The municipality of San Pedro de Atacama is a pioneer in sustainable energy, this comming year 2010, at this location, we will see ready the first PV plant in Chile and South America.
The project, to be held at 2300 m heigh between San Pedro de Atacama and Toconao, is now in the process of qualification and includes the installation of 133 thousand solar panels on 65 acres.
The existing solar radiation in the Atacama Desert doubles the existing in Europe, as measured by the National Commission of Energy and universities in the area indicated that there is a potential of 8 kilowatts per day per square meter, while in Spain and Germany, leaders of use of this energy, this amounts only reaches 3 to 4 kilowatts per day.
The Italian Carlo Rubbia, who in 1984 shared the Nobel in physics for discovering the W and Z bosons and that directed the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), is today one of those charged in advising the European countries in the energy crisis.

Rubbia visited our country in October and was optimistic in the face of the global problem of energy resources: “One of the major problems is the energy, there will be no more oil when today’s children get older. What is a planet with 10 billion people and almost no energy!”. He noted that Chile needs to find local energy sources, “the one you have in large quantities is solar. If we compare the sun’s energy to oil, in a year the sun generates in ‘energy rain’ the equivalent of 25 cm oil on the surface. It’s huge, but do not use it! ”
The Government through the Serviu, the Chamber of Construction and North Catholic University are activated in studies to carried out the project. The complex will provide power to the Northern Interconnected System (SING), which supplies electricity to regions Parinacota and Arica, Tarapacá and eight of the nine communes of Region II. The main beneficiaries will be the 5 thousand inhabitants of the municipality of San Pedro de Atacama, whose economy depends on more than 90% of tourism and associated services.

photo:www.tsk.es/UserFiles/Image/solar/portada.jpg

This rabbit-like animal lives in mountain areas that can reach  5000 m of height, in dry and stony lands. It is common to see it in rocks where it can easily hide and stay safely away from the harassment of the cougar, its biggest enemy.
In northern Chile the Vizcacha is yellow, while in the south its grey. It has long, thick fur, a large tail and a small body, very long ears and their hind limbs are well developed enabling them to move  and jump quickly.
Its impressive to see them at dawn in the rocks near the Tatio Geysers. You might even see dozens of these rodents in perfect sync jumping over each other, from rock to rock. A beautiful show that these members of the Andean fauna give to all visitors.

Scientific Name: Lagidium Viscacia
Family: Chinchillidae
Distribution: Found from Arica to Ultima Esperanza.
Habitat: From 600 to 5 thousand meters of altitude.

Photo: http://www.trekkingchile.com/Images/mis_fotos/1178566596.jpg

The traditional handicraft is the result of the cultural fusion of different communities where  regional identity anonymously materializes, represented through certain raw materials and techniques.
The crafted object is something that has accompanied man since the beginning of time, this is evidenced by ancient cultures in which handcrafting was an artistic way to express themselves and worship deities and the land.

Today, although most artisans do not follow this principle on purpose, it is true that they manufacture their pieces with ancient traditions, often inherited over generations, as a way of keeping alive the link with their customs and cultures .
In the recent 36 exhibition “Hecho a Mano” fromthe Chilean Catholic University, which brought together artisans from 15 Latin American countries at Bicentenario Park in Vitacura, Santiago, you could see and feel that the identity of many communities remains intact, being shown that the power of globalization still respects those valuable traditions, that although every day are less, remain alive in time.
Its basic for the development of this area the support of governments and institutions. In this exhibition “Hecho a Mano” the Consejo de la Cultra de Chile awarded 15 handicraft with the ” Sello Excelencia Artesanía Chile 2009″ distinguishing criteria such as quality, skill and knowledge, innovation in design and production, authenticity in its expression of cultural identity, marketing capability in the market, respect for the environment in the use of raw materials and production processes and techniques.
This assembly is a great example of preservation and encouragement of our local cultures, promoting the advancement of this noble activity as a way of life for this generation and future ones and helps us in identifying some  of the creative aspects of  this beautiful country full of history and traditions that is Chile.

Tulor village, was discovered in 1958 by archaeologist Jesuit priest Gustavo Le Paige, and is located 6 km southwest of San Pedro. Most of the ruins are still covered and only 4% of the construction has been excavated, so that one can only speculate about what lies beneath the sand.
This village consists of a series of circular structures of adobe blocks interconnected that had different uses and functions according to the daily activities unfolding within. Tulor corresponds to one of the oldest sedentary archaeological sites in Northern Chile with 3,000 years old, and its architecture shares many similarities with pre-Columbian cultures of South-Central Andes: Bolivia (Wankarani) Western Valleys (Guatacondo) and Northwest Argentina (Alamito).
The museum site is the responsibility of the indigenous community of Coyo, who manage and look after the existing remains after many years of looting. You can walk on a walkway that goes beyond the village and observe this architectural wonder hidden in the desert.