| The children of Costa Rica and many other places | | | | Explore bird-watching, giant turtle preservation, |
| just do not know. In many places in Costa Rica | | | | study the frogs, the path of the tigers and so on. |
| the lushness and beauty are so amazing and | | | | Create and foster awareness by doing something |
| green and for these children, this is "old hat" or | | | | in Nature every weekend. Think of ways to |
| normal. On the other extreme are those children | | | | engender appreciation by helping the Green child |
| who grow up in New York City and have rarely | | | | to become aware of the changes in supply and |
| even seen a blade of grass, just concrete. Hence | | | | demand. Help him to see they are getting less and |
| the names, the Concrete Jungle and the Green | | | | less. Pictures, field trips and research can help. |
| Jungle. | | | | Each child will develop differently. The green child |
| To the Costa Rican child, the illusion of city life and | | | | may be or become an expert in the details of the |
| city toys is alluring. They have lived in nature's | | | | green life, i.e. bird differences, nesting differences, |
| abundance and beauty and plenty all their young | | | | differences in animal sounds, etc. This will be the |
| lives, and are amazed with the opposite, | | | | child that is literally more "in tune" with nature, |
| technology. Many families instead of building a | | | | better able to concentrate and with more |
| house up on a hill to view the ocean or green hills, | | | | self-discipline. This is the child who learns to stalk |
| build on the most convenient road, closest to the | | | | his prey and has to be incredibly still to advance |
| nearest means of transportation. For them, | | | | closer and closer. He will be more fit, better |
| "television" is right outside their door, on the front | | | | coordinated, with better balance and agility. He will |
| porch where the parade of people who walk by | | | | have less stress and be sick far less frequently. |
| or cars that occasionally drive by grace their view. | | | | His imagination and ability to create play and hold a |
| Since the parents also don't know and appreciate | | | | sense of wonder will be better. He can reason |
| the environment, the child will grow up thinking the | | | | and be a better observer. His eyes and ears will |
| magnificent natural surroundings are boring, | | | | have developed different neural pathways, more |
| plentiful and will crave the wonders of technology. | | | | three-dimensional ones. This will be a more social |
| This perspective is vastly different from the NY | | | | child with better skills at being "one with the |
| city kid who has grown up with nothing but people | | | | world" and getting along with others. Without |
| and cars going by. In each case, each wants the | | | | endless toys pilled up high in the corner in the toy |
| other. The NY city kid grows up and visits Costa | | | | box, this child will invent his own toys and be an |
| Rica as a tourist. He is probably not an eco-tourist | | | | amazing improviser. This is your free child who |
| coming to Costa Rica to find ways to preserve | | | | has a sense of independence and autonomy. The |
| nature. Instead, he is in absolute awe at the green | | | | concrete child can be the engineer who develops |
| wonder and spectacular views of either the ocean | | | | two-dimensional methods to preserve the |
| or the lush green hills. In many cases the hills are | | | | environment, dams, septic systems, museums, |
| even more dynamic and life enhancing as their | | | | labs to examine, microscopic examinations, |
| colors and vegetation shift with the day light and | | | | healthy land fills set-ups, recycle centers, etc. |
| the seasons. He will build his house high on the hill | | | | Unfortunately, studies show the reverse of all the |
| to view and appreciate the magnificent green | | | | positive attributes mentioned above for the |
| surroundings, but still not understand preservation | | | | concrete, two-dimensionally stimulated child. Their |
| and sustainability. | | | | ability to concentrate and connect with others will |
| With our current knowledge and awareness of | | | | be apportionately limited, and directly dependent |
| the environment and environmental issues, it is | | | | on their type of "toys" and exposure. As a |
| incumbent that integration between these two | | | | parent, here are some things you can do for the |
| polar opposites meet somewhere in the middle | | | | child who may be lacking in appreciation and |
| and both be respected. So, to preserve the | | | | awareness of the need to preserve: |
| environment, the Costa Rican child must be made | | | | |
| somehow to appreciate this amazing environment | | | | 1. Talk about this subject all the time. Make them |
| and beauty that dresses this country, but use the | | | | aware |
| two dimensionality of the "concrete" mentality to | | | | 2. Plan some ecotouristic activities like visit an |
| preserve it. He needs to "master" eco-tourism for | | | | ecolodge, take a bird watching tour or look for a |
| Costa Rica, sustainability, awareness of the | | | | surf camp school who cares of the natural |
| eco-systems. How can we do that? It is easy for | | | | resources, then you will have many opportunities |
| the nature starved city kid from NY to appreciate | | | | to talk about the natural resources, the forest, |
| the green life but does he know how to live it and | | | | animal care, etc.. |
| be responsible for preserving it. The Green child | | | | 3. Plan and create scarcity times. We don't |
| runs the risk of thinking it is endless and will never | | | | appreciate until we don't have. Do not always give |
| run out. Technology is winning and moving in. Is it | | | | your children what they want. Make them earn it, |
| being brought in with foresight? Will the Costa | | | | create it, discover it, plant it, or grow it. Create |
| Rican dumps soon be full of old televisions, | | | | the wonder and appreciation. |
| computers, ipods, cell-phone along with plastic | | | | 4. Immerse yourself and your children in nature |
| bottles? How will this help to preserve the | | | | frequently and talk about it. If YOU take it for |
| environment? Each polar opposite must see the | | | | granted, so will they. |
| bigger picture. Can we teach an old dog new | | | | 5. Become involved yourself in some conservation |
| tricks? Absence of a positive green environment | | | | program to preserve or save something. You are |
| and ETHIC grow out of no regular contact with | | | | the model. Be one and encourage them to join |
| and play in the natural world during childhood. Both | | | | you. |
| the child of the concrete jungle and the Green | | | | 6. Teaching your child to propagate plants or |
| Jungle are lacking and need to be schooled in | | | | animal husbandry is a wonderful model for |
| preservation and appreciation. The Concrete kid | | | | regeneration. |
| needs a course in preservation and the Green | | | | 7. Recycle so you do not pollute the environment. |
| child needs a course in appreciation and | | | | 8. Teach your child about keeping the rivers and |
| preservation. The Concrete child deprived of | | | | waterways clean. Be sure you are not pouring |
| green in his life can grow up biophobic and not | | | | anything into your water system that will end up |
| particularly interested in preserving. | | | | in all our water systems...the ocean. |
| The Green child may not care as he has always | | | | 9. When you need to punish your child, make the |
| had plenty of "green". In each case the school | | | | punishment fit the offense. Do not simply isolate |
| setting is a prime choice for integration. Having | | | | the child or deprive him/her of his electronic |
| someone else teach your child things you never | | | | gismo. For example, if he/she throws a bottle or |
| much considered important can be an eye-opener. | | | | cup on the roadway, give him a plastic bag and |
| What the child brings home in the form of | | | | have him clean up the roadside for several blocks. |
| questions, solutions and observations should be | | | | If he pours something toxic in the sink or |
| welcomed, honored and implemented. You can | | | | waterway, have him research and write a short |
| start by keeping a notebook of these teachings. | | | | essay on the subject. |
| Have an environmental dinner once a week. | | | | |