The greatest insight that I uncovered throughout our meetings is that Earth must remain a unified, integrated campus should they expand their past position as an agricultural university. As a reaction to this problem, three important things came up regularly in conversation: Inspiration, Innovation, and Active teaching. I would like us to move forward with the project by using these three things to define a developmental framework for all aspects of Earth. All participants at La Flor (be they businesses, students, teachers, etc), should find inspiration in the agricultural practices and environment specific to Costa Rica to foster creative innovation, and they should then share what they have uncovered as both entrepreneurs and advocates.

Conservation through symbiosis can also serve as a commonality on campus. Earth’s resources, such as waste by-products, water, and knowledge must circulate continually from one place to another and become adapted to new uses. The surrounding community, too, must be viewed as an important part of this symbiosis. We must collaborate with the community to find an appropriate application of our knowledge as it applies to the culture of Guanacaste.

Our conversations also left me wondering how these commonalities might influence Earth’s development, both short term and long term. If the institution is going to develop as a money maker, potentially through tourism or product development, they should use Inspiration, Innovation and Active Teaching as the vehicles to get there. These short term goals should not prevent Earth’s long term development as an integrated campus for sustainable innovation.