Hijos de la Tierra: 27 years of EARTH education
Last week, the EARTH University community celebrated “Hijos de la Tierra” Day (“Children of the Earth” in English), the annual commemoration of the Institution’s founding on March 26, 1990.
Being an institutional holiday, all EARTH students, professors, administrators and support staff had the day off – or, better said, the day on. Everyone lent a hand to carry out numerous environmental service projects, from river cleanups to tree plantings, throughout multiple sites in Costa Rica – including EARTH’s core campus in Guácimo, complementary campus (La Flor) in Guanacaste and the Costa Rican capital of San José. The holiday is a way to add to EARTH’s storied history while supporting the environment we collectively cherish and rely on.
Click on the gallery to learn details of the event.
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- Breathe in, breathe out: A tranquil, open-air reflection area was developed in the small patch of woods called Hope Forest. The area surrounding the statue of Norman Brown, a University founder, was improved by the addition of park benches, picnic tables and a small number of Little Free Libraries small roofed boxes from which anyone can grab or leave a book without charge.
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- Right for the river: A debris pickup occurred in and around the Dos Novillos River, an important water source for the Guácimo campus.
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- Reduce-Reuse-Reimagine: EARTH’s Environmental Action Unit held an educational seminar demonstrating how creativity can give new life to waste – especially when one sheds the notion of a product’s intended use.
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- Polygon: Renovations were made to the infrastructure and serene trails, helping cement this site’s must-see status on EARTH’s Guácimo campus tour.
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- Cacao is key: Some volunteers learned the ins-and-outs of adding value to the region’s abundant cacao production through artesian processing methods – a way in which rural cacao-producing populations can raise their incomes and thus their standards of living.
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- Like raising a barn: A greenhouse was constructed with salvaged materials used to make the different internal structures. This project was envisioned and led by EARTH student Blessing Chukwuaja (’17, Nigeria).
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- Paradise pride: EARTH’s Permanent Education Program (PEP) welcomes numerous visitors (study abroad students, visiting faculty, dignitaries, eco-tourists, esteemed University supporters, etc.) to campus each year. Volunteer sweat equity was invested to ensure their stays are made even more paradisical and unforgettable.
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- In students’ shoes: This project gave EARTH employees a closer look into students’ weekly active, academic fieldwork. Directed by student leaders, participants visited various experience sites, including the Integrated Organic Farm and the livestock center.
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- Sowing a greener future: “I PLANT” is one of the most valuable fundraising campaigns brought to life by the University. It allows EARTH supporters to sponsor a tree in the Emory Forest while helping to spur campus innovation and provide student scholarships. The service involved the manicuring of the natural campus space.
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- Artful waste, not wasteful art: Being that May 17 is World Recycling Day, this project involved painting a mural and installing a mosaic of recycled materials in an outdoor area at Escuela Finca de la Caja, a public elementary school in la Carpio, San José.
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- Como La Flor: Our compadres in Guanacaste spent the day cleaning the La Flor campus’s entrance, planting sturdy savannah oak trees, sprucing up green spaces, and remediating the banks of a local river.
This year’s Hijos observance was the first to include the participation of EARTH’s new president Dr. Arturo Condo. “My first celebration of Hijos de la Tierra Day was very motivating and joyous,” Condo said. “I enjoyed the sense of community, working together, and hearing the stories of people who’ve contributed to EARTH for five, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years. Seeing the devotion and the care of women and men in diverse roles within the organization, all proud to be part of a cause like EARTH’s, inspired me to reiterate our promise of furthering sustainable development.”
A special thanks to everyone in the EARTH community for their fabulous participation!
Click here to see more photos of the event.
