![Ultra-Marathon Fires Up Ecotourism on Ometepe Published in the Nica Times. This
sample is incomplete.
Its a feeling that you cant fully understand until youve hearing howler monkeys, Stephens said
been there and encountered it for yourself. Josue Stephens
says he fell in love with La Isla de Ometepe in Lake Stephens established this event as a grassroots movement
Nicaragua when he 鍖rst docked on the volcanic islands to promote various eco-tourism projects on the island.
shore Local businesses will provide all site-speci鍖c resources for
the race, including aid stations, safety guides, food,
Even though its just a one hour ferry ride, its like a medical care, and lodging. The race will contribute to the
different world there, Stephens said. islands two volcanic national parks and help raise
awareness about illegal poaching within the parks.
Now, the most audacious of extreme adventurers have
their chance to thoroughly explore Ometepe during the Were helping to raise awareness about how to maintain
Fuego y Agua 100k and 50k - the islands 鍖rst-ever ultra the trails, to keep people from cutting too many trails, and
marathon racing event. to prevent erosion, Stephens said. Stephens has also
organized a trash pick-up day that will occur two days
Stephens is the founder and organizer of the race that will before the race in an effort to demonstrate the importance
bring an estimated 60 professional runners zigzagging of proper waste management to the islands various
through Ometepes white, sandy beaches, traditional municipalities
villages and dusty, dirt roads. On December 13th runners
will attempt to conquer the challenging slopes of both the In conjunction with Fuego y Agua, local children from
Concepci坦n and Maderas volcanoes. throughout the island will have the chance to compete in
their own race, the Calzado para Ometepe 5k and 10k.
If its raining, its very possible theyll be in mud and Stephens says the idea is for the race to encourage local
water up to their knees, Stephens said... Theyll have to schools to organize their own cross-country teams
back climb out of the crater and its a very steep lava 鍖ow
trail, that theyll be climbing out of. Stephens, who grew up in Latin America, says that he has
had his heart set on giving back to a culture that has given
Runners will battle temperatures that range from 65 to 95 him so much
degrees and steep, single-track ascents and descents,
including a narrow trail [that ascends] almost straight up My parents were missionaries and, although I dont
the [Maderas] volcano for about 10 kilometers, through a necessarily ascribe to the same beliefs or motives, I have
dense, tropical jungle. always wanted to go down and work with the people,
Stephens said. Its a part of me because I grew up with
When they get on the single track in the jungle, theyll be it](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/portfoliolm-12638069486695-phpapp01/85/Portfolio-Laura-McNamara-18-320.jpg)
Portfolio: Laura McNamara
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- 15. Ag Steward of the Chort鱈 Maya Published on www.agwired.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. This sample is incomplete. Click here to view the entire article and additional media. There is a group of indigenous people in Honduras that mountainous lands more ef鍖ciently and effectively. live off an average of $300 a year - less than one dollar a Through a double hedgerow terracing technique, Billy says day. At least two months out of every year they starve. the Chort鱈 Maya can double, even triple their current crop Thats the reality as Billy Collins sees it. Billy has been yields working with the Chort鱈 Maya, the direct descendants of the Mayan Indians, for 鍖ve years. Billy stresses that his project is not a welfare program. I met Billy in Cop叩n Ruinas, a charming town in Western We know that welfare does not work in the United Honduras not far from the Guatemalan border. The small, States, Billy said. There is no end to trying to feed cobblestone-lined town is base camp so-to-speak for people. Here in Honduras, with a little education, they can visiting Honduras famous ancient Mayan ruins. Thats feed themselves. why I am here: to see the ruins. But, its been three days and I have yet to explore them. Instead, Ive been The training begins at a six-acre farm (3.5 manzanas) exploring the harsh realities of the Chort鱈 Maya, realties developed by Billy, his wife, additional project leaders and that Billy, his wife Mary and a handful of others are the locals. The land was originally communal property that committed to changing. And, theyre making those belonged to the Chort鱈 Council. The council gave the changes largely through agriculture. I spent an entire day project permission to use the land for 鍖ve years. However, with Billy touring villages of adobe huts with straw roofs - in order to avoid trouble in the future should the leadership bumping and bouncing along dirt roads that are of the Chort鱈 Council change hands and the land agreement consistently washed out by the wet seasons frequent rains expires, the Chort鱈 people have decided to legally to get to them. designate the land as an agricultural training center. This center is where the local villagers come for three full days While Billy and his wife are involved in more than a of training in SALT techniques. Billy says thats all the handful of projects with the Chort鱈, their SALT project, or time it takes to start drastically changing the lives of the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology, is among one of Chort鱈 people. He says the project is currently working the biggest. Its a project thats aimed at training the with 100 Chort鱈 families indigenous people how to cultivate their rolling,
- 16. Scott Dixons Got Published on www.domesticfuel.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client.. Click here to view the entire article and additional media. Milk at 92nd Indy 500 Scott said the entire month went pointedly smooth with his car and his crew and he didnt want to see something like a In a race down to the pits, No. 9 Target Driver Scott Dixon poor pit stop slow his momentum. with Chip Ganassi Racing sped past Vitor Meira during the 鍖nal pit stop during a yellow-鍖agged caution to take the Scott, who won the IndyCar Series Championship in 2003, win at the Brickyard. Reporters commented on the look of said this was his biggest IndyCar win to date. shock on Scotts face at winners circle and Scott con鍖rmed that he was a bit surprised. This is much more sweeter because it comes, you know, you work three weeks solidly and it comes down to one Its almost like youre in a dreamland, Scott said. It was day to get it and have everything fall into place. Its quite quite crazy. You know its something where you expect special, Scott said somebody to pinch you and you wake up and youre just sort of asleep in your bed back at home. It still hasnt sunk Scott averaged a speed of 143.567 mph during the 92nd in yet. running of the Indianapolis 500 and led for the last 29 laps of the race, the longest racing stretch all day. Scotts win is the 鍖rst Indy 500 win to come after the reuni鍖cation of the IndyCar Series and the Champ Series. Team Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay called the win The series split 12 years ago in 1995 and 鍖nally merged before the race. In a speech before EPIC members again this year. Scott said the reuni鍖cation certainly means Saturday night he said the Ganassi cars would be the the talent pool for this years race was a bit deeper, but he biggest competitors out on the track at the Brickyard says the real competition will come next year when the Ryan was the top 鍖nishing rookie at the race and his 6th former Champ Series teams will have had a year to make place 鍖nish marks Team Ethanols best Indy 500 鍖nish to adjustments. date. Scott said his day started off right with a good nights rest When asked about Scotts win, Ryan said Its nice to see and his wifes pancakes for breakfast. He did admit he was the fastest car out there win. a bit anxious going into the race.
- 17. Teaching Them to Fish Published on www.livewithjay.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. This sample is incomplete. Click here to view the entire article and additional media online. Heres a novel idea when running a business that manages world, the reporter said more than a thousand employees: The operation Aquafinca runs is a tight one, a clean one, We try to do basically everything to make them feel they and a hugely successful one. But, even though Yedod are like partners not workers. Everybody is on bonus estimates that the company earns between $35 million and system, everyone can basically gain more from the $40 million in gross revenue each year, he says companys success Aquafincas priority is not fish: Those partners Yedod Snir is referring to are the 1,350 We have a saying: Its not about the fish. Its about the locals that make up the direct workforce of Aqua鍖nca St. people, Yedod said Peter Fish, a Tilapia producer based out of El Borboton, San Francisco de Yojoa, Honduras.. Yedod is Aqua鍖ncas Yedod says the company offers the highest salaries in the production manager. area and subsidizes 55 to 100 percent of food for its workers and their families. Aquafinca offers education Central America is a hotspot for cheap labor and, sadly, through its own school. With a psychologist and two greedy businesses that cruelly exploit their workers. But, doctors on staff, four health clinics offer workers and their during a trip hosted by FIDE, Honduras Foundation for families free medical attention Investment and Development, I, along with a small group of other ag journalists learned about businesses based in Locals who want to start their own Tilapia farms are not Honduras who lead with impressive example. Among only encouraged, but offered free assistance and those model operations we toured, Aquafinca St. Peter expertise... Yedod says raising Tilapia is an industry that Fish stood out from the rest as a world-class facility. One has great potential to help Honduras move away from well-seasoned ag reporter with our group, who wished to poverty remain unnamed, confidently asserted that Aquafinca would put similar production and packaging facilities in In addition, Aquafinca uses leftover scraps and skins to America to shame. Certain exemplary standards at produce fish feed, fish oil and biodiesel. The company uses Aquafinca, he said, are simply unheard of in the U.S. the biodiesel it produces to fuel its operation and is 100 percent energy self-sufficient. Id put this facility in the top one or two percent in the
- 18. Ultra-Marathon Fires Up Ecotourism on Ometepe Published in the Nica Times. This sample is incomplete. Its a feeling that you cant fully understand until youve hearing howler monkeys, Stephens said been there and encountered it for yourself. Josue Stephens says he fell in love with La Isla de Ometepe in Lake Stephens established this event as a grassroots movement Nicaragua when he 鍖rst docked on the volcanic islands to promote various eco-tourism projects on the island. shore Local businesses will provide all site-speci鍖c resources for the race, including aid stations, safety guides, food, Even though its just a one hour ferry ride, its like a medical care, and lodging. The race will contribute to the different world there, Stephens said. islands two volcanic national parks and help raise awareness about illegal poaching within the parks. Now, the most audacious of extreme adventurers have their chance to thoroughly explore Ometepe during the Were helping to raise awareness about how to maintain Fuego y Agua 100k and 50k - the islands 鍖rst-ever ultra the trails, to keep people from cutting too many trails, and marathon racing event. to prevent erosion, Stephens said. Stephens has also organized a trash pick-up day that will occur two days Stephens is the founder and organizer of the race that will before the race in an effort to demonstrate the importance bring an estimated 60 professional runners zigzagging of proper waste management to the islands various through Ometepes white, sandy beaches, traditional municipalities villages and dusty, dirt roads. On December 13th runners will attempt to conquer the challenging slopes of both the In conjunction with Fuego y Agua, local children from Concepci坦n and Maderas volcanoes. throughout the island will have the chance to compete in their own race, the Calzado para Ometepe 5k and 10k. If its raining, its very possible theyll be in mud and Stephens says the idea is for the race to encourage local water up to their knees, Stephens said... Theyll have to schools to organize their own cross-country teams back climb out of the crater and its a very steep lava 鍖ow trail, that theyll be climbing out of. Stephens, who grew up in Latin America, says that he has had his heart set on giving back to a culture that has given Runners will battle temperatures that range from 65 to 95 him so much degrees and steep, single-track ascents and descents, including a narrow trail [that ascends] almost straight up My parents were missionaries and, although I dont the [Maderas] volcano for about 10 kilometers, through a necessarily ascribe to the same beliefs or motives, I have dense, tropical jungle. always wanted to go down and work with the people, Stephens said. Its a part of me because I grew up with When they get on the single track in the jungle, theyll be it
- 19. The Boy Scout CEO Published on www.livewithjay.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. This sample is incomplete. Click here to view the entire article and additional media. He's known as the "The Last Boy Scout CEO." The leader "We don't pay the top wage, Rysdon said. We don't pay of Sioux Steel Company says he takes an atypical the lowest. We try to stay in that 鍖fty percentile and then approach to successfully running his family-owned add from there things that add value to their lives that are business. Its an approach that he jokes could leave people more important than just dollars... You keep them working thinking his Board of Directors begins each meeting with a for more than money. That's what I believe" heartfelt "Koom-bay-ah." While Scott Rysdon assures that his company, which provides progressive engineering Rysdon says his company has met such lasting success solutions for grain storage and handling, isn't a hippie fest, because the company's vision has remained focused on the he says it is one that puts the customer 鍖rst long-term, not the quick buck. Instead of chasing after quarterly earnings, Rydson says Sioux Steel continually "Honestly, when people believe that they're being served focuses on offering its customers the progressive ag and you care about them, they turn around and care about engineering solutions it promises by identifying your other employees and the customers," Rydson said. consumers' needs. He adds that the same principle applies to his employees: "That's what we're trying to do, is to solve today's problems," Rysdon says "All I'm trying to do is tie them together in sort of a bond," Rysdon said. "It's not like we're all wearing hemp clothing Rysdon runs on the "boy scout" mentality of integrity. His and sitting around burning incense, you know. But, we're goal is to provide consumers quality service and operation trying to tie people together in something more meaningful that endures, while remaining competitive. than just a job." "We're not going to roll over," Rysdon says. "In my mind And he wants to offer them more than just cash too. being a boy scout isn't rolling over. You've got to be Rysdon says he artfully melds a bonding atmosphere with prepared and tie a different knot. And sometimes you've a competitive edge in the market by complimenting got to tie it pretty tight and make sure that you hit them average wages for his employees with more valuable hard but at the same time there are certain areas we're "perks not going to compromise on."
- 20. Monsanto Talks Sustainability Published on www.agwired.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. Click here to view additional media included with the post online. The recent surge in pro鍖tability within the agriculture Ultimately, Michael says, Monsantos goal is to make sector is giving farmers and ag companies a bit of room to farmers more productive and, consequently, more breath. But, Monsanto says, just a bit. Michael Doane, 鍖nancially successful. Monsantos Sustainability Team Lead says that with pro鍖tability comes responsibility: a responsibility for the Our goal is to make every farmer we serve better off the agricultural climate of the future. There are big questions, next year than they were the previous year, Michael said. Michael says, that beg to be asked, and, hopefully, answered. How do we meet the growing demand? How do And, Michael says, that goal is meant to bene鍖t farmers all farmers 鍖t into the growing needs of the recent future? over the world. What will the world look like for our children? Will it be a world, Michael asked, that puts a lot of pressure on its In developing countries we think we also need to do that, resource base? Michael said. So, weve committed to helping 5 million resource-poor farmers, who are simply trying to feed their Were going to have to produce more food on the same families, do that. acres between now and 2050 then weve produced in the last 10,000 years combined, Michael said. Thats pretty But, as much as Monsanto recognizes its role in securing substantial. Thats going to get us to twice the level of the future of farming and the future of feeding the world, annual food production in 2050 versus today. Michael says 鍖nding long-term, sustainable solutions will be a team effort. Michael says responding to such demands is a responsibility that must be shared throughout the ag sector. Its going to be the we collectively that does this, But, he says, Monsanto is eagerly doing its part to help. Michael said. This conversation about sustainability kind of hit us right between the eyes, Michael said. We went out and started talking to a lot of people about agriculture; and what doing more with less would look like; what would be important there.
- 21. Ethanol: Of鍖cial Fuel of Africa Demands Food Indy Racing Legends The poorest of Africa spend 70 percent of their income on food. Thats the reality the Deputy Assistant Administrator Many consider Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time Indy 500 for the U.S. Agency for International Development Africa champ, a true King of the Brickyard. But not only is Bureau put before the 300 attendees of the 2008 U.S. Emerson an IRL legend, hes a BIG supporter of ethanol. Africa Agribusiness Forum this week. Thats the reality Perhaps even a King of Ethanol. Emerson is a Brazilian that Franklin Moore wants the public and private sectors in ethanol producer and spoke at Thursdays Ethanol Summit the U.S. and Africa to face. Franklin says Africas food hosted by General Motors. problems are a part of a worldwide problem. The IRL racing legend told the story of his long history The worlds in the midst of a global food crisis unlike any of racing with ethanol. Although the IRL fully switched other food crisis, Franklin said. He says the poorest one from methanol to ethanol last year, Emerson is well billion are living on just one dollar a day, while nations acquainted with racing on the biofuel. At age 14, the Indy around the globe are experiencing high food prices. That champ used ethanol in motorcycles and go-karts. means, the poor are having to choose between food, health care and school Emerson will get another chance to represent ethanol at the races. He is this years 鍖ex-fuel Corvette Z06 pace car All this, Franklin says, is the result of fundamental driver. This is the 鍖rst time the of鍖cial Indy pace car will imbalances in supply and demand, particularly of major run on E85. food staples. The message of the pace car will be showing to the world Franklin says the good news is, correcting these that a passenger car, even a high performance car like the imbalances opens up a wide spectrum of opportunity to corvette, will run E85 and runs beautiful, Emerson said transform and help modernize African agricultural systems through private investment - not just private though. He called the IRLs switch to 100 percent ethanol, the Franklin urges companies and governments to work endorsement of ethanol in the world through motor race. together and engage in public private partnerships in an effort to reduce global hunger Published on www.domesticfuel.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. This sample is incomplete. Click here to view the entire article and additional media. Published on www.agwired.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. This sample is incomplete. Click here to view the entire article and additional media.
- 22. The Art and Science of Soil Published on www.agwired.com in a relaxed, blogging style as desired by the client. Click here to view additional media included with the post online. Conservation Conservation, Peggy conveyed the harsh consequences of The air we breath is often taken for granted. And, Peggy the people in the Western Plains living with uniformed James, Natural Resources Conservation Service liaison to disregard for their environment during the spring of 1935: The Nature Conservancy says, so too are non-pro鍖ts. Far below them the dust piled ten foot drifts across Non-pro鍖ts are like air, Peggy said. Theyre all around highways and covered rail lines to slow the movement of us but we hardly notice it. They are an integral part of a freight and passenger trains. Grit ate into motors of trucks healthy, artistic, viably economic, productive society and automobiles and seeped through cracks of houses to working towards sustainability. plague discouraged housewives In Kansas visibility was sometimes down to less than 300 yards at midday Sustainability, Peggy says, is crucial to healthy living and, People lost their way in black blizzards within 100 yards of well, feeding and eating, worldwide. She echoed the home Death rates from pneumonia and other diseases sentiments of Hugh Hammond Bennett, the man the TNC rose rapidly Gone were the stir of herds and tractors and considers the original crusader for farmland busy prosperity this was the Dust Bowl of the early conservation: middle thirties to which the people of the Plains grew more or less inured For everything we do - all we share, even whatever we amount to as a great people - begins and rests on a Peggy says we cant forget the importance for sustained productivity of our agricultural lands. conservation and practicing sustainable agriculture and living. She calls it a science and an art. Peggy adds, that non-pro鍖ts, are the key to preserving that standard of sustainability. She says the 1.4 million non- We de鍖ne it as the effort to frame social and economic pro鍖t organizations in the U.S. are growing at a faster rate policy so as to preserve the minimum disturbance of the than the American economy earths resources, its inhabitants and environments for the bene鍖t of both present and future generations, Peggy said. For Peggy, the TNC certainly 鍖lls a crucial need. With a brief recount from Wellington Brinks biography on Hugh The TNC consists of one million members and works in 30 Hammond Bennett: Big Hugh: The Father of Soil countries, protecting 102 million acres around the world
- 23. www.giramonda.com www.chromacollective.com www.thecocoaproject.org