Ecotourism, cuatro

As we have been discussing and experiencing ecotourism for the past month what always comes to my mind is visiting exotic places and countries that I have never been to or always wanted to visit. Perhaps that is because the most ecotourism I have ever been exposed to is right here in Costa Rica, far away from home and more adventurous and exotic then I could have imagined. However, I came across some interesting statistics about ecotourism in the United States. US citizens make up a huge amount of the market for ecotourism across the globe. Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about the environment and are more eager than ever to learn about other cultures. In fact one survey says that Americans are willing to pay significantly more for a vacation experience regarding ecotourism. Ecotourism within the US is one of the fastest growing travel trends in the country. Recreational visits to US national parks is around the 300 million mark every year and an estimated 900 million visits are made to US federal land alone every year. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, West Virginia, and Virginia all have their own ecotourism societies. There are many unique places to visit within our own country that many of us probably don't think about much or take for granted. We can have incredible ecotourism experiences that people travel the world for right in our own back yard.

Coffee, cuatro

It is interesting to note that without any roasting or preparation, coffee beans do not taste anything like coffee. Unroasted coffee beans have many of the same nutrients and caffeine, but the roasting and heat begin a chemical reaction that changes the carbohydrates and fats into oils, burns off moisture, and breaks down the acids that eventually leads to the coffee aroma and flavor that we know today. The longer you roast coffee affects the strength and characteristcs of the aroma and flavor or the batch. One source says that Light roast happens at around 7 minutes, and this is where most American coffee roasters stop the process. A medium roast is achieved around 9 to 11 minutes, and in the US this is where specialty sellers normally roast to. Dark and Darkest roasts occur in the 12 to 14 minute range and each of these have a very distinct mix of flavors. I think that the coffee we drink at our host family's house in the morning is more of a dark roast because the flavor is sharper and more distinct than any coffee that I have normally in the US. Ticos definitely appreciate and enjoy coffee more than many Americans, most likely because it is a homegrown product here that many people are very proud of. Our host mother seems shocked or surprised sometimes if one of us does not want the coffee she is offering... good thing I love it.

Ecotourism, tres

Though ecotourism sounds like a positive, environmentally supporting thing, there are some negative positions and criticisms surrounding the industry. First is the practice of advertising as a green, ecofriendly, or ecotourism activity when infact you are not practicing the principles necessary to actually be environmentally responsible. This is an example of the ¨greenwashing¨ we talked about in class, where the activites or organizations are disguised as green or ecofriendly when infact they are not.

Another criticism of ecotourism is the negative impact it can have on local communities. What was initially supposed to be protected land or game reserves are now turned into revenue generating tourist locations with lodges and other tourist accomodations. This is leading to displacement of local people, violations of rights, and other ecological hazards in these areas. Sometimes the costs of ecotourism are not worth continuing the industry in an area.

There is also an issue when bringing any number of people into an environment that will affect the wildlife in that area, perhaps permanently. The presence of people in an area also means the addition of garbage, pollution, and other disturbances to the natural plant and animal life as well as a disruptance to indigenous peoples who may be living in the area being visited by tourists.

There are clearly issues that need to be addressed in regards to ecotourism and how it is practiced. There are organizations and regulatory committies that are trying to set guidelines for ecotourism companies to follow in order to minimize the impact on the environment and be responsible with the tourism people are doing in an area in order to keep ecotourism as a positive, educational experience.

Ecotourism, dos

Though ecotourism can be done across the entire world, here in Costa Rica the options are endless. The list of different activities we have participated in are numerous:

• Snorkeling
• Horseback riding
• Night hikes
• Guided tours of the rainforest
• Visits to cloud forests
• Coffee tours
• Banana tours
• Hydroelectric water plan tour
• Hikes in various parts of the country
• Visits to waterfalls
• Volcanos
• Natural hot springs
• Whitewater rafting
• Visits to the Pacific and Carribian coasts
• Zipline canopy tour...

The list goes on and on. With all the national parks set aside and the various climate zones to visit the opportunities in Costa Rica are endless. Its hard to believe that a country the size of West Virginia has so much adventure and opportunity to offer, and all while enjoying nature and hopefully learning something about the environment in the process. When I think about how much ecotourism we have done in such a short amount of time in Costa Rica it seems incredible that we have had so many opportunities.

Chiquita Bananas

"Miss Chiquita"

Last week we visited the Chiquita Banana plantation. The first thing you notice when driving up is obviously the rows upon rows of Banana plants, but there was also some untouched forest still around. We learned when we got there that it was all part of Chiquitas environmental program, called the Nature and Community Project, aimed at preserving wildlife and educating children about environmental concerns. When we arrived at Chiquita we were greeted and ushered into a small room where we watched a video explaining the program and what it is Chiquita does. It is evident that Chiquita is doing much more to help the environment than most banana companies even though they still are doing harm through the clearing of land and use of chemicals for pesticides for example. though they claim that the chemicals they use are the least harmful possible and they take many measures to ensure the safety of their workers.

Grupo Nogua Dancers

One of the main things they are doing to help the environment and local community is to encourage and support small businesses in the area. We witnessed some of these business ventures through the crafts items, hand painted fabrics, and handmade paper products found in the gift shop on site. We also participated in a show by the Grupo Nogua, a group of women whose business is to inform people about Chiquita and banana production and also entertain visitors to the plantation. The show, though in Spanish and hard for some of us to follow, was very entertaining and it is clear that the women loved the fact that they were able to have the opportunity to do such a thing with Chiquita's support.

Banana Production Line

We watched a banana production line, from bringing in the bunches, assessing the quality and weeding out the bad or unfit for consumer purchase, washing, packaging, and packing for shipping. It was really incredible to see the tons and tons of bananas coming through and see how efficiently the people and the processes were throughout each stage in the production line. We also got to walk through part of the plantation and see the banana plants, tied down with twine for support, with bananas covered in blue plastic bags for added protection against pests. We asked our guides about what would happen to the plastic after the bunch was picked and they explained that each bag is indeed recycled. Some of the plastic bags go into making plastic paving stones or bridges for the pathways through the plantation and other bags are actually made into the twine that holds the trees in place. I was relieved to hear about the recycling efforts after witnessing what seemed like tons of bags throughout the field.

Bananas covered in plastic bags

We also learned that Chiquita is part of the Rainforest Alliance. This is especially impressive when you read the list of requirements it must meet in order to be part of the Alliance. Auditors visit the farm each year to make sure they are following the guidelines and being responsible. They plant trees and do what they can to help preserve the natural land around them. They are also part of a larger program aimed at connecting the rainforest throughout the entire country with natural coridors for the animals to travel and thrive in.

For being such a corporate giant and considering all the bad things surrounding banana production, I was impressed with Chiquita's efforts at sustainability and environmental responsibility. It is also reassuring that they treat their workers with such respect, paying above minimum legal wages, and taking extreme measures to ensure their safety under dangerous working conditions.

Weekend at the Caribbean Coast

The past couple of days was a perfectly relaxing time to start bringing the trip to an end. We left San Jose on Thursday and went to La Selva research station. We stayed in a cabin in the woods that reminded me of what it would be like to be away at summer camp... with only 3 bathrooms for all 27 of us. There we walked around and saw some different wildlife. A few of us even braved the jungle in the dark and went on our own night walk to try and see anything different, especially a snake that we tried so hard to see (and basically failed other than spotting the end of one slithering under a log) the whole time. Friday morning we got up bright and early and did another nature hike, this time with a real guide. In all honesty I really find all the hikes and seeing the wildlife really interesting but it had started to lose its luster at that point. I am glad that we saw some different things than we had before in other places, though.

Wild pigs in the rain forest

¨Blue Jean¨or poisonous dart frog

Friday Afternoon we left La Selva and visited the Chiquita Banana plantation (see the Chiquita Bananas blog for details on that). Being such a banana lover, it was interesting to see the plantation and hear all about what Chiquita is doing to protect the environment. The ¨Miss Chiquita¨ show was also especially entertaining. That night we stayed in Puerto Viejo, a small beach town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The town was very small and had tons of character. We didn´t have much to do that night so a bunch of us hit the town and enjoyed karaoke with Ronald, our bus driver all month, and one of the most fun dance clubs, Roots, we have been to the whole trip, right on the beach.

Beach view at Puerto Viejo

Saturday morning we got up and went a few minutes down the road to go snorkeling again. Snorkeling was fun but honestly I think some of us were more excited about the decent weather and knowing we were at the beach.

Saturday afternoon we left Puerto Viejo and went to Manzanillo, another beach town on the Caribbean, though this one was less touristy and more or less in the middle of nowhere. The hotel we stayed at, Las Palmas, was incredible. It was by far the nicest hotel we have stayed at on the trip. It was more like a place I would stay with my family than the decent hotels and motels we have stayed in mostly. It was a beautiful place, right on the beach, with nice rooms and a definitely some of the best food (and most food) we have had at the restaurant located on site at the beach. The beach itself was gorgeous, with clear blue water and tons of palm trees. Saturday afternoon we had a little bit of sun time on the beach before a large dinner and then hanging out together around the hotel all night.

The beach at Manzanillo

Sunday morning, even though we didn´t have any plans, most of us still opted to get up early, eat breakfast, and enjoy the great weather on the beach all day. We got lucky and had sun until early afternoon (which has been basically unheard of recently with all the rain we´ve been getting). Even when it rained in the afternoon a group of us still stayed out and played in the ocean like little kids. That night was another one of just hanging out and being goofy around the hotel. I think it is starting to hit all of us that we only have a few days left together so we´ll take all the time we can to enjoy each others company.

We are back in San Jose now. We have a full (and last) day of classes tomorrow and a lot of work to get done in between. Wednesday we have a paper to turn in and presentation to give, followed by our final exam that afternoon. Thursday is our last day trip to a waterfall somewhere, and then Friday is a free day to pack and hopefully shop at the marketplace downtown for more souvenirs before heading back to the real world Saturday morning. For anyone who has been reading these or that I have talked to recently I know I´ve said this a million times, but I really can´t believe its almost over. The month has flown by and I am depressed just thinking about having to leave this country and say goodbye to all these people that I have gotten so close to so quickly.

Coffee, tres

Ever since we visited the Cafe Britt coffee facilities I have been noticing the logo or Cafe Britt products everywhere we go. I figured that was typical in the city or in bigger tourist locations. However I was somewhat suprised at how much I spotted the Cafe Britt brand in even some of the smaller, less populated locations that we visited. Even today for example, we were eating lunch at a small privately owned cafe in Puerto Viejo, a small beach town on the Caribbean coast, and the Cafe Britt brand was everywhere. Even when they gave us to-go cups for our juices they were Cafe Britt cups. It must be really hard for smaller coffee farmers to get their products on the market without the help of a corporate giant such as Cafe Britt. And I am sure that Cafe Britt does not pay the small farmers that they get some of their coffee from a good price.

Weekend at the Osa Peninsula

Sunday morning we left for the Osa Peninsula. We knew the bus ride was going to be a long one, but we had no idea how long, and eventful, it would really be. What was supposed to be a 5 to 7 hour drive turned in to more like 8 to 10. It included getting to one point and having a giant hole in the ground where the road should be, turning around and trying to find another way with our giant tour bus and all of us having to get out of the bus as it tried to cross a tiny bridge, just in case it didn´t work haha. We had to take boats the rest of the way to where we were staying since there are not roads to access it. The place we stayed was so cool, in the middle of the rainforest just a little ways up from the beach, and we were the only people staying there.  We stayed in tents built on wooden platforms up on a hill overlooking the forest and the ocean. The place had a big open lodge area where we ate our meals and hung out at night and during our free time. We were the first group to ever stay there and the people were so nice and welcoming to us. 

Monday we went, by boat again, to the national park in the area and hiked all day and swam in a waterfall. My group had this great guide that never wears shoes... even in the middle of the rainforest. He was crazy but super intelligent and showed us tons of cool stuff on our hikes. We had great weather, no rain and tons of sunshine.

Tuesday we took boats out to Cano Island, right off the coast of the peninsula. The weather wasn´t as great as the day before but it was still fun. We hung out on the beach for a little while and went snorkeling at the coral reef right off the coast. I wasn´t sure how I was going to feel about snorkeling since I had never been and am not always a fan of deep water and fish, but I loved it and I got to see so many cool fish. Wednesday was all travel again, this time not as eventful or as long. The whole trip was absolutely incredible and such a cool experience that I know I will never forget. My only regrets is that I forgot to bring my camera (but no worries... I will be stealing tons of pictures from everyone else on the trip) and that I am absolutely covered in bug bites. 

This afternoon we are going to La Selva research station (not sure what to expect there) and then tomorrow to Puerta Viejo, a beach town on the Caribbean coast. I am really excited to hopefully get some good weather and quality beach time in with everyone. It will be one of the last chances we get to hang out like this before we have to leave the country.

We have been super busy but it has been so worth it. I can´t believe all the things we have seen and experienced so far. There is lots more to do in the next week or so, including some school work, a project and presentation, and a final exam. I am not ready for this trip to be over or to leave all the people I have gotten so close with. But I am excited for what the next couple of days has to offer.