Making a Difference with Happiness

While in Costa Rica, I noticed how much we as a country, and even I personally, take for granted. Not only are we extremely wasteful in terms of our use of non-renewable resources, but our waste management and recycling programs simply aren’t working. In Costa Rica, their energy is almost completely generated by renewable resources, almost all businesses seem to either be sustainable, or on the way, and they are the first country to commit to being Carbon Neutral by 2021.

Since returning to the United States, I’ve made quite a few changes to my lifestyle to be more sustainable. I reuse my plastic water bottles, am constantly turning off the lights, and I’ve even resorted to wearing clothes more than once in order to cut down laundry loads. Going back to the topic of taking things for granted, I never really realized how lucky I am personally to have the things I have. I remember driving down some of the roads in Costa Rica and seeing houses built out of sheet metal. I’ve become so much more grateful for the things I have, and made sure not to let any of it go to waste – I don’t even let myself leave food on my plate at our dining hall anymore.

 

The thing that made the biggest impact for me personally was the happiness that every single person we came into contact with exuded. Being the happiest nation in the world, I expected to see smiles and some friendliness upon our arrival. However, the Ticos were so incredibly friendly and helpful that it was contagious. So building off of some of the other changes I’ve made sustainability-wise since I’ve returned from the country, I’ve also tried to change my general outlook towards others. I noticed that smiling for no reason causes others to smile, doing favors for others really does make a difference, and even though I’m just one person I know that between my changes in sustainability, our efforts to spread the word, and giving ample kindness towards others I can make a difference.

 

I miss every single thing about Costa Rica. We learned so much as a group that I’m sure none of us will ever forget. I’m proud to say I now feel like an expert to all things coffee related.

The delicious coffee, beautiful sights, warm air, and the absolute abundance of nature everywhere are all things I think about daily. I honestly can’t wait to return. And I sincerely hope countries like our own can follow in Costa Rica’s footsteps.

Pura Vida Everyone!

By Steph Lemire

  

Life away from Costa Rica

Before leaving for Costa Rica, I would talk to my family and friends and tell them about the wonderful opportunity I was provided with.  They would all ask what kind of class it was and when I told them marketing sustainability, their immediate question was “what is sustainability”.  For the most part I would say that I honestly didn’t really know and that was the reason why I was going.  Coming back from Costa Rica my response is very different.  I can give them a not only a “definition” but give them examples of how I saw sustainable practices put into place.  Costa Rica is one of the most sustainable countries in the world.  Their whole country is submerged in the idea and everyone does their part to help make the country more sustainable.  Since being back I have noticed more than ever how much I personally and we as a whole country waste.

Coming back to Bryant I have made many changes to become more sustainable and to help the world in general.  I have found myself shutting off the lights in my suite and my room when I leave as well as unplugging my cell phone charger and straightener after I use them.  After experiencing all of the different tours, I have also found myself looking for organic products and trying to cut out processed foods.  Not only have I tried to make changes in my life but I have tried to talk to my family and friends and help them change their lives.  Sustainability is not about making the biggest changes you can; it is about creating small changes in your life and in the lives of those around you.  If we can all do a little bit it will create a large impact.

There are a lot of things that I miss about Costa Rica.  Besides the exotic animals and breath-taking views, I miss the coffee, fresh fruit and of course our tour guide Jonathan.  Before going to Costa Rica I was not much of a coffee drinker, but while being there I started to really enjoy coffee.  The other thing that I really miss from Costa Rica is the fresh fruit that was served every day.  Going to the Highland Fruit Tour and having fruit picked right off the true five minutes before we arrived was amazing.  The thing I will miss most about Costa Rica was our hero and tour guide, Jonathon. 

Pura Vida!

Jennifer Jacob

Small Changes Making Large Impact

Before leaving for Costa Rica, I found myself bragging to my family and friends about the trip I was about to go on.  I told them how I was going to study the sustainability of the coffee industry.  However, when people asked what sustainability was, my response was brief.  Quite honestly before this trip, I had hardly any idea what sustainability was and what a major impact in played in people’s lives all over the world.  Now, a month later, I can honestly say this trip was the best and most life changing experience of my life.

Before going abroad, I considered myself a fairly “green” person.  My family recycles, I’m aware of how much water I use, and I try and shut the lights off whenever I leave my room.  After visiting various coffee producers and farms, it makes me realize how much energy myself and others around me waste every single day.  When we visited Rancho Margot it really put my energy use into perspective.  On the ranch, they waste absolutely nothing.  Whether it is the oil from the kitchen, soap in the shower, or leftover food, every little bit is used again and again to help sustain the environment.  When I think of my life at Bryant compared to the farmers at Rancho Margot it makes me realize how much more I can do to be more sustainable.  After returning from Costa Rica, I have been more conscious of how much I throw away.  I try not to buy as much food and soaps so they will not go bad and I don’t have to throw them out at the end of the semester. 

 

I also have become more aware of how much electricity my suitemates use.  We usually keep all the bathroom and common room lights on all night.  However, now the last person to go to bed shuts them all off.  We also try not to leave the TV on when we fall asleep or we set a timer that way it is not on all night.  When we visited El Establo hotel, the manager made this great comparison.  He said, “Imagine having a bank with only 1 cent in your account, that isn’t much.  However, if you take millions of people with 1 cent in their account, you have a great deal of money.  This is just like sustainability.  If everyone does a little piece, when it is multiplied together you get a major impact.”  I know the changes I have been making are small, but if everyone made these simple changes, it’s amazing how sustainable our country and the world could be.

I have learned so much from my time in Costa Rica.  I met some of the nicest people and had some of the best experiences of my life.  I can only hope to go back one day, and that others can be fortunate enough to have the same experience I had.

Brittany Hart

Missing Costa Rica

Since leaving Costa Rica, I’ve been noticing more everyday how much I take for granted. While being abroad, I experienced many sustainability efforts on every part of the trip. At school, I’ve been noticing that my suitemates almost always leave the lights on. I now make a point to turn them off when I leave a room, and even tell my suitemates to as well. The fact that they would keep the lights on when leaving a room shocked me. At one of the hotels we stayed at, the lights would turn off when we were not in the room to conserve energy. I feel it is important to educate people about the importance of being sustainable and the positive results associated with it.

Of course, I miss the amazing coffee. I have since been much more particular about what kind of coffee I buy. Yes, the coffee is different here, but I have mainly been purchasing coffee from a company that participates in fair-trade and sustainable practices. Now that I am aware of how to identify if coffee is fair-trade, it makes it easier to understand the importance. I explain to others that buying fair-trade coffee is important for the entire supply chain, mainly the producing countries and workers there who sometimes make far less than they should.

 

I also miss being surrounded by nature at all time and the fresh produce. The Highland Fruit Tour was one of my favorite tours I went on. I wish I could go outside and eat an avocado off the tree like I did on this tour. It was here that I first tried fresh guacamole and fell in love. Since then I’ve tried to replicate it, but it just isn’t the same. Now when I go grocery shopping, I only buy organic produce. Knowing that no chemicals or pesticides were used on it persuades me to buy this fruit.

I do hope to return to this beautiful country soon!

Sarah Geissler

Lights Off, Sustainability On

“That’s not being very sustainable” is a phrase I never thought I would hear myself say. However, since being back from Costa Rica, I have found myself saying it a lot, whether it is to myself, my family, or my friends. I have become much more aware of the environmental abuse around me. This includes wasting food, overusing electricity, and not recycling.

While in Costa Rica I saw how much impact the sustainable practices of one person can have on a country. I have definitely seen a change in behavior in myself and I know I will continue to think and act sustainability. One of my favorite parts since being back is educating the people around me and noticing the difference in their behavior as well. For example, my friends now turn the lights off when they leave a room, or hit the power switch on the stereo or television rather than leaving it on all night. This makes me feel good because I know every small act makes a difference.

Not everybody has the privilege of traveling to Costa Rica and seeing first-hand the beauty and greatness of a sustainable culture and environment. This is why I find it most important to spread my knowledge and experience with as many people as I can. Costa Rica is happiest country on this planet and they do it with significantly less resources than the United States has. If they are capable of this behavior, there is hope that we can do it too.

Samantha Fenimore

A Change in Behavior

Traveling to Costa Rica has been an eye opening experience for me. Personally, I have taken a lot out of the experience and have incorporated some of the knowledge obtained abroad back into my daily life here in the Bryant community. My behaviors regarding sustainable practices and coffee purchasing have both changed since returning to Bryant. Prior to this course, my knowledge in sustainability was limited. I believed that recycling was good for the environment, and would do so when recycling bins were easily accessible. I would also try to limit my use of plastic water bottles by using a refillable aluminum water bottle instead. Other than this, my knowledge was fairly limited. After all, I was a busy college student running from class to meetings to work. Sustainability was not something that was always on my mind. As far as coffee went, I would drink whatever coffee sounded like it would taste good, not paying attention to whether the packaging contained phrases such as “organic,” “sustainable practices,” “or “fair trade.”

Since arriving back at Bryant I must say that I am missing the Costa Rican coffee! After quickly drinking all of the coffee I brought home from Costa Rica, I have changed my coffee purchasing behavior. I now look for coffee that is labeled as either “fair trade” or organic. After seeing the sustainability practices in Costa Rica and how important (and sometimes simple) changes in industry practices can be, I feel that it is important to support companies that are participating in these responsible practices. Since returning from our trip my daily practices have changed regarding sustainability. Aside from being more knowledgeable on the subject, I also feel more passionate about it. I find myself interested in reading articles I see in the news about environmental issues or sustainability efforts, seeking out the information more often than I had prior to traveling. Although it’s difficult to practice sustainability living on a college campus, I’ve noticed my efforts to make small changes have increased. I now recycle daily, for example, and I will go out of my way to do so. I have almost completely cut out my use of paper and plastic goods (plates, cups, etc.), and no longer drink from one-time-use plastic water bottles. I find myself constantly turning off lights that are left on in my suite, and make a greater effort to be less wasteful. I’ve also had a change in attitude regarding the Bryant campus. There are so many environmentally wasteful things happening on this campus. After seeing some of the rather simple ways sustainability can be practiced throughout Costa Rica, I feel that the Bryant community can truly benefit from making an effort to increase sustainability on campus and by making students more aware of the issues at hand.

Kaylee Fontanella

My Life Since Costa Rica

Visiting Costa Rica for the first time was a very eye-opening experience for me.  All the people there were so friendly and full of life, and this is definitely something I have kept in mind as I go throughout my everyday life.   I’ve been trying harder to be more positive and look on the bright side of things—something that can be difficult living the stressful college life.  But even so, I find myself to be a quite happy person most of the time, so this has not been too difficult of a task.

Through learning so much about sustainability, from Rancho Margot specifically, I have been doing my part to conserve resources and recycle as much as I can while living on the Bryant campus.  I have paid more attention to simple things such as turning off the lights in my room when I don’t need them or when I leave the room, taking shorter showers and using less water pressure to conserve water, and even taking smaller portions of food at Salmo to avoid wasting food.  I have also let the simple life of Costa Rica have an effect on my eating habits.  After seeing and tasting all the fresh foods in Costa Rica, I have tried to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet, while paying attention to how these are grown and whether they are organic or local.  Additionally, I have strayed away from overly processed foods that are so common in our country.  I have definitely missed the delicious and fresh Costa Rican coffee each morning and have definitely changed my coffee drinking habits.  I now pay more attention to where the coffee I buy comes from and look for labels indicating sustainability, organic farming, and Rainforest Alliance Certified.  Most recently I have found a Costa Rican Tarrazú coffee from Starbucks, whose package indicates partnership with Conservation International as well as a pledge that the coffee is 100% responsibly grown and ethically traded.

Overall, traveling to Costa Rica was a life-changing experience, and I hope to go back sometime in the near future. 

Sarah Cutting

Return from Costa Rica

Since my return from Costa Rica, I have spent a lot of time with my family planning how we can be more sustainable. Currently, my husband is building our home here in Rhode Island and he is using a unique application of spray foam on the outside of the house to create a higher R value (more insulation) and energy efficient windows and doors with argon gas, which will help us use less electricity to heat or cool the inside. We are using a well for water and a septic tank for waste, so we will not rely on the town or city for these services. The most exciting part is that we will use windmills to provide all of the energy for our home and the excess energy will go to our neighbors. This will be a great help to them when a winter storm knocks out the electricity. Our neighbors all use well water, so without electricity, they are also out of fresh water. 

Some of the additional things we would like to do (and didn’t really consider before Costa Rica) include composting, planting a garden (maybe a greenhouse) and recycling as many forms of waste as possible. We hope to reduce our total consumption to cut down on waste and resource use.

I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this course. Although I was one of the instructors, it turned out to be a tremendous learning experience for me. 

Our goal was to get the most out of our time and resources invested in this learning adventure. We have aligned the three pillars of academia: research, teaching and service. We are sending out manuscripts to multiple outlets for publication, reveling in the fact that students really enjoyed the learning experience while becoming experts on a highly relevant subject matter and industry, and we are thrilled to share these findings with the business community to provide a valuable service and help businesses become more sustainable.

Join our learning adventure on March 3^rd at 4:00 p.m. in Bello at Bryant University to discover methods to improve sustainable practices to make a better tomorrow!

 

(image reproduced courtesy of Sligo County Council) and The Waste Disposal Authority (WDA)

Stefanie Boyer