The name of Guatemala derives from a Mayan word meaning “the land of trees”. Actions in the form of words is the way that I describe the spirit of bloggers telling the world what are they doing to protect and save the planet. From small local governments to desks of people in the city, many bloggers are conscious about the environment and they are telling the world some examples of what we can do, as Mr. Man says:

En Guatemala, Mexico, y varios países de Latinoamérica aun producen sus emisiones de co2, no toman en serio la Alerta, las personas son incapaces de tomar decisiones si el estado de los respectivos países no se preocupa, la crisis energetica es lo que es por el mal actuar, y si ahora no nos preocupamos por este cambio climático, se va avecinar una peor situacion, en la cual no hay vuelta atras. Este va ser el Mundo del mañana que van a vivir las futuras generaciones.

But there are also small actions by local governments that are taking place. The blog a small local government in Quezaltepeque described their actions [es]:

Entre los distintos bosques podemos mencionar el bosque de Santa Teresa, bosque de Yocón y el bosque del caserío San Juan de la aldea Cubiletes, en los cuales se han realizado prácticas de reforestación y los cuidados necesarios para evitar que incendios forestales acaben con nuestra flora y fauna.

Among the different posts was the one by El Diario del Gallo,

Considero que el dia de la tierra se empezó a celebrar justamente en el primer minuto cuando una primera mujer o un primer hombre de lejana comunidad prehistorica se alegró de descubrir el agua para beber, el fuego para cocinar y abrigarse del frío, el suelo para cultivar, el aire que le tonificó cuando cansado salió a la orilla de su cueva en la parte más alta de su casa en la montaña y llenó sus lpulmones y se sintió como nuevo, y todo esto y más aún nos dá la tierra. El celebrar el Día de la Tierra forma parte de una estrategia de concienciacciòn y educación ambiental, pero es necesario que nosotros como ciudadanos del mundo de nuestro país Guatemala, el cambiar nuestra forma de vida y de consumo, de proteger nuestra riqueza natural y sobre todas las cosas el “agua”.

The first Blog in Peten, the largest area in Guatemala, El Blog de Rudel commented about a forgotten Natural Reserve, and he is concerned about it as is an important resource for the Planet:

El día de ayer tuve a bien sobrevolar la zona de Chiquibul, una reserva forestal que forma parte del sistema guatemalteco de áreas protegidas, y se ubica en la parte central del departamento adyacente a la linea imaginaria con Belice. Del lado Guatemalteco hay comunidades como Carrizal, El Limon, Los Olivos entre otros, y de nuestro lado esta mas dañado. Del lado de Belice, la Reserva de Chiquibul se constituye en la mayor reserva forestal de Belice y se encuentra en buenas condiciones. Sin embargo, de ambos lados, esta reserva puede ser explotado turisticamente, particularmente el turismo de aventura, ya que la zona es propicia para la espeleologia, el campamento, navegacion en rapidos, entre otros.Aqui se encuentra el sistema de cavernas de mayor extension de centroamerica. Del lago Guatemalteco, existe una gigantesca caverna en donde se introduce el Río Chiquibul, y aparece a unos 20 kilometros al norte. … Me preocupa que este ecosistema se pierda. Los medios solo hablan de la RBM, pero hemos olvidado la parte central saliente de Petén y este bello lugar.

Global or at least, local warming is also getting serious. According to El Zacapaneco Guatemalan weather was perfect the whole year, but now is hot, humid and getting worse. A man died because of the extremely hot weather.

The Planet is sending us clear signals and small actions can really make the difference. The added value of countries like Guatemala, meaning the land of trees, where people have to cut down beautiful rain forests because they do not have alternative means of living, is a loss for the citizens of the world. However, bloggers are suggesting small actions that can result in big changes.

A lunar eclipse is an event that happens when the full moon passes through the Earth´s shadow, and a total lunar eclipse means that it passes through the darkest part of the shadow, known as the umbra. According to the NASA, the 3 hour and 26 minute eclipse was “visible from South America and most of North America (on Feb. 20) as well as Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia (on Feb. 21).”

A tour in YouTube shows us many different takes on the eclipse:

From Belize, user bassimpact uploaded the following video with music by flutist Pablo Collado [es] :

From Argentina, user KrrAinagotable posted this video with subtitles, explaining the process and images from his window, as well as adding some footage taken from the TV in different areas of Argentina.

From Capetown in South Africa Finn Gregory has a time lapse video showing the eclipse as seen from there.

From Mexico, user holatabasco posted a video where street noise accompanies the pinprick image of a slowly disappearing moon.

And to roundup, user pookeo1 uploaded this last video with images from different places in the world including the US, Canada, Czech Republic, Brazil and Germany.

Photo Lunar Eclipse South America taken by henriquetyds

Tourism is by far the biggest industry here on Aruba and the Americans (Thank You!) make up the largest percentage of tourists…so thanksgiving is still celebrated to some extent.

On the other hand, Puerto Rico, which is a US territory, does celebrate the holiday - and Dondequiera takes the opportunity to list a few things he thinks his fellow Puerto-Ricans should be thankful for:

Give thanks that you live in a place with wonderful weather year round, with sandy beaches, blue water, and tropical breezes. It makes the rest bearable.

Give thanks that you live in a place where we have a “real” vote, the right to disagree with the Government, and to practice any religion (or not to practice) we see fit. Far too many people in the World have none of these rights.

Babalu Blog is convinced that “Thanksgivings are perhaps the truest proof of our Cuban-Americaness:

On the fourth Thursday of every November we have on our tables what we, as Cuban-Americans (or Americans of Cuban descent if you prefer), have in our daily lives: the best of both worlds.

Pwoje Espwa - Hope in Haiti writes:

It may sound a little strange to you all as you are gathered with family and friends on this Thanksgiving Day to hear that today is just another day here in southern Haiti. No parades, no televised football games, no huge table brimming with scrumptious food and turkey. That’s not to say that we are not grateful.

Belize-y Livin' believes she has “so much to be thankful for”, and although the occasion is not a public holiday in Barbados, My Barbados Blog says:

We are counting our blessings, taking a much deserved holiday break, and will be back blogging on Monday.

Jamaican blogger Geoffrey Philp pens a Thanksgiving Poem, while Now Is Wow's “Thanksgiving” was celebrated soon after the Trinidad and Tobago elections:

I went to the COP Thanksgiving rally at Helping Hands grounds in the Pasea area. It wasn't a jump and wave rally. It was an interfaith event, with various spiritual leaders (Muslim, Hindu, Christian, etc.) each saying a prayer and a few words…I was not moved to feel patriotic about T & T…but I was touched by the genuine sense of togetherness and respect of the people and by the sense of gratitude and determination emitted by those on stage. It was a peaceful, communal, ‘old time feel' of an evening.

This perhaps lends even greater credence to the words of Dondequiera:

Give thanks to people who exhibit little acts of kindness. It has an interesting effect of rippling throughout society.