World Environmental Education Day is around the corner!
World Environmental Education Day is right around the corner (January 26th), and with it, the first Finca Cántaros event of 2022—our second Annual Environmental Education Festival (January 29th)! Environmental education is at the core of everything we do at Finca Cántaros Environmental Association (FCEA). This is highlighted in our mission: “Creating community and inspiring action […]
Your “green” resolutions for 2022, and why some should be a pain in the butt
“Doing ‘X’ for the earth is easy!” “Doing ‘Y’ for the planet won’t take extra effort!” Having worked in environmental education most of my life, I have often witnessed—and participated in—the act of “selling” people on environmental action with these promises. But as we kick off 2022, I suggest we need to say more often: […]
This #GivingTuesday, support GROWING not just planting
At this time of year, and especially on #GivingTuesday, thousands of nonprofit organizations are trying to attract your attention. Why should Finca Cántaros Environmental Association inspire your holiday donation amidst all those many options? Because we are committed to GROWING and not just PLANTING. Environmental education is not effective when it simply plants information one time […]
Commit to commitment, not just hope, when it comes to the climate crisis
“We have demands, not hopes.” COP26, the United Nations climate summit, just wrapped up, and those blunt words of one youth climate activist are what stick out the most in my mind. I certainly believe that hope is important in a world that can seem scary and full of suffering. But like that young activist, […]
Birding from bed with a baby on my breast
For a few weeks, the doctor’s orders are to stay still. I’m incredibly lucky, since I have not been forced inside and into bed because of Covid-19–like a tragic number of people during this never-ending global pandemic—but as a result of the happiest event of my life. A Cesarean was necessary to bring our beautiful […]
The Bumbling Landowner—and what it has to do with environmental education
“I’m trying to embrace my landowner identity,” I declare earnestly to my partner as I pull on work gloves and start to measure out chunks of a “biofermento” (organic compost) that was prepared by women during a session of “Women Committed to the Earth,” our female-focused environmental education and gender empowerment program at Finca Cántaros. […]
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and a bird by any name would be as captivating: reflections for environmental education
It is 4:42 am. My favourite light of the day starts to highlight the curves of the cordillera in the distance, hidden by darkness but five minutes before. And with that light comes the first dawn songs. Tinkling notes of the Tropical Kingbird, like soft bells excited to wake the world to a unique sunrise. Ping-ponging notes of […]
What is an environmentalist? Can I call myself an environmentalist?
June 5th was World Environment Day. On June 15th, Costa Rica will celebrate its National Day of the Tree. Finca Cántaros Environmental Association has designated June as the “month of the environment” on our social media platforms. These occasions inspire even deeper reflection on questions I ask myself frequently: What is an environmentalist? And […]
Theme of the Month on our Social Media: Environmental Education!
Let me describe two scenes for you, and then I want you to choose the one that you think best represents environmental education: 1. A group of children are gathered around a tree, watching a rainbow of birds alight on its branches. The adult instructor is explaining the important relationship between trees and birds to the […]
Theme of the month: migration!
In March 2020, the start of the seasonal migration of hundreds of warblers, tanagers and other Neotropical migratory songbirds was poignant and bittersweet for me. With the pandemic dramatically transforming the landscape of our lives and locking everyone down into quarantine, the birds could fly between Costa Rica and Canada, but I—like thousands of others—could […]
