How 14 Days In The Yucatan Made Me Realize The Value of Planet Earth

From a post by Shawna Coronado on her blog Gradening Nude on Chicago Now:

. . . My family and I took the eco-journey of a lifetime in 2009 into the jungles, caves, and ocean of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Above you see me getting ready to zipline across a jungle - note the giant grin - it was a blast! I wrote and posted a blog every day for fourteen days about our journey using greening and eco-nature information as a tool to educate readers about environmental concerns in the world. . . .

Understanding the fact that we impact all of the world, not just our little corner is so important. For example, areas of coral are dying out in the Yucatan from our fertilizer run-off. If the chemicals do not go down into our water aquifer, they are whooshed out through the storm water system. All those chemicals then react with ocean life - ultimately causing green blooms and death where ever the chemicals settle. This is disastrous for coral.

Who taught me that? An amazing man in Akumal, Mexico named Paul Sanchez- Navarro who is the Director of Centro Ecological Akumal (Photo to the right). He explained how nearly one quarter of all marine species are believed to depend on coral at some stage of their development. Many fish live their entire lives on reefs, while others use them as nurseries; if the coral dies out it is assumed the fish will too. The economic impact of losing coral is also significant - in the billions of dollars worldwide.

There were so many questions I wanted answered when I returned from the trip. What will happen if we are unable to provide fish for the world to eat? Will people starve? Without the coral and fish, millions of people will lose their jobs and be unable to support themselves. Without smaller fish which inhabit the coral reefs will all the larger fish die such as tuna and shark - the very same fish we use to feed our nation?

We went to jungles, beaches, caves, and protected eco-parks throughout the Yucatan Peninsula area and experienced some incredible things in nature, but one of the most powerful messages I saw everywhere we went is that you have an impact on planet earth. What we do here in the U.S. directly touches the rest of the world - the water supply issue is just the beginning.

Make a difference for planet earth - start paying attention to the chemicals, fertilizers, and products you use at home that might be making a difference half-way around the world.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community!

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New Year's Eve traditions in Mexico

From an article by Daniel Wheeler on Mexconnect:

The year-end holidays in Mexico are always known for time honored traditions and a family oriented spirit. You can sing Christmas carols with your friends and family and enjoy some buñuelos, tamales and ponche spiked with rum.

Then comes New Year's Eve. And while it has its traditions, this holiday is not so family-oriented.

The most important beach destinations in Mexico are packed with young people looking for a good time. The most visited ones are Acapulco, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. They are always packed with young Mexicans who travel in groups to get together and have fun with friends on the last night of the year.

Upscale hotels and restaurants host New Year's Eve dinners with festive menus and orchestras for dancing.

What you wear on New Year's Eve is thought to influence your destiny during the next 12 months. Some dress in white from head to toe to invite good vibrations and assure a good year spiritually. Green clothing attracts a year of good health. Wearing red underwear is said to bring love, while yellow underwear brings wealth. And no, it's not fair to wear both colors. You have to decide which is more important.

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Sustainable travel to Chichén Itzá

From the Insider's Guide to Chichén Itzá published by the World Heritage Alliance:

Like the slithering shadow that snakes down the Pyramid of Kukulkán at the spring and autumn equinoxes each year, the influx of tourism—which draws 5,000 visitors to this site each day—carries its own threat. Here are eight actions you can take to enjoy, protect, and enhance Chichén Itzá.

• Respect the monuments. The structures of this Maya city are more than a thousand years old. Climbing the monuments is forbidden. Tread lightly and take out all that you carried in.
• Take your time. Give yourself at least four hours to explore all of Chichén, its old city as well as later-period monuments.
• Learn about Maya achievements. The Observatory of Caracol conveys Maya notions of astronomy, time, and math.
• Hire local guides. Support the regional economy and see the site as locals view it by selecting guides that are recommended by community-based tour operators.
• Refrain from bargaining for crafts. Visit the official center for local artisans in the nearby town of Piste.
• Spend the night at a local inn. Stick around after the daytrippers depart for a taste of regional culture and cuisine.
• Explore the region around Chichén. Visit the cave of Balankanché, a Maya ceremonial space, and the Cenote Zací, at the heart of the town of Valladolid.
• Preserve the environment. Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

For more information on responsible travel and for ideas about preserving destinations, visit www.friendsofworldheritage.org

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Maya built elaborate subterranean aqueducts to deal with streams

From an article by Charles Q. Choi on MSNBC:

The ancient Mayans may have had enough engineering know-how to master running water, creating fountains and even toilets by controlling water pressure, scientists now suggest.

Perhaps the earliest known example of the intentional creation of water pressure was found on the island of Crete in a Minoan palace dating back to roughly 1400 BC. In the New World, the ability to generate water pressure was previously thought to have begun only with the arrival of the Spanish.

Scientists investigated the Mayan center at Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico. At its height, this major site, inhabited from roughly 100 to 800 AD, had some 1,500 structures — residences, palaces, and temples — holding some 6,000 inhabitants under a series of powerful rulers.

The center at Palenque also had what was arguably the most unique and intricate system of water management known anywhere in the Maya lowlands. These involved elaborate subterranean aqueducts to deal with the spring-fed streams that naturally divide the landscape and could otherwise cause flooding or erosion.

"The ancient Maya called this city Lakamha' or 'Big Water' because of its nine perennial waterways, 56 springs, and hundreds of meters of cascades," said researcher Kirk French, an archaeologist at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.

One peculiar finding at Palenque was a buried, spring-fed conduit some 216 feet long (66 m). While other aqueducts under the site's main plaza stayed relatively level and maintained a roughly constant width, the rectangular conduit was located on a steep slope and abruptly narrowed at its end.

Assuming this sloping conduit was smoothly plastered as the aqueducts were at Palenque, the researchers calculated the resulting water pressure could drive a fountain shooting water roughly 20 feet high (6 m).

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Continentally important proposal for the Yucatan Peninsula

From a proposal by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative:

The Yucatan is extraordinarily important for the conservation of both terrestrial and aquatic species. Its habitats are remarkably diverse, consisting of savannas, palm forests, a wide variety of deciduous and semi-evergreen tropical forests, fresh and coastal wetlands, caverns, and sink holes. The northeastern portion of the Yucatan is a high priority region for Jaguar conservation in Mexico. The region’s coastal mangroves and freshwater wetlands are the prime reproductive habitat for the endangered American Crocodile and the Moreleti´s Crocodile.

Unfortunately, the last five years have seen massive investments in tourism projects,
such as golf courses, marinas, and resorts, particularly in Quintana Roo. ...

The proposal involves collaboration with the Central Hardwoods Joint Venture in the United States to bi-nationally conserve shared migratory species, such as Wood Thrush and Kentucky Warbler. The Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region (BCR) is an ecological transition zone where historically extensive tallgrass prairie and oak savanna to the north and west graded into pine woodlands to the south and mixed forests to the east. The Joint Venture has identified three sites to carry out habitat projects that counter increasing development pressures, mitigate negative pressures from recreation, and introduce prescribed fire to ecosystems where fire and other disturbances once helped maintain diversity at landscape scales.

To achieve habitat goals in the Yucatan, partners are proposing over US$52 million worth of conservation activities. The Central Hardwoods portion of the proposal lays out a plan to spend a total of over US$6 million in the three locations. The main project outcomes will be:
• The protection of an estimated 45,000 hectares of bird habitat in the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
• The first land conservation trust established in southern Mexico and a land stewardship endowment.
• A regional bird monitoring network and database for the Yucatan Peninsula.
• A regional fire management plan, regional cattle plan and best management practices, and Sustainable Cattle Ranchers Association.
• Participation in a Pride Educational Campaign by 28,000 people in the States of Yucatan and Quintana Roo.
• The consolidation of the Yucatan Peninsula Alliance for Birds and coordination with the Central Hardwoods Joint Venture.

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Mayas to have a palace in southeast Mexico

From an article by Juan David Leal in the Latin American Herald Tribune:

YAXCABA, Mexico – The Maya culture, which reached its peak more than a thousand years ago, will soon have a new and enormous museum in the jungles of Mexico divulging its secrets, authorities of the southeastern Mexican state of Yucatan said.

Construction of the Palace of the Maya Civilization began Monday, coinciding with the beginning of the winter solstice, on 400 hectares (988 acres) of land in the municipality of Yaxcaba.

Yucatan Gov. Ivonne Ortega laid the cornerstone for the project, which will consist of six galleries to be built in several stages. The first two will require an investment of 300 million pesos ($23.6 million).

This cultural space will be “a building that shines with technology, but with the same mythical and mystical spirit that invests the archaeological areas of Uxmal and Ek Balam,” Ortega said.

She said that the palace, located 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, “will attract an additional 500,000 tourists to Yucutan in the short term.”

“We’re going to promote the cultural renaissance and the international renaissance of our art and our traditions,” Ortega said to hundreds of Indians from nearby towns, most of them living in dire poverty.

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Christmas in the Yucatán

From an article on Yucatan Today:

The chillier nights of December mean Christmas is on the way. While we cannot offer you snow-covered lanes or chimneys for Santa, Mexico does have its own unique and memorable array of traditions.

Las Posadas: Christmas festivities begin on December 16 with posadas, nine consecutive days of candlelight processions and lively parties. Throughout Mexico, young people gather in the afternoons to reenact the holy family's quest for a place to sleep in Bethlehem. The procession is headed by a diminutive Virgen María, often sitting atop a live burro, led by an equally tiny José. They are followed by other children who portray angels, the Three Kings, and a host of shepherds, all decked out in colorful handmade costumes and carrying walking staffs or paper lanterns.

The parade of holy pilgrims stops at a designated house to sing a traditional litany in which the holy family requests shelter for the night and those waiting behind the closed door continue to turn them away. They proceed to a second home where the scene is repeated. At the third stop the pilgrims are told that while there is no room at the inn, they are welcome to take refuge in the stable. The doors are opened to the weary travelers and everyone is invited to enter. While this is an active way of teaching children the story of the Nativity, the chief attraction is the merrymaking that follows, the ruthless smashing of piñatas and a mad scramble for the shower of candies released from within.

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Where to dive into Mexico's underwater wonders

From an article by Christine DelSol on Seattlepi.com:

Mexico's Caribbean coast is as close to ideal for a scuba beginner as you can get. It flanks the Great Maya Reef chain, second-largest in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Capable dive instructors are as plentiful as iguanas, and when you break from the intricacies of nitrogen intake and pressure gauges, you have Maya ruins and friendly villages to explore, comfortable hotels and great restaurants at your disposal, and as much nightlife as you can handle. It may not be so for the skilled and slightly world-weary divers whose next stop is Thailand, Mauritius or the Red Sea, but for a beginner the right patch of terra firma is just as important as what's underwater. Open-water certification courses take four days, more of it on land than in the water.

Here are my best scuba spot candidates so far. Cancún dropped off the list early on; though its shallow reef and colorful marine life are certainly suited to beginners, the underwater scenery can't compare to nearby spots, and there are other places where I'd rather spend my time. Tulum was another early casualty, with a stunning reef just beyond its world-famous beaches, but dive operators who concentrate almost exclusively on cenote and cave diving, which is not for beginners. . . .

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Cenotes: The Sacred Waters of the Riviera Maya

From an article on Playa Maya News:

The natural wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula are countless, but some of the most unique to the area are the cenotes. Cenotes are created by an underground river system and are fresh water sink holes that the Maya considered to be sacred. In addition they were an incredibly important resource as a fresh water source, and the Mayans also believed they were the entrance to the underworld. Cenote, (say-NOH-tay) called dzonot (ZO-note) by the ancient Maya were defined by the Motul dictionary, a dictionary of Mayan hieroglyphics, as "abysmal and deep" or "hole filled with water".

Millions of years ago, the Yucatan Peninsula was covered by the ocean. Some 15,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, the sea level descended approximately 250 feet.

For thousands of years, the porous land surface, formed by fossilized coral and limestone, has filtered rainwater, which dissolved parts of the subsoil. This process created a system formed by flooded underground rivers and caves. This phenomenon is truly unique, and makes up the largest network of caverns in the world.

Cenotes are formed when the roof of a cavern collapses due to erosion. The level of the water also contributes to the creation of cenotes: if it is too low, it does not provide enough support, which causes the roof to weaken and cave in.

The depth of each cenote depends of the amount of natural debris that has accumulated through erosion in addition to the remains of the roof that collapsed. The water that gathers in these amazing natural wonders is a crystal clear turquoise color with a very pleasant temperature of 78°.

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Destination spotlight: Hacienda Chichen Resort

From the introduction to Hacienda Chichen Resort's green commitment:

Hacienda Chichen Resort, is Yucatan's best Green hotel and Eco-Spa Wellness Destination. This unique eco-hotel is a Colonial historic landmark in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, with a high Eco-Cultural commitment and strong ecological safe practices. Hacienda Chichen is found within the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. For three generations, the owners have kept this Mayan paradise with great environmental care, protecting Yucatan's fauna (animals) and flora (plants), respecting the Yucatan's historical legacy, and its impressive Maya and Colonial cultural heritage.

Indeed, our NGO volunteer staff and former guests have witness how the Hacienda Chichen Resort and Yaxkin Spa exercise well organized efforts in their operation and administration to make positive contributions directly related to the environment: flora and fauna, native Maya cultural traditions, and support the local-community welfare in rural Mayan towns such as Xcalacoop. For sure, no other hotel in the region of Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, is so wholeheartedly committed to Responsible Sustainable Tourism as is the Hacienda Chichen.

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Mexico Tourism Board announces its first social media giveaway

From an announcement on the Visit Mexico Web site:

Mexico City- Mexico; December 16th, 2009 – The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) is excited to announce its first Facebook giveaway- an amazing 4-Day, 3-Night trip for two guests to the popular tourist destination of Cancun. Winners will stay at the luxurious Omni Cancun Hotel & Villas, and will include roundtrip airfare.

By simply becoming a fan of the MTB’s Facebook Page by December 28th, users are automatically entered to win. http://tinyurl.com/winmexicotrip. The trip is a way to give back and thank the growing online community of Mexico fans.

The Mexico Tourism Board launched their official “We Visit Mexico” social media presence on Facebook among other sites including Twitter, Youtube and Flickr, to talk to travelers in a more personal way.

The platform allows past, present and future travelers to post pictures, stories and experiences, about traveling to Mexico. Discussions include great places, people, activities, culture and food. People can also share their pictures and videos of their trips to Mexico.

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Akumal library needs toys for Christmas

From a post on the blog of Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal:

This year we are trying something new, we asked the kids to write down what they wanted for Christmas. Below is a list of the Christmas Wishes of kids who regularly come to the library and participate in our programs. We are hoping to find sponsors to help purchase or bring all of these gifts.

To help us keep track of gifts that are already accounted for, please send us a brief email (akumallibrary@gmail.com) if you are bringing any gifts. That way we can remove it from the list, to avoid duplicates.

Christmas Gift Wish List:

--Converse Chuck Taylor all stars style sneakers-- please note that a knock-off or off-brand (not converse brand) would be fine:
2 pairs white, youth size 5
1 pair black or white youth size 4.5
1 pair, any color, youth size 4
--Mac the truck toy from Cars movie or Superman action figure
--5 shoe style rollerskates, youth sizes: 2, 2, 2.5, 4, 4.5,
--4 Max Steel Action Figure Dolls (or other superhero if you can't find Max Steel)
--10 Remote control cars (with an extra set of batteries, if possible, since many families cannot afford to buy replacements. Usually we ask people not to bring battery operated toys, we are making an exception this year for Santa!)
--5 dolls: 1 that crawls, 1 that sings/dances, 1 that cries, 1 with pacifier, 1 with stroller
--drum
--skateboard

-->Not coming to Akumal but want to help us get these gifts? You can make a donation, just let us know it's for Christmas gifts and we'll use the funds for that purpose.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe

From an article by Carol Wheeler on MexConnect:

The Virgin of Guadalupe first appeared in Mexico in 1531 to Juan Diego and, as proof of her visit, caused roses to bloom at the site. Because church leaders did not believe he had seen her, she instructed Juan Diego to gather a bouquet in his cloak, or tilma, and take them back with him. When the bishops opened the cloak, the Virgin's portrait appeared. The original tilma is on display in her Basilica in Mexico City.

The Virgin who appeared on Tepeyac hill on a frosty morning in 1531 was a different one than the majestic images that adorned churches and cathedrals in Europe. Her skin was the coppery brown of Mexico's indigenous peoples, and her language was their native tongue.

She spoke to Juan Diego softly, gently, with the loving tone of a mother. More importantly, her miraculous image on his tilma vindicated the Indian man before the Bishop.

A beloved manifestation of the Christian faith, Our Lady of Guadalupe is a champion of the oppressed everywhere. She is queen of the heavens — she stands on the moon and her cloak holds the stars.

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Copenhagen climate conference: What you need to know

From an article by Christine Dell'Amore on National Geographic News:

What Is COP15?
"COP15" acronym is short for the 15th Conference of Parties, or countries, to the UNFCC. COP15 is also the fifth meeting of parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding emissions-reduction treaty created in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. The Kyoto agreement aims to reduce global industrial greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5 percent against 1990 levels over a five-year period—from 2008 to 2012.

The Kyoto climate treaty, which went into force in 2005, was ratified by 185 nations but not the United States.

Because the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, an "ambitious new deal" needs to be worked out this year to provide governments guidance beyond Kyoto, the UNFCC says.

What Are the Copenhagen Climate Conference's Goals?
The UN Framework on Climate Change aims to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases to a level that will not create "dangerous" interference with the climate.

Though there is still debate as to what constitutes "dangerous," the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere before the industrial revolution was 278 parts per million, contrasted with 381 today.

By 2050 the UNFCC hopes to cut atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations in half, versus 2000 levels.

The Copenhagen climate conference has four achievable goals, according to the UNFCC:

1. Make clear how much developed countries, such as the U.S., Australia, and Japan, will limit their greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Determine how, and to what degree, developing countries, such as China, India, and Brazil, can limit their emissions without limiting economic growth.

3. Explore options for "stable and predictable financing" from developed countries that can help the developing world reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.

4. Identify ways to ensure developing countries are treated as equal partners in decision-making, particularly when it comes to technology and finance.

Possible Outcomes of the Climate Conference?
According to the International Institute for Environment and Development, there could be several outcomes to the Copenhagen climate conference, including the following:

1. No agreement: The meeting could result in a decision to resume talks in 2010.

2. Voluntary agreement: The climate conference could yield nonbinding pact that allows each government to decide its own goals and how to reach them. Opponents to this approach argue that targets need to be internationally binding and enforced. Otherwise, they say, reductions will take too long or not happen at all.

3. Binding agreement: A new legally binding agreement, ratified at the December climate conference, could replace Kyoto when the protocol expires in 2012.

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From Yucatán Wildlife:

Welcome to the world of nature in the Yucatan peninsula! This area is well known for the beach resorts of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. But few nature lovers know that there are many exciting opportunities for watching wildlife, which are only hours away from the tourist hotspots of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.

The Yucatan Peninsula has incredible bio-diversity. It is home to 50% of all the birds living in Mexico, several of them endemic, 25% of Mexican mammals, and 10% of Mexico´s flora

Yucatán Wildlife has photos and descriptions of mammels, birds, reptiles, fish, and more.

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Destination spotlight: Yucatán Mayan Retreat

From the Yucatán Maya Retreat Web site:

The Yucatan Mayan Retreat is for people who want to get away from the big hotels chains and receive personalized services in a private setting. Guests have the opportunity to interact with the Mayan community, making this experience one of the most unforgettable ones of their lives, especially for vacationers and adventurers who love travelling off the beaten path.

Located in the heart of Mexico’s Mayan Region, the Yucatan Mayan Retreat offers guests a personalized service of exploration and discovery of the Mayan culture and sites.

Just 10 minutes away from the Chichen Itza ruins and 2 minutes away from the Yokdzonot cenote (sinkhole), guests of the Yucatan Mayan Retreat stay in a quiet and relaxing environment, away from noise, surrounded by the mystical trees and sounds of the Mayan jungle.

Guests at the Yucatan Mayan Retreat may choose to stay in one of our fully-equipped suites or, for those who want to commune more with nature, guests may choose to stay in our camping area, where they have access to facilities to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

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Day trip in Yucatan: The Puuc Route

From an article on Yucatan Today:

Since Chichén Itzá was named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World on July 7th, 2007, the site has been inundated with tourism from Yucatán, Mexico, and the rest of the world. In the meantime, Uxmal and the Puuc Route are seeing fewer visitors. This means that now is the perfect time to visit this area of the Mayan world. With so few people to disturb the peace and serenity of the area, you WILL feel the mythical mysticism at all the sites.

The Yucatan Today editorial staff did this trip recently to update our information, see what’s new and just have a nice/different Sunday. We came back from the excursion bursting with ideas having seen a whole new “Ruta Puuc”.

With so few visitors we almost felt like Catherwood and Stephens as we traipsed around the sites. We were the only people at Kabah (it was early), giving us wonderful photo opportunities. The Palace of the Chaac Masks (Codz Poop) with all the chaac masks on the front façade and the two statues on the back were quite special in the early morning.

Ten kilometers later we were at Sayil, where once again we had the site almost to ourselves. The stellae at the entrance are impressive and amazing when you try to imagine Mayan people carving them centuries ago. This is where you will see the pyramid on our cover. Xlapak, 5 kilometers from Sayil, is a very small site but very worthwhile, and the entry is free.

At the larger site, Labna, 4 kilometers from Xlapak, it hit me that this is a route that is perfect not only for tourists but also for locals. The caretaker’s wife has a mini-nursery where I bought eight plants – some in hanging baskets, others in cans. This is where I envisioned local women buying plants for their homes while enjoying a Sunday outing with their families. Labna’s famous arch and crested building atop a mound are the perfect backgrounds for photos.

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NOAA shows turtle protection prosecution

From the narrative of a video on NOAA Today:

The U.S. Government has charged NOAA with enforcing the laws and treaties related to the conservation and protection of marine resources. The Office of Law Enforcement investigates crimes, and the Marine Forensic Lab provides scientific evidence to support their cases. Together they bring Marine Criminals to justice. Here are their stories.

January 2007. Investigators in Puerto Rico were tipped off that an organized ring of poachers was selling turtle meat on the black market. All seven species of marine turtles are protected under an international treaty.

February 24, 2007. Officers observed a suspicious vessel. On board they found a slaughtered green sea turtle, a spear gun, knives, and blood. This evidence was shipped to the Marine Forensics Lab in Charleston, South Carolina. Scientists extracted DNA from subsamples of the evidence. From this analysis, scientists conclusively identified traces of at least three individuals: one Green Sea Turtle and two Hawksbill Turtles.

This evidence was used to convict the turtle poachers on charges of illegally fishing and selling the meat and eggs of an endangered species.

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ID guide for Cancun-area fish

A three-page printable PDF fish ID guide is posted on cancunmap.com. Here's one of the pages.

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