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Rice Field, India in the state of Tamal Nadu

Keeping Kurrent

This is the place where we talk about the ideas, issues and trends that affect our everyday lives.

"Traveling the World"

Traveling is not just seeing the new; it is also leaving behind. Not just opening doors; also closing them behind you, never to return. But the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes."

Jan Myrdal, The Silk Road, 1980

America's National Park System Supports Sustainable Values

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE'S SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INITIATIVE

Two events in particular were instrumental in the adoption of the National Park Service's Sustainable Design Initiative. National Park Service Vail Symposium. In October 1991, five working groups studied "the state of the parks" as part of the organizational renewal activities associated with the 75th Anniversary of the National Park Service. They found that National Park Service is being stressed by a variety of factors: Population increases Park visitation increases Demographic changes Increased numbers and types of sites to manage Environmental degradation Lack of capable leadership Need to protect whole ecosystems The concept of sustainable design was mentioned frequently, as it covers a wide range of topics. It integrates principles that enable humans to live in harmony with the rest of the natural world, protecting biodiversity and sharing habitats with other species. Virgin Islands National Park, Maho Bay Resort. In November 1991 the Sustainable Development Initiative was officially launched with a workshop in Maho Bay. This partnership forum included participants from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Ecotourism Society, National Parks and Conservation Association, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Greenpeace, local representatives from the Virgin Islands, private architectural and engineering (A/E) firms, and ecotourism resort operators. Representatives from various NPS offices included professionals and managers from parks, regional offices, Washington office, and the Denver Service Center. The participants brought diverse perspectives and ideas to the workshop and subsequently produced the following guiding principles for the application of sustainability to the management of natural and cultural resource-sensitive areas. You can find out more about this Initiative on their web site.

Friendship Force, Meeting People Face-to-Face

Who We Are Friendship Force International (FFI) is a worldwide network of clubs (local chapters) and individuals that advance our mission of promoting global understanding across the barriers that separate people. We do this by connecting people from different countries at the personal level. When local hosts open their homes to visitors from other countries and cultures, true understanding can develop through the sharing of meals, conversation and the routines of daily life. Since its founding in 1977 FFI has brought together millions of people. In 2007 alone, 5767 friendship ambassadors traveled between 58 countries, with thousands more serving as hosts. Our mission, structure and activities are described in our website: www.thefriendshipforce.org. (This information was taken from the FFI web page.)

Friendship Force Clubs provide relatively inexpensive travel, however, there is a large amount of sweat equity provided when local club members host international visitors. This happens three to four times a year. Local club members host visitors in their homes and provide support for day-time activities. I call that group of persons "Home Hosts." There are also "Day Hosts." They assist Home Hosts and others on the steering committee to provide support during a specific domestic or international visit.

Check out the Friendship Force web site. If you live in the Pacific NW you can check out specific club web pages. In Oregon there are two clubs. Check them out: Columbia Cascade Club , the Mid-Willamette Valley Club and the Southern Oregon Club.

 

Quick Start to Keeping Kurrent

Our lives are busy. Keeping Kurrent is the place where you can listen to short, reasonably in depth interviews and presentations about a variety of issues, ideas and trends are helpful to you. You are invited to take a quick look some of the broad issues we cover by clicking on the items listed below. Or, you can also examine the details for each category by checking the statements on the right hand side of this page.

 

Portland

Time in Portland, Oregon

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Meet the Producer and Host by clicking on Wayne Potter.

Page last modified on September 2, 2009

 

 

New Directions for Keeping Kurrent

Travel After ten years of airing radio programs Keeping Kurrent is restating it's mission and vision. Take a look at the The Mission and Vision statements as they relate to each focus area. Some of the important key aspects of that vision include:

Travel Topics

Tokyo, Japan - Meiji Temple

During the last week of May 2008 the show's Host, Wayne Potter and lhis wife, Pamela Brown, along with their daughter, Margret Brown, flew to Tokyo for a week. We were really busy. While visiting the Meiji Temple we came across these saki barrels which were blessed by the Temple priests. There were 3 or 4 of these shelf units. There will be more about this visit in the fall of 2008. Check out the Audio Program page.

China - 2009

 

City of Louyang - People's Square - which was across the street from the Host's hotel. This was an active place where we met a wonderful, older man.

 

Shows Host Travels to China

During April 2009, the show's host and his wife traveled to China. There are many faces to China of about 1.4 billion people. This is one of the many faces.