Iceland: a journey in the center of the Earth
A journey to the centre of the Earth
Who has ever dreamt of exploring the centre of the Earth? In Iceland, this dream
came true. For two years, a team of mountain-climbers and engineers has
designed an open cable lift, which goes down inside volcano 130 meters deep.
Located an hour’s drive from the capital Reykjavik, the Thrihnukagigur is the only
dormant volcano in the world which has an old magma chamber, an
underground pool where the lava used to gush during eruptions (the last known
eruption took place 4,000 years ago), that can be visited. Discovered in 1991 by
the Icelandic spelunker Arni Stefansson, the ground space is equivalent to
almost three full-size basketball courts. The height is such that it would be easily
fit a 40-storey building. When Arni went to the bottom of the volcano for the first
time with a cheap rope and a motorcycle helmet, he never imagined finding such
a treasure, “No one had ever seen a place like this before. The magma chamber
is often referred to as the heart of a volcano. It’s there that the liquid rock waits to
find a way through the surface, causing a volcanic eruption. This volcano is a
rare exception because the magma seems to have disappeared.” Inside the lift,
secured by two cables tied up to the crater, the alighting starts. It is not suitable
for those who suffer from vertigo. After seven minutes, we begin the exploration
inside the bowels of the Earth. We are alone inside the world in a science fiction
setting. On the walls, sculpted by the lava, the yellow, black and red colors look
like Hell. Inside the Thrihnukagigur, the molten rock could reach temperatures
over 1000 degrees. The temperature is now more clement (8 degrees all year
long) but there is neither fauna nor flora, just a mineral chaos with basaltic rocks.
“During the last eruption, we assume that there was a huge landslide that
recovered the chamber and pulled the magma deep in the Earth”, Arni says. Has
the Thrihnukagigur revealed all its secrets? Most probably not. After an hour
visiting the volcano, it’s time to rise to the surface and dream that one day we
can go down deeper.
Islande : un voyage au centre de la Terre
Qui n’a jamais rêvé d’explorer le centre de la Terre ? En Islande, ce rêve est devenu réalité. Depuis deux ans, une équipe d’alpinistes et d’ingénieurs a mis au point un système d’ascenseur, permettant de descendre à l’intérieur d’un volcan. Situé à une heure de route de la capitale Reykjavik, le Thrihnukagigur (qui signifie les trois cratères) est le seul volcan au monde où il est possible de visiter l’ancienne chambre magmatique. Grâce à une nacelle qui descend à 130 mètres de profondeur, i lest aujourd’hui possible d’accéder à l’endroit où se formait la lave il y a 4000 ans, date de la dernière éruption. Découvert en 1974 par Arni Stefansson, un spéléologue amateur, la largeur du site équivaut à trois terrains de basketball et sa hauteur, à un immeuble de 40 étages. Lorsqu’il est descendu au fond du volcan pour la première fois, munit seulement d’une simple corde et d’un casque de moto il y a 40 ans, Arni Stefansson était loin d’imaginer découvrir un tel trésor: “On n’avait jamais rien vu de pareil. La taille de la chambre magmatique était immense. Ceci n’existe nulle part ailleurs sur Terre”, dit-il. A l’intérieur de la nacelle, arrimée par deux filins à l’entrée du cratère, la descente commence. Il ne faut pas avoir le vertige. Un gouffre noir, profond, silencieux, effrayant; voilà la première vision de cette exploration dans les entrailles de la Terre. Après sept minutes de descente, nous foulons enfin le sol volcanique sur lequel personne, auparavant, n’aurait imaginé marcher. Nous voilà seuls au monde dans un décor de science-fiction. Les parois rouges, ocres, jaunes les noirs temoignent de l’enfer qui régnait jadis à l’intérieur du Thrihnukagigur. En fusion, le magma pouvait dépasser les 1000 degrés. La température y est aujourd’hui plus clémente - 8 degrés toute l’année - mais aucune vie n’y subsiste : ni faune ni flore, juste un chaos minéral de roches basaltiques. « Lors de la dernière éruption, on suppose qu’il y eut un gigantesque éboulement qui recouvra la chambre et entraîna le magma dans les profondeurs terrestres », confie Arni Stefansson. Le Thrihnukagigur a-t-il livré tous ses secrets ? Probablement pas. Après une heure d’exploration, il est déjà temps de remonter à la surface et rêver qu’un jour, on puisse descendre encore plus profondément.
A permanent road block in Ierissos, where people, citizens and activist surveile the entrance of Ierissos to prevent police attack.
Activists preparing the location for an antigold solidarity concert in Ierissos.
A night view of the road block in Ierissos.
There is still garbage at the coastal lagoon due to improper waste disposal of the residents living near Manila Bay.
Two years ago, the coastline Coastal Lagoon, officially known as the Las Piñas Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA), more popularly known as Freedom Island is covered with thick garbage and rubbish. Thru the efforts of Wild Birds Club of the Philippines, Save Freedom Island Movement and various environmental NGO’s helped in cleaning the coastal bay and as a result, the coastal lagoon is almost clean now.
The clean-up event at Freedom Island (Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism area) on April 20, 2013, Saturday, is in celebration of Earth Day which is observed in more than 192 countries every year to promote awareness and appreciation of our environment and to demonstrate support for its protection and restoration.
Freedom Island is the last remaining mangrove frontier in Metro Manila that serves as a sanctuary for avian, terrestrial and marine species. It is home for more than 80 species of migratory and endemic birds, including the already vulnerable Chinese Egret and Philippine Duck. The mangrove ecosystem also serves as a feeding, nesting and nursery grounds for commercially important fish, prawns, mollusks, crabs and shellfish where livelihoods of coastal communities depend. By this virtue, it has been declared as a critical habitat by Proclamation 1412 in 2007 and, also, been recently included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
However, threats against the bird sanctuary’s existence, such as the controversial reclamation project, relentless dumping of waste and pollution, continue to remain. Thus, more action from the people is needed to protect and restore it.
Said coastal clean-up event is not only a campaign to inspire people to clean up their surroundings but a show of an alarming concern about further environmental depletion. It serves as a call to action to all citizens to take part in saving the environment, as well as a call to the government to act upon the garbage problem and to stop all disastrous reclamation projects. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/events/362286580548042/?fref=ts)
The Sater-Maw tribe lives in the region of the mid Amazon River, on the border between Amazonas and Par states. Inventors of the "Guaran culture", the tribe domesticated this wild fruit and created its processing method, thanks to which Guaran is known and consumed all over the world.
Known as to locals as "the Children of Guaran" the Satere-Mawe indians still maintain their traditional way of planting and using guaran, for example as medicine or their ritual drink.
Pedro, 33, a Sater-Maw indian who patrols the forest: "Illegal logging can be hard to tackle. Logging happens deep in the forest, far from the eyes of the world but GPS tracking technology and satellite surveillance means we can find out where loggers are and what kind of timber they want. We are tracking 560 hectares of virgin forest with new technologies, hopefully we will stop illegal logging here."
Kennedy, 24, defends his land from illegal timber extraction. He is part of an international project with local partners. This project in the Satere-Maw area was created to support the local communities and to prevent illegal timber extraction by increasing daily surveillance, mapping forest resources and through a series of initiatives to raise awareness and environmental education. Indigenous and other local forest communities have seen their land seized, their lifestyles destroyed, and their livelihoods stolen. The US is the largest market for timber exported from Brazil. While Americans buy massive quantities of wood, often taken illegally from forests, to construct floors, outdoor paths, and piers, local people and activists working to protect the Amazon are being assassinated and kept quiet through intimidation.
Activists outside the Court of Poligiros during a trial against the antigold movement.
View of Ammouliani island from Ouranopoli, 10 km far from Ierissos.
Asterix and Obelix banner in a road block in Ierissos surveilled by the antigold movement.
Maria Kadoglou, an antigold activist.
The beach of Stratoni and the mines infrastructure. In december 2012, more than half a mile of the bay, known for its large sandy beaches, clear waters, and abundant fishing, was streaked with pollution leaked from Stratoni.
Asterix and Obelix banner in a road block in Ierissos surveilled by the antigold movement.
Road block during the night in Ierissos.
Tires in a road block in Ierissos.
Since April 2013 there are two road blocks in Ierissos, surveilled 24h by activists.
The police station in Ierissos burned in April 2013, after a police operation to arrest some activist in the village. Since April 2013 the police didn't come to Ierissos.
People in the road block in Ierissos
Skouries forest, where the El Dorado Gold company is building a new gold mine
An activist during a demonstration in Skouries forest, to protest against the installation of a new gold mine by El Dorado Gold, a canadian company.
Skouries forest, where the El Dorado Gold company is building a new gold mine
Street salesman in the centre of Ierissos
Activist preparing the traditional souvlaki during a solidarity event in Ierissos.
Child play during the solidarity music festival in Ierissos this summer.
Two elderly people stand in front an antigold banner in Ierissos.
The centre of Ierissos, a small village in Halkidiki with around 3,000 inhabitants.
Katerina Igglezi, a member of Greek Parliament with the Coalition of the Left (SYRIZA) in her office in Ierissos.
Graffiti against the gold mines in Ouranopoli, the last village before the Monte Athos territory.
Graffiti against the gold mines in Ouranopoli, the last village before the Monte Athos territory.
An antigold activist at the road block in Ierissos.
A road block situated in one of the main entrance of Ierissos, a small village without police station since it has burned in April 2013.
Activists' defense lawyer after the trial in Poligiros.
Activists are waiting for the trial in Poligiros where a couple of women are accused of violence and resistance against a police officer.
The Andir river by night. The Sater-Maw live in the region of the mid Amazon River, on the border between Brazil's two biggest states Amazonas and Par.
It's a long trip to reach the Sater-Maw reserve: one hour flight from Manaus to Parintins, the closest city, then an 8 hour trip by riverboat.
Every year since 1995, residents of Guaranatuba village and some communities and volunteers from NGOs gather to celebrate the harvest of guaran fruit, known worldwide for its high energy value. During two days of celebration, locals enjoy small performances by folks artists and musical performances to mark the event.
A Maw girl listens intently to a speech about indigenous rights and the fair trade economy.
A Maw woman prepares food and a guaran drink at home. Guaran is the daily, ritual and religious beverage, and it is drunk in large quantities by adults and children alike.