laid out. getting old is a bitch

I hurt my back on Wednesday, surfing the South Mission Jetty. The waves were really really good. I was stretching on the beach, I felt a little sore which was strange because I hadn't surfed in three days. I paddled out and caught 4-5 waves. Each time I felt a little off, until finally the last wave I was sure there was something no bueno with my back. As I got to the beach my back literally gave out and I limped like the sad old man that I've become back to my truck, where it then took me 15 minutes to take my wetsuit off. That must have looked really funny if you were watching. It is now Saturday and I'm still laid out. I guess I had built up some stress in my back as I've been working hard, and mainly on my laptop lately. I guess one forgets how much one spends on the computer. Thats why I want to stop using a computer and just use a phone. We'll see if it works. Anyways, my family is still in Colorado, where Otis experienced his first snow. He loves it, and he definitely thinks that it is cold. They're supposed to get back to San Diego in a few days, we have to wait and see how Holly's dad is doing. I've been chilling with my parents and my uncle Cory, catching up on many episodes of Family Guy with my parents ' cable on-demand. Happy Turkey Day.

Bolts do not beat Jaguars

Well, it took me an extra day to get that out. I have to remind myself that its only a game, and that the Chargers and how they play is completely out of my control. I watch tv commercials of guys screaming at their tvs during football games and figure that we're programmed as men to act this way. As I write this I'm sitting on my deck in San Diego. Holly and Otis have flown to Denver to be with her family for the weekend (minus Suzanne, who is here), Holly's Dad is quite sick and has been in the hospital for over two weeks now. I wasn't even sure that Holly should still be flying, being pregnant and all. This must be the last trip. We've been talking a lot about it lately, and last week's ultrasound confirmed what we already knew; that we're having another boy. Holly's brother and uncle are both named Happy, and I think its a pretty good name because I'm always happy when I think about the name Happy, so I think thats going to be it. Happy Walsh. I'm digging it, it makes me smile.Check out Louie's Barber Shop on Rosecrans in Point Loma if you're in the mood for an old school chop. I just love these guys (Louis and his brother Virgil). They clean you up with a straight razor, the tv is always on, there are tons of nudie mags and postcards from neighbors all around the world. My neighbor who owns a surf shop in Liberty Station is in a photo on Louie's wall, surfing a wave in Tahiti that has to be 3-4 times overhead and pretty heavy.I took this photo at the Greenbuild Expo last week in Chicago, it struck me well (the entire board is about ten times as big). Everyone wrote down on little pieces of paper something they could do to change the world. Well, at least to save it hopefully, or if nothing else to extend it's life by a millisecond here or there. I added telecommuting to the list of ways to lower Earth's carbon footprint. Then I tought about all that flying I've been doing, and about all the flying everyone does to get to Costa Rica, and I realized that I'm one of the problems. I guess I'm going to have to make up for it in other ways, which I plan to do. I went to the Cabrillo National Monument last weekend, did I mention that? You've gotta go there, it is stunning. I love San Diego and I love the history of the city, and there isn't a better place to get a view of downtown then from across the bay at the tip of the point. There is a great book shop there with tons of awesome books. I've been wanting to learn about the birds that I'm always seeing in the San Diego River when I'm cruising by, and I found some good bird guides there. What a nerd I know, whatever. Birds are amazing. Even in the most urban areas you'll witness a bird you never thought would/could exist there. I saw an owl the other day while driving on the 5 freeway at 3pm in the afternoon! It was sitting on a light post. I was probably the only person to see it, I'm that guy that always sees birds and points them out to others. Birds are cool. I like birds. I just hate bird shit. Heres a photo from right before the entrance to Cabrillo. Both my mom's dad and my dad's mom have their ashes held here. Its also a great spot to check the surf off of the restricted coast. Thanks grandma and grandpa, I hope you're having a great time at that big shuffleboard game in the sky. I'm sure some day I'll be resting in this same cemetary, checking the surf off Point Loma all day long. Hey, did I tell you that Holly and I just finished the new website for our beach cottages in OB? check it out, the website rocks, its like a little expedia where you can check date availability and book your vacation online instantly.
http://www.theoceanbeachcottages.com
I'm still spell-checking and setting up a couple things, but it works, so check it out and send anyone you know who is coming to San Diego to stay with us.
Hey I don't know about you, but I miss wearing onesies (and yes, I googled that to make sure that was how onsies was spelled, so screw you spell-checker). Otis is getting so big!

Bolts beat Colts

My dad was so nervous for the entire game, half time at my house was probably as intense as half time in the Chargers locker room. Muzzy was there, Otis was there, ma and suegra were there, I was there. Another day to be a proud Charger fan I guess. This morning I felt like such an old f$ck as I got instant messaged ttyl bfn and I was like, what the hell was that. It was my Indian friend KG and I was trying to figure out if I'd pissed him off or something and that was the Indian way for giving someone the internet version of the bird. I found myself on http://www.aim.com/acronyms.adp , probably in the same way parents try to learn about what the hell their kids are up to these days. Whew. This whole traveling thing has been nothing new, I'm finally sitting at the Newbreak coffee shop in OB on Abbott Street, right down from where I used to live. I've been getting lots of positive response from my Zephyr Eco Project work. I have decided that I am going to return to Tamarindo, probably this weekend, and that I'm going to build Tamarindo's solution in the form of a large lagoon system or constructed wetlands environment in order to help build the town's infrastructure and solve a problem that exists in all developing areas around the world. My friend Larry McKinney is coming down with me on this trip, he is considering making the "big move" as have so many of my friends. He would help take on ZEP's first big project with this water treatment solution along with the service of environmental waste management. My trip to Chicago was an eye-opener and very awesome to say the least, thank you again Mark Tucker in Atlanta for helping me so much on this project. (check out the progress http://www.zephyrecoproject.com/2007/11/wrsc-water-treatment-system-photos.html) Don't forget everyone, help me sell my house in Langosta. Seriously, you could buy it as a piece of Tamarindo's history...uh....actually, it was the first house ever built in Langosta if you can believe it. Now its surrounded by high rise buildings and condos out the ass. It would be a good investment though, and I've decided that I'm never going to drive any further into Tamarindo than the surf camp. Thats why I changed banks, because it was out past WRSC. I guess you could say its the traffic and no parking spots? I was surprised to read in the Tico Times that three hotels in Tamarindo had been shut for illegal dumping. We were all hoping that the El Milagro hotel (may they rot in crap) and the Tamarindo Hostel would get tossed, but who would have thought that the Pasatiempo Hotel was dumping? That was news. I don't want to believe it, and my lack of faith in the Costa Rican governing entities tells me that it won't be for long that any of these places are closed, and who knows what the full story is. At least the rainy season is basically over and we have ten months to fix these issues. I'm getting a head start and hope to have Zephyr Eco Project's services in effect before the end of 2007, and its going to happen. hasta

who wants 8 free weeks at Witch's Rock Surf Camp?

Yeah, thats exactly what I said. I need the help of everyone reading this blog. Holly and I used to live in Langosta, remember? Well, we moved to Avellanas, though we thought we'd fix up the Langosta place (which we did), now its ready to rent out but I'm over it. I would rather keep my focus on the surf camp and it is simply too much work for me. The property is a three unit apartment building with a total of 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, and I'm asking $505,000 US. If you're the one who wants to buy it, I'll give you 8 weeks at the surf resort. If you tell your friend and he/she buys it, I'll give you 8 weeks at the surf resort for finding someone who wants to buy it. Paste this url in your browser and check out some images of the place, http://langostatamarindo.blogspot.com
This will be a great investment, especially since the high season is literally starting in two weeks. Call the surf camp at 888 318 7873 and leave a message and I'll get it. hasta!

ok so now its really cold

I didn't take into consideration the fact that it is November, and that Chicago might be a little bit colder than I had expected. Its freezing, they're expecting snow. woo hoo. I got in to my hotel after 1am, after an interesting flight from Houston on one of those tiny express jets where people like me can't stand up straight. Next to me was this three-generation family from Mississippi going on an airplane for the first time. The grandfather (seemed to be my age) was explaining to me that they were on their way to be on a TV show for deadbeat dads. I look up a row and see his daughter and her two daughters, and ask if it was the Jerry Springer show. He looked at me like I was crazy. I guess since I've been living in the jungle, Jerry Springer's big bald security guard guy has his own show now, and thats the show the daughter was going to appear on. Funny. The granddaughters were screaming bloody murder for 3 hours. Not as funny. It got me to thinking about how being in the plane's bathroom during a plane crash has to be one of the worst ways to die. I had nowhere to hide, this was the family I spent three hours of my life with on my way to Chicago. I got an interesting email this morning from the AM Costa Rica newspaper, telling me they ran a story regarding my Tamarindo water treatment article on the third page of today's paper, http://www.amcostarica.com/morenews2.htm I guess standing up to a fight like this actually does matter to the people around me, which is nice to know. I still feel like the nature of my point wasn't fully expressed, that water contamination is not limited to Tamarindo or to just a few cities around the globe. This is worldwide, like so many of this planet's problems. It is beyond time to fix ma earth. From what I understand the Beach Times is running my article in full, which means that (hopefully) anyone who reads it will sit back and reflect on their actions, and how their actions affect the ocean. Its a start.

its colder than I thought

For all this global warming going on, I guess I got it stuck in my head that it was always hot. Probably something to add to that way of thinking is the fact that I've been living in Central America for so long. I haven't snowboarded for years and am getting excited to go ride soon. Matt might fly up from Tamarindo and meet me, and yesterday my dad asked me if I wanted to drive his convertible 68 Caddy up to Butte, Montana where my cousins Frank and Frankie (ie big and little Frank) are going to take good care of it. Frank Sr and his brother have an auto body shop there, which they've had for most of their lives. I get to go snowboarding, that will be nice. I just can't figure out when in the hell I can go. Seriously, every now and then it gets tiring, but at the same time there is always something to do somewhere. Right now I'm not recovered from my CR trip but tomorrow I'm going to Chicago for this Greenbuild Expo. Supposedly a friend named Tom DeVries is going to get me to sit in on a meeting with the president of the US Green Building Council. It makes me feel good to know I'm going to be amidst so many people sharing such similar visions. And now I've got this nice Old Navy poofy vest thing, oh and don't forget the shoes. Its going to be colder in Chicago I am sure of that. I did just send that last article that I wrote regarding Tamarindo's water quality to the Beach Times, the Tico Times, AM Costa Rica, and the Tamarindo News. I explained that I was trying to educate people about what was going on, and try to make suggestions on what people can do starting now to make a difference in the town. As we know, this applies to everyone everywhere. I was stoked to be hanging out with my boy John-boy in OB, the resident of the OB Cottages, and he told me he had been picking up ten pieces of trash each day. Holy crap, I thought last night as I watched the 100th episode of the Family Guy on FOX, if ten pieces of trash are finding their way out of the ocean every day, then I've made a difference with this goal already. Anyways, I told the papers that I was going to mention in my blog that I had sent the article to them. Lets see if any of them ask me to build on what I'm saying, or to work with them in any way to find extra space for educational advertisements. I'm willing to bet that most people would do things differently if they realized the consequences of their actions. Getting on to other things, I find it quite funny that I now have my own office in Cochin, India. Yes, you heard me correct. If you call me and I'm not there, I have the call routed to my virtual office where one of four virtual assistants help me by fielding phone calls and questions. Actually, I don't really give my number out if possible due to all of the calderwoods of the world. But if I did, they'd answer it. Instead I have them doing the internet research that I can't stand to do anymore. I love the internet, don't get me wrong. Its just the simple fact that I know that the answer is out there, online, no matter what it is, and I'm the kind of person who will never stop looking for the answers to more and more things. It just blows me away what the internet has done for the world, and the simple fact that I can have my virtual assistant in India do it for me. whoa. Anyways, now I'm stressed out because I have an office 24 hours/day waiting for me to tell them what to do. Isn't that supposed to make me feel better? I must be the most difficult person to work for, I don't even understand what I want. Sorry Emily it must have been hell. Instead I'm going to have Biju, Manju, or Prinu help me get my plane ticket, car and hotel in Chicago. James and I had to laugh when I got the names of my new assistants from my buddy KG. But then we realized that Biju, Manju and Prinu were probably chilling out in Cochin and laughing at the names Joe, James, and Matt. Hmmm. You know, all of this telecommuting is really awesome as it will eventually be a huge force in cutting down actual commuting. There he goes again. Hey speaking of the zephyr project, Mark Tucker has been a great asset by offering to now update the website with content. I'm finding it hard to do so on top of the research I'm already involved in, and Mark finds it tough to just "jump a plane" and leave his awesome family in Atlanta. Thanks man. I'm also getting some awesome emails from people interested in helping out in various ways, so that feels great. I think its time for some football maybe?

back in SD

My head is literally spinning from my last two weeks in Costa Rica. Unlike before, I was actually living at the surf camp. This will be really nice in the future when I'm coming down to CR every other week or ten days here or a long weekend there. I'm changing the upstairs area above the bar, the "original wrsc rooms". I have my office there, the Skybox, but it is so full of crap and only with a couch, not a bed, so I decided I should clear out some rooms and make my casa there above the bar ironically, and then I'd be stoked. I love hanging out at the camp and surfing right in front, its really sweet. The surf finally cleaned up the last couple of days and I had some fun waves right in front of the parking lot. The sand bars are really strange now. All of this rain has made Ollie's Point literally close out and not very good. The river of Tamarindo washed out so much rain that it exposed a giant section of lava rock right in front of the surf camp. This is never there, as most people know, and its only the second time I've seen these rocks exposed since moving to Costa Rica seven years ago. I'm super stoked on that web cam by the way, as it has incredible zoom and focus. We're still experiencing some down time here and there, but its getting better. It is really awesome to be able to use it to check the waves, so, as internet gets better in CR and people further and further inland get high speed internet, which is now the case, some gas will be saved by people literally checking the surf online. The downside of this is that you'd think there would be more people. I had thought this, but to be honest since spending time back in SD, it doesn't really change much even with all of the cams here. Everyone has a cell phone, so if its going off they're on the phone anyways. Ugh, that Charger game was painful. I actually decided to leave the house and go to the mall, which I never do, so obviously I was sick of football for a while. I got some shoes, the guy in the store saw my WRSC shirt and asked me if I'd ever been there before, making me think of how I'd respond. I have some great photos from this trip which I get to now organize for the new website. From the plane I saw the Tempisque River going up towards Rincon de la Vieja, and from 10,000 feet I still saw the ruined river beds from where the floods had torn down thousands of acres of trees. Then to come back to San Diego after two weeks, after literally having missed the town burn seriously. My truck is all covered in ash, so is my patio furniture. I've had a headache since getting here due to the air quality. That or I'm just exhausted from this trip. I'm the only guy I know who falls up the stairs, and on this trip I did just that, and yes of course it was my big toe that took the hit, as it always is. I didn't surf for a week as a result, which sucked big time. BIG TIME. At least I got a ton of great things in the works at the surf camp, like pillow top mattresses for example. (twenty minutes later) Ugh, I just ate half of a Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza with cheese in the crust, way too much food. Full now...ok, so about the Witch's Rock surfboards, they are now getting unpacked and ready for the new board cage, which is being completed finally. These boards will be available for rent at WRSC starting by November 15th. You want to be down here and riding these boards, and all surf camp guests get insane prices on surfboards to take back to the US/Canada/UK/etc. I am so stoked on these boards. The best part about this is actually designing what the surfboards are going to look like and ride like. I imagine this would be really fun for any product that you get to make, but to make surfboards a profession, it is now filling a desire that was always there. Levy is an awesome shaper and his shapes are proven. If there are tweaks that the WR surf team can suggest and Levy can make, we are at the leading edge of making surfing equipment and it feels awesome. Being at the camp was rad, it always is. I can't believe how many guests have been down 5-6 times or more. Really, its incredible. I feel totally at home at the camp and I guess everyone else does too, so it works out perfectly. Otis seems to agree 100% as well. I'm exhausted though, as I'd been gone so long. And now I leave for Chicago in two days for the Greenbuild Expo, which is going to be insane in itself. I have been in communication with some companies there and I plan to do what I can to bridge the gap between these green technologies and Costa Rica. Its like, if I could do anything, this is what I'd want to do, so it feels pretty much perfect. Zephy is going to accomplish some amazing things, I can just tell. Too bad the trade show is so soon though, as I could just chill out in SD for a few days and recover, eat some breakfast burritos on the pier, get in some frisbee golf, and sleep. a lot.

What we can do, starting now

It was like when I woke up today, someone had fixed the ocean. It was bright blue and the waves were peeling perfectly off of the new sandbars formed by the tremendous rains we experienced this season. Even after I surfed I watched the waves on the WRSC web cam while having breakfast. Check out this photo that I took of the Tempisque River this morning. Water levels rose above the bridge, which is estimated at 16 meters (over 50 feet). Everything was dumped out into the ocean via the region's many rivermouths and storm drains.I can't let this water situation out of my mind. I want to make sure that nobody else does either. Tamarindo's water treatment concerns are not new, they are actually cyclical and repeat every September and October during the rainy season. It is unfortunate to witness the pattern of this issue getting forgotten as soon as the rains stop and tourism increases. It is our responsibility to make sure that we are not adding to the problem but instead trying to resolve it. I have been throughout Costa Rica during the rainy season and wave witnessed these same water treatment issues in Pavones, Marbella, Jaco, Mal Pais, Tamarindo, and everywhere in between. These problems are not location specific. It is as if people are surprised that their actions could be creating this environmental disaster, but we are witnessing this phenomenon in all aspects of life. It is time for the people of Tamarindo, and the rest of the world for that matter, to step up.

Understanding Tamarindo's water treatment concerns

1. AN OVERVIEW OF OUR SITUATION:

Costa Rica has experienced an exponential growth rate in recent years. The tourism and real estate development in the Guanacaste region has been fueled by the expansion of the Liberia Airport offering international flights among other things. Although statistics vary, it appears that the town of Tamarindo (and the local communities that surround it) has doubled in square footage in the last 2 years alone. With a serious lack of infrastructure to keep up with all of this growth, the result is an increase in urban runoff. Equally important is the fact that most of Tamarindo functions with septic tank systems, which generally don't work well for coastal communities.

The biggest issue for the Tamarindo community is the need for a communal water treatment facility. This need is amplified during the rainy season, when rainwater brings all forms of pollution to the ocean. Revenue from sales taxes, construction permits, business licenses, and so on apparently cannot provide a water treatment solution for the town (incredibly enough). The residents of this town must provide this support in order to make this happen. Sadly, this problem is not unique to Tamarindo and is quite common for many growing regions throughout the world today. Education and awareness of these growing concerns, along with information for what individuals can do to make a positive difference towards a cleaner ocean starting today, will ultimately solve the water treatment concerns for Tamarindo (and hopefully bring the community together in the process). Historically, however, most of Tamarindo's residents forget the town's water treatment issue as soon as the rains stop and the high season arrives.


2. THE PROBLEMS - No government dumping standards -
Few people ever consider what happens to their sewage once a septic truck pumps it into their truck and drives away. Apparently the government doesn't consider this either, as currently there does not seem to be a legal solution for these pumping companies. With no legal means to dispose of waste anywhere in Guanacaste, it is easy for pumping companies to dump raw sewage anywhere out of the public's view, ultimately returning to the watershed and out to the ocean.
- Septic tanks do not function in Tamarindo -
Few people take the time to understand the science behind septic tank systems. For a septic tank system to successfully function it is very important to have sufficient earth underground for the tank's drainage, in order to naturally break down sewage. Building 20 condos on 1000 square meters and placing the septic tank system under the condos is not how these systems function. Add to that the fact that the water table is only a few feet below the ground for most of Tamarindo, the result is a contamination of the ocean water. Most of Tamarindo has been built in close proximity to either the ocean or the estuary, and most of Tamarindo functions with septic tank systems to dispose of sewage. Existing constructions and new constructions must incorporate aerobic treatment systems (machines that use oxygen and bacteria to naturally break down sewage) and stop using the antiquated septic tank systems. The sad part is that the municipality approves construction permits throughout Tamarindo to be built with septic tanks instead of demanding the use of treatment plants.
- Uncontrolled development -
If you walk around Tamarindo, it becomes obvious that proper sanitation standards at construction sites are not being upheld. Nonexistent bathrooms for construction workers, building materials and chemicals spilling into the town's green zones and storm drains, and large developments being built without water treatment plants add to Tamarindo's water crisis. This problem is apparent not only in Tamarindo but in most developing nations.
- Lack of reliable water testing information -
The Blue Flag Report for Tamarindo is misleading. Water tests at storm drain points as opposed to open-ocean tests derive different results, as the water tested at storm drain outflows are pure urban runoff. According to local media, test results in October's local newspapers are actually test results from two months prior. According to one Tamarindo resident who was a member of the Blue Flag Committee, last rainy season when the water tests were similar to what they are this rainy season, Tamarindo was still granted the Blue Flag simply because the committee presented the appropriate paperwork. To a certain extent, the Blue Flag Report is just a marketing tool and not a reliable source for water testing results. Information gets further from the truth and people don't know what to believe. There is no standard for testing not only ocean water but water that is expelled from the few treatment plants that do exist in Tamarindo. What does this mean? It means that even if we get everyone in Tamarindo to use water treatment plants, unless there is accountability, treatment plants without proper maintenance will continue to pollute. There is a tremendous need for an unbiased inspection, testing, and reporting system to ensure reliable water testing information and standards.
- Large developers making friends with the government -
This pretty much speaks for itself. There will always exist the large corporation that values profits over environment everywhere you go. Corruption exists worldwide, not just in Tamarindo.
- Lack of community involvement -
Tamarindo is a town that seems to attract (unfortunately) many people with the sole purpose of making money. They are generally uninterested in the community's problems and assume that they will be solved by others. It is commonplace to point the blame at others and to talk about what the problems are without actually educating oneself or doing anything to solve them. This way of thinking needs to end. Sadly this isn't just a Tamarindo problem, but one that exists worldwide. Education, awareness and involvement will help solve this.
- No incentives for individuals/companies pushing to be green -
For a country that was made famous by it's environment, it is incredible to see how Costa Rica's bureaucratic processes create such a system that seems to contradict it. Costa Rica's inefficient government allows for it to be much easier to do something wrong than to do something right. Building permits for treatment plants and other private projects that are done for the improvement of the region need to be expedited and their owners rewarded.


3. THE SOLUTION
Blaming our inefficient government or our neighbors isn't going to solve anything. Positive actions will. In Jaco, the municipality does not renew it's annual business licenses unless the business/development has a water treatment plant installed. However harsh this may seem, it may be the quickest way to solving our water issues. We cannot wait for the government to build us a community treatment plant, we must do it ourselves. Invest in a system for your home or business. Meet with the neighboring properties around you and share the costs of a system between all of you. Go to the municipality and demand standards. Report those who are illegally dumping. Don't start Tamarumors. Stay positive and work together. Cut back on water consumption by outsourcing your laundry needs. Test the water yourself and find out what is really going on. Constantly educate yourself and those around you. Pick up trash, even if it isn't yours. Talk to anyone who is willing to listen. Get started now.

Please visit www.zephyrecoproject.com and get involved.