Figuring out how you are going to start a blog can be sometimes the longest part. You start to think about past experiences that could relate to the topic that you are analyzing. You look at abstract objects to possibly spark creativity. You might even go and take a shower to boost creativity and get the ideas flowing (studies have shown that showers actually do boost creativity).

On 4/20, we talked as a class about the damage of tourism. We discussed how Costa Rica offers Eco-Lodges and markets to their tourists the benefits of going the sustainable route when being a tourist. A wise individual once said something along the lines of, “The best tourism is staying home”. That person said this because tourism really damages our environment. Don’t get me wrong, I would kill for a trip to the south of France or to hang-out with penguins in Argentina, but if I were to do it, I would do it in the most sustainable way possible.

When I was in high-school, I had the opportunity of going to Costa Rica for a mission trip. The first week of the trip we helped out and did missionary-esque work. Then the second week we focused more on vacation and exploring the country. This was a great experience that allowed me to build my empathy muscle and see the world as a different place.

The NYtimes wrote an interesting article about an individual by the name of Dave Angstadt. This creative person adventured down to Costa Rica and build a sustainable tree house that he lives in. This tree-house cost him $250,000 to build and is a whopping 1,500-square-feet. Angstadt states, “Being self-sustainable, living in a tree, fending for yourself, figuring stuff out, always intrigued me.”

The article then goes on to say that North American eco-conscious buyers are becoming more and more interested in property in Costa Rica. Instead of purchasing $1 million beach house homes, they are purchasing more simpler, inland projects that are more sustainable and between the price ranges of $250,000-$400,000.

If you had an extra quarter of a million dollars laying around, would you invest in a Costa Rican tree-house? Would you flirt with the idea of staying in this beautiful housing structure? I sure would! Costa Rica gets on average a million tourists per year. This is detrimental to the environment of Costa Rica, unless they are staying in eco-lodges or practicing sustainable tourism.

I hope that you found this blog post interesting and eye-opening. If you plan to be a tourist this upcoming summer, I would recommend checking out how you can be sustainable when you are traveling. Until next time…