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Popular Posts...

  • The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
    April 4, 2016

    The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert

  • Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia
    August 18, 2019

    Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia

  • Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing
    November 17, 2019

    Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing

  • Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog
    November 23, 2015

    Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog

  • Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar
    December 17, 2019

    Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar

  • Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake
    January 4, 2016

    Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake

  • Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains
    July 7, 2016

    Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains

  • Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad
    February 15, 2016

    Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad

  • Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan
    June 19, 2017

    Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan

  • Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village
    September 2, 2019

    Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village

Volunteering

Reforestation, conservation and research at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve
Environment, Volunteering October 23, 2017

Reforestation, conservation and research at Cloudbridge Nature Reserve

375 Views 0 by Erika

Cloudbridge Nature Reserve in Costa Rica is bringing back natural habitats and biodiversity through reforestation and conservation of native forests.

Improving indigenous lives with coffee and culture
Communities, Social sustainability, Volunteering September 18, 2017

Improving indigenous lives with coffee and culture

229 Views 0 by Erika

Preservation of culture and a women’s coffee cooperative are two grassroots projects by the members of La Laguna indigenous community in Nicaragua.

Boosting rural community tourism with cob houses
Responsible tourism, Vernacular architecture, Volunteering August 21, 2017

Boosting rural community tourism with cob houses

900 Views 0 by Erika

A new tourism cooperative in Rio Chiquito, El Salvador gives the locals a chance to benefit from tourism on a new level – thanks to affordable cob construction.

Community development in indigenous Guatemala by Mayan Families
Architecture, Social sustainability, Volunteering July 12, 2017

Community development in indigenous Guatemala by Mayan Families

880 Views 0 by Erika

Mayan Families is a non-profit organization that works with community development and poverty alleviation in indigenous communities in rural Guatemala.

Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan
Volunteering, Water June 19, 2017

Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan

408 Views 3 by Erika

Water Works is a project in Guatemala that is improving access to clean drinking water in impoverished rural areas with ceramic filters.

How Long Way Home is creating architecture and awareness from trash
Architecture, Social sustainability, Volunteering, Waste May 8, 2017

How Long Way Home is creating architecture and awareness from trash

786 Views 0 by Erika

Long Way Home is a non-profit that is creating new skills, employment and awareness by building a vocational school out of waste and natural materials.

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm
Agriculture, Volunteering March 23, 2017

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm

891 Views 0 by Erika

Maya Mountain Research Farm in Belize shows how agroforestry and permaculture can turn damaged soil back into naturally productive landscapes.

Rammed earth construction at a future ecocenter
Architecture, Vernacular architecture, Volunteering January 25, 2017

Rammed earth construction at a future ecocenter

1,310 Views 1 by Erika

Rammed earth is a popular sustainable building technique, and the key to building a quality rammed earth structure is understanding the materials.

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico
Communities, Volunteering October 10, 2016

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico

788 Views 0 by Erika

Bosque Shambala is a growing community that can show Mexicans a self-sufficient alternative to crowded and competitive city life.

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa
Architecture, Volunteering September 22, 2016

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa

2,561 Views 1 by Erika

Earthships have become the symbol of off-grid living, but the key to successful off-grid living lies in understanding design principles and the environment.

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About

Welcome to my blog! My name is Erika Alatalo and I’m a world traveler and humanitarian architect writing about sustainable development, architecture and travel. Check out this page for more information.

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