Throughout the time I have been in Puerto Rico, it has been truly amazing to experience Puerto Rican culture and the mosaic of subcultures that exist on the island. The speed at which I became physically and emotionally immersed in this culture has been astonishing. I have always had an interest in Latin American/Caribbean culture. During high school, I thoroughly enjoyed my three years of Spanish class and couldn’t wait to apply it in a Spanish-speaking territory. Well, here I am in Puerto Rico, getting immersed in Caribbean culture while at the same time, learning how to solve world problems in the future. I believe that it is very difficult to solve environmental problems because there are many different worldviews. Therefore, it involves people from all over the world coming together and compromising. It has been very interesting getting to understand some of the worldviews Puerto Ricans have because my personal worldviews are quite limited. The United States of America was originally founded on the philosophy known as the “American Dream”. This popular idea meant that Americans were destined to prosper by getting well-paying jobs, owning vast quantities of land, and spending more money. Therefore, people started living by this philosophy regardless of the cost. One of the major costs was environmental degradation. Forests and wildlife started disappearing, greenhouse gas levels started rising, and the air and water quality began suffering. It wasn’t until the 1970s that America began taking action by forming environmental agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (1970). Despite the influence of these agencies, many Americans carry very little regard for environmental quality. Instead, they have a mindset that is geared toward achieving economic growth. However, I have a worldview that differs from that of most Americans. I profoundly believe in conservation of the environment for our own benefit. It is crucial to have access to clean water, biodiversity, and abundant energy sources. Without these resources, it will be nearly impossible to ensure a high quality of life for future generations. I am not saying I am totally against the American Dream philosophy. I agree with some parts such as our opportunity to initiate progress. However, I believe that progress should be made at a national (environmentally-friendly) level as opposed to on an individual (profit-seeking) level. In my opinion, the motive should be to transform America to a sustainable society that uses clean energy sources and disposes of waste in an efficient, nontoxic manner. This will limit pollution, increase health, and lead to a higher quality of life for humans and all other organisms. Obviously Puerto Rican worldviews are different from those of the U.S. mainland. Puerto Rico has a different history, therefore, it wasn’t found on the same philosophy as the rest of America. After the island was ceded over to the  U.S. in 1898 following over 400 years of Spanish colonial rule, its citizens were forced to undergo an uphill climb in search of their identity as a people. Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory (officially a commonwealth), it only gets some of the rights of a state. For example, the commonwealth does get a governor along with its own constitution. However, Puerto Rico does not get an electoral vote for the United States presidential election. Regardless of this, the United States president still has executive influence over the island. Due to these limitations, most Puerto Ricans are unsatisfied with the current political status of their homeland. While some believe that their commonwealth should become an independent nation, most feel like it should be incorporated into the nation as an official state. Although I disagree with independence from the United States, I believe that Puerto Rico is more than ready for statehood. It exceeds the population requirement, possesses its own governing body, and has its own constitution. Moreover, the Puerto Rico is a united community (with many cultural influences) that has been fighting for the same rights for over a century. Over the past few days, I have greatly enjoyed walking the streets of San Juan and Cabo Rojo. These communities were filled with music, dancing, costumes, and an overall sense of enthusiasm. It was clear that these people have finally defined themselves. All they are waiting for is Congressional support. Although Puerto Rico is making significant progress, civil unrest has caused an increase in crime and poverty throughout the major cities, where many citizens struggle to make a decent living. In fact, the average household income is only about half of that of the U.S. mainland. As these issues continued, the environmental quality waned. Most of the environmental degradation was a result of development. The clearing of rainforests and other natural areas resulted in the shrinking populations of the many beloved animals such as the critically endangered Puerto Rican amazon. Although efforts have been made to preserve wildlife, the political crisis rightfully gained priority. Environmental issues cannot be solved without a good, stable government.

In my short blog, I explained my worldview, the worldview of an American, and the worldview of a Puerto Rican. I personally believe in a global conversion to clean energy, clean water, and protected natural areas. For the United States, although conservation efforts exist, they are in constant battle with the capitalistic worldview of the nation as a whole. For Puerto Rico, the severity of the political situation hinders its ability to completely solve environmental issues. To mitigate this problem in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the rest of the world, I believe it is important to visit other countries. It is beneficial to become familiar with different cultures, worldviews, and ways of life. This is the only feasible way we can solve climate change, deforestation, pollution and other global problems. In summary, as a global community we must unite, immerse ourselves in each others’ cultures, and work together to solve issues that are threatening the quality of our environment and future of our planet.