Cookies help us run our site more efficiently.

By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information or to customize your cookie preferences.

Accept Deny

GoGreenNation news

US Family Finds New Life in Costa Rican Blue Zone

News Feed
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

CNN published the story of a U.S. family that moved to Costa Rica, and it changed their lives completely. Kema Ward-Hopper and Nicholas Hopper decided to get married in the Central American nation, and years later, they made the decision to permanently relocate. Now, they live in one of Costa Rica’s blue zones, an area characterized by longevity, a slow-paced life, and a healthy lifestyle. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months before their wedding in 2016. “[I had] started treatment and everything. If you see pictures from my wedding, I didn’t have hair, and I didn’t really look like myself. But I was sick,” she told CNN. When she found herself in Costa Rica, she realized she felt different and felt as good as she had felt after her diagnosis. “That was the first indicator that there was something special about Costa Rica,” she added. Kema Ward-Hopper had to undergo a unilateral mastectomy and a reconstruction surgery. Subsequently, in August 2017, their family home in Houston, Texas, was destroyed by Category 4 Hurricane Harvey. Then, they decided it was time to leave. “We ended up losing our home. So, it just seemed like a lot of bad things [happening] back-to-back,” Ward-Hopper said. They explored different options and ended up choosing Costa Rica, as they were amazed by the country’s health care and education system, as well as the environmental protections. The nation’s proximity to the US was also a factor that weighed in. Back in 2018, they decided to make Pueblo Nuevo, in Nicoya, their new home. They spent some time in the area and loved the feeling of adventure. The family loved the sense of community and how friendly people are. They pointed out the health benefits they’ve experienced and how wonderful it is for their kids to be surrounded by nature. “We have noticed that we feel better when we’re here. Our cardiac health and lung health seem to be better,” she added. The family enjoys the slow-paced life and all the benefits that come with it. While they don’t know if they will remain in Costa Rica forever, they certainly believe “it feels like home” for the moment. The post US Family Finds New Life in Costa Rican Blue Zone appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

CNN published the story of a U.S. family that moved to Costa Rica, and it changed their lives completely. Kema Ward-Hopper and Nicholas Hopper decided to get married in the Central American nation, and years later, they made the decision to permanently relocate. Now, they live in one of Costa Rica’s blue zones, an area […] The post US Family Finds New Life in Costa Rican Blue Zone appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

CNN published the story of a U.S. family that moved to Costa Rica, and it changed their lives completely. Kema Ward-Hopper and Nicholas Hopper decided to get married in the Central American nation, and years later, they made the decision to permanently relocate. Now, they live in one of Costa Rica’s blue zones, an area characterized by longevity, a slow-paced life, and a healthy lifestyle.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months before their wedding in 2016. “[I had] started treatment and everything. If you see pictures from my wedding, I didn’t have hair, and I didn’t really look like myself. But I was sick,” she told CNN. When she found herself in Costa Rica, she realized she felt different and felt as good as she had felt after her diagnosis.

“That was the first indicator that there was something special about Costa Rica,” she added. Kema Ward-Hopper had to undergo a unilateral mastectomy and a reconstruction surgery.

Subsequently, in August 2017, their family home in Houston, Texas, was destroyed by Category 4 Hurricane Harvey. Then, they decided it was time to leave. “We ended up losing our home. So, it just seemed like a lot of bad things [happening] back-to-back,” Ward-Hopper said.

They explored different options and ended up choosing Costa Rica, as they were amazed by the country’s health care and education system, as well as the environmental protections.

The nation’s proximity to the US was also a factor that weighed in. Back in 2018, they decided to make Pueblo Nuevo, in Nicoya, their new home. They spent some time in the area and loved the feeling of adventure. The family loved the sense of community and how friendly people are. They pointed out the health benefits they’ve experienced and how wonderful it is for their kids to be surrounded by nature.

“We have noticed that we feel better when we’re here. Our cardiac health and lung health seem to be better,” she added. The family enjoys the slow-paced life and all the benefits that come with it.

While they don’t know if they will remain in Costa Rica forever, they certainly believe “it feels like home” for the moment.

The post US Family Finds New Life in Costa Rican Blue Zone appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

Related News

How to Volunteer in Costa Rica’s National Parks and Wildlife Areas

Most travel experiences are learning experiences, and in Costa Rica, much of tourism markets itself as ecotourism. Yet, only a handful of programs stand out as both ecological and educational. For tourists looking to complement their beach time with something more impactful, Costa Rica offers opportunities to protect turtle eggs in national parks or study […] The post How to Volunteer in Costa Rica’s National Parks and Wildlife Areas appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Most travel experiences are learning experiences, and in Costa Rica, much of tourism markets itself as ecotourism. Yet, only a handful of programs stand out as both ecological and educational. For tourists looking to complement their beach time with something more impactful, Costa Rica offers opportunities to protect turtle eggs in national parks or study volcanoes alongside university professors. Various nonprofit environmental organizations have prioritized educating the public, including tourists. The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) has, for decades, provided scientists from around the globe with research and knowledge-sharing opportunities at its three field stations. In recent years, they have expanded their offerings to include undergraduate and graduate programs emphasizing ecological and environmental issues, language study, and tropical culture. These programs range from day hikes and workshops to semester-long courses. The goal is to make Costa Rica’s biodiversity accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. “Our programs are designed to provide hands-on, mentored-research experiences to undergraduate students from groups most underrepresented in the sciences,” explained an OTS representative. “As soon as you arrive at our field stations, you’re immersed in a scientific community dedicated to tropical ecology research.” OTS has expanded its reach beyond Costa Rica, now offering programs in South Africa as well. Day hikes and workshops start at around $50, while longer programs can cost several thousand dollars for a semester. Visitors at the biological stations—La Selva in Sarapiquí, Las Cruces in San Vito, and Palo Verde in Guanacaste—can experience Costa Rica’s premier botanical gardens, diverse bird species, dense jungles, and wetlands. Prices vary depending on the program and duration. PROMAR, a project dedicated to marine conservation, shares this educational mission. “To conserve effectively, we can’t operate in isolation. We must engage with the public,” said a PROMAR representative. PROMAR offers various tools and guidelines for local action against marine litter, including pilot projects like river interceptors and strategies for integrating marine litter management into municipal waste plans. The Association of Volunteers for Protected Areas (ASVO) continues to allow anyone over 18 to help protect Costa Rica’s Sea turtles. Through ASVO, volunteers guard turtle eggs, clean beaches, and maintain trails in protected areas. Volunteers are typically asked to commit to at least two weeks, with options for longer stays. International participants pay a fee that covers meals and lodging, with free time to explore local attractions. Conservation efforts now emphasize the importance of involving local communities and promoting sustainable practices. Many programs now include components on sustainable tourism, cultural exchange, and environmental education. With Costa Rica’s tourism market projected to continue to grow significantly in the coming years, these educational ecotourism initiatives play an important role in promoting responsible travel and environmental stewardship. As Costa Rica continues to be a leader in ecotourism and sustainability, these programs offer unique opportunities for visitors to engage deeply with the country’s rich biodiversity while contributing to its conservation efforts. The post How to Volunteer in Costa Rica’s National Parks and Wildlife Areas appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Education
Conservation
Science

A Historic but Dilapidated Illinois Prison Will Close While Replacement Is Built, Despite Objections

The Illinois Department of Corrections has spent September moving hundreds of inmates from Stateville Correctional Center in suburban Chicago in preparation for replacing the century-old lockup

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — When film star James Stewart went on location in 1948 at Stateville prison's notorious roundhouse while portraying a Chicago newspaper reporter whose work freed a wrongly convicted killer in “Call Northside 777,” the lockup had already been standing nearly a quarter of a century.Now, 76 years and hundreds of millions of dollars of neglected repairs later, the Illinois prison home of infamous killers Leopold and Loeb and Richard Speck, and the site of John Wayne Gacy's execution, is shutting down. The Illinois Department of Corrections already has begun transferring inmates from the facility in the Chicago suburb of Crest Hill, a contentious decision bolstered by a federal court order last month. Last spring, Gov. JB Pritzker's administration announced a $900 million plan to replace Stateville, which opened in 1925, with a state-of-the-art facility on adjacent, state-owned land. The campus also could see a new women's prison. Supplanting the deteriorated Logan Correctional Center in central Illinois is part of the proposal; it might move to the Stateville campus. Completion could be three to five years away. But that's about all the administration has said. There has been no disclosure of a design plan; no timeline for demolition, groundbreaking or even deciding what will happen to prison staff. Nonetheless, Corrections officials' decision to shutter the facility this month was made long before the court decision made it inevitable. Ruling in a decade-old lawsuit challenging the health and safety of Stateville's environment, U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood on Aug. 9 ordered most of the prison's 430 inmates to be evacuated by Sept. 30. “The primary reason for the facility’s closure during the rebuild is to address serious safety and security concerns posed to those who work and live in Stateville,” acting Corrections Director Latoya Hughes told a legislative review panel in June. “This is not just a matter of preference but a necessary step to ensure safety, efficiency and the fulfillment of our rehabilitative mission.”Employees and service providers, such as institutions that supply a variety of educational courses and social programs to inmates, want Stateville to stay open while its replacement is constructed to avoid disruption to services or destruction of a tightly knit and highly experienced staff. The prison is behind on maintenance by $286 million, according to a long-range capital needs study released in May 2023. It identified $12 million in immediate upgrades, but Hughes said that “grossly underestimates the full spectrum of urgent needs.” Wood's court order focused on falling chunks of concrete, bird feathers and feces and foul-smelling tap water. The ramshackle F-House, a circular unit with cells around the perimeter and a guard tower in the middle, was closed in 2016 — the last of the nation's roundhouse prison housing units — although it was briefly reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic to put more space between inmates. F-House and other buildings no longer in use are part of the backlog of repairs, but they still require maintenance, Hughes said. It doesn't make sense to pay for rehabilitation while also preparing for a huge outlay on a new facility. What's more, much of the work would require moving inmates anyway, Hughes said.But it doesn't make sense to state Sen. Rachel Ventura that the department has not followed through on resolving concerns she and other lawmakers raised during public hearings in June — she said in one case, an inmate promised a continued education course no longer has access post-transfer. The Joliet Democrat said she has asked repeatedly for updates but is told there's no new information. “If they’re going to shut it down (Sept. 30), well, what are you doing with it? Are you transferring furniture out of there? Are you getting out a demo plan? Are you getting an environmental study done?” Ventura said. “These would be the next logical steps, but to have nothing, no response from DOC on this — again, highly concerning.”An email was sent to Corrections’ spokesperson, followed up by a telephone message, seeking comment on activity at Stateville: timelines for closure, demolition and groundbreaking, and what measures are necessary after inmate evacuation. The hearings in June before the bipartisan, bicameral legislative Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, were understandably packed with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees members jittery about not just losing their jobs but breaking up collegial, cooperative staff environments at Stateville and Logan. Stateville has 939 staff members, including 676 who provide security. Hughes noted that Corrections Department understaffing works in their favor. In June, she said the agency had 1,000 vacancies within 63 miles (101 kilometers) of Stateville, including at facilities that will remain open on the Stateville campus. There are 500 vacancies to the south at the larger — and older — Pontiac Correctional Center and 168 at Sheridan prison to the west. When Stateville reopens, its former employees will have first dibs on returning. But many employees have a long commute to Stateville. Charles Mathis drives 45 minutes from his south Chicago home. A transfer to Sheridan or Pontiac would mean a one-way trip of up to two hours, to say nothing of double shifts employees work once they get there because of staff shortages.“That kind of commute round trip would take an enormous toll on my mind and body," Mathis said. “It would take away from the precious time that I have with my family and friends. I speak for all my co-workers when I say that that may be nearly impossible to justify.”Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Education
Government
Health

Dan Evans, Republican Former Governor of Washington and US Senator, Dies at 98

Former Washington state Gov. and U.S. Sen. Dan Evans has died

SEATTLE (AP) — Dan Evans, a popular three-term Republican governor of Washington state who went on to serve in the U.S. Senate before leaving in frustration because he felt the chamber was too rancorous and tedious, has died. He was 98.Evans died Friday, according to the University of Washington, where he had served as a regent and where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name.“Dad lived an exceptionally full life,” his sons — Dan Jr., Mark and Bruce Evans — said in a written statement quoted by The Seattle Times. “Whether serving in public office, working to improve higher education, mentoring aspiring public servants … he just kept signing up for stuff right until the end. He touched a lot of lives. And he did this without sacrificing family.”Evans was a dominant force in Washington politics for decades and, until current Gov. Jay Inslee, he was the only person to be elected governor three times.Born in 1925 in Seattle, Evans was a civil engineer before entering politics. He was elected to the state Legislature in 1956 and won the governorship in 1964, beating incumbent two-term Democrat Albert D. Rosellini and prevailing in a bad year for his fellow Republicans, one which saw President Lyndon Johnson soundly defeat the GOP’s Barry Goldwater.Known as a moderate to liberal Republican, the avid outdoorsman helped add new recreation and park areas in the state and supported clean air and water legislation. He created the nation's first state Department of Ecology, which President Richard Nixon used as a model for the Environmental Protection Agency. Evans also unsuccessfully pushed to create a state income tax. He opted not to run for a fourth term.After leaving the governor’s mansion in 1977, Evans stayed in Olympia, serving as president of The Evergreen State College. Evans had helped create the state school when he signed an act authorizing the liberal arts college, and as governor he also backed founding the state’s community college system.He built a national profile during his time leading the state and was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. He was mentioned as a possible running mate for President Gerald Ford in 1976. Never a fan of Ronald Reagan, Evans supported Ford in 1976 and initially backed George H.W. Bush in 1980.As a popular Republican in a predominantly Democratic state, it seemed that Evans would be a shoe-in had he decided to run for the U.S. Senate. He frequently spurned such talk, saying in 1972 that “I don’t like Washington, D.C., very well ... and I could not stand to be in the Senate.”However, in 1983 Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson died in office, and Evans accepted an appointment to serve out his term. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness of getting decisions made.” At the time he said he was looking forward to returning home to enjoy the outdoors.In later years Evans served as a regent at the University of Washington, his alma mater. He also served on many nonprofit and corporate boards.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Education
Water

Absolutely Massive Penguin Chick Named Pesto Wins Fans And Admirers Worldwide

He's huge.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium.Weighing 22 kilograms (49 pounds) at 9 months old, Pesto is the heaviest penguin chick the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium has ever had, its education supervisor Jacinta Early said on Friday.By contrast, his doting parents, Hudson and Tango weigh 11 kilograms (24 pounds) each.Pesto, right, a huge king penguin chick who weighs as much as both his parents combined, mingles in his enclosure at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, and has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at the aquarium.Pesto’s global fame has grown with his size. More than 1.9 billion people around the world had viewed him through social media, an aquarium statement said.He ate more than his own substantial body weight in fish in the past week: 24 kilograms (53 pounds), Early said.The veterinary advice is that that quantity of food is healthy for a chick approaching adulthood.His growth will plateau as he enters his fledging period. He has started to lose his brown feathers and will replace them with the black and white plumage of a young adult.His keepers expect him to trim down to around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) in the process.“He’s going to start losing that really adorable baby fluff. It might take him one to two months to really get rid of it. Then he’ll be nice and sleek and streamlined,” Early said.But she expects Pesto will remain recognizable as the sought-after TikTok celebrity he has become for another two weeks.For now, he’s a star attraction.“Such a small head for such a big body,” one admirer remarked on Friday as a crowd gathered against the glass of the penguin enclosure at feeding time.Support Free JournalismConsider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.Hatching on Jan. 31, Pesto was the only king penguin chick to hatch at the aquarium this year and the first since 2022, a year when there were six. The reason why there was none last year isn’t clear.Adult king penguins weigh between 9.5 kilograms (21 pounds) and 18 kilograms (40 pounds), according to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, a global environmental group.They are the world’s second largest penguin species, after the emperor penguin.Support Free JournalismConsider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Education
Food
Health

Huge Australian King Penguin Chick Pesto Grows Into Social Media Star

A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A huge king penguin chick named Pesto, who weighs as much as both his parents combined, has become a social media celebrity and a star attraction at an Australian aquarium.Weighing 22 kilograms (49 pounds) at 9 months old, Pesto is the heaviest penguin chick the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium has ever had, its education supervisor Jacinta Early said on Friday.By contrast, his doting parents, Hudson and Tango weigh 11 kilograms (24 pounds) each.Pesto’s global fame has grown with his size. More than 1.9 billion people around the world had viewed him through social media, an aquarium statement said.He ate more than his own substantial body weight in fish in the past week: 24 kilograms (53 pounds), Early said.The veterinary advice is that that quantity of food is healthy for a chick approaching adulthood.His growth will plateau as he enters his fledging period. He has started to lose his brown feathers and will replace them with the black and white plumage of a young adult.His keepers expect him to trim down to around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) in the process.“He’s going to start losing that really adorable baby fluff. It might take him one to two months to really get rid of it. Then he’ll be nice and sleek and streamlined,” Early said.But she expects Pesto will remain recognizable as the sought-after TikTok celebrity he has become for another two weeks.For now, he's a star attraction.“Such a small head for such a big body,” one admirer remarked on Friday as a crowd gathered against the glass of the penguin enclosure at feeding time.Hatching on Jan. 31, Pesto was the only king penguin chick to hatch at the aquarium this year and the first since 2022, a year when there were six. The reason why there was none last year isn’t clear.Adult king penguins weigh between 9.5 kilograms (21 pounds) and 18 kilograms (40 pounds), according to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, a global environmental group.They are the world’s econd largest penguin species, after the emperor penguin.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - July 2024

Education
Food
Health

Suggested Viewing

Waterfall Birds

In a place in Egypt that is close to Cairo, however, most people do not know it. The filmmaker went on a Nile cruise to discover the waterfalls world and their islands. At this place, she started a very interesting hobby called birdwatching. This hobby makes her identify different types of birds that are not known among the public.

Animals
Education
Student

Can Hydroponic Farming Help Reduce the Effects of Climate Change?

"Can Hydroponic Farming Help Reduce the Effects of Climate Change?" is an entertaining and educational short film. Rachel and her remarkable robot companion, Rex, witness the dire consequences of climate change through news reports of devastating natural disasters. When Rex encounters an alien emissary, he embarks on a journey to a ruined world where pollution and climate change led to the collapse of an entire civilization. Returning to Earth the three main causes of global warming are reveal—electricity production, transportation, and wasteful agriculture—and stress the importance of transitioning to clean energy sources, electric transport, and hydroponic farming. Rex takes on the mission of educating robots and humans alike about combating climate change. The film ends with a global commitment to address the crisis and a poignant celebration of Rex's role in this vital endeavor, reminding us of the urgency to protect our planet from climate catastrophe.

Conservation
Education
Climate

Living with Landslides

This film documents the devastating costs of landslides to both private property owners and taxpayers, and offers solutions. Climate change means landslides will only get worse.

Land Use
Education
Climate

Mayday Terranean

Mayday Terranean is a documentary film portraying the problems of the Mediterranean Sea as well as the beauty it still has to offer. Scientists, conservationists and activists from countries around the Mediterranean Sea talk about the topic, their relationship to ocean conservation and shed light on the story of this wonderful but endangered place.

Water
Pollution
Conservation

Rise and Fall

A film to provide an awareness of climate change and the individual measures we can take to combat it. The production process of Rise and Fall began as your stereotypical documentary meant to showcase various aspects of the Earth and Ocean Sciences Department at UNCW. Still, as the interview process was underway, it was quickly decided to move in another direction. It is an essay film about the science of climate change, what we can do in our day-to-day lives to combat it, and its impacts. Without using talking heads, the images of the natural world provide a sensual look at what will be affected by climate change.

Climate
Nature
Documentary

Join us to forge
a sustainable future

Our team is always growing.
Become a partner, volunteer, sponsor, or intern today.
Let us know how you would like to get involved!

CONTACT US

sign up for our mailing list to stay informed on the latest films and environmental headlines.

Subscribers receive a free day pass for streaming Cinema Verde.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.