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

Looking Back, Moving Forward

A lot has changed since I spent those days in Costa Rica. I met new people and made new friends, but more importantly I grew to appreciate and understand a culture that may be years ahead of our own. The Costa Rican people care so deeply for their country and their world that they would go to great lengths to try and preserve both; something that is often hard to find in the US. I have tried to bring some of that back with me. I’ve changed my view of the world around me from something to be used into something that needs to be preserved and cared for. This doesn’t have to start at the extreme to which some in Costa Rica take it with large facilities designated to producing clean and reusable energy, it can be as simple as remembering to recycle and take care of the world around you in simple ways. 

Before visiting Costa Rica and participating in the class I could not have told anyone what sustainability was. My friends and family asked me what we would be studying and all I could do was guess. Now people ask what I have learned and I’m happy to tell them. Sustainability is about more than just going green. It’s about understanding the world around you and taking extra steps and precautions to preserve and protect it. 

I’ve learned to be more passionate about what I do. I try not to take things for granted anymore. I’ve seen how people with much less have lived and how they treasure every moment, every animal and plant. I’ll take more time to focus on the practices of companies before I choose to give them my business. Some places in Costa Rica would rather work without gaining profit than hurt the environment. They understand better than we as Americans do that to truly prosper you need to protect the planet that you live on instead of destroying it for personal gain. I will always remember this trip and I will try to carry the lessons I learned from the people of Costa Rica with me. 

Garrett Byrne

Costa Rica: Leaders in Sustainability

Costa Rica is one of the emerging leaders in the global sustainability industry. They practice not only excellent coffee practices, but they also practice sustainability in the hotel industry. Costa Rica’s hotels had features that were quite simplistic, but are not utilized here in the United States. They used technology to conserve water, electricity, and money. Most of the hotels have systems that save electricity by requiring a key card to turn on the lights in the room. The hotels also gave us the option to have our sheets cleaned daily or to keep them for a few days. They offered this option to save some water. Have you ever noticed these systems in hotels in the United States or even in other countries?

The hotels in Costa Rica also do a lot for the environment and the community outside of the hospitality aspects of the business. The Parador Hotel and El Establo, two sustainable hotels the group stayed at, both support their local farmers by buying produce and meat from them. Both of these fantastic hotels do a lot for the surrounding wildlife as well. The Parador ties ropes to the trees so that the animals can have an easier time climbing from one tree to another. The hotels both support social programs sponsored by the government as well. How many hotels can you think of that are staples in their communities? Look for more information on the Costa Rican hotel industry in the final presentations!

This trip has made me realize just how important it is to adopt a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Since returning back to the States I have made it my mission to turn off the lights when I am not in my dorm room. I am also trying to become more accepting of insects. Instead of killing them, I will strive to simply capture them and release them. This lifestyle is so much less stressful and it makes me proud to know that such little acts can greatly impact our environment. Pura vida!

Justin Brown

After a wonderful experience visiting Costa Rica, I have learned a lot about the environment throughout the world and what we as humans can do to help preserve the area around us. Being home for three week now since the trip, I have noticed myself changing some daily behaviors, thoughts and feelings. I have also noticed that I pay more attention to the food I am eating, whether it is organic and/or all natural. I have noticed myself grabbing the all natural or organic brands when food shopping. After learning about how different foods are made and how these practices can help the environment tremendously, it has changed the way I look at the practices companies are involved with. I believe that by making these changes in my lifestyle it will increase my own well-being and hopefully influence the ones around me as well. 

Before the trip, sustainability was never something I had thought about, however, after the trip I have noticed sustainability being talked about on websites, commercials and other advertisements that I had not noticed before this trip. I have also noticed myself educating the people that I come in contact with throughout a daily basis. I have critiqued my mom’s shopping and suggested different products she could buy along with giving her evidence to why I feel this way by sharing what I have learned from being abroad. I also have educated friends about certain things I have learned while also giving them advice about what products to pay attention to for sustainable practices. I have definitely been more aware of my recycling behaviors and have attempted to get the people I live with on board as well. It is important to understand the impact you can have on the environment by changing small behaviors. 

Being home for three weeks, I have already missed the freshly handpicked coffee from Costa Rica along with the fresh food that was provided to us every day (especially the fruit). The knowledge I have now after my experience abroad has definitely influenced my thoughts, feelings and behaviors towards sustainable practices domestically and I hope to educate the ones around me to change their feelings and behaviors as well to help the well-being of our country. 

Laura Bowen

Life After Costa Rica

When I think about Costa Rica and everything I learned, I start to wonder why don’t we try to implement some of these ideas into our own campus? Why not use sustainability as a promoting point and create a leaf scaling system for colleges? I mean, if hotels are sustainable, I think we should be able to make dorm rooms more sustainable as well; like the automatic light switches, composting, reusing water, reducing water usage, and composting there are many things we can do to make Bryant even more sustainable and more like the hotels I saw while abroad.

Since I’ve been home I have told so many people about my trip and some of the different ideas of sustainability and the coffee industry. One of the things that always stands out to me as being the coolest sustainability project was the implementation of the coiled water tubes running through the compost and how it acts to heat the water. I remember my Dad raising an eyebrow and saying, “Wow, I never would of thought of that, but it makes complete sense.” I got many responses like that and it makes me realize the importance of sharing my experiences. By sharing my experiences, I can educate a person on something simple that has been overlooked and might be the key to sustainability in our own lives.

 Before going on this trip, I had NEVER tried a cup of coffee, but now I feel like I know a thing or two. From how it is grown, how it is produced, taste testing & different roasts, and even how it is sold. One of my favorite things I learned from the trip was the recycling of materials in the coffee making process. From the way the dried bean skin is used for fuel, and another layer of skin is used for stuffing in pillows and stuffed bears, and even the bean itself through osmosis creates caffeine used in energy drinks. There are so many different ways that it can be used. The way things are done in Costa Rica is actually much more sustainable and smarter than I used to think.

 To continue sustainability efforts on campus I have joined the SIFE Green Team and yesterday was actually the RecycleMania kickoff (www.recyclemania.org) and this semester’s goal is to place in the top-100 schools competing in the program for recycling efforts. There truly are a lot of people wanting to help with recycling, but if we are going to make a big impact we are going to need a commitment from all people to be more sustainable.

In conclusion, one of my favorite ideas was from the manager of the first sustainability hotel talk, when he said things about how, “We need to develop the country with sustainability, we are always going to have an impact, but we need to find a balance of sustainability and operating as a business.” There are many challenges faced with people and businesses today and it is important that we find a balance in everything we do if we want to succeed in the long term.


Michael Banville

A Simpler Life

Visiting Costa Rica and getting in touch with its people, culture and lifestyle changed the way I perceive and approach life. This class reminded me that human beings belong in nature, not in man-made cities. We get so involved with everyday life that we lose our identity and forget what life is really all about. This trip allowed me to humanize myself and realize all the unhealthy and unsustainable behaviors that we have incorporated into our lifestyles. The most important thing I learned during this trip is that it is possible to live a happy and fulfilling life without having to stick to the American conventions about what life is. This experience helped me reevaluate my values, especially those related to how we can attain happiness.  

             One of the most influential experiences I had during my time in Costa Rica was speaking with Mr. Olman, the proprietor of Las Manzanas Cabinas- Bed & Breakfast. His honesty, passion for his family, farm and chosen career definitely helped me realize how shallow our lives can be. It is incredible how taking different perspectives in life can modify what you value. For example, for Mr. Olman it was more important to produce top notch, pesticide free fruits and vegetables, than making a profit from his farm. In other words, he was more interested in being responsible with his produce and customers than becoming wealthier.

 I believe living a simple life in which we become close to nature can benefit us in many ways. For example, by eliminating contact with artificial products like medicines, cleaning chemicals and processed foods we can considerably reduce the risks of life threatening diseases. In addition, by eating only organic foods, free from pesticides and hormones, we can decontaminate our system which will almost guarantee a healthier lifestyle. Also, by removing ourselves from the mass-society, we reduce the levels of stress we are exposed to. It is a model basically designed to mimic the lifestyle of our ancestors who lived fulfilling lives without the influence of artificial products and ideas.  

             For this reason, I have begun to modify my lifestyle to incorporate more natural elements to the extent possible. I have completely eliminated frozen, processed or artificial foods from my diet. It is incredible how small changes in our diet can improve our performance and overall well being. I am also trying to live more sustainably by utilizing less water, turning light switches off as much as possible and recycling everything from water bottles to scrap paper.

Juan Aviles

An Oxcart to Start the Talk

Our last day in Costa Rica, while filled with the warm sun and ocean view, was not put to waste. Earlier in the week, Dr. Attaran and Dr. Boyer handed awards to each student in an effort to commend them on their specific talents noticed along the trip. For example, one student received the award for "overcoming her fear of heights" by doing the zipline, one for "best sport," one for "best social media use," among others. The award was an Oxcart (pictured), but much smaller in size!

For Costa Ricans, the Oxcart symbolizes many things. The oxcart was the main form of transportation of coffee from the central coast to the pacific coast of Costa Rica. The beautiful colors and design of each oxcart still serve as an element of pride for farmers and their families.

 We decided that a great way for students to start their interview process with the locals was to ask them what the oxcart meant to them. Then, we would be able to tie their culture into the questions we asked regarding sustainability and the coffee industry. We are excited to obtain the rich feedback our students initiated with their awards.



We can't wait to  hear what students found out! I guess we'll have to wait until the final presentations!
Until then, stay tuned for another set of daily blogs!


Bryant University Sustainability Marketing 385