No swine flu in Yucatán state

From the blog of Akumal Direct Reservation:

In light of recent health concerns related to travel to Mexico, Akumal Direct remains focused on what is - and always has been - of primary importance to us: the safety, comfort and security of our guests, staff and the residents of Akumal.

Clients arriving prior to May 15, 2009 have been given the option to reschedule their reservation without penalty.

The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens in Mexico that most cases of influenza are not “swine flu”; any specific questions or concerns about flu or other illnesses should be directed to a medical professional. At this time the Mexican Secretariat of Health urges people to avoid large crowds, shaking hands, kissing people as a greeting, or using the subway. Maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other persons may decrease the risk of exposure. In addition, the following prevention tips are from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website:

1. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

As of today [April 29] (according to Yucatan government officials) there have been zero cases of swine flu in Yucatan state.

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SEE Turtle volunteer vacations

An article by Brad Nahil, Director, SEE Turtles, published in the newsletter of The International Ecotourism Association (TIES):

Imagine a close-up and personal encounter with one of the world's most mystical and prehistoric creatures. That is what engagement with sea turtles is all about. Communities around the world will celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8, and the occasion presents many opportunities to see these endangered gentle giants in person and participate in conservation efforts that are underway to protect them. SEE Turtles is offering a free volunteer placement service that matches interested volunteers with sea turtle conservation projects in Mexico, Costa Rica, Tobago, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

The SEE Turtles volunteer program creates opportunities for people to engage with sea turtles and participate in turtle conservation efforts right alongside expert biologists and sea turtle researchers. Volunteering on a sea turtle conservation project generally involves tracking and tagging turtles, night patrols of the nesting beaches, and helping researchers collect data. Many projects also include shifts in the egg hatcheries where the eggs are protected from poachers and animals. In addition to meaningful project work, volunteers will have time to explore the rainforest, visit local towns, or simply enjoy a refreshing ocean swim and relaxation on the beach.

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Cinco de Mayo: What is everybody celebrating?

From an article by Donald W. Miles on MexConnect:

It's easy to enjoy a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Many of the festivities in the U.S. have grown so that now they are generally larger than those in Mexico. Half a million people show up for the annual event in Los Angeles alone. In Mexico, there are parades and parties in places like Puebla and Mexico City, and some smaller towns stage children's events to mark the occasion on May 5th. Cheering and whistling to the music of mariachi musicians, clapping to the steps of folklórico dancers and savoring traditional Mexican foods is attractive to almost anyone - Mexican or not.

5 de mayo - Who? Where? Why?
Ask about the history behind these celebrations, and a few may be able to tell you that the Mexicans defeated an invading French army on that date in 1862. Beyond that - except maybe in Puebla - general knowledge of the circumstances becomes sketchy. Why were the French there? What happened next? Did the French just go away? Many teachers in the U.S. still tell their classes that May fifth is Mexican Independence Day, which is dead wrong. (Independence Day in Mexico is September 16th.)

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Kayaking in the Riviera Maya

From an article by Ann Irvine posted on Sac-Be:

It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since we drove our first kayak down to the beach at Xcacel. Back then, a kayak on the rooftop of a car was cause for people to stop and stare, especially if you were driving through the highlands of Chiapas and Veracruz as we did on our annual trips to the Xcacel and the Akumal area back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

We had been camping at Xcacel for the last few winters, and in the fall of 1988, we were planning our second driving trip down when a salesman came by our bicycle shop in Des Moines. He told us he had just the thing for us to sell at our shop and gave us an Ocean Kayak VCR tape to view. He said it would be the most fun thing we had to sell. Being land – locked in Des Moines, we were a bit skeptical about the future of selling kayaks. However, these things looked very intriguing and the sit-on-top aspect really appealed to us. Plus, we knew the perfect place to use them! Since back then we had more time than money, we bought one boat figuring it was worth a try at the beach. . . .

Kayaks are now everywhere, and no longer uncommon along our coast (like so many other things which were so rare 20 years ago- such as telephones!) Our kayaking is now done primarily in the Tankah Bay area near our house. Tankah has such a nice long, protected stretch to paddle within the reef it is just amazing. From in front of our house on the curve of the bay, you can paddle all the way down the coast to Dreams Tulum without having to go over the reef (which, by the way, is dangerous and not recommended). The typically calm waters of Tankah allow for easy and enjoyable paddling. There is nothing better than hopping in the boat for a late afternoon paddle and watching setting sun and the clouds from the bay. And every now and then, if the wind is up, we’ll head out looking to catch that one wave, the one that we race along with until we have it, and can surf it back in.

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Greening Merida

Merida Verde is a fledgling but enthusiastic organization founded to work with others to promote greater sustainability in all aspects of life in Mérida. This is a completely volunteer group comprised of both Mexican and expat members, young and old.

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Workshop to tackle ecotourism confusion

From The International Ecotourism Society's workshop announcement on its work to reduce confusion in ecotourism certification criteria:

This workshop [October 27, 2009, VAncouver, Canada] will also discuss the global sustainable tourism criteria developed by a coalition of 18 international organizations. The criteria are intended to serve as the framework for developing an accreditation standard for sustainable tourism certification programs, which is a goal of the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC). This special interest workshop is a unique opportunity to preview the criteria, which has been reviewed by more than 1,000 stakeholders and will also be launched at The IUCN 2008 World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

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Travel to Belize and save a crocodile

From an article on Mother Nature News:

It’s nine o’clock at night and pitch black outside on the murky waters of the New River in northern Belize. An airboat carrying a group of tourists and two guides zips along, plowing through tall grasses and across marshy floodplains on this cool evening. The tourists, who sport noise-blocking headphones and life vests, anxiously follow the spotlight as one guide darts it from bank to bank across the dark expanse of river. After about a half hour, the boat slows, and the spotlight illuminates two shiny red dots beaming up from the shallow waters: The telltale eyes of a Morelet’s crocodile.

Tourists may go on Lamanai Outpost Lodge’s “Crocodile Encounter” for the thrill of watching guides spot, wrestle, and tag the river-dwelling reptiles in their natural habitat. But what many visitors don’t know is that the guides are also researchers, and profits from the adventure fund an ongoing project.

For the past five years, residents from Lamanai and scientists from the University of Florida have been tracking and monitoring the formerly endangered Morelet’s crocodiles. The mainly freshwater reptiles measure up to 14 feet, and are only found in Belize, Guatemala, and parts of Mexico. Researchers hope that the data they acquire will uncover more information about the creature, which scientists know little about. Ultimately, their findings will aid the Belize Forest Department, a government agency similar to the US Fish & Wildlife Service, in crafting a management plan for the croc—a scheme that might, ironically, legalize commercial exploitation of the animals.

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Hard to use certification to find green ecotourism operations

From an article from PlentyMag.com posted on Mother Nature Network:

Conscientious consumers might look for the organic label when buying milk and the Fair Trade logo when purchasing coffee, but finding a certified ecotourism operation for your next vacation isn’t so straightforward. By some estimates, there are nearly 100 different certification programs globally, all with different logos. As a result, even experienced ecotravelers don’t recognize certification labels when they see them, leading the ecotourism industry to question whether the schemes are attracting tourists.

Now, industry leaders are working on a scheme that might help vacationers distinguish which ecotourism certifications represent truly green practices. In October they’ll gather in Barcelona to finalize a set of global baseline criteria in an attempt to standardize ecotourism accreditation. Critics, however, are pooh-poohing existing certification systems and expressing doubts that the new plan will boost business for the sustainable travel industry.

Certification schemes measure the ‘greenness’ of tourism products such as hotels, guided tours, attractions, and transportation. The programs are designed to help travelers discern the less scrupulous businesses from those that truly take significant steps to lighten their environmental footprint. Certifiers establish criteria in categories for everything from energy conservation to community impact. Businesses that want to be accredited must meet the criteria, often by installing certain equipment, changing their purchasing habits and adopting new practices like measuring water consumption and training employees on sustainability. Businesses pay annual dues—anywhere from $200 to $2,500—to receive accreditation, and sometimes extra fees for auditor visits, which can run about $1,200 per day.

Certifiers’ websites, when travelers do find their way to them, range from slightly helpful to confusing.

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Dive Festival added to Akumal 50th Anniversary Celebration

Divers plunge into the festivities on May 30th as part of the three-day celebration to commemorate 50 years since Pablo Bush Romero first arrived in Akumal, Mexico, on an expedition to the Matanceros shipwreck.

Divers on Akumal’s reefs find schools of fish like they have never seen before!

Among those reefs and fish, divers can search for treasures – BCDs, masks, fins, and more -- during the Pablo Bush Romero Dive Festival!

For a deco stop, a featured speaker will share diving trips that most divers can only hope to experience.

In the evening, divers and friends will gather at the Lol Ha beach bar to claim their treasurers, carry their buddy for 100 feet for more treasures, show their C-cards to find the oldest among them, and engage in other antics.

This will be a dive festival like Akumal has never seen before! Book your flight, and reserve your dive times with the host dive shops -- Akumal Dive Center and Akumal Dive Shop.

Check the dive festival details! And be sure to get to Akumal on May 30th!

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Yucatán coral fossils show catastrophic sea-level rise?

From an article by Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News:

Fossil coral reefs at a Mexican theme park "confirm" that sea levels rose rapidly about 121,000 years ago, according to a controversial new study.

Previous research on fossil reefs had shown that sea levels surged by 13 to 19 feet (4 to 6 meters) near the end of the last time period between ice ages, known as an interglacial period. But researchers have been unsure whether this sea-level rise happened quickly or gradually.

By mapping the ages and locations of ancient corals at Xcaret, an eco-park in the Yucatán Peninsula, Paul Blanchon of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and colleagues, were able to chart when the reefs died and were replaced by others on higher ground.

Their data suggest that sea levels rose by about 10 feet (3 meters) in 50 years—much faster than the current annual rate of 0.08 to 0.1 inch (2 to 3 millimeters).

Because this event happened during an interglacial period—similar to the one we're in currently—the find boosts the chances that today's melting ice sheets could trigger rapid sea-level rise, the study authors say.

But not all experts on corals and climate are convinced by the new study.

Tad Pfeffer, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, noted that Blanchon's team couldn't directly measure the rate of sea level change around the Mexican corals, because the age estimates aren't accurate enough.

Instead the study authors compared changes seen in Xcaret to those seen in reefs with well-established ages in the Bahamas.

"It's an interesting idea, but one that for me is only suggestive and not compelling," Pfeffer said.

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Henequen and its role in the Yucatan's shifting fortuness

From an article by John McClelland on Mexconnect:

There is a beautiful, tree-lined boulevard in Merida, Yucatan called Paseo de Montejo. It provides four lanes for traffic separated by a wide median planted with shrubs and flowers. The sidewalks are wide enough for two further lanes of traffic each way and are interspersed with statuary, benches, conversation chairs and trees. Notwithstanding its charm, the street is not the equal of the mansions that face it. There are dozens of stately homes dating from the beginning of the twentieth century; most of which are in impeccable condition.

Naturally the presence of such opulence begs the question: what gives? In a country as poor as Mexico, why is there so much extravagance in Merida and why does it all date from 100 years ago? The answer is found in an American invention and a plant called henequen.

Around the middle of the nineteen century, a work averse American invented a machine that could mechanically bale and wheat and hay. It became an instant but short lived success. The only available method of tying the bales was with steel wire which, when ingested by the cows, immediately caused their demise. A less lethal binding agent was of utmost importance and henequen was the answer.

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Luxury yacht drops anchor on Barrier Reef; captain detained

From an article from The San Pedro Sun (Ambergris Caye, Belize):

On Tuesday, April 7th, a three story, luxury yacht flying a Bermudan flag from the Caribbean was impounded and its captain detained after it anchored on the reef directly east of San Pedro Town. According to reports the vessel, named Azteca, dropped anchor within meters of the reef early Tuesday morning in a depth of about 35 feet of water. Tour operators immediately notified Hol Chan Marine Reserve who in turn contacted the relevant authorities. Law enforcement officers including members from the Department of Environment (DOE), San Pedro Police, Immigration, Customs and The Belize Coast Guard were dispatched to the area where the captain, 49-year-old Mexican, Salvador Villeras Eckart who resides in Cancun, Mexico was detained.

Eckart told authorities that he was heading into Belizean waters a few miles off the reef when ropes got caught up in the propellers of the vessel. According to Eckart the engine on the vessel automatically shut down and the vessel took a turn for the reef. To avoid a direct impact on the reef, Eckart stated that they decided to use the anchors to bring the vessel to a stop. The anchors ripped through a large area of the reef before coming to a stand still, however a constant northeasterly wind kept moving the vessel moving in different locations causing further damage.

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Belize's Toledo celebrating as Cacao birthplace, 22-24th May

From a post on the forum of The ECOCLUB.com:

During Commonwealth Day holiday weekend, Toledo district will once again host the Toledo Cacao Festival organized by the Toledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA) with the support of BTIA, the country's travel association. The festival is becoming established as a regular feature on the Belize tourism calendar and attracting visitors both from within Belize and overseas.

Toledo itself can be justly considered as the original home of cacao and chocolate which played such an important part in ancient Mayan life. Today the TCGA sends its members beans to a UK manufacturer where it is transformed into the world-renowned "Mayan Gold" orange-flavoured chocolate, the very first 'Fair Trade' product in the UK.

These days an increasing acreage in Toledo is being given over to the organic cultivation of cacao while the UK chocolate maker pays above the market rate for the beans. The cultivation of cacao is a win-win situation for the environment since cacao is a sub canopy species and grows best in the shade of other trees. This discourages slash and burn agriculture and the farmers are now being encouraged to intercrop their cacao with other cash crops such as allspice. Cocoa production has done more to make a difference to the well-being of the people of southern Belize than any number of development projects. The annual cacao festival is the fun part which celebrates Toledo’s central importance in this sector of the economy.

As in previous years the festival begins on Friday night with a wine and chocolate evening at the University of Belize campus in Punta Gorda. Students from the Tumul Kin Center of Learning in Blue Creek village will provide marimba accompaniment while a selection of Garifuna and Creole songs will be performed by students of the Delile Academy Choir from Dangriga.

The Taste of Toledo fair will take place all day on Saturday in PG’s Central Park. The day’s events include a cookery fair centered around chocolate recipes. There will be cookery presentations as well as a craft tent selling locally designed and produced craft products. The Cacao for Kids section of the fair will include face painting, story telling, punchboard a chess competition and more. . . .

For more details
contact Rob Hirons at rob [at] thelodgeatbigfalls [dot ] com
011-501-671-7172 - phone
http://www.thelodgeatbigfalls.com

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On settling on the Yucatán's northwest coast

An article by Naturalist Jim Conrad on BicycleYucatan.com:

This is Naturalist Jim Conrad, producer of the "Notes on the Plants, Animals & Ecology of the Northern Yucatan Peninsula Website at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan.

I write to express concern about exploding real-estate development on the Yucatan's northwestern coast. This development is destroying critical habitat in an especially biological important part of the world.

Ever since Darwin studied in the Galapagos it's been recognized that unique species evolve on islands. Though geographically the Yucatan is a peninsula, ecologically it is an island. It is an island because on the west, north and east it is surrounded by the sea. To the south, organisms adapted to the Yucatan's arid environment are isolated from other organisms of their kind by a very different ecosystem, one dependent on much higher rainfall. Unique plants and animals have evolved in the northern Yucatan because -- as if they were on an island -- for eons they have been genetically isolated from other similar populations.

Moreover, because northwestern Yucatan is the driest part of the peninsula, by far the greatest numbers of unique species live exactly there.

In ecology, an "endemic" species is one that in the whole world is found naturally only in a very limited area. This makes an endemic species not only very special but also much more vulnerable to extinction than more widely distributed species. Nearly 10% of the Yucatan's plant species are endemics. For example, the Yucatan is home to 14 endemic cactus species, and the northern Yucatan is home to ten of them. A similar situation exists for other kinds of organisms.

In other words, the "scrub" along northwestern Yucatan's coast -- though it may look barren to northern eyes -- is a unique and fragile ecosystem.

Unfortunately, real estate development is most active in this "scrub" area. When the land's surface is "cleaned of scrub," profound ecological damage is committed.

Even more disheartening than the gradual conversion of one small lot of "scrub" to dreamhome sandy backyard after another is the 2,200-acre Flamingo Lakes Golf & Country Club Resort being planned near Telchac Puerto on the northwestern coast. That development will absolutely destroy a huge swath of important cactus
ecosystem, plus runoff from its 18-hole Championship golf course will drain into the "flamingo lake" beside it, from which it takes its name. Flamingos do overwinter in that lake. And think of all the garbage the resort will generate.

The forces behind this development are far beyond my understanding or ability to do anything about. I do hope, however, that individuals who have their mind set on doing their part to "develop" the Yucatan's northwestern coast will keep this in mind:

You are participating in a tragic degradation of a beautiful and important ecosystem.

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90 years after his death, Emiliano Zapata lives on

From an article by David Agren in The News:

The small band of modern-day campesino leaders fiddled with their Blackberry devices as they waited to air their grievances. When it came their turn to speak at the press conference this past Monday, they promised nationwide protests over issues currently vexing the Mexican countryside.

Their issues ranged from low farm incomes to unfair competition ushered in by NAFTA to allegations that the federal government is manipulating social programs to establish rural support. And like many agricultural movement leaders over the past 90 years, these farming leaders invoked the name of revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata and his manifesto for taking up arms in the cause of land redistribution, the "Plan de Ayala."

"Zapata continues to be a symbol of dignity for the countryside in this country," said JosAc Narro Cespedes, leader of the national Plan de Ayala organization and a PRD candidate in Zacatecas.

Zapata died April 10, 1919, in an ambush, but his legacy lives on in modern Mexico, especially in his home state of Morelos. His call for "land and liberty" during the Mexican Revolution and his refusal to waver from his armed campaign to break up large haciendas and distribute the properties to those who worked the soil made him an icon for agricultural leaders, politicians, rebels and even some in the Catholic Church. To this day, Zapata inspires many of those same groups, even though some historians question the fidelity of modern-day Zapatistas - such as the EZLN rebels in Chiapas - to his agrarian ideals.

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A Flamingo Boat-trip in Celestún

EarthFoot offers tours in the Celestun Biosphere Reserve:

Visitors just arriving at Celestún are assailed by men with motorboats offering trips to see the flamingos. Though officials try to keep the men from approaching so close to the beautiful birds that they fly away, often the temptation to do so is too great. The boatmen know that the better pictures their clients take, the higher any tip may be.

Therefore, EarthFoot is a little wary of offering any flamingo-seeing tours at all. However, we believe that if local environmental groups and the government itself is monitoring the situation, and supporting the efforts of local people who make their livings from flamingo viewing -- and we have seen that this is the case with our own eyes -- EarthFoot should support the efforts as well. Nonetheless, anyone wanting to view Celestún's overwintering flamingos should hire a boatman who has been trained properly, and who is known as a responsible and knowledgeable individual. EarthFoot is confident that with Feliciano Pech, who speaks English, we have found someone we can work with.

Feliciano will take the visitor by boat into Celestún Estuary to visit the main feeding area of the American Flamingo. There may be as many as 18,000 birds to be seen at one time, creating an incredibly brilliant sea of pink. Other interesting species of bird will also be seen, such as Anhingas, Ospreys, Cormorants and Frigate birds.

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The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) launches news Web site

From an announcement by TIES:

Take a minute to review the fantastic new features, and share the news with your friends and colleagues!

TIES New Look & Logo
We're thrilled to roll out the new and improved look of our website, with colorful, easy-to-navigate features that will significantly enhance your exerience with the site. Wondering if there's something different about the way our logo looks? You're right: With the redesigning of the website, we've also updated our logo! Start exploring: www.ecotourism.org

Ecotourism Explorer: 360° of Ecotourism
An online community featuring a state-of-the-art interactive map, Ecotourism Explorer is a global network for individuals and organizations committed to the principles of ecotourism. Every member has a unique profile on Ecotourism Explorer. Not yet a member? Join Now and get on the Map.

Ecotourism Job Board
Updated daily with new jobs, internship positions and volunteer opportunities, TIES Ecotourism Job Board is a new go-to place for students and professionals seeking new opportunities, and for organizations looking to advertise vacancies through a highly visible website. Search Ecotourism Jobs

Marketing Opportunities
Through Ecotourism Explorer, ecoDestinations, conferences, advertising, and member-to-member discounts, TIES offers various marketing benefits for members of all levels. Learn how you can take advantage of TIES global network to promote your ecotourism initiatives and reach your target audience! Marketing Opportunities

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Avoid tourism greenwashers

From The Green Life published by the Sierra Club:

It's wonderful that many travel providers are "going green" but when making reservations, be wary of the many that are using the term as a shallow, unsubstantiated marketing ploy. How can you tell who's walking the walk and who's just talking the talk? Read good guidelines here, here and here (PDF) to learn how to weed out the 'washers. A brief summary for the time-pressed: Have a healthy dose of skepticism, ask lots of questions, trust your common sense (any claim of an eco-friendly golf course, for example, borders on the oxymoronic), and look for certification.

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Official sites for Mexican states on the peninsula

The sites are in Spanish, of course:

+ Campeche
+ Chiapas
+ Yucatán
+ Quintano Roo

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Ecological Tourism would begin with the community's genuine needs

From the introduction to an interview posted on EcoClub:

Interviewed by ECOCLUB.com, Brian Tokar, author and leading critical voice for ecological activism since the 1970s, and currently the Director of the Institute for Social Ecology, based in Vermont, United States, pointed out that a more genuine ecological tourism would necessarily begin with the genuine needs and lived realities of the host community: "Visitors would participate in ongoing community activities and voluntary forms of service to their hosts. Facilities would necessarily be owned and managed by local people and genuinely reflect the community's lifeways, rather than some idealized or repackaged version of those".

The fundamental problem with Tourism today, according to Mr Tokar was that
"it transforms communities and important natural areas toward serving the desires and perceived needs of more affluent people who come to visit from other parts of the world".

Brian Tokar was especially skeptical of carbon offsetting for travel, "with many carbon offset projects ultimately doing more harm than good". Asked about how optimistic he was about the new US administration, he replied that "we may be seeing as much change as is possible within the constraints of the current structures" but that it is clearly not enough in the face of mounting ecological and economic disruptions.

>> The full interview can be found at:
http://www.ecoclub.com/news/101/interview.html

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Baby turtle vs. plastic bag

From EcoOcean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-paP7rjscwo

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Can Cozumel survive more tourists?

From a post by Lisa Coleman on Mexico Premiere:

I was doing my usual surfing for blog topics and I came across this press release. My first thought: “that’s interesting.” My next thought, “enough is enough.” I guess I just don’t understand the need to build an amusement park in Cozumel. It breaks my heart when the lure of money pushes all concern for nature and preservation to the back burner. I fully embrace the educational aspect of “Mayan Adventure,” but the “man-made beach,” and “indoor/outdoor high speed roller coaster” are a bit much, don’t you think?

A man-made beach? That is code for “we destroyed acres and acres of natural landscape and moved sand to accommodate more people.” What’s up with that? The entire island of Cozumel is only 26 miles long and 9 miles wide and is already stuffed with over a million daily cruise ship passengers a year.

There is only one town and the reef system (considered one of the most beautiful in the world) has already suffered considerable damage from the influx of divers and boaters.

This is my favorite quote:
Henny Watts, Owner/CEO ReMax Cozumel, said: “This is a great opportunity for Cozumel. It helps put Cozumel on the map and allows tourist to see how much of a beautiful jewel Cozumel really is“.

I’m not seeing it. To me, this only serves to further destroy what is left of this “beautiful jewel.” You be the judge, but I think the last thing Cozumel needs is a mini Disneyland that expects 1.4 million visitors a year.

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