SB Field Trip: EMSA, the Waste Treatment Center of Cochabamba
On a Thursday morning in September, a group of 18 Sustainable Bolivia volunteers and office staff gathered in the main house for a field trip. Destination: the city dump. As part of SB's efforts over the past several months to raise awareness, accountability, and action toward sustainability, the SB staff organized an outing to the Empresa Municipal de Servicios de Aseo (EMSA) for some insight into the waste collection and treatment system in the larger Cochabamba metropolitan area.
"I think this is an interesting opportunity for volunteers to see how the waste treatment situation in Bolivia is different from a lot of the countries they come from," noted Erin Beasley, Assistant National Director, on coordinating the trip.
Artist in Residence Johannes Bierling Shares His Work
For a constructive abstract sculptor like Johannes Bierling, taking his work on the road is no small task. Johannes' primary medium is wood, and his sculptures and installations make for large-scale exhibitions. When he and his wife Catherine decided to spend a month with Sustainable Bolivia as artists in residence, he planned to work on more portable forms and stages of his art, such as sketches and paper models.
photo's of Johannes Bierling's studio exhibit on the SB big screen
To really grasp the magnitude and presence of Johannes' full-size sculptures, you would have to visit the galleries such as MaGu in Hallefors, Sweden where they have been on display. But for the crowd at Sustainable Bolivia who was interested in learning more about Johannes and his art, he organized the next best thing. At the casa principal, he gave a presentation to share photos of his past exhibitions and video footage of his creative process.
August Día De Trabajo: A Day at Atendi
Each month, the staff at Sustainable Bolivia coordinates a día de trabajo (work day) where all the volunteers can join forces and offer the help of a big group to one of its partner organizations.This month, the organization selected was Atendi, a center for children with physical and developmental disabilities.
Atendi, which works to provide a stimulating atmosphere for the children through programs like physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, had a big task for the big group of twelve volunteers who turned out. They were reorganizing several rooms and making improvements to their outdoor yard and garden area.
Cleaning up the Cristo; A SB volunteer takes action
On a Saturday morning, a handful of SB volunteers gathered at the casa principal to hike up to the top of “the Cristo.” They do this hike often, but this time the group is equipped with a supply of trash bags and some rubber gloves. The mini-mission for today is to do something about the litter problem along the stairway up.
Volunteer Brainstorm: How to Jumpstart Action Toward Sustainability?
In the casa principal of Sustainable Bolivia, a group of staff and volunteers gathered to share pizza and ideas about how to become more active toward sustainability goals. The meeting started with a brainstorming session: imagine SB in one year from now as the most sustainable organization in Bolivia, and list on post-it notes what changes have been made.