Coming into this trip, I thought sustainability mostly meant things like recycling and renewable energy. After spending time in Costa Rica though, I realized sustainability is way more connected to business, tourism, agriculture, culture, and everyday life than I originally thought. My project theme focused on multinational corporations and sustainability, and throughout the trip I…
Author: kam976
May 19: Watt’s Up, Costa Rica?
Today was really interesting because we got to see both the benefits and challenges that come with Costa Rica’s focus on renewable energy and sustainability. Seeing all the wind turbines in person made Costa Rica’s environmental goals feel way more real to me. I thought it was interesting learning that Costa Rica started focusing heavily…
May 18: The Price of Protecting Paradise
Today’s visit to Arenal Mundo Aventura made me realize how complicated conservation actually is. AMA was founded in 2005 by four Costa Rican business partners who wanted to protect the rainforest while still creating a successful business through ecotourism. The whole model is built around adventure tourism funding conservation. People come for the ziplining, rappelling,…
May 17: Soaked Sneakers & Sugarcane
Today definitely felt like the “rainy season” version of Costa Rica. The rain honestly changed almost every activity we did. During the hanging bridges, it made everything way more slippery and definitely increased the fall risk, especially during some of the uphill parts. At the same time though, it weirdly made it more fun. After…
May 16: Pura Vida and Piña Coladas
After today, I honestly understand a lot more why younger generations in Costa Rica are becoming more interested in tourism than traditional farming. Visiting the pineapple farm made me realize how physically exhausting and repetitive farming can actually be. Our guide talked about how workers spend hours outside in intense heat while fully covered in…
May 15: Fueled by Chocolate and Compost
Today honestly ended up being one of the most interesting days of the trip because even though all three visits seemed completely different at first, they were all connected by the idea of businesses focusing on more than just profit. At Sibö Chocolate, what stood out to me most was how intentional everything felt. Even…
May 13: Grounds for a Marketing Lesson
After visiting Café Britt today, I honestly think the company does a really good job of celebrating Costa Rican culture while also turning it into a really successful business and tourist experience. Throughout the tour, it was obvious how intentionally they market not just the coffee, but Costa Rica itself. Everything from the storytelling and…
May 12: From IT to Ice Cream
Today it was really interesting getting to compare two completely different business models through Kyndryl and Dos Pinos. Kyndryl felt very global and innovation-focused, while Dos Pinos felt more centered around community and cooperation. At Kyndryl, a lot of the discussion focused on technology, collaboration, and working with people from all over the world. One…
May 11: A Little Lost, A Lot Welcomed
One moment from my homestay that I really did not expect was how our host mom sits and eats dinner with us every night, even if she already ate or is not really eating anything herself. I feel like in the United States everyone is often rushing around or eating separately, so having someone take…
May 10: Strawberries, Sloths, and Sustainability
After visiting Doka, the strawberry farm, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, I definitely felt like there was a strong sustainable relationship between the people, land, and commerce. What stood out to me most was that none of the places felt overly commercialized or focused only on making money. At the strawberry farm, it was really…
Prepping for Costa Rica!
Before researching Costa Rica more, I mostly just thought of it as a beautiful vacation destination with beaches and rainforests, but now I see it as a country that is really committed to sustainability. After doing a quick search, the two initiatives that stood out most to me were their renewable energy and forest conservation…