Is organic farming still ecological when excessive resources are spent to ship goods halfway around the world? Why are ecologically-oriented producers more subject to government oversight than those using environmental contaminants?

Reducir, reutilizar, y reciclar: most of us have heard it in English, and here we hear it in Spanish. These women explain to us the “three R's” to combat the excessive amount of waste that we generate.

Transgenic, or genetically modified, crops are a marginal issue for most people in the United States. This is not the case in Europe, where the issue of transgénicos is very much in the forefront of the public's mind.

Comercio Justo, or “Fair Trade” products are often seen in “socially conscious” retailers like health and “whole” food shops. It presents a novel approach to doing business that takes into account social and environmental factors in its pricing to consumers and directly compensates commodity food producers, like coffee and cocoa farmers. Here proponents explain the philosophy from several different vantage points.

Can an educated public really create a kinder, gentler, consumer society? Do informed buyers make decisions more sensitive to their world? Can you have your cake and eat it too? Some activists think that voracioius consumers need not be subdued, but only that their desires be tweaked, redirected…

Do those who control the wealth in a society also dictate its desires? In this segment we’re able to listen in on the discourse of Spanish intellectuals critical of the modern consumer culture, which they see as something of a Svengali-like oppressor and manipulator of the masses.

Can a consumer-driven market be replaced by an informed system of mutual cooperation by a like-minded populace? Is the market always at odds with the well being of the planet? Is it true that otro mundo es possible? Let’s find out what some experts think…

Medical student Patricia Martí tells us about the study she is conducting in the village of Adícora. The study is a look at the incidence of skin problems caused by sun exposure in this town where many people work outdoors, including quite a few fishermen.

In a time of pretty sharp political divide in Venezuela, Patricia, gives a frank middle-of-the-road explanation of the current political climate and her place in the country’s politics as apolitica.

Rosa teaches Amaya, a new volunteer at the Donkey Shelter, how to manage the charity shop where tourists buy souvenirs during their visits.

With the help of a tour guide, Pipo shows us the wonders of Atacames Beach in Ecuador.

Doctor Leonardo Suárez, who practices general medicine with an emphasis on general, obstetric and gynecological surgery, talks to us about some of the most commonly seen diseases in his local population in Otavalo, Ecuador, as well as some of their causes.

The Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) is a regulation which aids Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to establish themselves more quickly, simply and with less capital than was previously possible.

Open Europe covers such diverse stories as the Mediterranean Corridor, the death of Gaddafi and European poverty.

As Spain celebrates its 25-year anniversary as a member of the European Union, let's take a look at its evolution over those years.