When I first decided to enroll for a course through the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, I was overwhelmed by the opportunity to not only study something I love, but to do so in a country like Costa Rica. As an environmental studies major, I was excited to see how I could take my knowledge from my classes and apply it to my work in the field.
The course, titled Sustainability, Tropical Agriculture, and Missions, aims to teach students about sustainable solutions and explores topics including plant taxonomy, volcanology, biodiversity, and agroforestry. It is one of the approved off-campus field programs required for environmental science majors and open to environmental studies and biology majors as well as those minoring in environmental biology or sustainability studies.
On May 14, 2022, I boarded a plane from Los Angeles to San José. I was accompanied by two other PLNU students, biology major Jackie Helbert and environmental studies major Timmy Mooring, who shared in my excitement about this opportunity. We met up with seven other students from across North America and for three weeks, we traveled throughout the country, exploring different environments, studying unique species, learning from the locals and, of course, trying some of Costa Rica’s best snacks.
Of all of our adventures, though, there are a few that truly stood out to me and greatly inspired me: our trip to a local organic farm, our tour of a research-based coffee farm, and our visit with the local school.
Within the mountains of Vara Blanca, Costa Rica, lies an organic farm owned by a man named Mario, who turned to sustainable farming practices after noticing a change in soil and crop health over the years.
This transition to organic farming methods was incredibly difficult. As I listened to him and other farmers speak about their composting practices, I learned that when they initially transitioned, they saw small crop yields and underwhelming changes in their soil. It wasn’t until many seasons later that they began to see their yields grow and their soil health improve.
I had the opportunity to ask a farmer named Andres if he believed more farms would make this commitment to organic farming. He explained to me that organic farming is ultimately beneficial, but it takes time to see results and is extremely labor intensive. Mario’s farm nearly didn’t survive the transition because the yield was so small. Some farmers want to make this change, but without financial support, they can’t afford the loss of income for that transitional period.
Mario had made this decision because he saw a degradation in the land and felt a responsibility to do better. He felt that God was calling him to restore dignity to the soil and trusted that He would provide despite the time of uncertainty.
Through studying the environment and sustainability, I have spent a lot of time looking at data and information regarding global carbon emissions, climate projections, and land degradation. I have felt, as I think many of us have, overwhelmed by the intensity of the problems our planet is facing.
Through studying the environment and sustainability, I have spent a lot of time looking at data and information regarding global carbon emissions, climate projections, and land degradation. I have felt, as I think many of us have, overwhelmed by the intensity of the problems our planet is facing.
As I spoke to Andres and Mario, however, I felt incredibly humbled by the realization that their action, that their activism, was not born out of a desire to improve the daunting realities of climate change, but rather to care for the creation that they feel a moral responsibility to protect.
Mario’s Organic Farm may not change the whole world, but it has improved his soil health, increased the quality of his crops, and served as an example of environmental stewardship for his community. I am grateful to him for the reminder that we are all capable of making positive changes, and the ripple effect of those changes can be felt near and far.
During our last week in Costa Rica, the class was asked to make a presentation that would be given to the local school in Vara Blanca. We split into groups and were assigned a topic for our part of the presentation: sustainability, community, and leadership.
Myself and three of my peers were assigned to speak about community. When it was time for us to present, my group and I walked around and handed every student a colored piece of paper. I asked them, in my imperfect Spanish, to write down a positive word that describes them and to glue it to a posterboard we had at the front of the hall.
The purpose of this activity was to show how every individual contributes something important to the community, but as we collected the cards with words written like creativo (creative), amable (kind), empatico (empathetic), there was one card that stood out to me: Portodora de esperanza– bearer of hope.
I realized that as I stood in front of this room sharing my knowledge with these young students, I was truly learning from them.
I realized that as I stood in front of this room
sharing my knowledge with these young
students, I was truly learning from them.
These are the children of farmers; they know the land best because they have spent their lives digging their hands into the soil. They have watched as generations’ worth of agricultural knowledge displayed itself across the mountains they will live on for the rest of their lives.
Theirs are the voices that should be heard.
I decided to pursue a degree in environmental studies because I have seen how environmental justice and social justice are inextricably linked.
The opportunity for environmental studies, environmental science, sustainability, and biology students to complete field work studies abroad is an experience that pushes learning further than our textbooks can reach. Through hands-on experience, we grow to better understand the complexities of the issues we study and, more importantly, how we can use that understanding to be better stewards of the earth.
I boarded my plan home from San José with a great deal of knowledge from my studies, but also with a renewed sense of hope. Though we may face a daunting reality, it is hope that drives us to do better.
