From guerrilla fighters to beer brewers: former FARC members craft peace in every sip
In the center of Bogotá, La Trocha Brewery, an unexpected company started by former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) militants, is more than simply beer. It's a tribute to transformation, resilience, and a commitment to peace. Doris Suárez, co-founder of La Trocha, recounts the Read More...
Study finds forests on indigenous lands sequester twice the carbon
We have written at length, in great volume, and with great enthusiasm about the importance of green spaces in cities, carbon sinks, and environmentally helpful trees in general. Forests are absolutely essential to sequestering carbon and our continued adaptation to a changing climate, but some Read More...
Reproductive justice: Colombia decriminalizes abortion
Following in the footsteps of Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina, Colombia’s constitutional court ruled five against four to decriminalize abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, as reported by The Guardian. Prior to this motion, abortion in Colombia was only Read More...
Empowered activism is cultivating a marketable skill - A dispatch from Colombia
“Part of doing something is listening. We are listening. To the sun. To the stars. To the wind.” – Madeleine L’Engle By Jackie Gilbert We all catch ourselves making remarks like “I’m starving” or “we’re dying of hunger”, but fortunately for most of us in my middle-class Read More...
4 Latin American countries join forces to form huge marine reserve
Four Latin American countries have agreed to merge their marine reserves to form one mega-reserve that will protect one of the world’s richest regions of ocean biodiversity. The pacific-facing countries of Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica announced the creation of the Eastern Tropical Read More...
Medellín aspires to become Latin America's first "eco-city"
Medellín, Colombia has proven to the world that it is a city capable of transformation. Only three decades ago, it was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. However, by investing in their low-income communities, transportation infrastructure, education, technology, tourism, and Read More...
Colombia declared home of the most butterfly species in the world
A new study released by the Natural History Museum in London has just dubbed Colombia the world’s official butterfly paradise. The country of Colombia is home to some of the richest biodiversity on the planet, including approximately 20 percent of the world’s butterfly species. An Read More...
Rapid DNA tests return trafficked turtles to their original habitats
It’s illegal to trade South American Matamata turtles, but their distinctive knobby shell and ridged neck make them appealing to traffickers who can sell them for high prices in Europe, Asia, and the US. Fortunately, a new rapid DNA test is helping officials protect these little Read More...
Green groups expand protection over one of the most biodiverse places on Earth
Magdalena Valley, a low land rainforest in Central Colombia and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, is home to some of the world’s rarest animal species that are under serious threat because of intense deforestation and illicit farming in the area. Luckily, after years of negotiations, Read More...
Caterpillar is new weapon for war on drugs
Colombia, one of the world’s top producers of cocaine, plans to resort to an organic agriculture trick to destroy its most problematic crop — coca. The chemical herbicide glyphosate, which the government has been routinely using to spray the illegal plants, was recently declared carcinogen by Read More...