uPVC that does not pollute. The German uPVC manufacturer Veka has built a plant that can recycle 30,000 tons of uPVC an hour. This recycled uPVC is used to make more uPVC windows. Once this technology becomes widespread the main objection to uPVC windows will no longer be relevant.

So if you are looking to reduce heating bills, improve home security and increase the value of your property the smart move is to install uPVC windows.

Hin Kong beach is 2 km long. It shares the same bay as Wok Tum. The two beaches are demarcated by a river. Hin Kong is to the north of Wok Tum. The coastal road goes close to the beach. On the other side of the road are a few bungalows, shops and hotels. The area has a wild feel to it. Mangroves surround the beach. There is a large tidal difference on this part of the beach. At low tide the sea recedes a long way to make mud flats that are a haven for animals.

300 meters off the coast there is a coral reef. This means that it is only suitable to swim in Hin Kong during the higher tidal months between November and March.

The best Hin Kong accommodation is Hin Kong Resort. It is on the beach front and has both fan and air-con bungalows available. Prices for accommodation at Hin Kong bungalows start from 750 Thai Baht a night. The resort includes a restaurant.

The best restaurant in Koh Phangan is in Hin Kong. It’s called Me’n’u and serves European cuisine backed up by an extensive wine list.

Also in Hin Kong is the Jam Bar that has a live music jam every Saturday night that all are welcome to join.

On the road to Thongsala is the Mason’s Arms. It is a mock Tudor pub with the best selection of draft beers on the island as well as great pub grub.

It takes only 10 minutes on a motorbike to get to Thongsala from Hin Kong that contains plenty of shops, supermarkets, banks etc.

So for convenience it is hard to beat Hin Kong. It is not the prettiest beach but it does have the best sunsets. It is a very relaxing area of Koh Phangan near the local market of Sri Thanu and also not far from the stunning beaches of Haad Yao and Haad Salad both of which are great for snorkeling.

In recent years the mass media has been clever in the way that they have linked consumerism to the message of Christmas. The story of Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’ is perfect for this. A man who doesn’t like Christmas and is unkind to people is shown the error of his ways by a ghost. He repents and he spends his money buying lots of presents. It seems today that the fate of the nation’s economic prosperity is largely in the hands of consumers at Christmas time. It seems without record sales the economy cannot grow.

This year it is slightly different. The American national debt has never been as large, unemployment never so prevalent and house re-possession rates never so high. There seems to be little job security for anyone not on Wall Street. Obama has failed to deliver on his promises for change and 2012 holds ignominious retreats from both Afghanistan and Iraq to further dent national pride.

Doing the right thing this year is not wielding your credit card like it is a magical weapon. It is not going into debt to put a smile on a child’s face. What that child really needs is security. This means a home to live in and a healthy natural environment.

I’m not advocating that people don’t buy Christmas presents, but I am saying that people should be smart enough to look at their situation and set a budget and stick to it. They should also do what they can to cut down on carbon emissions during the holiday period. Natural disasters caused by global warming could be as close as 5 years away if consumers do not go green.

One simple way to make your Christmas celebrations more environmentally friendly is to cut down on mileage. Try to get as much of your shopping done at the same time as possible. Buying over the internet can also reduce emissions because online shops ship in bulk.

Another suggestion is to avoid leaving the heating on 24 hours a day. Wear sweaters and slacks not shorts and a T-shirt, and regulate the heating hours with a programmable thermostat.

Being generally mindful of electricity consumption at Christmas time will cut down on carbon emissions from power plants and will avoid nasty spikes in bills at the end of the month. If an electrical appliance or light is not being used simply turn it off. The notion of standby is inimical to this new age of austerity we are coming into. It does not add enough convenience to our lives to justify the money and fuel wasted on it.

Finally, why not give something back to nature. If the garbage disposal does not recycle then take your many empty cans and bottles from your Christmas celebrations to the nearest recycle point. And why not plant a tree in your garden to try and off-set your carbon emissions? I have a strong feeling that if Jesus was around today his message of love your neighbor would also include a proviso to love your environment.

The magazine Palabra Created in the mid-eighties in the South East of Mexico, CIACH publishes a monthly magazine La Palabra broadcast in the indigenous rural communities, it organizes discussions in communities and also disseminates information on the Net. Ostensibly, even if no contact directly with the Zapatista rebellion, the CIACH supports its claims and participates in the process of asserting political, cultural and social Indians. He maintains regular contact and association with the”Enlace Civil”, prozapatiste pressure group that gathers information from the native villages, about violations of human rights because of the federal army or paramilitary groups. A commitment to it being now a target of the authorities in the tense situation in Chiapas.

• The role of CIACH
• Indian rights
• Resumen Informativo
• Palabra the Internet
• With civil society
• Funding and perspectives
• Contact

The role of CIACH

Located almost at the end of the long narrow street Flavio Paniagua as far back from the main avenue that connects the Parque Central in San Cristobal de Las Casas in his local market of India, the current offices of CIACH are both close and back to the center of the city… Close enough not to feel too far away from the heart of the colonial city around key locations that ensures the future of the region, far enough away as to enjoy a certain peace of mind essential to the work.

In What made ​​these offices the monthly La Palabra (speech), distributed in thirty municipalities of the State of Chiapas in the central region of Altos around the colonial city and tourist center of San Cristobal de Las Casas, in La Selva and valleys where now lives a large part of the Mayan Indian population, and the north of the state.”In recent years, information has become a strategic area for the government and the army, says Elizabeth Polito Barrios, head of CIACH. More than ever, they intend to control it. As long as in the source distribution. They have their own version of the current state and they impose by whatever means. This ensures the”loyalty” of the major media – newspapers, radio and television – but also, and even worse, by intimidating the independent media that do not comply.” In short, the Centre has an independent certainly not the favor of the authorities, like many other actors of civil society Chiapas. The CIACH is defined as”a media open to the outside and serving the people and Indian and peasant organizations in the region”. It’s objectives? Informed of what’s really going on in Chiapas, “bringing in communities and grassroots elements that help in the analysis of reality” and “help raise people’s participation in making decisions that concern”. The government has the will to suppress the attempts to change data in the region. In particular, when they come from the Indian communities themselves. All independent organizations that want to give voice to the excluded are viewed by the government as obstacles to be swept or accused of all evils. Evidenced by the smear campaigns that the organizations most claims have been victims in the media when it is not harassment or even open repression…

Modestly but continuously, with ups and downs, the work of CIACH is therefore to cope. To participate, against all odds and from his work on information, self-organization of rural Indian communities and the articulation of popular movements independent. Meetings for analysis and discussion are organized in villages or with representatives of farmers’ organizations, or Indian human rights. From the themes developed in La Palabra – land distribution, marketing of coffee, elections, etc.. – And experience that each organization or individual can have, participants try to understand their social, political and economic and increase their ability to act on it.

Indian rights

The situation is not rosy every day for the campesinos (peasants) in Chiapas, especially for Mayan Indians, the majority in this part of the state where the work CIACH. Majority but obviously forgotten in the distribution of wealth in the region. And, for more than five hundred years! Very rich in natural resources (wood, oil, water, livestock, tourism…), the Chiapas only benefits a minority of Chiapas braced on their privileges. Today, however, following the Zapatista uprising of 1994 and despite the impasse in the peace process and the deterioration of the situation that tends to prevail, most of the Indians of this region of Mexico continue to brag their “Ya basta!” (that’s enough!).”Earth, education, food, health, shelter, freedom, democracy, justice… that’s what we were refused, that is what we demand.”

In 1985, when the center was established, its leaders had first intended to coordinate efforts in the field of information from many sectors of society in turmoil. Teachers, peasant movements, indigenous associations, students… each group at the time realized its own newsletter. All with the same goal: to circulate among the members an alternative to the official version information and prevent almost systematic repression suffered by independent organizations. These bulletins were still by force of circumstances sectoral and geographically limited. Students from San Cristobal had their own magazine and were the main players, the peasants of the northeast of the state not only by them spoke to the press releases sent, etc.. The CIACH was then formed with the idea to provide each organization a common space of expression and information, where one could find information on all the players and where the links between them would be favored…

The first steps were laborious. Without a lot of ways, the few volunteers began to buy, read, codify and classify systematically all the newspapers and news magazines sold in Chiapas. Besides the specific contribution of each of the independent organizations in the region, information was gathered and made available to all popular sectors of Chiapas, organized outside government institutions.

Resumen Informativo

Soon, however, was felt the need to publish this information in order to increase accessibility. Thus was born the first publication of CIACH the”Resumen Informativo” (Summary Information), a monthly manageable than fifty pages printed in a thousand copies, sold or distributed within a large network of grassroots organizations more or less Consolidated: peasant and indigenous organizations, such as the Central Independiente de Campesinos y Obreros Agricolas (CIOAC), the Union of Unions”are Pajala Kactic”, the Committee Defensa de la Libertad Indigena (CDLI), the Consejo of indigenous representatives in Los Altos de Chiapas (CRIACH )…, teacher union (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación…), sector workers of hydroelectric power, student associations, promoters or” Pastoral” of the Catholic Church in the diocese of Bishop Samuel Ruiz, development NGOs or human rights organizations, research centers, etc..

The edition of Resumen Informativo was divided into eight parts, each them with a descriptive summary of the facts of the past month in one of eight areas of social life in Chiapas. The current agricultural union, urban, educational, political, economic and religious there was treated in detail in conjunction with events related to the Mexican border with Central America and the lives of Guatemalan refugees in Chiapas. The opportunity therefore for managers or members of many grassroots organizations to learn from information previously inaccessible due to cost, distance and lack of independence of the mainstream media…

Each new issue of Resumen Informativo was also an opportunity for readers to”take stock of the ins and outs of the news of the region and establish links between different issues”. And it is precisely to emphasize this aspect of his work, along with business writing and editing, CIACH organized from the beginning, periodic workshops and decentralized to”regional scan” for all the popular actors of social life in Chiapas. Workshops, to ensure the”memory”, also came out on a new quarterly publication:”The Review of Regional Workshops trends”.

In the early nineties, against a backdrop of economic crisis and a reflux movement social area facing repression, CIACH experienced a slump of three to four years and went to cease operations of writing and editing. Only continued to be provided by a team employee, but now reduced to a minimum, the job classification of information and maintaining the center.

Palabra the Internet

Today, CIACH found a high level of activity. The interest aroused by the news of Chiapas and the future of the Zapatista rebellion abroad brought him new ways. And, more than ever, information literacy is one of the central issues of the imbroglio Chiapas, both in rural than in urban India and the rest of Mexico. The monthly Resumen Informativo the eighties has been replaced by La Palabra, shorter, more illustrated than its predecessor and still pulled a few thousand copies. Next to this periodical, the CIACH publishes from time to time, on its own initiative or on a proposal from the outside, various documents: a detailed chronology of the conflict in 1998, full text of the agreements on indigenous rights signed by the government and the Zapatista rebellion in 1996, assessing the impact of Chiapas in the Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), selection of news of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), etc..

Since 1996, the daily information, and analysis of cross CIACH is only intended only to residents of Chiapas. It is now the turn of Mexico or the world via the Internet.”It is also a way for us to qualify the idyllic image of the country that the government intends to promote outside our borders, confirms Elizabeth Polito Barrios. Many groups in Mexico and elsewhere are demanding of our synthesis and use it to weigh on some international decisions that affect the field. They also denounce their government to human rights violations which are daily victims in favor of the Indians Zapatista rebellion: intimidation, imprisonment, militarization, repression… These actions are very important to us.” They are about two thousand correspondents to receive direct or indirect in the world of synthesis CIACH – daily or weekly – via e-mail. In early 1999, a web page was opened on the Internet and allows permanent access to the information collected.

With civil society

The current activities of CIACH and its links with civil society in Chiapas vary the rhythm of the news. From early 1994, when the Zapatista Indian uprising in late 1996, when the suspension of negotiations between insurgents and authorities, the CIACH was an active member of the Coordination of civil associations in Chiapas for Peace (CONPAZ). Essentially representative of an urban population tends to favor the Chiapas indigenous rebellion and order to ensure a political solution to the conflict by peaceful means, the CONPAZ touched all areas dear to its members: humanitarian assistance to indigenous communities displaced by the conflict, community development projects in the rebel regions, organization of Indian women to voice their demands equality, etc…

Thanks to the means of international solidarity, important in the early years of the uprising, the CONPAZ also provides Much of the work of logistics related to different phases of the negotiation process between Zapatistas and government: accreditation of observers from civil society, protection of the delegation of the EZLN, oganisation of human chains (“cinturón los de la paz” ) as security cordons around the table of the negotiations…

Within the CONPAZ, staff CIACH specifically assumed responsibility for the work of information in pursuing its usual work of writing and editing, but also taking into support relations with the press. The CONPAZ but did not survive. Subject to internal wrangling over the distance to be against the leaders of the rebellion, a victim of its success, the news knocked and redoubled the curiosity of the authorities, the association, upon dissolution, gave way to to Other attempts at coordination point.

Today, CIACH regular contact with the association”Enlace Civil”, prozapatiste pressure group that gathers information from the native villages, about violations of human rights because of the federal army or paramilitary groups. On the occasion of the various elections in Chiapas (July 1997 parliamentary, municipal, October 1998), the CIACH also serves as a relay to the association”Alianza Civica”, specializing in the observation of elections and the reporting of irregularities within communities. Past two years, the staff of the Information Centre has also participated in the Commission’s efforts for community reconciliation (CORECO) which includes, besides the Centre, an organization of human rights, NGO development and Alianza Civica. The goal is to resolve conflicts within and between communities that divide the natives. Work is being done by the verbal confrontation between opposing parties and a flat common causes of social and political divisions.

Funding and perspectives

The problem of the functioning of CIACH remains crucial. The team needs resources to ensure its daily editorial (salaries, office rent…), purchase and maintenance of equipment, but also for printing the numbers La Palabra, dissemination and their discussion within organizations and independent villages of Chiapas.”At the moment, even if our international correspondents and local associations who can pay us in exchange for the palabra or information that we provide, our aim in the short term can not be profitability, says one member. If at the beginning, we have benefited from the logistical support of any local organization, today we depend almost exclusively on subsidies from foreign NGOs, Canada and Belgium… The urgency for us is the strength, peace in Chiapas, the improvement of living conditions of Indians and their participation in democracy building. Otherwise, we will see. I do not know of any independent media that have reached break even…”

Financially, it is clear that the CIACH directly benefits from the attention generated beyond the borders of Mexico by the news of Chiapas. But it could also be the victim. While in the past, there was no plethora of initiatives in the field of activity covered by the CIACH, the current conflict between the federal army and the Zapatista rebellion has attracted a lot of people in the south- is Mexican, many journalists and social workers… with their own projects in information. The result is confusion among the initiatives in the presence and, consequently, the potential weakening of CIACH. Its members know and are aware of the benefit that could draw the authorities. Fragile and financially dependent on the outside, the Centre has however decided to continue its choice: retain its independence vis-à-vis government authorities but also vis-à-vis the EZLN, and continue its”information work in favor of popular demands for Chiapas Mexico and a fairer, freer and more democratic.”

Bernard Duterme

Journalist and sociologist, he is currently responsible for relations with Mexico and Latin America within the NGO and Brotherhood Mutual. Author of”Indians and Zapatista. Myths and Realities of a rebellion on borrowed time” (1998).

Contact

CIACH – Centro de Informacion y Analisis de Chiapas, AC
Calle Comitan 6-B, El Barrio Cerrill
San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas – Mexico
Tel / fax (967) 813-64. ciach@laneta.apc.org

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