¡Hola! My name is Tori Coughlan and this week I will be travelling to Costa Rica with the Plus3 program. As a mechanical engineering student, I am excited to learn more about how each aspect of the manufacturing process helps to produce successful companies. With Costa Rica as the second “greenest” country on the planet, I am interested in how they balance sustainability with a successful economy.

One sustainability initiative that really stuck out to me is the country’s push to go completely carbon neutral by 2021. I find it incredible that over 98% of Costa Rica’s electricity comes from renewable energy sources, compared to the U.S. which generates less than 17% from renewable sources. Costa Rica has strategically utilized its rivers, volcanoes, wind, and sunlight as renewable energy sources in their push to become a 100% carbon neutral country.

Another initiative is to protect wildlife and their habitats. In 2012, Costa Rica banned sport hunting, becoming the first country in Central America to do so. Additionally, in 2011 Costa Rica created the Seamounts Marine Management Area, which is the second largest marine protected area in the world. This area has been crucial in protecting endangered species from commercial fishing. These changes have worked to promote biodiversity as a whole in Costa Rica.

Overall, Costa Rica’s sustainability initiatives have made me even more excited to visit and learn more about the country. I look forward to experiencing a new culture and practicing my Spanish. ¡Hasta luego!