When I think of Costa Rica, I have the image of a clean, immaculate country that holds all different kinds of beautiful landscapes. My outsider’s perception of those who inhabit Costa Rica consists of people who are in touch with nature and the beauty of their home environment. That being said, it does not surprise me that this country holds the number two rank in the World Energy Council’s global “environmental sustainability”. Even with only having the knowledge of an outsider of this county, I get the sense that Costa Rica is very concerned and active when it comes to keeping the home environment as pristine as possible for current and future generations.

Costa Rica takes several approaches to maintaining a clean, and happy environment. The biggest way they are keeping their country “green” is by using renewable resources for energy sources. The country has taken advantage of their location close to the equator by using geothermal and solar power as energy sources. They also use a great deal of hyrdopower as well. Currently, they are on a mission to become the first carbon neutral country of the world, and hope to accomplish this by 2021. By eliminating the burning of fossil fuels, they will significantly reduce the amount of pollution to the air and their environment. Costa Rica hopes that in achieving this goal, they will set a standard for the rest of the world in helping to save the environment.

Another way that Costa Rica has taken action in preserving their environment includes the prohibition of recreational hunting. This new ban helps to keep the native species around without fear of them becoming extinct. Recreational hunting also comes with a disturbance of the natural environment to all animals, and possible littering issues. Preventing this kind of hunting also leads to the elimination of these extra disruptions as well.

Coming into this country after learning more about their sustainability initiatives gives me a greater sense of their custom views on their home country. Since I’ve had the experience of living in an American city, I have seen how littered and polluted this country can be. Even living out in the country, I still see remnants of human life all over the place. Therefore, since I am now more aware of Costa Rica’s initiatives, it gives me more incentive to do everything in my power to make America as clean as it can be. I have high expectations for the Costa Rican environment, and I’m excited to see their initiatives in action!

@ahd19