Sustainable North Florida
Discussions with the people building a sustainable future in North Florida
Sustainable North Florida
Every Drop Counts with BLUE Mission's Leslie Ramos
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Today we are focusing on an organization in Florida that is making an impact both locally and internationally. Through service projects and sustainability education, BLUE missions connects families in Latin America to clean, fresh water while inspiring local youth to help lead the way to a water secure future. Join us as we speak with Chief Experience Officer Leslie Ramos about the water crisis, and what you can do to help. Every drop counts!
RESOURCES
https://www.bluemissions.org/
Welcome to Sustainable North Florida . I'm your host , Laurieann Santamaria .
Speaker 2The climate crisis feels very overwhelming . It feels like something that I myself cannot fix , but it is so worth using your time to find your drop and contribute what it is that you do have .
Speaker 1Hello , I'm Laurieann Santamaria , host of the Sustainable North Florida podcast , as well as the chair of the Jacksonville Climate Coalition . Today , we're focusing on an organization based in Florida that is making an impact both locally and internationally Through service projects and sustainability education . Blue Missions connects families in Latin America to clean fresh water , while inspiring local youth to help lead the way to a water-secure future . My guest today is Leslie Ramos . Leslie's been with Blue Mission since its inception several years ago and is currently the Chief Experience Officer . Leslie , welcome to Sustainable North Florida . Hi , Lori , Thank you so much for having me . So , Leslie , let's start the conversation with the water crisis , which is really a big part of the why for the organization . Why should people be concerned about access to water ?
Speaker 2Water , first of all , affects every facet of our lives .
Speaker 2So , whether that is just having access to something that we need to perform daily activities , from washing , cleaning , preparing food to actually just having enough water to drink that's safe , it's something that affects everyone and you can't live a day without .
Speaker 2So having water scarcity or water stress is something that creates a huge burden for the families and individuals that are affected by it . Affected by it , and because of factors like overuse , pollution , climate change , population growth , the world is becoming more and more water stressed every single year . So right now , there's over 600 million people that lack access completely to safe drinking water , but then , above that , there are millions more who are dealing with water stress , so where , during certain times of the year maybe during drought times or because of faulty infrastructure they do not have a consistent , reliable source of safe water . So , yeah , it's definitely a problem , definitely something that we need to be worrying about . Not to , you know , continue to fuel climate anxiety , but it is becoming more front and center when people do talk about climate and environmental issues . Water is starting to also take the stage , as it should .
Speaker 1Yeah , talking about climate anxiety , one of the best antidotes for it is to get involved and to do something that makes an impact . Oh , lovely , and certainly you guys provide opportunities to do that . So BLU , it's more than just a name , it's also an acronym , which is Bringing Love , uniting Everyone . That highlights another key part of your mission , which is to get young people engaged in community service , and that really started from the beginning , didn't it ? Yeah ?
Speaker 2Yeah , that's kind of the whole kind of secret sauce of Blue is making community service something that is fun and fulfilling . So when Blue was founded it was basically Danny Rodriguez , the founder , and his sister and a group of friends . We all participated in another service trip when we were in high school and that kind of just like opened up our eyes to how fun opened up our eyes to how fun service can be and just what a special feeling it is to live for something beyond yourself and to be able to find purpose in giving back . So when we started the first three years , it was one group of volunteers that would go and travel and work on water projects in the Dominican Republic and it was really just like kind of friends and family and the word just got out and more and more people became interested in serving with Blue because they heard how fun and awesome it was . And then in the United States we wanted to also facilitate that service opportunity for people . You know , not everyone can afford to travel or has the means to travel abroad . So that is what kind of inspired the REACH program . So REACH is a sustainability education program and the community service program that helps students just learn about issues as it relates to water and sustainability .
Speaker 2Our call to action is to find your drop , and so what that means is basically it kind of plays off the Japanese concept of ikigai , which is the intersection between something that you love to do , something that you're really good at , and something that serves others . At the intersection of that lies your drop , and it's something that is unique only to you , something that only you can offer the world to make a positive impact . What it is is purpose right , and it's like you said about climate anxiety the best way to fuel hope and optimism about the future is to just do your part , and that's all we can do . Right , I can't fix the whole problem , Can't , you know , get all the gas cars off the road , but I can just do that one thing that I'm good at . I can do my job , and hopefully , with you know , millions of other people contributing their jobs . It create a movement , and so that's what we're hoping to inspire with all of our service projects .
Speaker 1So , Leslie , how did you find your drop ? What led you to Blue Missions ?
Speaker 2Ooh , that's a great question . So it's actually really funny . I was in high school and we were in class and my teacher put on this documentary and it's all about this group of people who are serving in the Dominican Republic on a water project . And I remember watching this documentary and just being absolutely amazed . I thought it was the coolest thing ever . And you know , I've seen this documentary since then . It is very low budget , very boring , it's not a core documentary .
Speaker 2Everyone in my class , I distinctly remember , was asleep . But I was very engaged and I remember thinking to myself like I don't know what this is , but I have to do it . And lo and behold , like a few months later I had a friend in another school that was like oh , I'm going on this service trip to the Dominican Republic to volunteer , we're going to build a water project . And I was like I'm going to , I know exactly what you're talking about and I'm doing it been on a plane first time I had ever traveled outside of the country and I was infinitely just , you know hooked . I knew that that's what I wanted to do .
Speaker 1That's really bold . The first time that you went out of your bubble and got on a plane , that you went on an international trip into a rural village that's really cool .
Speaker 2Yeah , it was really cool . But you know , like I always tell people , I didn't feel uncomfortable , I didn't feel like shocked , I just felt almost like at home . I felt this sense of peace and this is where I belong . Yeah , and every time I'm there I feel the same way . There's this concept of a touch tree . I don't know if you've ever heard of it . No , when you're lost and you're kind of trying to find your way out of a situation , they recommend going a certain distance away from the tree and then coming back to your touch tree and find your place again . And metaphorically , I've always felt like the DR and these rural villages are like my touch tree , like I always , whenever I kind of lose my way in life , going back and having like that same experience is definitely just reminds me of you know what I prioritize in life and what I value , the character traits that I want to have . You know what really matters , what fulfills me .
Speaker 1So full disclosure here . My family and I have been on a few of the service trips . We've been on water trips in the villages of Jengibre and Arroyo Rancho , and this year my daughter and my niece participated in the sanitation trip in Hualete de Abajo . And from I guess from my experience it seems that the hallmark of Blue Missions really is these service trips . Can you tell us about them ?
Speaker 2Yeah . So the Blue Missions experience is essentially a seven-day service trip where you live and work in a rural community in the Dominican Republic . So you know , what makes us different from other service experiences is that we don't have you stay outside of the community and like bus you into work , not like you're living and working there , and so you're really integrating within the community and understanding what it's like to live there . So if the community struggles with electricity , we're gonna struggle with electricity , we're gonna have blackouts . I remember my last trip . I had a high school girl be like um , are you gonna like talk to somebody to fix the , the electricity so we could have power tonight ? And I'm like um , what do you want me to call the government ? They don't like to understand the experience , but it's very eye-opening right .
Speaker 1I think it's really important and you mentioned is it ikigai ? That you had mentioned before , the Japanese concept . So there's another one and this is a big part of Six Sigma training . It's a Japanese phrase called going to Gemma , and that means going to the place of work or the place where things happen , and you really understand things in a different way when you do that , and I love when you get into the village and you have just a limited amount of water to wash your dishes and you take a bucket shower for the first time , probably ever in your life . So , yeah , you don't get that when you come in and out .
Speaker 1You don't get that when you come in and out .
Speaker 2No , yeah , like you mentioned , the most important thing is the connection that you get with the locals , and you know we call it Gampo magic and Gampo for those of you that don't speak Spanish basically means like countryside . But the Gampo magic really is being able to disconnect and can be away from your phone and all the digital stimulus that sometimes distracts us from being more present with our surroundings and with others . But even more so , it's the connection that you get with the locals .
Speaker 1So you mentioned the campo magic and the importance of building the community and connecting with the people in these villages . So do you need to speak Spanish in order to experience Campo Magic ?
Speaker 2That's a good question , though I do think that speaking Spanish does give you a level up , but the language barrier is not as much of a barrier as you think it is . We all have these human commonalities that are seen across cultures and we're able to laugh at the same things , and hand movements and gestures and three faces go a really long way .
Speaker 1So the work that you guys are doing feels good to be a part of , but you guys have the numbers to back it up , so can you tell us a little bit about your impact ?
Speaker 2Since our last impact report so December of 2023 , we have connected 33,684 people to clean water , over 11,000 people with improved sanitation so new sanitary and safe bathroom and we have completed a total of 229 projects .
Speaker 1How many volunteers do you guys have going this summer , this summer ?
Speaker 2we're having . It's almost a thousand volunteers , or over a thousand volunteers , that are traveling with us , which is crazy to think . You know , our first trip was 10 . Our first summer with 10 volunteers . So it's really just kind of a testament to sticking to something we hang around . This is our 14th summer .
Speaker 1And how big is your staff ? I know you've got people in Miami and also in the DR . How big is your staff ?
Speaker 2We're 12 people in Miami and then in the Dominican Republic during the summer . Our team last year got up to 44 people , and so some of those are full-time employees . I think it's also around 12 , 10 or 12 that are full-time . So those are like engineers , community organizers , people that help us with our financials on the ground , and then we have a lot of people that are hired seasonally to help with the construction of the water , sanitation projects , and what's really cool is all of those people have been contracted from communities that we have impacted in the past , so it's like we'll work in their community . They stand out as being really amazing workers and then they're invited to join our traveling circus and they almost all of them say yes , um , so yeah , our team is really special and it definitely feels like family over there and the way they support each other and it's definitely like a little its own community .
Speaker 1Yeah , so what is that you're actually doing on a trip ? If you go on a water trip , what are you doing ? Yeah ?
Speaker 2So on a water trip , you are working on the construction of a gravity-driven aqueduct . Our engineers will work with the local community leaders to identify a clean water source that's at a higher elevation than the community , and so that can be a mile away , it can be six miles away , and it's usually through dense forests , farmland and crossing rivers . So the job is basically to connect that water source , wherever it may be , to the community . So the task is basically carrying pipe , digging a trench from the source to the community where that pipe will lay to protect it . And then we'll also build a water holding tank which is where the water kind of like is collected . So it'll get there , get a little bit of water pressure and basic treatment , and then from there it's piped to a faucet in every home within the community . And so it's definitely a lot of hiking , a lot of digging . If you're working in the tank you'll be mixing cement , carrying block . Water projects are very physical , they're not easy .
Speaker 1But they're also really beautiful too , I mean when you get to hike up to wherever the source is the countryside is beautiful . So just the hike up and as you're working , you know I mean people take turns , right , so you're not like two hours with a pickaxe . You might be for a few minutes before somebody comes and takes your turn and then you get to look around and see the beauty . It's really really a gorgeous countryside .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , no , it is a beautiful country and it's very lush . It's hot but it's very lush and you know I'll be working and just looking around like I am on a mountain jungle .
Speaker 1So how do you fund all this activity ?
Speaker 2So for our international trips , it really is the volunteers that fund most of the operation . We have what's called the Be Bold model , where 100% of our donations go directly to the field . Um , all of that goes straight towards water and sanitation projects . It goes to the field . And then volunteers when they sign up for a trip , they pay a trip fee , um , so that covers their travel expenses and then also covers our administrative overhead , and then they are also required to fundraise toward the total cost of their project . So , between the volunteers fundraising and the fundraising that we do throughout the year just with the general public , that is really what funds the whole international program .
Speaker 1When you guys go into these communities , it's not just a random community that you're bringing these volunteers with . I mean , you guys have done a lot of prep work ahead of time . How does that work ?
Speaker 2Yeah , so basically , from the time that a community solicits a water project to the time that they get running water is about a year . So , first off , we don't go looking for communities . The only way to get a water project is if you approach Blue Missions and you solicit a project . So we get letters in the mail , we get DMs on Instagram , whatsapp calls and messages from people who are living in rural communities that are struggling with water insecurity and have heard about us , you know , through a friend of a friend or a family member that lives in another community where we worked in . And so once we get that solicitation this is usually what kind of happens in like September October Our team will start visiting these communities see if a gravity driven water project is feasible .
Speaker 2Super important for the sustainability of our work , that it's community owned , genuinely community owned . It's community owned , genuinely community owned um . So they need to have skin in the game just as much as we do in order for the project to be successful and long-standing . They need to organize a water committee that's made up of um , local leaders , and you know there's requirements for that a certain number of them have to be women , to have to be youth , and then we ask them to create a map and a census of their community and we just give them , like , certain tasks that they need to show us they are organized and taking this seriously and we're not just looking for an easy handout , that they're also invested in the work that it's going to take to successfully execute the project . And so our community organizers and the people that train these committees to be successful will visit the community several times between September , october and , you know , the summer when our projects are executed . Our engineers obviously visit and , you know , map out the aqueduct and where it's going to go using GIS software .
Speaker 2And then during the summer , it's really all up to the community . They put the brunt of the work right . Every family is required to participate in the construction of the water project . So digging that really long trench is probably the most time consuming and the biggest workload . So we really need the buy-in of the entire community to be able to finish it .
Speaker 2And then , apart from that , once we're gone , it's really up to them to maintain the project and take care of it so that it doesn't fall apart and break . That it doesn't fall apart and break , which we've seen happen with other groups in the past , so they are responsible for cleaning certain parts of the system that need to be cleaned regularly for collecting a monthly quota from each family . It's very small , but just something that gives them kind of like a safety net bank account for them to dip into if they need to replace any parts in the system , and the point is that they don't have interrupted access of water . So , yeah , we definitely put a lot of emphasis on training these communities to execute the project and then to maintain it long after we're gone .
Speaker 1Okay , so let's change gears for a little bit . You guys have begun to offer additional programs to expand your reach , and I think literally it's called the REACH program . Can you tell us about that ?
Speaker 2So through the REACH program , we offer something called Cause Class and that is a virtual sustainability education platform where students can explore topics from fashion waste to industrial agriculture issues and energy issues , and all of those do tie back to water . Water is basically at the intersection of all of these different global issues . So through learning about sustainability , they're learning about water stewardship and we give them a lot of actionable steps and what they can do to just adjust their lifestyles just a little bit , um , to be more stewardship minded in their habits and more sustainable so the cost class is something that is um , that's all virtual , so anybody can take part in that , correct ?
Speaker 2correct . Yeah , all virtual , it's all kind of like video based also . So we were trying to do something that was like entertaining it was like a mini docuseries , and incorporate games and activities and it's all just supposed to be as engaging as possible to get people to learn a little bit about these issues and care enough to adjust their habits even just slightly . It's the same part that we have with our service trips , right , like if something is fun , first and foremost , you're going to want to do it , and so that is where you know a lot of what we do at Blue , like in our experiences . We try to focus on fun first and engagement first and kind of meet people there and then , once we have your attention , kind of direct it in this really positive way .
Speaker 1What is the cost to participate in COS class ?
Speaker 2COS class is completely free . So all of our programs right now , all of our local education programs , are free of charge so you can participate as a teacher and get your whole class involved . You can , you know , if you're just an individual that wants to learn more about these issues , you can sign up by yourself and take the courses . But we also have expanded editions of these cause class courses that are specifically designed for teachers and are aligned to state standards so they can be integrated into the classroom and they come with lesson plans and all this stuff . So we really just kind of designed it to also be a tool for teachers that are passionate about these issues to integrate them into their science or social studies classes . The other thing that we do that's not necessarily place-based and could be implemented anywhere is our Blue Club program . So high school students , middle school student , even elementary , they can start a Blue Club at their school and they receive a toolkit which helps them kind of organize the meetings and different topics they could talk about what activities they could participate in . Organize the meetings and different topics they could talk about what activity they could participate in , and it all kind of culminates in a sustainability project that we encourage all the clubs to take part in .
Speaker 2Something that's important to emphasize and kind of why we focus on climate , why we focus on sustainability , is how interconnected the water crisis is with the climate crisis and how relevant it is interconnected the water crisis is with the climate crisis and how relevant it is . We have communities that we worked in in the Dominican Republic that you know , 10 years ago , when we connected their community to a water source . It was a water source that the locals had never seen dry up , ever , even in drought periods . And now we're going back to work with some of these communities who their water sources have dried up for the first time because the underground water source has just diminished because of changing climate patterns , because of heat , and drought is something that most heavily affects the people that are more closely tied to the land , so more closely tied to natural resources in their day-to-day life , and it's easy for them to see it . You know , like you see a river every day and you start to see it dwindle , you're kind of sounding the alarm earlier than for us in the city , who , you know , we don't see where a water source comes from . We just open the taps and fill a cup , but it does come from the natural world and even if we are in the urban space , everything we do relies on natural resources . So it's so important for us to be educated about where these resources come from .
Speaker 2Just really be mindful about doing our part to protect these resources for the sake of our communities , wherever it is that we are , because , like I said earlier , you can't fix the whole problem , but you can do something about an issue that you're faced with where you are , with what you have to offer . So really just kind of want to leave everyone with that note and encouragement to find your job . The environmental and the climate crisis feels very overwhelming . It feels like something that you know . Maybe I myself cannot fix or do anything about , but it is so worth using your time to find your drop and contribute what it is that you do have . That's beautiful .
Speaker 1Thank you . If anybody would like to learn more about Blue or would like to potentially participate in a service trip or cause class , how can they do ?
Speaker 2that ? Yeah , definitely . So you can go to our website wwwbluemissionsorg and you'll find all the information about service trips , our adventure tracks . You can make a donation , become a monthly member of the source , or you'll receive stories that I write while I'm out in the field . You can receive those stories monthly by becoming a source member at any amount . Monthly by becoming a Source member at any amount , and you can follow us on Instagram , facebook , tiktok at Blue Missions and if you're listening to this and you feel that , calling to get out there and see what it's all about and go lend a hand on a water project , we would love to have you next summer . So our applications for next summer open up in early October . So if that's something you're interested in , just follow us , join our email list and you'll get information about that in the next few weeks .
Speaker 1Thank you so much , leslie . I really enjoyed the conversation , thank you .
Speaker 3Thank you for tuning into this episode . This episode , the Sustainable North Florida podcast , is brought to you by the Jacksonville Climate Coalition , whose mission is to work collectively to propel equitable and proactive solutions that address the cause and effects of climate change through advocacy , education and community involvement . To learn more , follow us on social media or check out our website at wwwjaxclimateorg .
Speaker 1Thank you .
