I'm in my new house!

...and a full description with pictures will come soon...

In the meantime, here's a post from a few weeks ago, on Tire Toucans

~Bandera Azul, and How to Make a Tire Toucan~

The Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica is, I believe, and initiative by the Primera Dama, the First Lady, of Panamá NAME NAME de Martinelli. It is a program for schools, in which the schools take part in certain activities and modes, and in return, the schools get Stars. Currently, my Primaria has 3 stars, but there are high hopes for the 4^th coming soon.

The program puts strong emphasis on the same things as do similar programs in the United States. They advocate “reducir, reutilizar y reciclar”, conservation of endangered species such as iguanas, and home/school gardens. The context is a bit different, as many of the families here have flourishing fruit trees in their backyards, and the streets are lined with guava, marañon, and guineo (guava, cashew, and banana), and iguanas scamper about in the yards and trees in company with other lizardy friends, but the ideas are there. The program also supports ideas like non-littering and aesthetics a la potted plants and nature-themed murals.

So, enough general background. Today, May 29^th , a handful of officials from Bandera Azul came to my Primaria with a 2-person camera crew, and filmed some of the relevant successes of the school. One teacher talked about the fogóns they have, which are the among the most efficient model of wood-burning stove they have here, if not the most efficient (most heat for the wood, also very little smoke), which were built in cooperation with Cosecha, another environmental development group here. A 5^th grader had a chance for his 5 minutes of fame, as he showed the camera the various art projects that he and his classmates have made from recycled or reused materials, and they also took footage of some 6^th grade artwork, as well as the murals and painted tiles that are part of the schools general appearance.

The highlight of the future TV program, and their visit today at least for me, however, was the DIY guide to making Tire Toucans, and so I impart the instructions to you!

1. Get an car tire
2. Mark a section 2 handspands wide on one side- more or less about a third of the circumference
3. Mark a line about 2 inches from the inside edge, outside of the previously marked section
4. Cut along marked line, and make a parallel cut on the other side of the tire
5. Cut across the broad surface of the tire on one side, about 6” short of the end of the previous marked lines- this is the TAIL
   1. You should now have 1 unit, with 2 complete circles connected on one side of the tire by that 2-handspan-section, with a section of the tread hanging by one end (TAIL)
6. Cut the sides of that 6” section free, and cut it (parallel to the sides of the section) in the middle
7. Holding the tail in place, perhaps by stepping on it, turn the 2 circles and other area of tread inside-out
8. Take a hard piece of wood or plastic in the shape of a toucan's beak, and drill a hole near the upper corner
9. Drill corresponding holes on the inner corners of that divided 6” section
10. Position the BEAK in the divide, aligning the drilled holes such that the contact is between the BEAK and the tread-side of the tire; affix with nut-and-bolt
    
    
    
    
    I wanted to give you some pictures, but it's entirely too hot, and I want to go home, so, sorry...better luck next time!