Repent! The End is Here!

These guys are sweet and really soft (I want to get a bed made out of their fur to exemplify environmental sustainability)  And they will eat your camera cords if they get ahold of them

This is my last blog from the fine country of Costa Rica. Through my travels here, I have managed to see many aspects of the country which are sweet and some that are not. I have gone from the best health to two weeks which my body fought me every step of the way. All of this together though had made for an unforgettable experience which I don’t think I can get out of my head even if I pounded my head with a rock.

To update everyone on my past weeks experiences, since returning from the Caribbean, myself and the rest of the class had been loaded down with preparing papers on sustainability on companies of our choice (my group went with Proctor and Gamble and rocked it) then presenting them in front of the class as if we were presenting to the actual company. Needless to say, Proctor and Gamble was so moved by what we had to say, they immediately implementing our environmental sustainability recommendations now and have made us honorary board members.  Overall this went well for the whole class.

Following this we had our exams which I believe I rocked but then again, tests have rocked me before.  

This whole area smelled like someone farted (yeah for a natural high)

On Thursday we finished our last trip to see the  volcanos and jungles of Costa Rica, which this one was one of the best.  You can go into my last blog to find out the name because I'm lazy and dont remember.  I have to say that this was the best place we have gone, even though many of the animals were in aviaries and enclosed spaces.  This made it easier to get up and interact with them.  In the bird room, I was accosted by two overzealous parrots who were all over me.  Two words: sharp claws...

(this bird with his companion had a vendetta out for me)

Once past this room we made our way to the butterfly room which was cool, then went on to see frogs, humming birds, snakes, and waterfalls.  This was all amazing and fun, making this final trip a good way to go out.

This morning, our class split up into two groups.  One went bungie jumping, the other went to the outdoor market to haggle and get last minute gifts (I fit in this last group because I procrastinate and hold off shopping as long as I can).  The shopping is fun because the entire time you are bargaining with the merchants on their overpriced goods, and generally do well.  Fortunately I spent the rest of my money to get gifts for my family and friends so they wont be pissed at me.

Tonight we have our farewell dinner with our class and have to say goodbyes to our host families.  Most people are dreading this, but I dont have any worries because I dont know how to say goodbye in spanish so it will be a silent exit for me (Im kidding for the most part).  Tomorrow we leave for the states, starting at 5am and I should be home around 10pm, hopefully.  So now Ill leave you guys with some of my pics from yesterday and will be talking to you in person or on the phone tomorrow.  Peace for now.  Final quote curtisy of Bob: "Pete we have to get out of the market, I think I really pissed off one of the vendors and I think he is going to kill me!" 

Song of the Day: Closing Time by Semisonic (multiple meanings with leaving Costa Rica and finally being a true college grad)

Birds!!!

Today we went on our last adventure in Costa Rica, visiting both a volcano and a rainforest.  Both presented me to look at my final impressions of eco tourism in this country and the idea as a whole.

The idea of ecotourism has perplexed me and shown many faults to me while I have been here.  But today while walking and exploring, the faults that have worried me about the effects of the tourism have been eased.  This came about when in Poaz national park, discussing the constructed paths and how this can benefit nature while destroying parts of it, it was brought up that this is basically necessary because Costa Rica does not have the resources to protect national parks or upkeep the tourism in it, so the land is essentially leased out to a private company.  This company will go in and construct various aspects, which allow for tourism to thrive and experience the vast offerings that the surroundings that nature has to offer in the area.

Though some environment is damaged to create easier movement in it, it now seems necessary because it allows for the park to exist in its protected state.  In most cases too, only a fraction of the park is damaged and influenced by human interference.  The other damage that occurs generally is from the individual, which in all cases is up the individual person to watch their actions.

So today though, was one of the best experiences and opportunities to see the various and vast offering of creatures of Costa Rica.   Though many animals were in separated captivities (birds, monkeys, butterflies, snakes, and frogs) this allowed anyone the opportunity to see up close the various exotic animals which most of the time are rare to be seen or small dots at a distance.  It was a great experience that I believe will give anyone who goes a better chance to see and respect of the animals which make up the a part of the ecology of this country.

Smash That Banana!

Bananas have played a pivotal part of my time in Costa Rica.  I have had them to eat nearly every day, seen many trees which grow all types, and growing.  Personally they have had nearly as much influence as rice and beans (baring what those do in the bathroom) but they play an important role in Costa Rica’s economy and culture too.

My personal likings of bananas have to go to one of the family members with the plantain and their being fried as a meal desert of sorts.  They are delicious and probably terrible for you because of the syrup they are cooked in.  I have also had fresh bananas cut up for breakfast which honestly taste the same as the ones I can get in the United States, but I imagine they are not as clean on the outside (brown spots, but that makes no difference).  There are other products that are available, such as dried banana chips but I have not had the opportunity to try those (I have been told they taste like potato chips) that shows how much influence they play on the daily diets in this country.

On to the more cultural aspect of bananas.  Like what was said in the Chiquita blog, the growing of bananas is not natural and has dire affects on the environment, but at the same time brings in valuable economic wealth for such a poor country.  I would hope that efforts and research would continue to decrease the damage they do to the environment while improving working conditions.  Since the “western” civilizations are the largest consumers and where the corporation’s headquarters are located, I believe that change could occur if pressure were to be pushed there.  This would is important because general environmental regulations are far stricter, which to import products, they must be in compliance.   So if a push were to start in the United States or Europe, environmental practices could be further improved from what Chiquita is doing now.  

Culturally, many people are employed in the banana business and it shows up various recipes and art around the country.  Like stated before with the food, it is a daily occurrence, which is awesome because I personally like them, but allows for some great variety in our diets.  As for the art, not much is to be said here other than it has been in some paintings and carvings that I have seen in the various places that we have visited on all coasts of the country.  The people that are employed in the industry take on tough challenge of making a living while risking health because of the dangerous pesticides.  Again going back to Chiquita, there are safety measures taken to protect the workers, but it only does so much since the chemicals are always on the plants in the fields.

Being my last posting on bananas, I have to say that they are awesome but do have some downsides in this country because the ones grown for consumption are not natural for this country which need many actions taken to grow.  I hope to be able to continue to each some of the recipes that I have run into here, particularly the fried plantains.

Black as Night

To end my blogging on coffee, I feel like I would provide some general information on the coffee industry globally and in the United States, as well as my experiences with it personally here in Costa Rica.

Coffee was initially discovered by monks in Ethiopia around 800AD, which from there has expanded into one of the largest drinks in the world (focused in both North America and Europe).  There are several types of beans in the world, but the majority that are grown are called arabica, which primarily grown in Latin America.  Coffee started its growth in shaded areas but farmers soon moved to more of a sun grown method because it produces faster growth of the coffee fruit and the plants could be planted in rows, allowing for a greater yield.

What we have learned from our trips to coffee plantations, is that this method is the most commonly used system of growth, but it is also the most damaging environmentally.  This method requires the cutting down of forests and removal of diversity.  If a shaded method were to be maintained, more diversity and sustainability could be achieved.  The problem is this takes longer and is not as profitable.  Because sun growing is the norm now, it needs numerous pesticides to grow because coffee in many sunny environments cannot grow normally.

There is a group in the United States, American Birding Association, which pushes for a more original type of growing (shaded) to encourage a more organic and sustainable method of growing to be adopted.  This is a novel idea, but what was said at Del Cafe Tal, unless a company is large enough to implement these methods, it does not lead to a profitable business model of the global markets.  Cafe Britt which caries at least an organic shaded coffee is only a small aspect of their sales globally, which its normal sun grown coffee is the primary 

Banana Fingers

This past weekend of travel brought on one of its stops the Chiquita banana plantation in the Caribbean. This was an interesting and educational trip, allowing me to gain perspective of the banana growing industry in Costa Rica. Chiquita and other producers put Costa Rica in the top ten producers of bananas in the world. With this production comes problems and working solutions that Chiquita is at the forefront of, providing innovations in all aspects of the industry.

The tour of the plantation started with a long drive down a drive which had banana trees lining both sides of the road, which the fruit of each tree was covered by a blue bag to protect it from insects and nature. The interesting point though in the bus, were the various signs which warned of the dangers of the pesticides that were used on the plants, telling those around not to enter and to be careful when pesticides were being spread from planes.

When we arrived, our tour guides started by showing a video which was created by Chiquita Brands, explaining what the company is doing to curtail its impact on nature and rights of workers. It is one of the first plantations in Costa Rica to work with the Rain Forest Foundation to ensure protection and growth of the rain forests in the country. This certification is important because it shows the work and many other organizations which support the actions Chiquita is doing. To go with the video, we were taken on a tour of surrounding land which has been replanted with numerous plants by the company to bring back forests and provide a habitat for many animals and insects. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to create a protected, forested corridor for which wildlife can exist and thrive.





Back to the banana aspects though, the question and answer provided some answers about the company. Accordingly, all these initiatives do not allow for the elimination of dangerous pesticides from being used. There is a lot of research being done, but as of now, the only way to create edible, viable fruits, pesticides must be used because bananas cannot grow in Costa Rica naturally at the size we know. The reason this is done though is because it is one of the largest cash industries in the country, bringing valuable income to the country. Originally land was given to farmers (like coffee) to grow bananas, which industry and railroads were built to create transport to take to Asia, Europe, and the United States.

(the white stuff is pesticides)

Other information we were told about, was that Chiquita, like its research and programs for the environment is the leading employer for pay in the banana industry in Costa Rica. It pays 20% above the minimum pay in the country, setting the workers in the medium income for Costa Rica. Other companies in the country are not as nearly proactive and accepting of the various parts of the banana business as Chiquita is (Dole).





Finally with all this done, we moved on to the processing plant and growing fields. At the plant, you see in the pictures cleaning baths to take the pesticides off the fruit, making them safe for the consumer. Throughout the entire tour, we are assured that the workers are provided with appropriate clothing and protection, to ensure safety and health. The processing of the bananas goes like this: the fruit is cut from the trees, taken to the plant, sorted for quality (the trough in the background is for rejects which are turned into baby food), cleaned, divided into select individual bananas and bundles which you see in the grociery store. They are finally packaged and shipped off all over the world.





Once we were done with this, we were given a presentation by the local women (some of which are wives of the workers) so they can provide information while having a job, giving them an income. The presentation provided many of the facts that were used earlier in this blog and showed the history of Chiquita and evolution through different eras. The presentation moved from a tented stage to the tree fields.



This allowed us to understand how bananas start, grow, are harvested, and replanted. Ultimately the tree is planted and needs a year to grow and mature. During this time zygotes (smaller, new trees) sprout off the base, creating new trees. Because the fruit is given nutrients and covered in pesticide, it grows much larger than normal, causing the tree to bend. Because of this, it must tied to surrounding trees for support. The fruit itself takes about a year to grow and once harvested, the tree must be cut down and a zygote allowed to grow in its place for new fruit. Each tree`s life (base) is expected to last for 25 years.


Other random facts which allow for Chiquita to be more sustainable than the competition is that it recycles the plastic that protect each grouping of fruit for further use and when they are no longer viable, they are melted down into blocks to place on the path for the workers to walk on. Ultimately, bananas are grown in the country for the income it provides, but it has to be noted that without large quantities of water and pesticides, they could not survive in Costa Rica. Chiquita though is providing a good example for the rest of the industry of Costa Rica with its proactive approach to offset its affects on the environment and people by looking for alternatives, working with environmental groups, and helping the people within its organization.

Ecotourism

The past two weeks of travel in Costa Rica have taken me from each coast and shown me the vast diversity of the country. Like we have studied in this class, on primary factor of Costa Rica´s income comes from tourism, specifically from visits to ecologically diverse areas. In my past blogs, I have been particularly harsh about some of the practices of that this type of tourism does to the respective environment and surrounding area, but it also allows for something greater and good to come from it.

I honestly believe that with some changes and ensured regulation by the government, ecotourism can become both good for the community and the environment. I believe this because in the last two weeks, I have been from the pacific in the Osa, where the class and myself stayed in a camp of sorts, sleeping in nature and allowing us to enjoy what it has to offer (often waking with the sounds of howler monkeys and the birds). There we also went on nature walks, exploring the natural wonders that are protected in the parks there. I believe that both parks we visited in the Osa are the best examples of as little impact visitors can have the nature we are visiting. Both times it was said that we must not take anything, while respecting the animals that we were around. The paths for walking were rudimentary at best, at the least looking as if paths for animals and if necessary built with natural products (stairs were made of cut logs and if a tree had fallen on the path, we were forced to go over/under/or around it). The guides that we took knew very much about the surroundings and were sure to make sure that we would learn as much as they could give us. They also made sure that we would not do anything to hinder where we were, often telling us to be quiet or to go no further off a path.

On the other leg of our travels, we went to the Caribbean, where again it was obvious that ecotourism has a dramatic affect and does not damage the environment drastically. The first and primary stop was La Silva Research station, where we could see how research and conservation go hand and hand. Here we saw that there are some damaging effects with cement paths and cleared areas, but this was more for researchers from around the world to come and study the biodiversity of rainforests. These better paths also allowed us to get comfortably into the forest to see nature much better (there I was able to see much more animals and inhabitants than on other forest walks). When we moved on to Monzineo, the surrounding towns thrived off of the tourist who would visit, with many booths and shops to pander to the needs. Products ranged from the normal tourist tee shirts to trinkets that were made from Costa Rican natural goods and foods. Also paths were like the Osa, made from walking and not cleared and covered in cement. The natural beauty was awesome and often inspired incorporation of living courters. Our hotel did this to a point to have the doors open to the sea while having a lot of open air areas and inviting nature to be part of the scenery, not pushing it off.

I have to say that these experiences have allowed for a better understanding and acceptance of ecotourism. Though I believe this is a good method of education and experiences, it still has a long way to perfection. Still there was trash that the tourism brought (wrappers and cups) and it does intrude upon nature, but with monitoring on governmental and individual level can curtail this. Too it was obvious that local shops benefited from this because there were towns dedicated to the tourist, which little shops managed to continue and offer a broad array of local fares.

Coffee

One thing that I have noticed in this country is that coffee is everywhere.  When thinking as a consumer, one can find it everywhere one eats and buys food.  But observing the whole country, coffee products (including the drink) are in every store and rest stop and the plants seem to be a customary mark in the landscape.

The product itself manifests itself in many different products, from coffee, candy, and even liquor.  I have to say that I have not tried any of them except the liquor version, which has an excellent taste, almost better than the United States equivalent of Koolaha.  The coffee that is sold to drink is nearly always from Costa Rica (though I have run into some from surrounding Latin American countries) but is very cheap.  When we have visited an area which is more touristy, I have managed to see some higher grade and priced coffee such some from Cafe Britt which we visited.  I believe this is only due to the fact that less locals shop there, following what learned that many Costa Rican's will not buy expensive coffee, leaving companies having to sell outside the country.

When looking at the coffee being grown around while we travel, whether it is on the Pacific or the Caribbean, coffee is grown everywhere.  The most predominant thing I have noticed is that it generally is grown on hillsides, with very little cover.  What we have learned is that the amount of cover and shade that surround the coffee while growing changes the overall taste of the coffee.  Im guessing though because of the open growing techniques, it is much easier to maintain and grow than the shaded, tree growing.  I have also noticed that size of the growing area is not an issue because they have been in big fields and hillsides to several plants in a fenced in yard of passing houses.  I imagine this is for a personal use, though my host family have explained that they could be used as strictly aesthetic growth around the house.

Three B's

This past week has been unbelievable.  We as a class have traveled all over the country of Costa Rica, from the Pacific to the Caribbean (and yes I know how to spell it).  The first of our travels

in the last week (maybe a little over it)  started with white water rafting which was amazing.

This was the first rafting I have done in years, though the abilities come back pretty easily.  My raft consisted of Bob, Evan, Jon, Paul, and Carmen which was aptly named Team Meatstick.  It was not uncommon to go through rapids and expect Evan to fall out/be gone from the boat, along with some other member of our boat.  It seemed that out of all the boats that our class took, ours had the most deserters during the duration of the trip.  I would say that this was incredible, with the sights and events that happened and I would like to share pictures, but cameras and rafting do not go well together (it might be the rocks or water or the combination of both).  There will pictures later though because the company we did it with did take pictures which will be made available to us later.

The following morning at  5am, we left for the Pacific Coast of the Osa.  This 10 hour journey took us to a remote camping village which we went on snorkeling adventures in national parks and jungle walks there to see the nature there.  There is an incredible amount of wildlife every where, which could be seen anywhere we were at.  The first day at our destination we left for a jungle walk which this is what we ended up seeing:

The following day we went on a dive at the local coral reef, to see the diversity of the area we we living in.  The dive took place out at an island located of the shore by about 2 miles and took about an hour to get to.  We spent about an hour diving and saw a lot but were hindered by small fitting equipment and a strong current.  The island though, like the rest of the country was incredible.  (there are no pictures again because my camera and water do not mix)

A little on where we stayed:  It was a compound structured campsite which tents were set up under roofs to ensure protection from the jungle rains.  We had rudimentary services (two lights with cold water showers and sink).  There was a larger lodge which provided us with food and an expensive bar.  This was were we all hung out, playing cards and drinking together (which was fun and somewhat frustrating due to my ability to get my ass kicked at hearts)

After our long journey home and some broken explaining to my house mom, we left last thursday for Caribbean for some R&R.  This was the high point of the trip because we would see some of the coolest sights I have seen.  We started at La Silva Research Station, which by all accounts is the most humid place I have ever been.  We went on several jungle walks there and managed to see poison dart frogs and several types of monkeys, as well as a multitude of plants.  We then ventured to the Chaquita plantation to learn about banana production that occurs in Costa Rica, which was interesting because like Cafe Britt, we ran into an interesting presentation by the local women (I will go into a better description in the banana blog).  After this we were finally done with "class" and headed to our final destination for saturday and sunday rest.  Im not sure of the name, but it was amazing.  The view through the trees was from my hotels room.  We were provided with the best food we have eaten on the trip as well as the best showers I have had (actual warm water!).  At nights we would chill together drinking and swimming the pool and in the mornings I would go on runs (K5K went international and included a beach run portion).  The last night there, Nate and I built a fire on the beach and managed to have about 15 of our class mates come out to relax and enjoy ourselves.

The trip home was not bad either, which we stopped in a small village to get some shopping done.  I was traveling with Bob, Jon, and Paul, which we decided that instead of shopping we could better spend our time on mopeds, which we rented for an hour at 15 dollars.  It was awesome and a little dangerous (which I like to say is my middle name or at least how I live).

This is all I have for now, but the past week and a half has been unreal and the time is dwindling here.  I will keep you updated as I can.

Song of the Day:  Passerby by Dispatch