chile stands out geographically for many reasons, first of which being its nearly 4000 miles of coastline. the country, specifically the central coast, has a long history of nautical commerce, thus bringing the people closer to the water by necessity. within the country, however, you can find a stark contrast of desert and untouched wilderness. this january, i had the opportunity to study abroad in chile, living in the coastal city of vi\u00f1a del mar, studying in valpara\u00edso, and exploring the wild patagonia for several days. during my three and a half week trip in chile, my interest in environmentalism caused me to notice various contrasts between the industrialized coasts, the pristine patagonia, and the places that lay somewhere in between. <\/p>\n
while it can be difficult to reverse what\u2019s already been done to the environment, preserved areas like patagonia show us a model for serious conservation that is possible and inspiring.<\/p>\n