Q BLOGS / I have read at least twenty digital news sources not to mention our local info such as La Nación and televisions’ Teletetica. On a more global level, there have been commentaries on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC not to mention BBC referring to Costa Rica as little more than a drug infested paradise, the land of prostitution while also pitching its achievements in ecology to attract business.
After a year or so of reading and listening, I have concluded what and the hell is so politically divisive about cleaning up the environment?
Smokestack factories are pretty much a thing of the past with the exception of Asia. The lonely polar bear should never have happened and it only takes us, humans, to cure the problem.
Why then is this so damn political?
We pretty much agree that greenhouse emissions are bad for society and that losing the ozone layer is equally as bad. But in simple terms, it makes no sense to pollute except for business profit and laziness.
“Sure,” as some say global warming is not man-made. But who cares? Man can contribute to reversing the effect. (Or is it too late?)
Let the pundits looking for funding battle it out in the media. In the meantime, let us control the gasses and pollutants we emit into the air just in case the anti-global warming and political soothsayers are wrong? Why take the chance? Just clean up the air we breathe!
We have already begun, in Costa Rica, with alternative energy replacing carbon-driven. Why stop? Has anyone been hurt by solar, windmills, and forest?
Why cut trees and majestic plants to build condos, hotels or anything else that will make money when our claim to Pura Vida is only “eco” tourism?
Let’s stop now this political nonsense! Costa Rica can and should offer the world at large plenty of uncontaminated air, pristine beaches, water and a jungle no other country on the planet can claim.
But all this is a populist effort, where we each can and should make one small contribution that will add up to a monumental change of which we shall be proud.
From an economic standpoint, the country has and should thrive on tourism. That translates to clean air, birds who fly freely and monkeys that howl and do not cough.
If we work together, how hard is this?
