Episode 34: Tara Ruttenberg - Writer, Yoga Teacher, Consultant, Coach and Surfer

The Oceanriders Podcast

Tara grew up on the beaches in Southern California. She loved the ocean very much. Often, it would be a real struggle to get her out of the water at sunset. Even when she moved to Costa Rica for a study abroad from her university, Tara’s longing for the ocean was like a fire she couldn’t put off. Every so often, she finds herself sitting with and listening to her surf instructor friends. However, surfing seems to be off her options. Then, she decided to just go for it and eventually, formed a lasting bond with the waves.

Tara shares more of her story and how her supposedly, four months of study turned into 14 years of journey towards sustainable surf tourism. She also shares her motivation behind this project and provides a wider perspective around the impact of tourism on the environment and the local community. Tara also created a safe space for individuals to share their stories at Tarantula Surf, which is a platform designed to cater to freedom, authenticity and diversity. As the proverbs say, “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” This conversation is indeed, an evidence that everything we do creates an impact and it’s up to us to decide what kind of impact that might be.

Episode Highlights

• 02:56 The White Water Warrior
• 06:51 When Surfing Gets Everything In Place
• 10:10 Tourism: The Hitch for Locals
• 15:20 SUSPIRO: Resisting an Unseen Invader
• 19:50 A Sustainable Tourism Model
• 23:40 Sustainable Practices
• 27:24 Support SUSPIRO
• 29:09 Tara’s Sustainability Consulting and Empathic Coaching

This week we're taking off for Playa Hermosa in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. My guest Tara Ruttenberg, moved from the US to Costa Rica for university course many, many years ago and never came back. Tara is a consultant in sustainable tourism. She's also a writer, a yoga teacher, a life coach, a bad ass surfer, and a PhD candidate.

“You can think a little bit more outside the box and not just care about what kind of waves you're going to be scoring on that trip, but also about what your impact is.” –Tara Ruttenberg

In our conversation, we get to know more about Tara's story, and are introduced to her latest project called SUSPIRO, which is also her PhD. SUSPIRO is a project whose goal is to find a method to create sustainable economic models for locals in surf destinations. It's a really stimulating conversation where we talk about the effects of surf tourism in countries such as Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, and Mexico, where a lot of expats have moved there and are unconsciously responsible for marginalizing that local populations, both economically and socially.

Connect with Tara:

• Website
• Email
• Instagram
• Facebook

Resources Links:

• SUSPIRO GOFUNDME PAGE

Quotes:

• 23:51 “I don't think we need to sugarcoat the fact that international tourism is a huge problem- environmentally and socially. But the reality is also that some communities can be supported at least kind of on an income level through the ways that tourism and surf tourism is happening.” –Tara Ruttenberg
• 25:57 “You can think a little bit more outside the box and not just care about what kind of waves you're going to be scoring on that trip, but also about what your impact is.” –Tara Ruttenberg
• 26:20 “I think people are talking about it (sustainable tourism) and there's some awareness there. But in terms of how it's being done, we're all responsible.” –Tara Ruttenberg
• 29:53 “Once we're able to identify the needs that are attached to some of those difficult emotions that we're experiencing in our lives, we can work towards strategies that help satisfy our needs. And in that way, live a more fulfilled life related to the things that we care about, into our purpose and bring more meaning into our life.” –Tara Ruttenberg
• 31:18 “I wish that every surf tourism destination can live more sustainably for the future.” –Tara Ruttenberg

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