Costa Rica’s environmentally sustainable initiatives have a positive connotation in my perspective. One thing that stood out to me was how Costa Rica has successfully built a large part of its economy around tourism while still prioritizing environmental protection. Tourism can easily become wasteful and damaging to the environment in other country’s models. However, Costa Rica’s focus on ecotourism seems honorable because the country has found ways to capitalize on its assets while still maintaining a healthy environment. I like how they are benefiting both their own country and the world simultaneously by protecting ecosystems that are important globally.
I would describe Costa Rica’s sustainability efforts as progressive. Instead of relying on methods of economic growth that harm the environment, the country is taking modern approaches to tourism, agriculture, and conservation. I learned that Costa Rica has worked to reduce deforestation while also improving sustainability within agriculture, which accounts for 36 percent of the country’s land use and 14 percent of employment. I also found information about the country’s “Costa Rica Towards Sustainable and Healthy Agri-Food Systems 2023–2026” roadmap, which promotes sustainable production practices from the field all the way to the consumer’s table. Initiatives like these demonstrate that sustainability in Costa Rica is something being actively implemented across industries.
I am excited to visit Costa Rica not only to experience the culture firsthand, but also to better understand how the country’s unique business model surrounding ecotourism operates behind the scenes. I think it will be interesting to see how businesses, tourism, agriculture, and environmental conservation all interact with one another in everyday life. Of course, part of this experience will also involve trying the country’s fresh produce for myself, and I am especially excited to try the pineapple.
Costa Rica Blog 1: Costa Rica Sustainability
