In the past week, the eruption of a volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland has caused chaos around the world. The ash cloud closed down the skies over Europe and left thousands of people stranded in far-flung corners of the globe. Only now is air travel is now beginning to return to normal in Europe and around the world.
What made this event striking was not the large number of flight cancellations or the lack of effective measures for tackling the crisis but the clear disengagement between people and nature. There has been a belief that the forces of nature can’t impact the functioning of technologically advanced societies. The artificial environment we have constructed around us (exemplified by the global airline system) presumes a benign natural environment. The current eruption is an example of the environment’s true colours. Perhaps we should stop looking at the most unexpected disasters and focus instead on common geologic events that have the potential to wreak havoc on our lives simply because of the technological framework that we have overlaid on the natural environment.
People can delude themselves into thinking that we can control nature but the forces that shape this planet are much stronger than ourselves. We must respect the natural world and be conscious of its undeniable power and beauty. The choking plumes of ash that Eyjafjallajökull is spewing out may have slowly diminished, but the volcano is still managing to mount some spectacular displays against dramatic backdrops of lightning showers and the Northern Lights. The stunning image above shows the heavenly phenomenon of green aurora ripples above Eyjafjallajokull’s fire fountains.
Sometimes you see a performance that just makes you sit up and listen. This piece by bass gitarist 
This organic farm and nature reserve was set up to protect part of the Amazon rainforest and its wildlife. The project also works with local community schools, teaching alternative sustainable ways of living, with the aim of creating a better future for all. Volunteers have the opportunity to help and learn about vegetarian cooking, permaculture, natural medicine, green building, yoga, meditation, and philosophy. They also learn about working with conscious art and educational programs for children living in and around the community. In their spare time volunteers can enjoy tubing in the nearby river.
This project supports children and young people from socially disadvantaged families. It aids them in their personal development and offers them a point of contact for problem solving. Volunteers have the opportunity to create their own workshops or support the team. Tasks include helping to look after the children, teaching, office work, and organising fundraising events to raise funds for the youth centre.
Described as a little masterpiece of travel, history, and adventure, In Patagonia charts a six-month journey made by Bruce Chatwin in 1972 from the Rio Negro to the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia. 
Heavy rains and flash floods left at least 95 people dead in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro early Tuesday, authorities said, paralyzing transportation and causing the city’s mayor to cancel all classes and urge people not to leave their homes.
Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most treasured archaeological sites, was reopened yesterday by Hollywood stalwart Susan Sarandon, after being closed for two months following heavy rains.
The Cashew Festival takes place annually during the first weekend of May. The festival celebrates the beginning of the cashew nut harvest in Crooked Tree Village. 
Everyday hundreds of Haitians pound the Caracas streets hoping to sell enough ice cream to send money home to their families. Pushing a refrigerated cart full of ice cream around the Venezuelan capital can earn a vendor as much as three times what they could earn back in Haiti. 
Indigenous societies today face difficult choices: can they develop, modernize, and advance without endangering their sacred traditions and communal identity? Specifically, can their communities benefit from national education while resisting the tendency of state-imposed programs to undermine their cultural sovereignty, language, and traditions? According to Lois Meyer and Benjamin Maldonado, these are among the core questions being raised by indigenous societies whose comunalidad – or communal way of life – is at odds with the dictates of big business and the social programs of the state.