Navagations

Often, the climate crisis can feel intense and unmanageable, especially for younger generations. For me, I was always interested in global climate conditions but any sizable steps felt meaningless in relation to the big problem. However, during my experience in the Columbia Climate Corps Iceland 2022 program and the Chile and Argentina 2023 program led by the Columbia Climate School and Putney Student Travel, I felt that change on a small scale was possible. The Iceland program was centered around removing and capturing carbon dioxide with new technology. In Argentina and Chile, we focused on disaster risks and how to coexist with them in various settings. Seeing these solutions in real time made change feel more possible.  The connections I built with new friends in the most magnificent vistas, insights from various experts, and memories created are moments I will carry with me forever. 

The thoughts and ideas were never restricted to the classroom; we shared conversations over delicious dinners, breathtaking views, and spaces with locals. In one instance, we visited the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Navy in Valparaiso and observed them at work while we learned about how they prepare and track for tsunamis. We visited the operations room and saw all the tools that contribute to these processes. Another memorable experience was when we visited Argentinian farmers to learn about how neighboring mines are draining water resources needed for day-to-day life and farming. There was no better way of understanding concepts than seeing the problems in real time with people who have lived experience or specialize on the topic.

In addition to the enrichment of our lessons, we had many unforgettable moments of fun. In Iceland, significant moments include kayaking, horseback riding on the beach, having lunch at a sustainable tomato farm, visiting the geysirs, and stopping on bus rides to see the most breathtaking, hidden waterfalls. In Chile and Argentina, I had some of the most thrilling experiences, such as hiking 10 miles on the Inca Trail, seeing delicate local embroidery, having a nightly meeting under a sky full of stars, sandboarding down a dune overlooking the ocean, and exploring all sorts of different towns and foods. 

As someone who is externally motivated, I am easily driven by those around me. The friendships I built with like minded peers not only helped me to become inspired academically but also emotionally. During the opening meeting, we expressed our shared values, perspectives, goals for the program and established a safe environment which remained throughout the whole program. The programs value local learning, building relationships with our peers, and encouraging all participants to remain present throughout our travels. Therefore, we were all required to participate in a technology fast. In a world where technology takes us away from the present, the opportunity to fast from devices and lock our phones for five days allowed us to be present in our shared experiences and fostered meaningful connections. Disconnecting from the noise of the world felt refreshing and eye opening to all of us as a group.   

In both programs we had Columbia Climate School experts accompany us on the program to translate complex science concepts, drive group discussions about our field observations, share examples about real world climate actions, and guide us develop our own climate action commitment or project. Because of the Columbia network, we were also able to spend time with a volcanologist in Iceland who taught us about Earthquakes and professors in Chile that shared research on (un)natural disasters. Interestingly, the day I left Iceland, there was a series of 5+ magnitude earthquakes that led to the eruption of Fagradalsfjall. As concerning as the Earthquakes felt, I knew exactly what was happening after learning from Columbia and local experts about Iceland’s unique geologic landscape. Hearing all the unique perspectives and uniting through a shared passion was a special experience for which I am forever grateful. 

The program’s final projects allowed us to wrap up all our creative energy and new knowledge into a plan to implement in our towns, create an informative piece, or develop a possible climate solution for the future. We had the freedom to create any project we wished. Hearing about the climate action initiatives my friends were taking all around the country and the world opened my eyes to the impact every little action can have. Collaborating not only on our final projects but also passion projects at home was a dream. We strove to all create projects to make change in our communities and with the help of each other, worked towards these goals more efficiently together. Spending time near the gorgeous mountains and waterfalls inspired my final project for Iceland, which was a video about harnessing hydroelectricity from waterfalls. After the Chile and Argentina program, my friend, Majo, designed a bilingual children’s book to educate children about coral reefs, and I decided to write this blog post to inspire other people to take small steps to engage with climate change. Both these programs truly inspired me and my new lifelong friends to take the passion we developed and turn it into something we could do to care for the planet.