For my kids,
I worked a good part of my adult life on reversing climate change with technology and people doing it together to make a better world. We are a long way from our objective but we are closing in on historic success of a small dimensional country, with leading renewable energy strategies, that often make us a reluctant leader. Costa Rica is our family and especially our kids home now, since the war in Vietnam got me thinking about American politics. My message for them is to appreciate what some visionaries have done for this war on climate change and that I have chosen to fight and to do something about it in my small hillbilly town of Tilarán, where we helped put up the first wind turbines in Latin America over 20 years ago. This was innovation and a costly fight to get it done without firing a president and with a monopoly utility company trying to stifle progress almost all the way until even today.
Anyone who knows about this institute will love it or hate it, since they dominate, and are subject to political and union pressures that sometimes lead to bad blood and bad decisiones. Forgetting about the corruption in the system, we know how life is in Latin America, the best case escenario for our country is to work together with private enterprise and make joint ventures benefit all.
As I digress, my kids should know what they have and where they live is the center of progress on renewable ideas, and many countries are envious of us for our ingenuity and use of the natural resources that the country is blessed with. It does not have a interoceanic canal or great stocks of gold, oil or minerals like Lithium, but it does have sun, wind, volcanos and water to make it a power house in energy without petroleum dependence. This is truely one of the showcase countries of the world of how it can be done, and how we can change the world from petroleum to all electric fuel cells in 5 years. We have a plan, but only a few people have listened and are trying to make it work from within the system, a democratic nightmare, but nonetheless, a ligitimate political system that could make good decisions. Let´s hope for my kids it does in the near future, since the opportunity is here and the preparation is also. What are we waiting for? I ask you Mr. President? Why are we so slow to stimulate the use of all electric and renewable vehicles when we have the priviledge of being the only 100% renewable grid in the world? We are the ones that can complete the cycle of eliminating imports of gas and petroleum sooner than any other country. Why are we so slow? It is because of poor judgment and poor diplomacy by the elected legislative as well as the president. Too much distraction and the fear of unions will unfortunately keep us from accelerating our war on climate change and leave us struggling with smaller and less prioritized emergency goals. Goals that would accelerate economic growth as well. Lets pray for Costa Rica and a better place for my kids to have a sustainable and regenerative life ahead for them.
Love Dad
