Get Out and Enjoy– Paint Art and Music

20 de junio de 2009 – Plaza Francia Casco Viejo
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Artists Painting / Artistas Pintando
7:00PM – ¿? – LIVE AUCTION / SUBASTA EN VIVO!! Lobby De INAC

“Wet Paint” is a biannual fund raising event and painting on-site – with WET PAINT AUCTION!!!

Artists from all over the country converge for a day in the amazing Plaza de France of the Plaza de Francia del Casco Antiguo, then in the afternoon the same day, selling their works through a live auction held to raise funds benefit of a project conducted by the la Oficina del Casco Antiguo en alianza con la Fundación Sinfonía Concertante de Panamá.

Wet Paint 2 coincides with “La Fiesta de la Música”, organized by the French Embassy. “La Fiesta de la Música”, is a festival of music and art born in France in 1982 whose goal is to open the streets to the public so that the general public can interact with professional and amateur musicians. Currently, the Music Festival is celebrated in over 100 countries!

“Arte en Vivo” es un evento bianual de recaudación de fondos y pintura en sitio

Artistas de todo el país convergen durante todo un día en la increíble Plaza de Francia del Casco Antiguo para luego, en horas de la tarde del mismo día, vender sus obras a través de una subasta en vivo, organizada con el fin de recaudar fondos a beneficio de un proyecto que realizará la Oficina del Casco Antiguo en alianza con la Fundación Sinfonía Concertante de Panamá.

Arte en Vivo 2 coincide con “La Fiesta de la Música”, organizado por la Embajada Francesa. “Fiesta de la Música” es un festival de música y arte nacido en Francia en el año 1982 cuyo objetivo es abrir las calles al público de manera que el público en general pueda interactuar con los músicos aficionados y profesionales.  Actualmente, el Festival de Música se celebra en más de 100 países!

K

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IT’S EARTH DAY!! Reduce Reuse Recycle The Three R’s

In Spanish the message is REDUCIR, REUTILIZAR Y RECICLAR Los Tres R’s

Yesterday at the regular monthly meeting of the Environmental Committee of Panamcham, Jennifer Simpson the Committee chairperson convened an exciting meeting where 4 different groups form Panama all came together to confirm that Panama was awake to the importance of the environment and there were programs and products that could help us achieve and maintain a clean and green Panama.

Our first speaker was Denisse Jurido from ANAM the environmental agency from Panama who gave us a wonderful guide to all the places in Panama where you can recycle various solid and liquid waste products from old batteries and old paint to glass and plastic bottles. This was an extensive guide done impressively on recycled paper. She also offered us a presentation on the garbage in our oceans and the damage it is doing to our ocean borne friends. Remember when you take that plastic piece that holds you rcans of soda together and cut it up fully before you throw it in the garbage becuase when it has wrapped itself around a baby turtle the disfigurement that is caused is lifelong and impedes the turtle’s ability to live in the wild and reproduce. She also reviewed the plastic bag problem which is overtaking our world with up a to a ti rillion plastic bags put nto the environment each year. Get a recyclable bag that you can take with you when you shop and use it, not more plastic bags. currently all major supermarkets in Panama, the Rey, Riba Smith and Super 99 are offering these recyclable bags.

Our next speaker was Mariela Frutto from FAS Panama (Fundacion de Accion Social por Panama) FAS is definitely putting recycling into action and they do pick ups in the city of Panama when you have things to be recycled. This is a non-profit Foundation and they have many corporate sponsors. They are creating programs to get more education out into the communities of Panama and into the school system. They are well aware that they need to enroll the population of Panama into the importance of protecting the environment and to think recycling right at source. Sort your garbage, and call FAS to come and get it but if you can’t sort it out or you are not sure what you are dealing with, email them faspanama2003@yahoo.com to pick it up and they will sort it and hold it until they have enough of one sort of recyclable to call the right organization to come and pick it all up.

They support the project in Parque Omar in Panama City where there are bins to help you to sort your recyclables and to allow you to dispose of all your recyclables in one trip.

We then heard from Erika Velasquez of Reciclaje PTY, a group of young people who are actively trying to let other young people in Panama know that they should get involved and start to encourage recycling wherever they are. They work on the computer and in the social networking site Facebook. Once a month they organize a recycling drive at Parque Omar and encourage all of Panama to come out and learn about what they can do to help keep Panama green. To contact Erika and her group email: planeta.mio@gmail.com Erika also works to get great homes for cats and dogs needing a home.

Our final official speaker was Sarah Mendoza from Tierra Natural whose company produces bio-degradable products for use in place of the foam, paper and plasiticized plates and glasses we use when we are having a crowd or in a setting where temporary dishes, and cutlery are required. Most of the so called products we currently use will not breakdown for months and years so clog up our landfill and pollute our world. the plastic bags and plates, cups and cutlery produced by Tierra Natural which will completely break down in 90 days leaving no contaminated landfills in their wake. These products are made from sugar cane fibers and bamboo fibers and are designed to be as cost efficient as the toxic products we currently use so we can “do the right thing” and it will not affect our pocketbook adversely. For more information email: info@tierranatural.net

However, Roger McMullen an invesntor of the McMullen Process spoke to us briefly as he has helped to invent a combustible process where all waste, be it batteries or sewage, plastic bags or broken cement are combusted at incredibly high heat and the by-products are electrical energy which can add to the electrical grid of a city or an area, inert carbon which of course can be used to removes toxic gases from contaminated sites and products and potable water. Even if you do not really want to drink this water, certainly you can use it for your plants and clothes washing. For more information contact Roger at his email: mpatusa@yahoo.com

It was an incredibly exciting meeting and many of these groups did not know about one another, and no one previously knew about Roger as he has just recently come to Panama from New Zealand.

Good things are in the offing

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This Environmental Committe is Making a Difference

AMCHAM Environment Committee is a powerful force
13 April, 2009 12:00:00 Luis Miguel Blanco / The Panama Post
luis.blanco@rimolamedios.com
October 2007, the Environmental Committee was resurrected

The Committee also plans a special event featuring the creative side of being environmentally aware: an Eco Fashion show

The PanAmCham Environmental Committee has begun 2009 with a great series of presentations and renewed energy focused on bringing a heightened eco-friendly awareness to Panama.

January and Aqua-Terra

In January, the Committee hosted an outstanding presentation by Aqua-Terra, a company with an environmental vocation, made up of professionals and certified technicians with backgrounds in Urban Planning and Engineering and headed by Jose Angel Taquechel.

Forty members of the Environmental Committee watched an excellent audiovisual presentation on the technologies Aqua-Terra incorporates and the successes they have experienced in Panama. Some of their highly visible projects are soil erosion remediation along the Panama Canal and the new Colón highway.

Since 1997, Aqua-Terra has specialized in soil erosion and water management solutions. Building on key strategic alliances with world renowned eco technology developers. They have developed green engineering approaches and used bio engineering techniques to successfully achieve environmentally sustainable geo and pipe systems. More available on them at www.aqua-terra.ws.

February was Green Globe Certification month

February’s meeting covered the Green Globe Certification process developed for the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Green Globe Certification is a global certification system that performs third-party audits and verification of environmental practices for businesses, hotels and tourism companies, based on criteria from the United Nations, ISO 9001 and 14001 and the Rainforest Alliance. The certification covers issues such as Energy, Environment, Social Responsibility and Conservation.

The Caribe Hilton wanted to take their efforts to an internationally recognized level, so they committed to getting Green Globe Certified. Originally built in 1949 as the first ever Hilton outside of the United States, the Caribe Hilton had brought a strong environmental initiative to all aspects of its operations.

As it has been growing to over 800 rooms, the Caribe Hilton has reduced energy consumption by 10-15% in just the first year through simple projects such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, digital and programmable guest room thermostats, linen reuse/water conservation programs, and low flow toilets, faucets and showerheads.

They have also taken recycling to the next level by developing creative solutions when resources weren’t available, with food scraps going to a local farm, unused cooked food to a local charity, and glass bottles to a local artisan for meltdown and conversion into glasses and vases.

The first hotels in Central America to commit to Green Globe certification are right here in Panama: the Canal House, Rancho de Caldera and the American Trade Hotel. More information at www.greenglobecertification.com.

March and Mar Viva

Gabriela Etchelecu, the Executive Director of Mar Viva, was the guest speaker for the March meeting of AmCham’s Environmental Committee. Mar Viva is an NGO working in Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia to preserve and sustain marine resources and coasts and to protect and manage marine areas.

Since its inception, Mar Viva has successfully expanded to encompass a fleet of ten boats equipped with advanced navigational technology, allowing them to work in conjunction with local Coast Guards in controlling illegal fishing and guarding marine national parks. The principal objective is the recuperation of the ocean’s biodiversity.

Mar Viva has developed successful community programs on teaching sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation, including developing community pride in cleaning and maintaining beaches. They have also been a strong voice for positive legislation in Panama on protection of the Isla Coiba environment. More on Mar Viva at www.marviva.net.

Future plans for the AmCham
Environmental Committee include recycling initiatives in Panama and a Green Building Forum that will include international speakers on various aspects of the industry and permit local businesses to showcase their green products and consulting expertise.

The Committee also plans a special event featuring the creative side of being environmentally aware: an Eco Fashion show and competition where local designers will have the opportunity to create couture with an environmental theme.

The AmCham Environmental Committee meets at AmCham at 12 noon on the third Tuesday of every month for a light lunch, presentations and project development. For additional information, contact Jennifer Simpson at jsimpson@simpsonnfurones.com

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First Ever Recycling Benefit and Concert

RECICLATE!
La primera fiesta en Panama totalmente dedicada a reciclaje! Arte, musica, artesania – todo verde y reciclado. Celebramos nuestra conciencia y creatividad el dia 18 de Abril en La Casona de las Brujas. Si haces tus creaciones con materiales reciclados, estas bienvenido a participar! Intercambiamos las ideas y ensenamos que la basura puede servir para belleza!
VEN, PARTICIPA, CELEBRA CON NOSOTROS!

it is wonderful to see the energy around recycling and going green starting to build in Panama.  if the Martinelli team, Cambio Democratico, is elected in Panama and they lead by 15% over their nearest rivals, the incumbent party, we know from the man who will be named Tourism Minister that they will begin a big push towards “Green Tourism” and really putting Panama on the map of countries where being green is important.  There is lots of work to be done.

But as Luis Palomo and his company Aqua Terra are beginning to show the people of Panama thinking environmentally friendly long term solutions to big environmental problems like they have around the Panama Canal where the earth wants to constantly slide into the water, there is no other reasonable way to go.

The Environmental Committee of Panamcham is having a meeting on April 21st,  Earth Day, where they are introducing the Recyclers of Panama to the environmental committee so that we can help them get the word out.  Look for lots more information here on these pages.

Keeping Panama clean and green is everybody’s business.

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Dancing Congo with the Kids

In honor of the many black people who came from the Caribbean islands to work on the Panama Canal a style of dancing has been continued called Congo dancing.  It features colorful costumes and lots of traditions, like dancing with candles and with plates on their heads.  The music is fun and generally the people dancing have a great time.  The audience is very well entertained.

We were treated to some of this dancing one night at XS Bar and Grill, a restaurant along the Pacific Coast Highway at Santa Clara.  This is the home of Dennis and Sheila Parsick and the heart of the Educacion Primero fund, to help with children’s education in Cocle.  It turns out these young folks aged 5 – 10 needed some monies for their costumes.  EducacionPrimero and Dennis found the money and they came to say “Thank you”  What a charming evening!

Everybody dances

Dennis and the Kids

Alas it is over

The good news is at the end of the evening the young dance troupe walked away with over $146 it will provide treats and a little something extra for the dance troupe practices and hopefully, although unlikely buy this teacher somewthing special. Usually the teacher who sees the opportunity to give her students a sense of pride and a future that is different from the one that currently lies in front of them is totally consumed by her commitment.

These teachers are incredibly precious.. they are so rare.

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Spay and Neuter Clinics

The Panamanians love their pets just like we do although in many cases there is barely enough food to feed the family and so the dogs and cats can look a little emaciated.  Too often there is insufficint money for vets and so spaying and neutering is not done.  This of course leads to far too many dogs and cats, and many of the pets are not cared for at all.

One of the things that is done in many communities as a result of the support and encouragement by many expats to see this situation change is spay and neuter clinics.  The vets are fabulous working long, long intense hours under less than ideal condtions to deal with as many dogs and cats as possible in the course of the one day blitzes.

The volunteers end up driving people with their pets to and from the event and this can be very time consuming as many people live miles from where the clinic is being held.

Other volunteers trap the homeless cats and dogs and bring them to the clinic.  This is difficult and dangerous work as many of these animals are basically wild, so handling them is very tricky.  But the transformation of communities is dramatic as the number of uncared for puppies and kittens is being obviously reduced.  it also leaves more food for the animals who do have a home but need to supplement their food.

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Want to make a difference?

One of the things you find when you come to Panama is that there are not a lot of big charities and the government does not do all the things we may have been used to having governments do, so you become aware of wide cracks.  They also don’t tax and spend other people’s money but that is  a topic for another time.  One of the cracks that was discovered was in the education facilities that were available in Cocle, a province of Panama, particularly in the primary schools.  Often there were no real toilets available and the kids were provided with food from kitchens that had nothing, but an open bonfire on a cement floor.  This crack was filled to the extent they had time and money by EducacionPrimero a non – government organization cobbled together by some North Americans, Dennis and Sheila Parsick.  see the January magazine.

Then the teachers at the high school level started identifying some fantastic students with difficult home backgrounds and no money to pursue higher education and so a scholarship program called “Adopt a Dream” was born, first in the minds of Dennis and Sheila and then by putting the need out to the community and getting 5 children like this “adopted” by someone who agreed to help them with the costs of education, provided they stayed on the honor roll.

Then some incredibly talented younger children in high school were identified as needing help just to complete high school or in two cases to get them to a high school that could really provide an education that was in any way commensurate with their skills.  This is now known as the “preppie program”.

So fund raising is a constant issue.  One of the supporters of this amazing grass roots organization was David Morrison from Canada.  David was a member of a big Rotary Club in Canada and he got them interested in supporting this cause.  Dave knew that if they took this on there would be matching funds made available from the International organization.  Talk about a big double whammy.  Dave, single handed ran a raffle up in ice box land (Canada) and raised $7500 which was eligible for the Rotary International matching funds program. So that $7500 turned into $15,000.00 Yeah Dave.  That’s the difference one person can make.

But it does not stop there.  As a result of the Rotary inter-connectivity anyone anywhere who is a member of Rotary or knows someone who is, can use this particular program ID number to get a matching donation from their club. All of you can check it out at http://www.wasrag.org/projects.php?country=C project #47 I know if you aren’t involved with Rotary then you know someone that is,

So if you want to make a difference get a Rotary Club near you involved and they can contribute to this worthy cause..Then all the schools can have real bathrooms and real kitchen facilities; and more kids can get the education they deserve.

Need to know more contact your club presidents and/ or Dave at dave.morrison@rogers.com

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El Valle de Anton Recycles

I was absolutely thrilled to hear that El Valle as a community has taken on recycling. They have also taken on making sure there are more garbage cans around the streets and to teach people not to throw garbage wherever they want. “Community beautification” is what they are calling it.

It seems strange to me that anyone would throw garbage in the streets and worse into streams, or along rivers, but then I look back to my youth. we dd the same thing. We tossed cans out of windows of cars and dropped candy wrappers wherever we were. It is all about education.

Panama City in particular has a wonderful garbage pick-up program so that even in a very crowded city it is not really dirty. But the attitude that we just toss our garbage anywhere and expect someone else to pick it up is a terrible one, and one that takes considerable education to change. But that attitude results in polluted streams as people do not think of where they are when they toss their garbage. It is time for education.

Once a community moves to beautify and really clean up their streets and ensure the beauty of the locale shines through, everything changes. They have done the same thing on Taboga island and it is wonderfully clean.

I am thrilled El Valle has become a clean community. How can we get this idea to spread?

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Breast Cancer

During the months of October, November and even continuing into December there is a great deal of attention given to the subject of breast cancer in Panama.  There are many formal events raising money for breast cancer research and to help women with breast cancer.  There are parades and floats and events in Parks all over the city.

A large formal day long event was held in Casco Viejo hosted by the President’s wife, Vivian Torrijos. This was held in the square around the President’s palace. There were many important people giving speeches and there were many people engaged in entertaining this prestigious throng.   All through the city at various times you would see pink balloons and another event would be kicked off, some big and some small.

Paitilla Hospital is one of the hospitals with the most complete oncology department and some of the finest doctors in the world.  For Panamanians, many of them have not come to grips with the need to pay attention to their own diet and to take steps to prevent cancer.  The idea of eating carefully and exercising are important messages that the Cancer agency is trying to impress on the people of Panama, as means or preventing tis devastating diease.

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Good Things are Happening!

The greatest concern some of us have “leaving home” is that we will not be able to continue to contribute, or “give back to the world” for all the good we have received in our lives that are so exceedingly rich. Whether it is giving money to help feed the poor or to help the people disposessed by storms or political disasters or just to try and maintain Mother Earth, we love to know so we can contribute.

So I am pleased to tell you all that there is a huge consciousness in Panama to give and to do things in a way that in the doing adds many layers of value to the community at large.

So here in these pages we will be constantly updating the activities of the many major charities and/or companies that are doing good work, in many, many ways. We will also be showing you how you can contribute with either time or money or perhaps in other ways.

We want to talk about the environment and the businesses or the charities that are contributing to the preservation of a clean and green Mother Earth for our children and grandchildren, let us know.

We want to share the wonderful things a that are being done to improve the education of the children and/or the adults of Panama.

We also want to share the improvements in health, nutrition and prevention of plagues and contagious diseases.

Our world is not the same without the animals, so Spay and Neuter clinics are important, as are any projects which help maintain the good health of the animals of our world.

Finally if a disaster has occurred, or is occurring we want to know about it and how we can help.

So we are throwing this part of our blog open and if you know someone or something that I should know about and be adding here to these pages, please send me an email about it at mary@panamatodaymagazine.com

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