Location - where is this all going on?
Location - progress to date:
I’m now on El Hierro, Canaries. 5-10,000 inhabitants. Marketed as “sustainable island”, which it isn’t. Next to La Palma Island with ~70,000 people, other Canary Islands up to a million. El Hierro has no mass tourism, plenty unused farm land, a failed economy based on half-hearted eco tourism with little eco to offer, and on conventional banana and pineapple crops based on subsidies. It is hampered by the young generation all leaving for lack of relevant jobs, is massively subsidised without pursuing the long term vision. There is a great long term vision, which drove the installation of a theoretically 100% renewable energy system, and describes many other avenues to be pursued. But there it stopped, even before the wind/hydro plant was fully functioning, but that's a separate and rather olitical tale.. The island is beautiful, with a kind climate, accessible by water and air, good infrastructure. Great people, potentially positive government. Belongs to Spain.
I'm working on a more balanced view of the island than rough brush above, or than marketing people will have you believe. But it's great! ;-)
I’m now on El Hierro, Canaries. 5-10,000 inhabitants. Marketed as “sustainable island”, which it isn’t. Next to La Palma Island with ~70,000 people, other Canary Islands up to a million. El Hierro has no mass tourism, plenty unused farm land, a failed economy based on half-hearted eco tourism with little eco to offer, and on conventional banana and pineapple crops based on subsidies. It is hampered by the young generation all leaving for lack of relevant jobs, is massively subsidised without pursuing the long term vision. There is a great long term vision, which drove the installation of a theoretically 100% renewable energy system, and describes many other avenues to be pursued. But there it stopped, even before the wind/hydro plant was fully functioning, but that's a separate and rather olitical tale.. The island is beautiful, with a kind climate, accessible by water and air, good infrastructure. Great people, potentially positive government. Belongs to Spain.
I'm working on a more balanced view of the island than rough brush above, or than marketing people will have you believe. But it's great! ;-)