Posted by Elena del Valle on October 25, 2018
First of occasional travel notes
A section of the Seminole-Wekiva Trail, a 14-mile rail trail in Seminole County, Florida (click on the photo to enlarge)
Photos: Seminole County Parks & Recreation
One of the discoveries I most enjoyed during a recent trip to Lake Mary, Florida was the Seminole-Wekiva Trail, a 14-mile rail trail, which includes Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary and Sanford in the central part of the Sunshine State. It runs alongside the abandoned tracks of Florida’s old Orange Beltway Railway, at one time the longest railroad in the country. Although I don’t recall seeing the tracks I noticed a small metal sign with the name of the trail.
It couldn’t have been more convenient as it passed by the front of my hotel (Westin Lake Mary Orlando North), curving through busy suburban streets, past water features and at times weaving beneath shady tall trees dressed with Spanish moss. My favorite part, I didn’t see the entire trail, was the canopied section that traversed a nearby residential area, offering views into the grassy backyards of some of the homes.
The Seminole-Wekiva Trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail.
The Seminole-Wekiva Trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail, a federally designated, non-motorized, recreation trail that spans approximately 1,300 miles across some of the state landscapes. According to the trail website, the trail end points are: Markham Road near CR 46A (Wekiva River Protection Area) (Longwood) and FL 436 near Laurel St. (Altamonte Springs). I wish we had a similar trail in my neighborhood.
Along its paved path I saw many locals walking their dogs, riding their bicycles (sometimes a bit aggressively), walking and jogging. In the greenest sections, where it was cool and shady, I heard birds calling and nature sounds. Exploring the trail was one of the most pleasant activities during my brief visit to Orlando North.
Posted by Elena del Valle on October 15, 2018
Joe Skelley, marketing and events specialist, OverDrive, Inc.
Photo: OverDrive
A podcast interview with Joe Skelley, marketing and events specialist, OverDrive, Inc. is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses the Digital Bookmobile with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Joe manages the tour route and logistics of OverDrive’s Digital Bookmobile. He has a background in promotional communication and events, is an avid book reader, and can always be found listening to an audiobook in Libby while walking Roscoe, his Boston terrier.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Joe Skelley” and click on the play button below or download the MP3 file to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home from the RSS feed. Some software will not allow flash, which may be necessary for the play button and podcast player. If that is your case, you will need to download the file to play it. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the October 2018 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on October 8, 2018
Geri Stengel, research advisor, American Express
Photo: Ventureneer
A podcast interview with Geri Stengel, research advisor, American Express is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, she discusses State of Women-Owned Businesses Report with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Geri is president of Ventureneer. She has taught entrepreneurship at The New School, facilitated Kauffman FastTrac courses for entrepreneurs, researched best practices in social media for businesses, and founded a company that provides training and online resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to break through the $1 million revenue level.
Geri was a board member for the New York City Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners for eight years. She was recognized as one of 17 Inspiring Women to Watch in 2017 in Inc. In 2016, she became a mentor for WE NYC and in 2015, she won the Madam C.J. Walker Business Leadership Award from the National Minority Business Council.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Geri Stengel” and click on the play button below or download the MP3 file to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home from the RSS feed. Some software will not allow flash, which may be necessary for the play button and podcast player. If that is your case, you will need to download the file to play it. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the October 2018 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on October 4, 2018
Nourished Planet
Photo: Think Tank, Island Press
About 40 percent of the land in the world is used for agriculture and livestock; at the same time in the past 40 years 30 percent of the arable land has become unproductive; and soil erosion and soil degradation are widespread, according to Nourished Planet: Sustainability in the Global Food System Voices from the New Food Movement (Island Press, $25), a newly published book.
Convinced everyone has a right to food and the world needs a food and agriculture system that nourishes all sixteen people contributed their insights to the book “to show what’s working on the ground to alleviate hunger and poverty, prevent food loss and food waste, cultivate the next generation of leaders, and create more equity and social justice in the food system.” From conception to publication the book, edited by Danielle Nierenberg, required a year.
When asked who is the target audience Nierenberg replied by email, “All of us. The more than 7 billion eaters who inhabit the planet. However, we hope that academics and students will take special interest–it’s an easy to read, engaging book, full of hopeful examples of successful projects that can be replicated and scaled up and out in rich and poor countries alike.”
The 250-page softcover book with many graphics and images is divided into four chapters: Food for All, Food for Sustainable Growth, Food for Health and Food for Culture. Each chapter is accompanied by perspectives from several New Food Movement contributors.
The most critical food issues the United States faces today? Nierenberg responded by addressing the topic on a global scale and indicating that climate change and other environmental problems that impact the food system should create a sense of urgency; food production contributes 30 percent or more of all greenhouse gas emissions and there are some 815 million people who are hungry, while another 2 billion are overweight and obese; and that massive amounts of food are lost or wasted before they can reach peoples’ stomachs, at least one third worldwide.
She believes action from the grassroots and the top is necessary, she said by email. She also supports the participation of organizations and communities, researchers and scientists, corporate leaders, and decision-makers to make the food system better.
Danielle Nierenberg, editor, Nourished Planet
When asked what defines the new food movement the book editor replied, “The interest in food has been growing for decades–wealthy consumers have wanted local, fresh, healthy, sustainably grown food–but today we need a food system that goes beyond our personal lives and impacts the women and men all over the globe who depend on the food system for their livelihoods. We need a food system that focuses on equality among women and men, that considers future generations, that helps create opportunities for young people to become not only food producers, but also scientists and researchers, story tellers and advocates, business leaders, and policy makers who can change the way we grow, process, and consume food.”
The definition of farming and food system for purposes of this discussion is she said, “A food system is all of the activities involving the production, processing, transport, sale, and consumption of food. Sustainable food systems are those that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable–they are regenerative and resilient by helping build soils, protect water and biodiversity, and they recognize the importance of women, workers, and youth for the future of agriculture.”
When asked about groups in particular need she said, “Poor and underserved communities often are labeled food deserts because of a lack of grocery stores or markets providing healthy food. Racism and lack of economic communities lead to chronic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity in communities that lack the resources to address these problems.”
The book contributors are Hilal Elver, special rapporteur on the Right to Food, United Nations; Hans R. Herren, president, Millenium Institute, and president, Biodivision Foundation; Sieglinde Snapp, agronomist, professor of Soils and Cropping Systems Ecology, Michigan State University, and associate director, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations; author Vandana Shiva; Dario Piselli, founder, Sustainable Development Solutions Network; Steve Brescia, chief executive officer Groundswell International; Shaneica Lester and Anne-Teresa Birthwright, 2016 winners of Young Earth Solutions; Alexander Müller, study leader, United Nations Environment Programme–hosted project The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture & Food; Bruce Friedrich, executive director, The Good Food Institute; Tristram Stuart, founder, Feedback; Natasha Bowens, author, The Color of Food: Stories of Race, Resilience and Farming; Lindsey Shute, executive director National Young Farmers Coalition; Stephen Ritz founder, Green Bronx Machine; Ruth Oniang’o, founder, Rural Outreach Programme.
Click to buy Nourished Planet
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on September 26, 2018
By Ray Zinn
Author
Tough Things First
Ray Zinn, author, Tough Things First
Photo: Ray Zinn
We truly live in a global business environment.
People are mobile. Silicon Valley, where I lead my semiconductor company for 37 years, attracts talented people from across the globe. Any cosmopolitan city does as well. In the age of the Internet, even mom-and-pop companies routinely interact with people in vastly different cultures.
The 21st century reality is that you need to create diversity to thrive. Long gone are the days when all your employees and partners come from one country or one culture. To make it, you have to communicate with a lot of very different people.
Click to read the entire article Communicating Effectively Between Diverse Cultures Within a Company
Posted by Elena del Valle on September 17, 2018
Ismael El-Qudsi, C.E.O., Internet Republic
Photo: Internet Republic
A podcast interview with Ismael El-Qudsi, chief executive officer, Internet Republic is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses turning employees into brand ambassadors with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Ismael, technical engineer in Computer Management, is also chief executive officer of SocialPubli.com and SocialReacher, founded in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Internet Republic is the parent company of both. Prior to establishing Internet Republic, Ismael was head of search engine optimization and social media at Havas. Previously, he was in charge of Microsoft’s search engine Bing in Spain.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Ismael El-Qudsi2018” and click on the play button below or download the MP3 file to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home from the RSS feed. Some software will not allow flash, which may be necessary for the play button and podcast player. If that is your case, you will need to download the file to play it. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the September 2018 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on September 11, 2018
Alex Vorobieff, author, Transform Your Company
Photo: Alex Vorbieff Company
A podcast interview with Alex Vorobieff, author, Transform Your Company is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses how to get your company’s momentum going again with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Alex is chief executive officer of Alex Vorbieff Company, a financial clean-up firm since 2003. He has counseled, coached and served as a clean-up chief financial officer and president of telecommunications, aviation and aerospace, hospitality, healthcare, and outsource staffing companies. He has lead successful turnarounds in a little as three months.
Transform Your Company: Escape Frustration, Align Your Business, and Get Your Life Back was published in 2017. He is publisher of the semi-annual Confident ROi magazine (Spring 2018) and weekly Confident ROi radio show.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Alex Vorobieff” and click on the play button below or download the MP3 file to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home from the RSS feed. Some software will not allow flash, which may be necessary for the play button and podcast player. If that is your case, you will need to download the file to play it. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the September 2018 section of the podcast archive.
Click to buy Transform Your Company
