Thinking. Learning and Living Sustainable

Upon descending from the steep hike of the Highland Fruit Tour on our second day in Costa Rica, it wasn't only witnessing the amazing views that truly left an impact on me. Jonathan, a local guide and entrepreneur, gave us a tour of the small town in which he lived as well as his inside account of what it means to be a part of the community in Los Santos. Jonathan, who owns his own brand of locally produced and eco-friendly gourmet Costa Rican coffee, began to stress the importance of sustainability in his world high up in Talamanca Mountains. The passion and belief in which he spoke of giving back to his community and creating a better world is not something easily forgotten and has created a lasting impact on my life. He discussed the efforts of the local farms that provide food to the town’s elementary school and his push to give tourists a hands on experience in helping the community. Witnessing one man doing so much to give back to his community is truly inspiring and something we should all take note of. The impact that it left on me was certainly enough to make me rethink how sustainable I live.

Highland Fruit Tour

            Out of all the excitement and ambition that Jonathan holds for himself, he doesn't expect everyone to start an eco-friendly business or to feed a whole school with local produce. Rather, he expects everyone to play their part on an individual level. Bettering ourselves in a way that betters our communities and environment is something that falls on the shoulders of the individual. Personally, I have worked on changing just a couple of my habits in order to become a more eco-friendly individual: Turning the light off when I leave the room, reusing my towel after showering, choosing the local option instead of the name brand, being conscious of my plate size to not waste food and recycling are all examples that everyone can do to better our environment.

Group picture with Jonathan!

            Fortunately, I was able to participate in this life changing opportunity in which I was able to see and learn what it means to be truly sustainable first hand. In Costa Rica, sustainability is more than just a practice, it is a way of life that the country would surely suffer without. Unfortunately, not everyone in the U.S. has the opportunity to learn the true importance of a sustainable society. The most important element in creating this sustainable community is in the education of its individuals. I believe it is time for our communities to learn from the practices that Costa Rica is showing the world. We all have the opportunity and resources to live responsibly and by following the lead of people like Jonathan, we can certainly raise the expectations we have for ourselves as a community. 

Pura Vida!

-Billy Carroll

Pura Vida

I don’t believe that any of us were ready to return to the United States after spending over a week in Costa Rica. To some extent we all had ‘Costa Rica Fever’ (some more literally than others) and unfortunately we did have to say goodbye to all our new Tico friends including crowd favorites Miguel and Juan-Carlos.

We brought back a lot of things with us, both in our suitcases (……Dr. Boyer and Dr. Attaran) and in our minds. The genuine people we met, the adventures we went on, and the places we visited truly allowed us to adopt a very authentic interpretation of ‘sustainability.’

As many of us have stated, we absorbed a lot of information in Costa Rica about sustainability that has greatly impacted the way we live in the United States. I fully support and believe this statement as well, but I think there was a lot of things we learned about ourselves and our peers that we should not forget.

It took them 10 minutes to jump...

Dan, my roommate and Energy Team member, managed to find his way to the top of the mountain  with the support of Jonathan and our classmates, for which we applauded upon his arrival at the peak. Autumn and I taught each other how to get the best GoPro footage for every activity (mounts, resolution, frames per second….it’s a GopPro thing). Billy recognized that it’s not always about the booty when we danced the salsa; he found that his hips don’t lie either and he would give Shakira a run for her money. Eaindra is the best scribe at Bryant; I frequently caught her taking notes in every possible scenario which is why Eaindra will be any group’s biggest asset next year at Bryant (Juniors pay attention to what I’m saying for BUS 400). I was able to help a friend discover a passion for animals (Yes, Ronny that’s you…..SLOTHHH), witness Emily discover new go-to dances, and convince two college professors to jump off a cliff (there was water 20 feet below). Krysia loves the beach but may soon have a coffee addiction, Jake and I bonded over things that make us mad, Marco appreciates the simple things in life that are often overlooked, and I often found myself eager to hear Kasey’s contributions when we reconvened as a class for discussion nearly every evening. Among many other things, these are some of my most valuable takeaways from the trip.

I just wanted to thank everybody on the trip for being a good team: this means pulling each other out of rapids, pointing out monkeys in the trees when nobody else could see them, taking pictures for each other, prioritizing who gets the bathroom first during much needed breaks, and voluntarily spraying each other with bug spray to ensure full coverage. Let me know where we’re going next, I’m in.

-'Etan'

Back in the United States!

Costa Rica was the experience of a life time.  Sustainability Marketing 421 is a tremendous opportunity that goes way beyond what students can learn sitting in a classroom.  This class allowed our small group of students to make farms, coffee plantations, recycling plants, the rainforest, and more exotic locations our classroom!  This class gave students the opportunity to learn about sustainability practices from people who live a lifestyle of sustainability in Costa Rica.  This class provided me with a learning opportunity but also allowed me to change the way I live my life on a day to day basis once experiencing how Costa Ricans live in person.

Fruit demonstration during our Highland Fruit Tour.

Being back at Bryant, I have attempted to change the way I live as well as influence others. Before going to sleep or when leaving my suite, I always make sure that all lights and appliances are shut off.  In addition, I have reduced the amount of food I take at Salmo, to reduce my own personal food waste.  I also reuse plates and cups at Salmo to reduce the amount of soap and water needed to clean more dishes.  While walking around campus, I make sure to help others be sustainable as well.  I have described my experiences in Costa Rica to others in an attempt to gain awareness for environmental issues.  I also love yelling at people to recycle when my friends get up to throw something away.

 I have also noticed the current sustainability efforts here on campus as well.  There are many organizations on campus here at Bryant who try to implement change on campus.  Aramark, Bryant’s food provider, also does a lot to promote sustainability.  Aramark weighed food waste one day for example, illustrating to students how they can be more cautious to help the environment.  Aramark also separates paper for compost.  There are signs all over Salmo which discuss sustainability issues as well.  This class was helpful because it allows more Bryant students to get involved in this change occurring on campus.

BryantMkt421 students learning about the coffee process.

Finally, this class was just plain fun.  This class allowed me to experience some once-in-a-lifetime activities, such as zip lining through the rain forest in Tortuguero, relaxing in natural hot springs with hot water sourcing from a volcano, and whitewater rafting with the beautiful scenery of Costa Rica.  This trip allowed me to learn, have fun, and bond with a group of Bryant University students and faculty for a life changing experience that I will never forget.  This course should be number one on students’ lists when registering for classes.  Sustainability is a topic that compliments business majors.  Sustainability practices are being adopted by a majority of companies in an attempt to create respectable business ethics.  I personally promise that taking this course will change your life and help you stand out when pursuing an internship or job.  Pura Vida! 

BryantMkt421 students learning about sustainability with our tour guide Jonathon.

-Ronald Wagner

@RonBURRgandy

@BryantMKT421

Whitewater rafting! #TeamHorsePower

A Sustainable Future

 

 

Costa Rica was an eye opening experience for me and the results were life changing. Prior to the trip my knowledge of sustainability was narrow and limited to just recycling bins; now I can grasp a full understanding of not only the broad aspects of sustainability but the significant impacts it has.

 

 

 

It is important to fully understand the need for and impacts of sustainability practices, especially from a business perspective. Profit-driven businesses often lack sustainable practices. Learning about some of Costa Rica’s businesses and how they coup with the extra efforts despite the additional costs was inspiring to me. I also now make it a point to support local farmers and businesses that source locally, by not only providing them my business over competitors, but also promoting their sustainable efforts through social media.

Learning the importance of sustainable practices through our adventures has inspired me to make small daily changes as well, such as: shorter showers, wearing some clothes twice before washing to decrease load size, using natural light more often than electrical, never wasting food, carpooling, and just always being conscious of things that are on and not being used. Hopefully one day when I have a place of my own I can become even more sustainable and incorporate composting, personal gardening, sorted recycling, and who knows maybe even potential wind or sun powered energy.

I definitely miss the beach and the sun but the places we visited and the people we talked to have changed my perception of sustainability, teaching me lifelong values for a better tomorrow.  

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @BryantMKT421 to learn more about our adventures and how you can improve your sustainable practices and preserve our beautiful planet. Pura Vida! - Krysia Syska

 



They put the GREEN in T.F. Green

Theodore Francis Green

T.F. Green Airport located in Providence, RI Opened in 1931. The airport received it's name after former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green. The airport was then rebuilt in 1996. The renovation called for a new name in the main terminal, which was named after another former Rhode Island governor, Bruce Sundlun. T.F. Green was the first state-owned airport in the United States. 

Fun Fact: It is considered a reliever airport for Boston Logan International, along with Manchester and Worcester  Airports.  

  

How is TF Green SUSTAINABLE!? 

T.F. Green does it's part in providing and maintaining sustainable solutions and processes. One of the ways they did this was through their Improvement Program. 

T.F Green Airport implemented an Improvement Program, the program consisted of lengthening runways five - twenty three to a total of 8,700 ft. Another change the airport made was to demolish Hanger number one. The hanger had been located in an object free zone. The reasoning behind this expensive and timely project was to meet the FAA design standards. Overall the project increased safety, efficiency and convenience.

Another innovative way T.F. Green has become even more sustainable is through their Deicer Management System. 

Rhode IslandAirport Corporation (RIAC) solicited GS&P to design a new deicer and storm water management system that effectively collects and treat storm water contaminated by aircraft deicing chemicals. These chemicals come from fueling, deicing and maintaining the aircrafts. As we know snow and ice are a major part of our winter seasons here in RI and implementing and using a safer and less toxic system to keep our planes, passengers and environment safe is considered a win for everyone involved. 

·         

TF Green’s design and waste eliminating process is very eco-friendly, and helped them in achieving their 2013 status of being named one of America's best airports. 

Another innovative and eco-friendly initiative T.F. Green took on is their InterLink Hub.  

o   Provides passengers with an array of transportation options.

o   Rental car facility

o   Public Transportation

o   Rail Service

o   Service to Providence, Boston and beyond

  
The InterLink offers travelers ease, affordability and accessibility. The airport is also conveniently located next to the interstate which makes for easy travel and access to the airport.

Maddie & Bridgette pre-take off @ T.F. Green

Check out their Social Media Sites & be sure to tag them throughout your travels!

Twitter: @tfgreenairport

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TFGreenAirport

TF Green Airport (PVD)

2000 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886

Read on to hear more about the places and people we met throughout our travels and follow @BryantMKT421 to find out more about sustainability & Costa Rica! 

Post by Madison @M_Lichtmann