{"id":21606,"date":"2024-04-24T02:54:51","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T02:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/?p=21606"},"modified":"2025-06-24T23:44:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T23:44:17","slug":"sustainable-habits-of-mind-imagine-the-possibilities-by-caitlin-barnum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/sustainable-habits-of-mind-imagine-the-possibilities-by-caitlin-barnum\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Habits of Mind: Imagine the Possibilities"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"21606\" class=\"elementor elementor-21606\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a154aa7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a154aa7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bc6d4c6\" data-id=\"bc6d4c6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-3f37564 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3f37564\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-81aad80\" data-id=\"81aad80\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4a87c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"f4a87c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-5b50795 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caitlin-barnum-2aaaa27a\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCaitlin Barnum\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-347cb77 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/2024\/04\/24\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>abril 24, 2024<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0bf874f\" data-id=\"0bf874f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8fcb0ee elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-social-share\" data-id=\"8fcb0ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-social-share.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t<ul class=\"ekit_socialshare\">\n                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-50d3e2e\" data-social=\"facebook\">\n                    <div class=\"facebook\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-aded8c5\" data-social=\"twitter\">\n                    <div class=\"twitter\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-b053ca9\" data-social=\"linkedin\">\n                    <div class=\"linkedin\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55f3c3a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"55f3c3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e517887 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e517887\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today&#8217;s world, simply solving problems as we come across them isn&#8217;t enough. We need to start practicing envisioning a future that goes beyond just fixing issues, one where sustainability is at the forefront of our actions. By daring to dream about the possibilities of a more sustainable world, we open ourselves up to innovative solutions and creative approaches that can lead to lasting change. It&#8217;s about more than just addressing current challenges; it&#8217;s about cultivating abundance for future generations. This requires us to not only think differently but also to act decisively. By embracing innovation, creativity, and proactive action, we can pave the way for a world where abundance and sustainability go hand in hand, creating a brighter future for all.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nine years ago, I moved from a large piece of land in rural coastal North Carolina, where my parent&#8217;s property was surrounded by a National Forest. I had grown up with the naive sense that everyone had access to land, clean air, and low noise pollution. I moved from NC to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; a relatively large coastal city with a population of 556,000 people. For the first time in my life I was living in a city with public transportation, tall buildings, and loads of traffic, and every home I lived in for the first 5 years had a tiny concrete patio in the back. I would visit friends in their homes, and it was the same, tiny concrete yards with the occasional patch of grass. I met my husband early on my journey in Mexico, after about a year and a half of moving to Puerto Vallarta. After we were married and over the years of us talking about our future, and where we wanted to settle down, I had this sinking feeling I would be living my adult life in a home with no grass, land, plants, or garden; in a city overpopulated and with a faint sense of a sustainable mindset.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being an avid systems thinker, I\u2019m always thinking about the different compass points, or running an event or idea down the systems iceberg, so I invited my husband to compass our vision together. We knew we wanted a few things: space away from other people, land to grow our own food, and a fully off-grid sustainable home. In terms of nature, we wanted to live with the land and use as few natural resources as possible. Economically, we are just starting our \u2018adult\u2019 lives, and didn\u2019t have a huge budget to work with, so we were very careful in the planning, design, and timeline of our build. In thinking about society, we wanted to create a space to bring others together to show the possibility of thinking outside the box (or city in our case). And for wellbeing, we imagined the future we wanted for our physical, mental, and emotional health. We would have to sacrifice a few things to achieve it, but once we imagined what our future would look like, and thought it through holistically, we knew there was no turning back.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In March of 2021, we purchased 10 acres of land in the tropical deciduous forest of Cabo Corrientes, about 45 minutes outside of the city. We have 4 solar panels that power our entire home. We dug a well and pumped water once a week to a large cistern on top of the hill that then gravity feeds into our house and our irrigation system. All of our gray water goes into a filter system and storage tank that we use to water our grass. We have started planning our seasonal garden, and hope to get the first seeds in the ground in May. Our next project includes building camping pads down by the river, and starting inviting small family groups to stay with us and experience how off-grid living is possible for anyone.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most powerful parts of this journey is how I\u2019m able to take what I\u2019ve done and share it with my students. I teach AP Environmental Science, in which we deep dive into Earth\u2019s systems and how human interactions have damaged most of them. We also talk a lot about mitigation strategies, and what small actions we can take to help lessen the effects of climate change. It\u2019s incredibly empowering to show my students how I\u2019m doing it! It\u2019s one thing to talk about solar panels, gray-water systems, water filtration, compost, and home gardens, and another thing to show them what I\u2019m doing. If I can do it, so can they, and so can their families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It all started with Imagining the future I wanted for myself and my family, imagining the example I wanted to set for my community and my students, and 3 years later, we are living the life we Imagined.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ffe477 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3ffe477\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Imagine-the-possibilities-Cait-Barnum.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-21607\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Imagine-the-possibilities-Cait-Barnum.jpg 512w, https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Imagine-the-possibilities-Cait-Barnum-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Imagine-the-possibilities-Cait-Barnum-16x12.jpg 16w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Hubby and me on April 13, 2023 with our almost finished house behind us\u2026 a few weeks later we officially moved in.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f47c485 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f47c485\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c7527b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5c7527b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cdc64cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cdc64cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Author<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-87d2ae9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-17629 elementor-widget-author-box\" data-id=\"87d2ae9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"author-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caitlin-barnum-2aaaa27a\/\" class=\"elementor-author-box__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Caitlin-Barnum-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"Imagen de Caitlin Barnum\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caitlin-barnum-2aaaa27a\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-author-box__name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCaitlin Barnum\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__bio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Cait Barnum, originaria de la costa de cristal de Carolina del Norte, ahora llama hogar al hermoso Puerto Vallarta, M\u00e9xico. Se mud\u00f3 a M\u00e9xico hace 7 a\u00f1os con el Cuerpo de Paz, y encontr\u00f3 su camino hacia la ense\u00f1anza de Ciencias en Escuelas Medias y Secundarias, adem\u00e1s de ser nuestra Coordinadora de Sustentabilidad y Sistemas por un tiempo, pero ahora dirige el Departamento STEM+. Incorporar herramientas y h\u00e1bitos de pensamiento sist\u00e9mico a toda la comunidad escolar es una pasi\u00f3n y una meta para ella. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3193c93 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-social-media\" data-id=\"3193c93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-social-media.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t\t <ul class=\"ekit_social_media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-a8e12c1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caitlin-barnum-2aaaa27a\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"LinkedIn\" class=\"linkedin\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-6807902\">\n\t\t\t\t\t    <a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/caitlin.barnum.3\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"square\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-facebook-square\"><\/i>\n                                                                                                            <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today&#8217;s world, simply solving problems as we come across them isn&#8217;t enough. We need to start practicing envisioning a future that goes beyond just fixing issues, one where sustainability [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":20928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,141],"tags":[139],"class_list":["post-21606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogpost","category-sustainable-habits-of-mind","tag-sustainable-habits-of-mind"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21606"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21614,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21606\/revisions\/21614"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/compasseducation.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}