Costa Rica: Global Virtual Town Hall

Environment   Nov 1, 2017 by Marisol Sanchez

A) What does it mean to “decolonize”

• For me, decolonization is the consequence of consumption, it's the lack of balance. Colonization is not something negative, we have turned it into something negative and it has had negative outcomes but its not something bad. Colonization has given us knowledge, culture, thanks to colonization we have agriculture which drives us to having a variety of products. Colonization is what has made countries develop, the problem is HOW colonization is done and that there is NO BALANCE. When colonization started people didn't think of the future and the consequences there would be, they just thought of the present and in many occasions economic benefits. There has to be a balance between colonization and nature, everything has a limit so the question is when is it enough, until what point, when does this end? We are so into colonization that we forget about nature and that is why there is no balance. Many times we only think about our economic resources when we should be thinking of environmental resources. What will you do with a lot of money if there is no planet?? We associate everything in life with money and I believe that is wrong. Two days ago, I was able to visit two indigenous communities here in Costa Rica, the "Terraba" Indigenous community and the "Boruca" indigenous community and they said something that left me speechless, while we were taking to them about climate change, and how they have been affected they mentioned the REDD+ and in my head I thought "how nice, I love that project", but then they said that projects like the REDD+ always come to them but not with intentions of helping, instead they go to them with comercial intentions. Other than having only comercial interests, they empower their lands, so basically they take them from them and this is not right. Indigenous people have lost power along colonization, they have been left out when they have done nothing but try and fix what colonization has taken from them and has destroyed. So, as I said before, I believe the importance of colonization is finding a balance, until what point is colonization being positive?

B) What does it mean to “decarbonize”?

• Something very important in decarbonizing is "giving back". The reason why we are in need of decarbonizing is because we take from Earth and we don't give back. We can say that almost everything we do in our daily life releases carbon dioxide and that is where the problem begins. It is important that we think before we do because its because of our actions that we are were we are. When I think of decarbonizing I imagine it like a detox, a detox for our planet. We have to compensate the Earth because of everything we take from it. For example, if I take down 4 trees in order to build a house, I plant 8 new trees and in that way I can compensate the Earth. We have to take conscience and responsibility of our actions, its all about thinking it through and here is were the importance of education comes in. The person with education will always be ahead, knowledge is the key. Thinking before acting is the clue and thinking wisely and not in a selfish way(why selfish? because for example I throw a plastic straw in the ocean because I was to lazy to go to the trash can then I am not thinking of the contamination I am causing that will affect everybody around me including animals), if we thought through every action in our life, big or small, the world would be a different place. If every time I have to buy groceries I think it through and decide to buy locally grown products then I am doing it right and I am contributing, but now imagine if EVERY person thought like that? But something important is also doing it, because many people say they want to help the planet and they know how but when do their actions take place? ACTIONS speak louder than words.

C) Map the two terms, “decolonize” and “decarbonize,” indicating the points of overlap between them. Why must the two be carried out together? Provide brief examples from things you've learned throughout the unit to support your ideas.

• I believe, colonization is what has driven us to carbonization, to needing to decarbonize. We can't decarbonize if we don't decolonize. Both, decarbonizing and decolonizing rely on each other. We need to regulate consumption, and as I said before, give back to the Earth what we take.

D) How can you as students participate in this process on various levels? Provide examples.

-By being part of environmental projects locally such as:

• EPI (Ecological Project International): in which we learn how to protect endangered species
• Promote the inclusion of environmental topics in the different school subjects
• Reducing carbon footprint campaigns: such as reforestation projects and changing the cafeteria practices
• To ban single-use plastic in my school, and as a school to spread it in our community. 

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