ONEONTA _ A top Costa Rican scientist praised the Oneonta community Monday for thinking globally and acting locally.
Pedro Leon Azofeifa, the scientific adviser to Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez, delivered a lecture on his country's Peace with Nature initiative at the Anderson Center for the Arts Theatre at Hartwick College.
In the morning, he met with Mayor John Nader, former Mayor Kim Muller, Environmental Board Chairman David Hutchison and Planning Commission and Sustainability Working group member Karl Seeley.
"I was very impressed with the whole group," Leon, 63, said during an interview with The Daily Star before the lecture. "It seems to me like (Oneonta) is a community that is quite concerned about what is happening globally."
Simple things like switching from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs, which Oneonta has done in some government buildings, can make a difference, he said.
"It's happening in Costa Rica and it's happening in other places. They are things that don't require any major investment," said Leon, who attended the University of Oregon with Hartwick biology professor Stan Sessions.
Costa Rica's "Paz con la Naturaleza" initiative aims to make the country carbon-neutral within 13 years.
Climate change is a phenomenon that has global consequences, Leon said.
"We are riding the same spaceship. It's just the way it is. We are in this together," Leon said.
Governments large and small need to act now, he said.
"The more we postpone a response, the more expensive it will be," Leon said.
Nader, whose administration has several environmental initiatives, said that when he first learned of Leon's visit, he was impressed with his credentials.
Nader said he was also impressed when he met Leon in person.
"It was a very stimulating conversation," Nader said. "He has a very realistic sense of where some of the technologies are at."
Although Costa Rica is recognized as a leader in environmental preservation _ one-third of the country is protected land _ there are areas where the country can improve, Leon said.
Costa Rica's biggest challenge is transportation, Leon said, as it needs to invest in more and cleaner mass transit systems.
Nader said Oneonta could also do more to encourage ridership on its bus system.
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