Coursework
Sustainable Tourism Course RTM 404 - Costa Rica
"Community Leader"
This course focused on all elements of sustainability that is affected by tourism. Including but not limited to pollution, usage of resources by tourists and hotels, effects to natural habitats, overcrowding of reserves, and more. One of the main lessons taught was that as a tourist, any location you visit should be left better off by your visit. Basically your stay and travel should have a positive impact on the host community. Many people may interpret that to mean you should spend money there to benefit the local economy, however there is so much more than that.
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Reforestation ProjectHere we planted tree seedlings to assist the local reforestation efforts. Deforestation has occurred from mass farming of cash crops as well as the clearing of acres from the lumber industry. Slowly but surely these reforestation projects are starting to make a positive impact. Reforestation is the easiest way to combat climate change.
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Summer School ProgramIt was the first day of summer school for the Centro Educativo. Despite being seriously understaffed they do not turn any children away. They provide lunch, games, and learning activities for the children, Because I speak Spanish, I helped with registration. Other students helped with crafts and games.
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Nosara LandfillThis is a picture of a "recycling" room at the Nosara land fill. Local government does not pick up trash in this area because they consider it out of the way so the residents have started their own efforts.The group that runs the landfill sorts the recycling by hand which is very laborious and time consuming.
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This course was very much out of my comfort zone in more ways than one. However it was so impactful and I learned so much. It made me think about tourism and its implications in ways I had never considered. I feel that most people think that tourist locations are "lucky" to have visitors for economic purposes but this is not always the case. In many remote areas tourists spell trouble in terms of using up resources, being wasteful, bringing drugs and prostitution to an area per demand, as well as disrespecting the local culture. This course has increased my personal awareness and has turned me into a more considerate tourist.