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Contents contributed and discussions participated by Mallory Huizenga

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Mallory Huizenga

"Costa Rica Aims to Be a Carbon-Neutral Nation" - 0 views

www.npr.org/...story.php

NPR CostaRica

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 29 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • It's announced it wants to be the first developing nation to be carbon-neutral; that is, to have zero output of carbon dioxide. It's goal is to be that by 2021.
  • A small regional air carrier called Nature Air advertises itself as the world's first carbon-neutral airline.
  • What if everything, every hotel room, every sack of coffee beans, every microprocessor made by Intel carried the C-neutral brand?
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  • Land owners think of cattle, agriculture or selling to a developer, and forest conservation is the last thing they think about. So we need to create an incentive so the property owner will conserve.
  • Saving trees is important. They're the lungs of the Earth. Costa Rica claims to have planted five million trees last year, although there's no proof how many of them survived, but that's not going to make this or any other country carbon-neutral.
  • New Zealand and Norway have also pledged to erase their carbon footprints
  • What if you don't become carbon neutral but become 90% carbon neutral? I think this still would be a great example to the world.
  • The big obstacle for all three countries is transportation.
  • I'm not against it, but I think it will be very difficult, because here our culture is not educated for such a thing.
  • Some Costa Ricans believe their government's goal of zero carbon emissions is a distraction from more pressing environmental problems. Illegal loggers are still hauling out old growth hardwoods.
  • , in 2005 Costa Rican plant life absorbed about two and a half million metric tons of CO2, but Costa Ricans produced five times that amount, about twelve and a half million metric tons of CO2
  • Or 80% carbon neutral, or 70%. People who work on global warming say considering the sluggish movement of most countries on climate change, Costa Rica's green crusade, however quixotic, should be applauded.
  • Mallory Huizenga on 29 Mar 11
     
    Research Journal #3: Article Two Research Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: NPR: "Costa Rica Aims to Be a Carbon-Neutral Nation" by John Burnett Citation: Burnett, John. "Costa Rica Aims to Be a Carbon-Neutral Nation." Climate Connections. NPR, Feb. 2008. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. . Summary: This article is set up interview style. The author John Burnett, talks with different people about Costa Rica's goal to become carbon-neutral by 2021. Becoming carbon-neutral in a short amount of time isn't that easy. Other countries such as New Zealand and Norway also hope to become carbon-neutral, but have set their goal for a later date of 2050. This article focuses on the transportation, cattle ranching, trees, and the Costa Rican government. The article looks at what those areas are doing to bring Costa Rica to being carbon-neutral. The article does speak of how failure of reaching this goal is quite possible unless Costa Rica works hard to change its ways.  Reflection: I found this article intriguing because it brought forth the idea that Costa Rica could fail. Other articles I have read, don't talk about the possibility of failure. If Costa Rica takes the right steps, and works hard to change their ways I do believe they can become carbon-neutral. I hope that Costa Rica works hard to achieve this goal. They have strong potential. I think there willingness and their drive to become carbon-neutral will lead them to becoming carbon-neutral. Questions: 1) How far along is Costa Rica on their journey to becoming carbon-neutral? 2) How much is still need to be done for Costa Rica in the next 10 years? 3) How many other countries are striving to become carbon-neutral? 4) Is America looking at one day becoming carbon-neutral?
Mallory Huizenga

"Tourist and Turtles: Searching for a Balance in Tortuguero, Costa Rica" - 0 views

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MEL Costa Rica

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 28 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • can be used to (1) raise awareness about sea turtles, (2) provide funding for conservation and management, and (3) create 'alternative livelihoods' and revenues for communities who engage(d) in direct consumption or sale of sea turtle products.
    • Mallory Huizenga
      Mallory Huizenga on 28 Mar 11
       
      Reflection: This article was helpful because it took me one step deeper into the efforts Costa Rica is taking to better their ecological conservation. Many articles that I come across only cover the surface of what Costa Rica is doing. In this article I was able to get an up close look at one of the things Costa Rica is doing: protecting sea turtles. Costa Rica is working with resources, such as tourism, to improve their conservation efforts. It was also nice to get a solid definition of ecotourism in Costa Rica. Questions: 1) What are other organization doing to promote conservation efforts? 2) How many other organizations use tourism to raise awareness? 3) What other steps is Costa Rica taking to protect sea turtles? 4) What other research studies are taking place on sea turtles?
  • In this paper, we focus on tourist perceptions of turtle tours in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, home to Tortuguero National Park
  • In 2004, the tour system was changed to mitigate potential negative impacts of tourist activity on nesting turtles.
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  • Sea turtle conservation organisations promote tourism as a way to 'save turtles', and reconcile conservation and development near nesting beaches.
  • Turtles and tourism are now so inextricably linked in some places that potential turtle losses represent tourism revenue losses (BBC News 2004).
  • Since the 1990s, ecotourism has become part of the tourism mainstream, especially in places like Costa Rica, where 'softer' ecotourism dominates. It is largely composed of nature-based tourism that includes some 'green' aspects but also offers easier tourist outings and more comforts of home
  • While ecotourism, including ecotourism in Tortuguero, once attracted mostly 'harder' or more rugged and/or environmentally conscious tourists than most nature-based or wildlife-viewing tourism (Place 1991), such distinctions are now less clear
  • As ecotourism grows, and infrastructure and services are added, the destination becomes less attractive to harder ecotourists.
  • ecotourists were portrayed as alternative tourists looking for environmentally focused educational trips.
  • (Eco)tourism's promise for conservation Ecotourism is seen as part of a 'mutually beneficial triumvirate', alongside conservation and biology, by many in the conservation world (Brightsmith et al. 2008).
  • Some conservationists see tourism, especially ecotourism, as an important driver of conservation
  • Tortuguero village, Tortuguero National Park and tourism Tortuguero's [Figure 1] nesting beach is used by green, leatherback, hawksbill, and loggerhead sea turtles.
  • Tourist traffic on the beach also has the potential to disturb turtles as they search for a place to nest, sending them back into the water without completing the nesting process.
  • Tourist roles in Tortuguero Tourists play key roles in turtle conservation success in Tortuguero
  • Conservation efforts are also co-dependently intertwined with tourism.
  • We have suggested that tourism in Tortuguero appears to have switched to a softer, more mass tourism-like form of 'ecotourism'.
  • Striving for this delicate balance will not be easy, but gaining a better and ongoing understanding of tourist perceptions is integral to designing more sustainable or less unsustainable turtle tourism options for the future.
  • Mallory Huizenga on 28 Mar 11
     
    Research Journal #3: Article One Research Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: Mel.org: "Tourist and Turtles: Searching for a Balance in Tortuguero, Costa Rica" by Zoe Meletis and Emma Harrison  Citation: Meletis, Zoe, and Emma Harrison. "Tourists and turtles: Searching for a balance in Tortuguero, Costa Rica." Conservation and Society 8.1 (2010): 26. Academic OneFile. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. Summary: This article takes an inside look at the sea turtle population and how tourism has affected the turtle population. The article is filled with information, observations, and facts. The article also displays a study that took place to measure the affects of tourism on the sea turtle population. One of the top things the article talks about is how tourism is raising conservation awareness for the turtle. Through tourism, conservation organizations are able to spread awareness. Another aspect that the article talks about is ecotourism. It talks about the difference between ecotourism and tourism. Costa Rica is becoming known for their ecotourism. The article defines ecotourism as "largely composed of nature-based tourism that includes some 'green' aspects but also offers easier tourist outings and more comforts of home". This article glorifies the efforts Costa Rica is taking to deepen their ecological conservation.  Reflection and Questions on Sticky Note
Mallory Huizenga

"Costa Rica Launches Groundbreaking Environmental Initiative" - 0 views

www.nature.org/...press4743.html

conservancy

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • The funding will support a new ground-breaking, multi-million-dollar environmental initiative called Forever Costa Rica that will at least double the nation’s marine protected areas, dramatically improve the management of both marine and terrestrial protected area systems and provide necessary financing to sustain these environmental efforts in perpetuity.
  • By 2015, with assistance from the Forever Costa Rica project, Costa Rica expects to become one of the first developing nations in the world – if not the first – to complete its protected-areas goals under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
  • On October 14, 2010 the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Costa Rica, the Central Bank of Costa Rica and The Nature Conservancy announced their agreement on a debt-for-nature swap that will provide more than $27 million over the next 15 years
    • Mallory Huizenga
      Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11
       
      Reflection: What a fascinating article. This article was jammed packed with information. The Forever Costa Rica project seems like a great way to go about conserving the land. I love how Costa Rica is so devoted and so passionate about conservation. Many other countries, including the United States could really learn from Costa Rica. Protecting natural resources is so important. Costa Rica has been taking the right steps forward. With the help of the Forever Costa Rica project and the finances of $27 million Costa Rica will be able to make strides forward in conservation and protecting their important lands. Questions: 1) Why is the United States helping in financing the project? 2) Does this mean the United States will consider the same for our country? 3) How many areas are projected to be protected? 4) How far has Costa Rica come since the project began in October 2010? 5) In our project we will need to include the Forever Costa Rica project.
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  • Forever Costa Rica will help expand the nation’s marine protected-area system, improve the management of all protected areas, and create management plans that will be subject to monitoring and continuous improvements.
  • Though it covers less than one-tenth of one percent of Earth’s surface, Costa Rica is one of the world’s richest natural treasures, hosting as much as five percent of the world’s biodiversity.
  • As one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, it has a proven track record for reaching and exceeding its conservation goals.
  • “Today, Costa Rica is showing the world that an entire nation can protect its natural patrimony forever.
  • “Forever Costa Rica is a groundbreaking initiative that could change the way many countries approach their national commitments to conservation and the environment.
  • Costa Rica’s commitments to protected areas while also serving the needs of its people—many of the new marine protected areas, for instance, will enable resource management that can help to sustain the livelihoods of local fishing communities.
  • Costa Rica is leading the world in demonstrating how to put such treaties into action and to achieve measurable and significant results in a meaningful timeframe.”
  • Costa Rica once again leads the charge in setting a new standard for environmental conservation, with a challenge to other nations to follow suit.
  • Costa Rica has a tremendous history of land conservation,
  • The seeds for Forever Costa Rica were planted in July 2007 when President Oscar Arias launched his visionary “Peace with Nature” program that encompassed a wide range of environmental initiatives.
  • Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11
     
    Research Journal #2: Article Two Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: The Nature Conservancy: "Costa Rica Launches Groundbreaking Environmental Initiative"  by Colleen Roche Citation: Roche, Colleen. "Costa Rica Launches Groundbreaking Environmental Initiative." Nature Conservancy News Room . The Nature Conservancy , 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. .  Summary: This article focuses on the Forever Costa Rica project. This project is working towards doubling the nation's marine protected areas, dramatically improve the management of protected areas, and provide the finances needed to sustain these "environmental efforts". By 2015 the project is hoping to become "one the first developing nations in the world--if not the first--to complete its protected-areas goals". Finances for the projects will come from the Government of the United States and the republic of Costa Rica as well as the Central Bank of Costa Rica and The Nature Conservancy. All together they will provide $27 million over the next 15 years. With the Forever Costa Rica project underway, and finances set in place, Costa Rica is ready to further their ecological conservation. Reflection & Questions on Sticky Note
Mallory Huizenga

"Costa Rica Expands Marine Protected Area Around Cocos Island" - 0 views

blogs.nationalgeographic.com/...-rica-expands-marine-prot.html

National Geographic

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Costa Rica has just announced the creation of a large new marine protected area (MPA) around Cocos Island National Park.
    • Mallory Huizenga
      Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11
       
      Reflection: I found this article very helpful. The articles shows that Costa Rica is stepping beyond, and is beginning to conserve the water as much as the land. Costa Rica is working towards accomplishing a goal of ecological conservation. In protecting the water, and the ocean life community they are getting one step closer to their goal. National Geographic writes a wonderful article. This article shows the positives this protection has created, but it also highlights what Costa Rica still needs to work towards. The articles ends by saying, "The protection of the seamounts south of Cocos Island, by contrast, is a very important step in preserving a sensitive habitat that previously had no protection at all in Costa Rica". Costa Rica is taking the steps that need to be taken, and they are continuing to take the steps that are need to conserve the environment. Questions: 1) Will Costa Rica ban fishing in the park? 2) What other steps is Costa Rica taking in the protection of their waters? 3) How do fisherman feel about the possibility of losing their fishing grounds? 4) If fishing is ban in these waters how will the life of Costa Rican dependent on fishing change? 5) How does this broaden the answers to our research question?
  • called the Seamounts Marine Management Area
  • 35 miles south of Cocos
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  • after more than a year of discussions between the Costa Rican government and conservation organizations, including National Geographic
  • highest abundances of large ocean predators (such as sharks) found anywhere in the world.
  • The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Fundación de Amigos de la Isla del Coco--recommended the creation of a no-take marine reserve covering 25,000 square kilometers around Cocos Island National Park.
  • The government of Costa Rica instead created a 9,640-square-kilometer MPA that excludes purse seining for tuna, but will allow long-lining for tuna in some of its waters.
  • This is great news for marine conservation, and a good first step for Costa Rica to fill its gaps in ocean protection.
  • I believe this will not be sufficient to accomplish the goal of protecting Cocos' extraordinary undersea communities, however, because long-line fishing--which already accounts for the largest amount of illegal fishing at Cocos--will be allowed in much of the new MPA.
  • The protection of the seamounts south of Cocos Island, by contrast, is a very important step in preserving a sensitive habitat that previously had no protection at all in Costa Rica
  • Mallory Huizenga on 08 Mar 11
     
    Research Journal # 2: Article One Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: National Geographic: "Costa Rica Expands Marine Protected Area Around Cocos Island" by Enric Sala Citation: Sala, Enric. "Costa Rica Expands Marine Protected Area ." NatGeo Newswatch. National Geographic, 6 Mar. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2011.. Summary: This article focuses on how Costa Rica is expanding their conservation to the waters. Costa Rica "has created a huge new marine park". The waters are being protected around the Coco Island National Park. The water houses tuna, sharks and other large ocean predators. The area is called the Seamounts Marine Management Area. The Costa Rican government has been in discussion of this protected area for over a year. Studies show that the Coco Islands National Park has one of the "highest abundances of large ocean predators". One problems remains. Fishing is still allowed in the park. Until fishing is no longer allowed the goal will not be accomplished. Costa Rica has taken one step forward in protecting the ocean life community, but more steps still need to be made. Reflection & Questions located on Sticky Note
Mallory Huizenga

"Costa Rica: Committed to Conservation" - 0 views

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MEL

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 17 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • As a result, it intends to protect at least 25 percent of its territory as wildlands. The economic benefits of Costa Rica's conservation commitments include important revenue from hydropower, ecotourism, and scientific activity.
  • Based on land-use capability, less than 40 percent of Costa Rica's land is suitable for agriculture and approximately 60 percent is most suitably left as forest. Some 35 percent of Costa Rica is now pastureland, but only 8 percent is appropriate to that use.
  • The current government has established a goal of completely protecting primary forest, allowing secondary forest to flourish, and promoting tree plantations on degraded soils to meet demands for lumber and paper products.
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  • Costa Rica has done more than any other developing country to establish a comprehensive joint implementation (JI) regime as a strategy to meet the objectives of the climate treaty and promote its own sustainable development goals.
  • A high-level Consultative Committee on Climate Change was formed to shape JI policy, within the context of the national greenhouse gas emissions
  • More recently, the OCIC strategy has been exclusively to promote three national-scale projects focusing on (1) consolidation of parks, (2) natural forest management by private landowners, and (3) renewable energy.
  • Changes in Costa Rica's forestry laws during the 1980s and '90s supported substantial tree planting in Costa Rica
  • The law addresses four key environmental services offered by plantations and forests: (1) carbon fixation, (2) watershed protection, (3) biodiversity resources, and (4) protection of natural forest ecosystems located in zones of particular interest.
  • An understanding now exists between the nations of the world that protecting climate and conserving biodiversity are important goals.
  • Mallory Huizenga on 17 Feb 11
     
    Research Journal #1: Article Two Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: MEL Database: "Costa Rica: Committed to Conservation" by Rene Castro Citation: Castro, Rene. "Costa Rica: committed to conservation." World and I Nov. 1998: 65+. Student Edition. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Summary: This article talks mainly about what Costa Rica's government is doing to converse the land. The article emphasis how Costa Rica is implying their hopes and dreams into reality for the country. The author uses specific facts such as the percentage of wild-lands, the percentage of forests, the percentage of land used for agriculture. The articles also presents the measures that the government set in place in the mid-1990s to create a more sustainable ecology. The end of the articles discuss how Costa Rica is going to keep this "green" idea alive into the future. Reflection: I found this article helpful because it talks about the government side of the conservation, and what the government is doing to help provide and enforce conservation in Costa Rica. The articles makes great points, and is filled with a lot of facts about the country's ecology. I was glad to find an article that talked about the steps that were made to bring Costa Rica to the place where they are in ecological conservation.   Questions: 1) What is the government continuing to do? 2) How well have the guidelines been followed over the years. 3) What other steps outside of the government have been taken to enforce the conservation. 4) As a group we will need to include the starting point behind this push for conservation in our exhibit.
Mallory Huizenga

"Why Costa Rica Scores Well on the Happiness Index" - 0 views

news.bbc.co.uk/...8498456.stm

BBC

shared by Mallory Huizenga on 17 Feb 11 - Cached
  • It was also the first developing country to state its aim of being carbon neutral (by 2021), in part through the mass planting of trees.
  • more than half its territory is now covered in trees, compared to 20% in the 1980s.
  • Costa Rica was placed third out of 163 countries, up from fifth two years ago.
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  • "But basically the country does care about the environment. Other governments shove it down towards the bottom of their priorities."
  • The latest version of the Happy Planet Index compiled by the New Economics Foundation (NEF), placed Costa Rica on top of every country in the world. It makes an explicit link between happiness and the environment, and combines three key variables - what people say about their life satisfaction, their longevity and their ecological footprint.
  • Well over 90% of its energy supply comes from renewable sources.
  • He points out that Costa Ricans often answer the question 'How are you?' with the phrase "pura vida". It literally translates as "pure life" but roughly means "cool" or "everything's fine".
  • "I am very aware of my carbon footprint," says Pilar Saborio, Costa Rica's ambassador to the UK.
  • a range of green initiatives, including "ecological sanctuaries" where congregations learn to grow crops, including medicinal plants, in an environmentally sound way.
  • says Mr Ulate. "Now I have a simpler, less materialistic life, more in tune with nature."
  • "Every time I construct any new building, I have to get a certificate from the national environment office that I am not damaging the environment," says Juan Francisco Montealegre, who owns a construction company.
    • Mallory Huizenga
      Mallory Huizenga on 17 Feb 11
       
      Research Journal #1 continued...  Reflection: I found this article to be extremely helpful as I begin my research on Costa Rica. It gives a great summary of where Costa Rica stands as a country. I didn't know that Costa Rica scored so high on the "Happy Planet Index". This article surprised me on a number of levels regarding the life in Costa Rica. I never knew that they were and are trying so hard to lower their carbon footprint. I believe that living a "green" lifestyle is important, and when the whole country is striving for the same goal it makes it easier for the individual to strive as well. I think what Costa Rica is doing is awesome! They are setting a great example for other countries. Costa Rica is focusing on living a "simpler, less materialistic life, [and] more in tune with nature" lifestyle.  Questions: 1) What does the daily life of a Costa Rican look like? 2) How is Costa Rica enforcing ecological conservation? 3) What happens if Costa Rican don't follow the "green" rules? 4) In terms of my research question I am wondering how I can better and fine tune it. 5) For our exhibit I think we are going to have to properly include how Costa Rica is benefitting from their conservation.
  • Mallory Huizenga on 17 Feb 11
     
    Research Journal #1: Article One Question: How is ecological conservation effecting Costa Rica? Source: BBC News: "Why Costa Rica Scores Well on the Happiness Index" by James Painter Citation: Painter, James. ""Why Costa Rica Scores Well on the Happiness Index"." Costa Rica. BBC, 7 Feb. 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. . Summary: This articles focuses on Costa Rica's happiness level, and how it directly corresponds to its "go green" attitude. The article is broken down into three sections: Costa Rica- green and happy, Open cast mining, and Pura vida. The section Costa Rica- green and happy talks about how Costa Rica is the first developing country working towards being carbon neutral, and how the country has improved ecological. It states that "the country does care about the environment". The end of this section leads into the next section talking about Costa Rica's "happy" lifestyle. In the section open cast mining the author talks about the people of Costa Rica and what they are doing to keep their country "green". The population works hard to make sure their carbon footprint is as small as possible. New buildings that are constructed must be certified by the national environment office. The people of Costa Rica are coming together to find ways to support and healthy and happy planet. The last section of the article is Pura vida. This section talks about the benefit of living a "green" lifestyle: how both the population and land are benefitting. Costa Rica knows it isn't perfect, but they are striving to create a country that helps the greater good of our plant. Reflection & Questions on Sticky Note (Part of Annotations)
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