Green Initiatives

Recycling

A couple of yeas ago, there were plastic bottles on the street, sidewalks, parks, stadiums, everywhere in the city. We wondered why there wasn't anybody buying plastic for recycling. There where some organizations purchasing aluminum cans but none, that we know of, purchasing plastic. It was common to see kids picking up aluminum cans every where, but no plastic. One day we ran into a lady on the streets around Casa Xalteva with a huge bag 75% full of plastic bottles. To support her family she walks all around Granada collecting all the plastic she can find. Then she carries that huge bag full of plastic about 3 kilometers to where she lives and collects the plastic until she has enough to be able to sell.

Since then Casa Xalteva purchased 6 recycling bins to help no only the recycling cause but also the only source of income for this family of 6. Our kids, homestay families, students, teachers, and other members in our community are recycling through Casa Xalteva. If you want to read more about this story please visit our blog.

Solar Oven

During a five day workshop sponsored by Rotary Club Granada volunteer Oliver Hartman helped construct five solar ovens. The ovens - constructed of wood, zinc, and glass - are a Swiss design that has been used by an international NGO in Rivas, Nicaragua for years. Because of limitations in maximum temperature, size, and weather these ovens work on the principle of reduction, not elimination of gas consumption. For this reason, we plan to cook foods that have a long cook time (therefore high gas consumption) such as rice and beans. In combination with our budding Biogas digester, we are striving to minimzie our propane consumption.

Biogas

Biogas - sometimes called methane - is an alternative energy source created naturally through the anaerobic metabolism of feces and plant matter. The gas byproduct can be stored and used in the place of propane. We made a digester by retro-fitting a sealed plastic drum with an intake tube and exit valve. For handling concerns we will be using chicken feces in place of pig feces to create our slurry, to produce gas to power our stove.

Waste Management

As we work towards reducing waste production even further we have already implemented waste management. Our recycling program separates plastics and papers. We are saving foodwastes for composting to be used in an external community garden project or our garden. We will begin using reusable bags for all purchases food and otherwise.

Buy local

Casa Xalteva feeds fifteen breakfasts and an average of twenty-five lunches daily and we buy as much of our foodstuffs as possible from the local market or vendors. Our milk woman comes every morning with farm fresh milk on her bicycle and we purchase meats, vegetables, and bread from individual vendors in the market, not large supermarkets.

Conscientious Construction

We are re-using wood from the old roof to make new tables and chairs for our classrooms. Our new roof has more skylights to reduce the need for daylight lighting in our classrooms and common spaces.