Hola from Costa Rica!

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Hola! It is still pretty surreal that I’m living here for the next year. I arrived without problem on Tuesday morning and my host sister and host uncle picked me up at the airport outside San José. I’m living in a suburb of San José called Ciudad Colón. My house is very nice. I live with a host family of a mother and two daughters: Veronica who is 22, and Monica who is 15. Another student from my program is also living in the house.  The house is located on a family compound of about 20 extended family members and 8 students in 7 houses total. It is on a road that is about 15 minutes from the center of town. So far I love everything about it: the roosters crowing all day, the assorted family members coming in and out (including multiple small children), the lovely walk to town, and the delicious meals cooked by my host mother (which is included in rent). I feel as though every meal so far here I have devoured! It is lots of rice and beans yes, and eggs, vegetables, cheese, etc.

My Spanish skills are already improving, even after only a few days. The family speaks very little English, which I was actually looking for in a homestay. One of my top goals here is to be able to communicate well in Spanish. My host sister told me I spoke it well, which was a huge compliment. But I still have a long way to go.

We’ve had 3 days of orientation for school this week. I attend the University for Peace, which is a United Nations-mandated international school with about 175 students from all around the world. My program (that is in conjunction with American University) is unique because it starts in Costa Rica mid-year, while the other students at UPEACE are here from August-May. A large part of our orientation focused on cultural sensitivity and being aware of the extreme differences between cultures and people who are attending the University. For example, people have different ways of greeting or showing affection to friends, that may make people from other cultures uncomfortable. Or some students have always been discouraged from speaking in class in their country, and are unused to the idea of class discussion and participation. I think this component of the program, attending school with people from all over the world, will be a very valuable experience.

The University is on a mountain above Ciudad Colón in a village called El Rodeo. It has an amazing view. To get to campus, there is a shuttle that leaves at various times of day at various stops. The stop closest to our house is at the “end of pavement.” To walk to school, it would take up to an hour and a half, and they do not encourage students to take the trip alone, even during the day. The road is very isolated and thus students are very vulnerable to robbery. However, Ciudad Colón itself has been officially ranked the safest town in Costa Rica. Everyone I’ve met so far, whether in my host family, or in Ciudad or fellow university students, has been so nice and welcoming.

In January, the classes offered our optional. I’m taking a one-week course that I’m very excited for beginning January 30 called Economics and the Pursuit of Happiness. Other students are taking two- or three-week classes this month. Since I have the next 2 weeks off, me and 4 of my classmates decided to take advantage of that time and go to Panama. We will leave on Monday for 10 days, heading first to Panama City and then to destinations on the beach TBD. So my next post will be about that.

I’m also attaching pictures so you have an idea of where I am.

A sampling of what I’ve learned this semester as shown through my 10 papers

I’m often talking about how busy I am with schoolwork so I thought I would give you all a better idea of the classes I’m taking and the things that I’m learning this semester through my paper topics. Of course, the paper topics can’t encapsulate everything I’ve learned, but it will give you an overview of some of the applications of this knowledge. If anyone is interested in learning more about any of these issues, let me know! So all the classes I’m taking (besides the independent study) were required for my first semester and I think they provide a great introduction to the program. Strangely enough, I think Environmental Economics has been my favorite course because it is the most practical and I can see the real-world applications daily (but I was not a fan of economics in college).

For Environmental Economics, I wrote a paper valuing the environmental benefits of the Appalachian Mountains and the loss of many of those benefits due to mountaintop mining removal (a very intensive mining method that literally blows the tops off of mountains). The argument would be that a cost/benefit analysis of the mining projects that includes non-direct use values would show that they are not necessarily be cost efficient. I’ve also written two policy briefs for that class. One was on the export of toxic e-waste from the U.S. to China which is economically inefficient because the effects of the e-waste represent an externality – all the costs and benefits of the good are not accruing to the owner/user. In this case, areas in China that take in our e-waste are dealing with air and water pollution as well as health impacts. The U.S. should ban the export of toxic waste and charge a recycling fee to the user or the producer to internalize the externality . The second policy brief was on deforestation in Colombia due to palm oil plantations, coca planting and cattle grazing. This was slightly more complicated, but again the deforestation was an externality because it affects more people than those who benefit from alternate land use activities.

For my International Development class, our first paper asked us to look at the important events or movements in development and foreign aid in the last twenty years. I focused on the emergence of sustainable development as a framework for aid, 9/11′s effects on U.S. foreign aid policy, and the Arab Spring, particularly noting the potential for expanded women’s rights in that region. Our second paper asked us to pick a country and a sector within that country and discuss some of the important issues. For this I also focused on Colombia and the environmental sector, particularly deforestation which actually has multiple causes and effects (soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions and loss of carbon capture and storage). We will be writing a final paper on the whole development profile of our country from the first paper (Colombia, in my case) and examining the other sectors – including health, education and infrastructure.

For my Environment and Politics class we first had a mock grant proposal. I wrote a proposal to fund myself to study post-tsunami sustainability in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. More specifically, I proposed to look at the sanitation systems that were put in place both in the immediate response efforts and in the recovery/rebuilding phase and judge their sustainability. This is an important opportunity not only to rebuild in a way that is more environmentally-minded but also in preparing for future disasters to ensure that the systems put in place could withhold another tsunami, earthquake or other disaster.

Our final paper is to pick an environmental issue, examine the scholarly analysis of that issue through 3 different disciplines and then compare how they see that issue. I chose to look into the 5 proposed hydroelectric dams in Patagonia, Chile through the perspectives of environmental economics, environmental justice and political ecology. The dams have the potential to flood thousands of acres, including wildlife reserves, and displace people who have lived there for generations. Should be very interesting.

Finally, I took an undergrad course entitled Sustainable Cities as an independent study. I chose to do my research project on case studies in bicycling infrastructure: comparing a European “best practices” city with a city in a developing country as well as a U.S. city. My argument is that often cities in “developing” countries can have better environmental practices, in this case, better bicycle policy and infrastructure than the U.S. (a “developed” country). I want to show that U.S. cities are behind the curve in this area compared to other places.

So that’s the breadth of my studies this semester! I’ve gotten the chance to research many different environmental issues in diverse countries and their unique challenges. Next semester – off to Costa Rica, where I’ll be taking more interesting classes. I’ll keep you posted on those!

Fall in DC

Weeks like the past one in D.C. make it a pleasure to live here. Almost every day has been sunny with temperatures in the mid-60s. While I will always defend (Northern) California’s fall – leaves do change color and fall – it doesn’t quite stack up to the beauty of fall in D.C. Trees are the color of yellow, gold, orange, red, purple and gather in huge stacks on the sidewalk. The bright sunlight, or the distinct light of dusk make simply walking down the street a very enjoyable experience. D.C. is a beautiful city. Besides the large amount of trees, the height limit of buildings lets one always be able to see the sky and never feel completely surrounded by tall buildings. In diverse parts of the city, you can catch a glimpse of the Washington monument or the National Cathedral peeking out above the buildings. It’s also one of the cleanest cities I’ve been in. As Danielle noticed when she visited a few weeks ago, the architecture is quite lovely. Lots of brick and old, important-looking buildings. I suppose that is the purpose of this city, to present itself well as the capitol of our country and to impress foreign visitors. I think it does a good job. Now if only the weather could be like this all year around, i.e. no humidity or snow.

Back to School

I knew this going into it, but the reality has proven much more overwhelming than the abstract. Grad school = reading. Yes, I have a few tests, 1-2 papers per class – but I feel like the bulk of the work is reading. And our professors did not shy away from assigning many, many assignments for the first and second week.

For my International Development class, the assignments for the first 2 weeks consist of: reading an entire book, selections from 4 other books totaling 270 pages, 5 online articles, AND watch a 2 hour documentary on PBS. No big deal. That is by far my heaviest class (and the coming weeks look no lighter) but my other two classes, Environment and Politics and Environmental and Resource Economics are by no means skimping on the reading. By the fourth week in my Environment and Politics class, I have to read a 700-page book.

The one thing that is keeping me sane as I think about all the reading to be done, is the disclaimer by every one of those professors letting us know that we don’t have to read every word of every page of every article or book. Phew. That at least takes some of the pressure off. There will be no multiple choice tests on the details of each assignment. The real trick is to absorb the basic idea of each piece, tie them together and be able to talk intelligently about it in class (or in a paper). I’m still working on that one.

While the amount of material seems extreme, I have been doing my best so far to stay on top of it. And I’m not complaining! I am after all paying for this experience, and I want to make the most of it. If that means reading, I will read. My professors are also all unbelievable intelligent and accomplished. My ID teacher has worked for the World Bank in 25 different countries, my Economics professor worked at the International Potato Center in Peru which is just awesome, and my Enviro and Politics professor is the head of the program and was a big part of me wanting to come to this school.

I know as the weeks go on I’ll fall into a routine and the reading will become more manageable. For now, it’s back to my books.

Moving to DC – first impressions

Every summer until I was 15, my mom, my brother and I (my dad usually having to work) would travel to the East Coast to visit my grandparents and vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Those trips to Virginia always included several days in our nation’s capital, visiting the museums and the monuments. I’ve been to them all. I’ve waited in line in the sticky heat to climb the Washington Monument and visit the White House. I’ve paddle-boated in front of the Jefferson Memorial. I saw the FDR Memorial new, built in 1997 – it was one of my favorites because it included a statue of his Scottish Terrier, Fala. Another beloved trip was to the Smithsonian, to see Dorothy’s ruby slippers. On the map of the city I bought when I arrived, this area takes up the bulk, this is the DC most tourists come here to see and these represent some of my fondest memories.

After college, I got the chance to revisit the city through my job at Clean Water Action. Those trips were hectic (usually involving all-day board meetings) and revolved around K Street and Dupont Circle. No sightseeing, just work and after-work drinks. A very different DC, one that incorporates the endless number of organizations working towards a cause. Meeting with a friend who worked on Capitol Hill, I felt the implicit politics of the city. This is where it all happens. This is where decisions are made every day that affect the entire world. And this is also where people fight to affect those decisions. On my map, the area in which I worked was still on the main map, toward the top, hovering over the shoulder of the White House and Capitol Hill.

As I ventured out to look at apartments, I realized, none of them were on this main map. I had to turn the map over, to an entirely different, smaller section labeled “Northern Washington, DC” to find my way around. My school isn’t even on that map! It’s way up in the Northwest of the city. However, wandering through the “Northern” neighborhoods, I couldn’t help but think that this was the real DC, where all the people who make up this city live and play. After a few days here, I’m positive that there are endless faces to this place, representing the thousands of people who live here from all over the world. As I wandered around, I found myself wondering where these people came from, what they were doing here, how they lived their lives. Having never lived outside of California, that is what I’m most excited about, meeting new people and learning new perspectives. And I haven’t even been to East or South quadrants of the city – where I’m sure there are many more people with many more stories to tell.

So, first impressions. Hot, humid, full of mosquitoes, thunderstorms, and culture. I can’t wait to explore and discover all the versions of this vibrant city.

Green Gift-Giving

I love the holidays, because it gives you a chance to spread your eco-awareness and knowledge to others.  Last year, I gave every member of my family a reusable steel water bottle for Christmas, encouraging them to discontinue use of plastic bottles AND to drink more water.  I have yet to come up with gifts for this year, but here are some things I’m considering as I shop:

• Think of things, like a steel water bottle, that will inspire someone in your life to practice environmentalism.  Check out these ideas:  reusable shopping bags, a compost container, or solar charger;
• Avoid large chains, and shop local!  It is a great way to support small, local businesses and you will be saving on all the emissions caused by transportation of goods to the big department stores.   Bonus points for supporting green businesses – check out Greenopia for a directory in your area;
• Be creative!  I know this is cliche, but homemade gifts really do mean a lot.  If you don’t have the art bug, got to etsy.com and buy more talented people’s homemade gifts.  They have a great selection – everything from jewelery to kitchenware to neckties;
• Buy used!  Looking to get a classic CD or book for your Dad/brother/roommate?  Go to used book and record stores.  They have great collections and that vintage vinyl Jimi Hendrix will seem a lot more personal than a plastic wrapped CD box set;
• Consider giving a live gift, like a small plant or tree that can live indoors, or something to plant outside, that gift will last a lifetime;
• Remember to avoid wrapping paper and ribbon and instead use recycled or reused items to wrap like newspaper or magazine.  Also consider a second gift for the wrapping, such as a reusable bag or a pretty scarf.

Vintage Post: Ahhh the smell of sewage in the morning!

This past Saturday (March 2009) I participated on a tour of one of 3 Wastewater Treatment plants in San Francisco with some coworkers.  We visited the Oceanside Wastewater Treatment plant located just South of the San Francisco Zoo.  Entering the compound was like entering a secret bomb shelter in the mountains.  It is very inconspicuous, enclosed, and full of concrete.  They intentionally designed it to be hidden from public view, and public smell.

After an overview of the process, including maps and pictures, we embarked on the tour.  This plant processes only about 15% of San Francisco’s wastewater.  The rest goes to a plant on the East side of the city, which injects into the Bay.  There is a third plant in the North of the city that acts as an overflow plant in stormy times.

At the Oceanside plant they do primary and secondary treatment.  They first filter out the solids and trash including plastic bottles, paper, and baby wipes (apparently this is a scourge in the system and these and other types of wipes [makeup, cleaning, etc] are NOT flushable).  Then there is some sort of tank where the real solids (think about it) fall to the bottom and are rushed away.  The water than goes onto another area where oil (mainly cooking oil) is skimmed off the top.  Remember, cooking oil really shouldn’t be washed down the drain.  After that, the “clean” water (which you still shouldn’t be drinking) is funneled to a 12 ft diameter pipe that goes 90 feet underground and 4.5 miles out to sea.

Sounds pretty simple right?  Well, there is also tertiary treatment, which this plant does not do.  This is the process that disinfects the water, and makes it safer for drinking.

There are also plans (pipe dreams, pun intended) to build a pipe from the Eastside Treatment plant to the West, so that the entire City’s waste is pumped out of this pipe to the ocean, instead of 85% of our waste going into the Bay.  Ew.

We also talked with a marine biologist at the plant who is part of a team insuring the water going out into the ocean is not negatively affecting marine wildlife.  They test water samples close to the plant and far away, and test larger fish species as well as the tiniest life forms.  One doesn’t normally think about the affect of your waste on the ocean’s fish and other wildlife, so this is a very important job.

The same thinking should apply to street drains.  The amount of trash and chemicals that goes down those drains is criminal (literally).  Think about cigarette butts: smokers constantly, casually throw their cigarette butts on the sidewalk which then wash down the drain and end up in our ocean  As a beach clean-up veteran I can attest that, along with Styrofoam, cigarette butts are the most common trash on beaches.  Please if you are a smoker, do not throw your butts on the ground, save them for the trash.  Remember that everything is connected, and things don’t just disappear when you wash or flush them down the drain; they will most likely end up in our oceans.  Think about that the next time you use the bathroom or the kitchen sink.  We only get one world and every little bit counts.

SATURDAY – International Day of Climate Action

This Saturday, October 24th, 2009, people in 173 countries are coming together to call on world governments to take action on climate change.   In just a couple months, world leaders will be gathering in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Negotiations.  Millions of people are hoping that conference will end with a global accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The end goal is to reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 390 Parts Per Million, the current level, to 350 PPM, what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, or below.

The government of Maldives recently held a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the fact that their island nation, only an average of 7 feet above sea level, will certainly be underwater if rising sea levels aren’t stopped or reversed.   President Mohammed Nasheed is strongly in favor of all nations acting to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

Something else that impressed me was in an email from 350.org: “Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli activists will put aside political differences to push for a fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty.  On the beaches of their respective shores of the Dead Sea, they will make a big 3, 5, and 0.”  Having recently made a trip to Israel, I know firsthand how tense the relationships between these countries are, and working together like this for a broader goal just touches my heart.

So this Saturday, I’m heading to the San Francisco ferry building at 3 pm to take part in a gathering of eco-minded people to send a message to our leaders. What will you do?  Check out 350.org for events in your area and for more information.  Right now there are 4,517 planned activities registered for Saturday in 173 countries.

Be Your Own No Impact Man

I first read about No Impact Man (the man, the book, the movie) on Huffington Post, where blogger Katherine Goldstein detailed how “everyone” was talking about him.  That may not be true yet, but I’m hoping to get the word out to those without their hand on the environmental pulse.

No Impact Man, Colin Beavan, is just a normal guy who decided to live a year having as little impact on the environment as possible.   The movie documents that experience and the result is more than you would think: “It means eating vegetarian, buying only local food, and turning off the refrigerator. It also means no elevators, no television, no cars, busses, or airplanes, no toxic cleaning products, no electricity, no material consumption, and no garbage.”

Before you scream “It’s impossible!” think about the Beavans, a couple with a young child living in Manhattan, the urban mecca of the world.   Then think about the history of that world.  The Industrial Revolution happened less than 300 years ago, and almost all of our everday “convienences” have been invented since then.  Prior to electricity, the world’s people lived simply and comfortably without a percentage of the impact that we make on the Earth today.

First step, get inspired and watch the preview for the movie on the official website.

Second step, sign up for HuffPost’s No Impact Week, starting next Sunday, October 18th.  I will be taking part, and you should too!  You can read the day-by-day guide here.

Vegetarianism: An essential part of being an environmentalist OR a plot by liberals to take over the world?

Carnivores vs Vegetarians

In a piece on Huffpost Green, Jennifer Grayson asks the question, “Can you be an environmentalist without being vegetarian?”  The point Grayson makes is a valuable one: there are a lot of ways to be an environmentalist, and nobody is perfect.  “Johnny may be a vegan, but he has two dogs that contribute to the 10 million tons of pet waste polluting our waterways every year; Suzy eats all organic but can’t live without her daily Diet Coke; Bob outfitted his entire house with solar panels but flies to Europe four times a year on business; and so on and so on.”  Of course, not supporting factory farms and chemical- and hormone-filled meats by being a vegetarian is a way to support the plant.  But choosing organic and local meat is another.  And riding your bicycle instead of driving a car is another.  Being vegetarian or not (or vegan or not) is hardly the only way to judge your level of eco-responsibility.  To try and live in today’s society and be a 100% environmentalist is impossible, but you have to try and make as many positive changes as you can.

I personally consider myself an environmentalist and am not a vegetarian, but I am a flexitarian.  Flexitarianism is a somewhat silly name for a diet that just means that you do not eat meat at every meal.  I find it silly because it seems normal that you wouldn’t eat meat at every meal, but maybe that is just me.  When I lived with my parents, we certainly ate meat at every meal that we ate together.  And my parents are liberal hippies…so maybe I’m wrong about flexitarianism being silly.  Living with 2 vegetarians now, I find it difficult to cook meat in the house sometimes, especially when I want to make a big meaty meal but have no one to share it with.  Yet I love tofu and can enjoy many meals without including a carnivorous component.  I definitely could do a lot better when it comes to eating meat.  I try to eat organic and local meats that are sustainably produced, but that is not always possible.  This is something I (and you!) should be working on.  Grayson also mentions having “Meatless Mondays” to start reducing your dependence on meat.

The other interesting vegetarian item I came across today was actually posted my boss, who is also a vegetarian (I’m noticing a pattern in my associates).  It is a site called Vegetarians Are Evil and it a great resource for those who believe that vegetarianism is another nefarious plot by liberals to take over the world and turn our kids gay and all sorts of other evil things.  I’m still undecided about whether this site is a joke or not, as it is that ridiculous.  But never underestimate the crazy out there.  “Animal rights activists (vegans) have been murdering and attempting to murder high profile individuals for decades and the press barely mentions the fact that they are left wing vegetarians.”  Huh.  I never thought about that before!   Check this out, maybe you will be convinced…