We've been back from Costa Rica for a week and a half, but it feels like we're just now adjusting back to being home. It was beautiful -- there was ocean, there were mountains, there were waterfalls, and there were lots and lots of critters. We sat for hours and watched monkeys swing through trees. We tromped around in the rain and looked for quetzals. And we couldn't walk long distances because we kept stopping to look at birds. And that's the way we like it. Costa Rica doesn't have the same edge as some other places in Latin America that we've travelled to -- there's no "if I eat this, will I be puking my guts out tomorrow?" and a lot less visible poverty. Sometimes it feels a little like Disneyworld, full of tourists. But it's no Disneyworld -- that beauty is real, and they've done a great job of protecting it. Our pictures are here.Have you taken our survey yet? We'd love your feedback on the Natural Capital. This is your chance to tell us what you missed -- and what you didn't -- while we were gone. And you can win some of our favorite native plant seeds for filling it out!
Other things that caught our eye this week:
- Wha? A meteorite hit a doctor's office in Lorton,VA this week. See the footage, or check out this Q&A with Smithsonian experts from NMNH.
- Does Spending Time Outdoors Prevent Myopia? (NPR)
- Scientists Reject Mountaintop Mining Methods (NYTimes)
- Update your Netflix queue...All-Time Top 10 Environmental Films (Audubon Magazine Blog)
- MD General Assembly may take a hatchet to environmental programs protecting the Bay.
- There are some fun links in this story from the National Wildlife Federation for Squirrel Appreciation Day.
"In wilderness I sense the miracle of life, & behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia." - Charles LindberghSee you out there!
