The full realization of an eco-city may still be a dream, but it is one that is appealing to more of the citizens of Bahia de Caraquez. Instead of building a compost bin, which would be costly due to the price of wood, he is going to take the suggestion of a friend and attempt to dig a compost pit in the ground. He will report on his experience with other schools and institutions that may wish to start composting on-site. I provided a copy of the Ecological Plan to another reporter, and was interviewed about my role in its creation and publicizing. Two grant proposals were revised, and I am now waiting to hear back from various organizations that may be interested in funding the proposals.
Many possibilities exist for future projects.
During a visit on my last night in Bahia, Flor Maria Duenas spoke passionately about her dream, which is to attack the problem of sewage in Bahia de Caraquez, and also in the Fanca district of Leonidas Plaza, a neighboring suburb of Bahia. Gabriella Chejtman would like to coordinate a volunteer program for environmental professionals, with the ultimate goal of performing environmental impact assessments to relocate the municipal landfill to a more suitable location. In August, Peter Berg will return to Bahia, and may be working with a specialist in alternative energy to explore the possibility of creating a demonstration site that incorporates alternative energy systems into the typical local architectural style. The celebration before the beginning of Lent is one of the most important holidays of the year in Ecuador. The mayor and Jacob Santos of the Bahia Bed and Breakfast Inn, seemed ambivalent about Carnaval.