When I think of Costa Rica, I think rain forests, sandy beaches and beautiful weather.  However, just in the short time we’ve spent preparing for our trip, I’ve learned that there’s so much to more the country.  Besides being one of the top producers of coffee and bananas, Costa Rica is ranked second in the world for environmental sustainability.  

Ticos practice initiatives such as reforestation, river cleanups, conservation of biodiversity, and maintenance of clean water.  And, by 2021, they’ve pledged to be both carbon neutral (something no country has done before) and ban all single-use plastic products.  What I found most impressive, however, was that over 90% of the energy used in Costa Rica comes from renewable energy sources (i.e. hydropower, geothermal power, and wind and solar power).  It is clear that the people here truly care about the land that they live on and future generations to come.

I’m excited to not only learn more about Costa Rica and their sustainability practices, but to immerse myself in the coffee and banana industries there.  Coming into this program, I have little knowledge about either of these processes. So, it will be fascinating to see first-hand how these products go from a plant in the ground in Costa Rica to a finished product ready to be sent to consumers all over the world.  And, I’m hoping that when I return home, I will be able to see areas in which the U.S. can improve its own sustainability and realistic ways to implement solutions.