Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The end of my stay in CR
Well, we just finished up our last obligations for class in CR. I am definately not ready to leave but I had an amazing time while I was here. I made memoreies that will last a lifetime and am so happy I made the trip. We leave Saturday morning so until then we can just hang out, shop, and site-see. I'm sure I will be back in the states before I know it!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Bananas Industry (A Reflection)
Of the three industries that I researched (coffee, ecotourism, and bananas), banana growing is definately lagging in terms of becoming sustainable. Though Chiquita seems to be moving in the right direction, it is only doing so on one plantation and as "Cradle to Cradle" says, being less bad isn't good. When Chiquita is considered a revolutionist in the industry for educating its workers on how not to get sick and for planting a million trees, it is clear that the industry as a whole is far from sustainable.
With that in mind, I began to wonder what would be the best way to move the banana industry onto a more sustainable path for the future. As we learned in class, usually market pressures are the most effective way of imposing change. So, from a market standpoint, what can individual consumers do? What can corporations like Chiquita and Dole do?
The answers are not clear cut but for consumers, the key to making banana companies change will be by speaking with their pocket books. If by changing in some way the amount or kind of bananas they buy, consumers will be able to show the big corporations that they will not stand for anything but change towards being more environmentally sustainable. For Chiquita and Dole and the other big corporations that dominate the banana industry, their roles will be, to change their viewpoints on social and environmental issues involving their companies. Chiquita has made small steps towards realizing and beginning change but I would guesse that 99% of the industry does not share the same views. This must change. It is the responsability of the company's decision makers to realize the harmfulness their banana growing is causing and to turn the industry towards sustainable practice.
Bananas are an intregal part of the economy in CR and an important piece of diets all around the world. Both these facts along with the increasing demand are reasons for an urgent change in the banana industry. The industry must change before its harmful effects are to bad to be reversed. My personal opinion is that bananas are very detrimental to the environment and if the industry is not made sustainable then the whole world may pay the price as future of things like global warming near.
With that in mind, I began to wonder what would be the best way to move the banana industry onto a more sustainable path for the future. As we learned in class, usually market pressures are the most effective way of imposing change. So, from a market standpoint, what can individual consumers do? What can corporations like Chiquita and Dole do?
The answers are not clear cut but for consumers, the key to making banana companies change will be by speaking with their pocket books. If by changing in some way the amount or kind of bananas they buy, consumers will be able to show the big corporations that they will not stand for anything but change towards being more environmentally sustainable. For Chiquita and Dole and the other big corporations that dominate the banana industry, their roles will be, to change their viewpoints on social and environmental issues involving their companies. Chiquita has made small steps towards realizing and beginning change but I would guesse that 99% of the industry does not share the same views. This must change. It is the responsability of the company's decision makers to realize the harmfulness their banana growing is causing and to turn the industry towards sustainable practice.
Bananas are an intregal part of the economy in CR and an important piece of diets all around the world. Both these facts along with the increasing demand are reasons for an urgent change in the banana industry. The industry must change before its harmful effects are to bad to be reversed. My personal opinion is that bananas are very detrimental to the environment and if the industry is not made sustainable then the whole world may pay the price as future of things like global warming near.
EcoTourism 4 (A Reflection)
There is not an activity that I have done in CR that was not revolved around the industry of ecotourism. I was able to experience the biodiversity and natural surroundings that has made CR famous. It was an amazing experience to be able to first hand be involved in the ecotourism practices of CR. From zip-lining to hot springs and cloud forests to snorkeling, I feel like I was able to see all aspects of ecotourism that Costa Rica has to offer. One of the most amazing things of these trips was that one country had all this to offer.
After these experiences, my personal, first reaction opinion, is that CR is doing an excellent job of preserving its natural surroundings while also providing a popular income generating service. The improvements I feel ecotourism could make to become more sustainable are very minor. Obviously, gas powered boats for transportation, cutting down trees to make concrete trails through forests, and the creation of lodging in otherwise natural parts of the country does not fit the environmental sustainable game plan. But the alternative to these small infringments on nature might be the total destruction of the biodiversity in CR. By having so much ecotourism, Costa Rican citizens are prospering and maybe more importantly, the world is prospering. The ecotourism industry in CR has saved the country from deforestation and the rest of the world from a more problematic global warming.
The biggest issue that I observed, is the amount of people who participate in ecotourism. On our trips, I noticed some places had less wildlife than others and in some places the wildlife was not afraid of humans due to being fed. The practices that are making these two things possible should be restructured. Preservation must be the number one thing that ecotourism accomplishes. As my experience with ecotourism grew from week to week I found myself more concerned about the footprint I left behind by participating.
Overall, the practice of ecotourism is pivotal to recreating a mindset all around the world that one can prosper off nature without abusing it. CR seems to have their ecotourism developement and industry in pretty good balance and could be a model for other countries with the same capabilities. Investment from N. America and Europe can ensure that the forests needed to hault global warming exist and even expand deep into the future.
Ecotourism is almost there from a sustainable standpoint and is an industry where sustainability is a great benefit. When prospering of preserving nature, the market forces with eventually make the industry sustainable. My experience has been exceptional and is a big reason why I think ecotourism can be a successful sustainable industry sooner rather than later.
After these experiences, my personal, first reaction opinion, is that CR is doing an excellent job of preserving its natural surroundings while also providing a popular income generating service. The improvements I feel ecotourism could make to become more sustainable are very minor. Obviously, gas powered boats for transportation, cutting down trees to make concrete trails through forests, and the creation of lodging in otherwise natural parts of the country does not fit the environmental sustainable game plan. But the alternative to these small infringments on nature might be the total destruction of the biodiversity in CR. By having so much ecotourism, Costa Rican citizens are prospering and maybe more importantly, the world is prospering. The ecotourism industry in CR has saved the country from deforestation and the rest of the world from a more problematic global warming.
The biggest issue that I observed, is the amount of people who participate in ecotourism. On our trips, I noticed some places had less wildlife than others and in some places the wildlife was not afraid of humans due to being fed. The practices that are making these two things possible should be restructured. Preservation must be the number one thing that ecotourism accomplishes. As my experience with ecotourism grew from week to week I found myself more concerned about the footprint I left behind by participating.
Overall, the practice of ecotourism is pivotal to recreating a mindset all around the world that one can prosper off nature without abusing it. CR seems to have their ecotourism developement and industry in pretty good balance and could be a model for other countries with the same capabilities. Investment from N. America and Europe can ensure that the forests needed to hault global warming exist and even expand deep into the future.
Ecotourism is almost there from a sustainable standpoint and is an industry where sustainability is a great benefit. When prospering of preserving nature, the market forces with eventually make the industry sustainable. My experience has been exceptional and is a big reason why I think ecotourism can be a successful sustainable industry sooner rather than later.
Final Coffee Post (A Reflection)
I came to CR with very little knowledge of anything to do with coffee. I knew as much as to how my parents brewed and enjoyed their coffee. I personally did not enjoy coffee for anything other than its aroma. But, after spending time examining and researching the coffee industry in CR and around the world, I quickly realized the complexity growing coffee entails on all levels, including a business processes level, social, environmental, and sustainability levels.
Now, when I think of coffee, so much more comes to my mind. I was able to experience every level of coffee production and formed my own ideas on how coffee can become sustainable. Though coffee may be successful in CR, the negative effects of making it successful may be too much. I wonder if coffee production might be better suited, from a sustainablility standpoint, by being produced in other parts of the world.
After seeing the coffee industry in CR first hand, I have come away better educated and prepared to talk about sustainability in a way that can relate to almost any business. The first week's visits to two totally different coffee plantations/businesses really opened my eyes to the sustainability issues the coffee industry faces but moreso, to how these same issues can be applied to other industries around the world.
Since an industry that seems as simple as coffee struggles with so many issues concerning sustainability, it sparked my initial interest into discovering how other industries and companies, with even more complexity, can begin to move towards sustainable practices. Throughout lecture and research for projects, I was able to relate sustainability back to the basic problems the Costa Rican coffee industry faces.
The influence the coffee industry has on Costa Rica's economy will always be a lasting impression in my mind. It will be interesting to follow the country and its progress towards helping the coffee industry become sustainable as I grow into a business man myself. One day it may be possible that CR will be considered a leader of sustainable developement and considered a model nation for forming sustainable industries.
Now, when I think of coffee, so much more comes to my mind. I was able to experience every level of coffee production and formed my own ideas on how coffee can become sustainable. Though coffee may be successful in CR, the negative effects of making it successful may be too much. I wonder if coffee production might be better suited, from a sustainablility standpoint, by being produced in other parts of the world.
After seeing the coffee industry in CR first hand, I have come away better educated and prepared to talk about sustainability in a way that can relate to almost any business. The first week's visits to two totally different coffee plantations/businesses really opened my eyes to the sustainability issues the coffee industry faces but moreso, to how these same issues can be applied to other industries around the world.
Since an industry that seems as simple as coffee struggles with so many issues concerning sustainability, it sparked my initial interest into discovering how other industries and companies, with even more complexity, can begin to move towards sustainable practices. Throughout lecture and research for projects, I was able to relate sustainability back to the basic problems the Costa Rican coffee industry faces.
The influence the coffee industry has on Costa Rica's economy will always be a lasting impression in my mind. It will be interesting to follow the country and its progress towards helping the coffee industry become sustainable as I grow into a business man myself. One day it may be possible that CR will be considered a leader of sustainable developement and considered a model nation for forming sustainable industries.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Pics from Puerto Viejo
From Bottom to Top:
Our hotel near Puerto Viejo.
View from my room.
Our hotel's private beach.
Me on the beach ready to swim!
Me ready to go around town on my mo-ped! Exciting!
Me ready to go around town on my mo-ped! Exciting!
Trip to Puerto Viejo
We arrived late Friday night in Puerto Viejo and stayed in a little motel for the night. Saturday morning, before leaving for our final destination, we went snorkeling. This time we were in the Carribean Sea and were able to see a coral reef along with tropical fish. I did not find this snorkeling trip to be as successful as the trip in the Pacific in the Osa. After snorkeling, we were provided snacks and allowed to rest on the beach and walk around a National Park. In just a short amount of time we were able to discover white-faced monkeys, a 3-fingered sloth, and a yellow-eyelash viper. Seeing these three creatures were all very exciting because it was the first time seeign the sloth and snake and because we were able to get very close in observing them. After a short boat ride back to the mainland, we were provided lunch. Soon after, we boarded the bus to depart for our final destination in Cahiuta, Costa Rica.
When we arrive in the early afternoon on Saturday, I spent almost my entire time either on the beach or in the hotels pool. During our stay, all meals were provided and they were very delicious! We had our own private beach and pool, as well as a sand volleyball court for some recreation. All day Sunday was spent soaking up the Costa Rican sun. Luckily I avoided getting burned! While at the beach we passed the football and frisbee, played volleyball, swam and relaxed. It was exactly how I had pictured Costa Rica in my mind. Nights were spent relaxing with the many friends I had made on the trip. On Monday morning, it was a little sad to leave because it was a great final trip and made me realize the end of my Costa Rican Study Abroad stay was near.
On the way back to San Jose we stopped again in Puerto Viejo for a 2 hour shopping/lunch break. Myself and 3 other friends decided to rent mopeds for and hour. We used them mostly as a joy ride around the town but were also able to get some shopping and lunch done. I was definately not experienced in driving the vehicle but quickly got accustomed to driving it and ended up having an amazing time! After turning in our mopeds and getting some ice cream, it was back onto the bus for the 4 hour ride back to San Jose.
We arrived around 4:30 pm safely. Pictures of this trip are soon to follow.
When we arrive in the early afternoon on Saturday, I spent almost my entire time either on the beach or in the hotels pool. During our stay, all meals were provided and they were very delicious! We had our own private beach and pool, as well as a sand volleyball court for some recreation. All day Sunday was spent soaking up the Costa Rican sun. Luckily I avoided getting burned! While at the beach we passed the football and frisbee, played volleyball, swam and relaxed. It was exactly how I had pictured Costa Rica in my mind. Nights were spent relaxing with the many friends I had made on the trip. On Monday morning, it was a little sad to leave because it was a great final trip and made me realize the end of my Costa Rican Study Abroad stay was near.
On the way back to San Jose we stopped again in Puerto Viejo for a 2 hour shopping/lunch break. Myself and 3 other friends decided to rent mopeds for and hour. We used them mostly as a joy ride around the town but were also able to get some shopping and lunch done. I was definately not experienced in driving the vehicle but quickly got accustomed to driving it and ended up having an amazing time! After turning in our mopeds and getting some ice cream, it was back onto the bus for the 4 hour ride back to San Jose.
We arrived around 4:30 pm safely. Pictures of this trip are soon to follow.
Chiquita Plantation Visit
Friday afternoon, we stopped for a visit to a Chiquita Banana plantation visit. Here we were educated about the banana industry as a whole, learned of different Chiquita operations, and were allowed to tour their facilities. The biggest part of the presentation seemed to be Chiquita's effort to inform us of their groundbreaking Nature and Community Project that I mentioned in an earlier blog that is attempting to make banana growing more sustainable while also restoring natural rain forest around the plantation. Chiquita's commitment to corporate responsibility "is about investing in people today, replenishing the land for tomorrow and setting an example for generations to come."
Some of the things I learned about the banana industry and Chiquita's role include, Bananas grow where yearly rainfall is between 78-98 inches per year with temperature averaging 80 degrees F. Across Panama, CR, Honduras, and Guatemala, Chiquita owns approxiamately 37,000 acres of banana plantations. In 2004, Chiquita shipped 136 million boxes of bananas around the world. The banana industry accounts for 10% of workforce in Cr. Banana plants are considered an herb which makes it the largest in the world. It takes 6-8 months for bananas to develope on the stem. Chiquita encourages opportunities for more income to come into the communities through Group Nogua. Chiquita has joined forces with Rainforest Alliance in an attempt to improve environmental sustainability. Other information about packing and shipping were also provided.
Seeing both the packing facility and where the banana plants grow was amazing. The packing facility was not very big, but from watching the workers, I could tell that the proccess was fined tuned to be very efficient. Every worker had their own job on the assembly line and it was all very interesting to see how the finished product is prepared. The process was nothing like I imagined and I am grateful for being able to experience it. As far as the plantation and the rows of banana plants, I was surprised at the complexity of growing bananas. The use of unatural sprays and bags and such, was all kind of surprising. As far as I could see around me, there were banana plants. Overall, the workers I saw seemed happy or at least not unhappy with their work.
It was interesting to me, that by speaking with my professors, I saw a different view of the banana industry. They said they use too also stop at a Dole banana plantation, but have stopped that because of the bad conditions they saw while there. They were quick to point out that Chiquita is one of the best in terms of safety and cleanliness and just by visiting could be considered better than Dole in terms of sustainability.
Picture of the visit are soon to come!!
Some of the things I learned about the banana industry and Chiquita's role include, Bananas grow where yearly rainfall is between 78-98 inches per year with temperature averaging 80 degrees F. Across Panama, CR, Honduras, and Guatemala, Chiquita owns approxiamately 37,000 acres of banana plantations. In 2004, Chiquita shipped 136 million boxes of bananas around the world. The banana industry accounts for 10% of workforce in Cr. Banana plants are considered an herb which makes it the largest in the world. It takes 6-8 months for bananas to develope on the stem. Chiquita encourages opportunities for more income to come into the communities through Group Nogua. Chiquita has joined forces with Rainforest Alliance in an attempt to improve environmental sustainability. Other information about packing and shipping were also provided.
Seeing both the packing facility and where the banana plants grow was amazing. The packing facility was not very big, but from watching the workers, I could tell that the proccess was fined tuned to be very efficient. Every worker had their own job on the assembly line and it was all very interesting to see how the finished product is prepared. The process was nothing like I imagined and I am grateful for being able to experience it. As far as the plantation and the rows of banana plants, I was surprised at the complexity of growing bananas. The use of unatural sprays and bags and such, was all kind of surprising. As far as I could see around me, there were banana plants. Overall, the workers I saw seemed happy or at least not unhappy with their work.
It was interesting to me, that by speaking with my professors, I saw a different view of the banana industry. They said they use too also stop at a Dole banana plantation, but have stopped that because of the bad conditions they saw while there. They were quick to point out that Chiquita is one of the best in terms of safety and cleanliness and just by visiting could be considered better than Dole in terms of sustainability.
Picture of the visit are soon to come!!
Pics From La Selva
From Bottom to Top:
Poison Dart Frog.
Leaves that had been cut by leaf cutter ants.
Spider Monkey.
Wild Hog.
Bullet Ant (about and inch long) and whose bite hurts more than 50 bee stings and causes lots of swelling.
LaSelva Research Station
Thursday we departed San Jose to spend a night at La Selva Biological Research Station. La Selva is part of the Organization for Tropical Studies, which is a group of organizations devoted to the study of tropical rain forests. La Selva is the primary location for this organization and accomadates those wanting to study or observe and is located in the Atlantic lowlands of CR.
During our stay we were scheduled for two different walks. One for late afternoon/early evening and one for early morning. On the first walk we were lucky enough to see many poisonous Dart Frogs, wild pigs, birds, and many different insects. On the morning walk, we attempted to find one of the many poisonous snakes that call La Selva home. We were unsuccessful but the walk again, opened my eyes to the beauty and diversity located in Costa Rica. Pictures of some of our findings are to come!!
During our stay we were scheduled for two different walks. One for late afternoon/early evening and one for early morning. On the first walk we were lucky enough to see many poisonous Dart Frogs, wild pigs, birds, and many different insects. On the morning walk, we attempted to find one of the many poisonous snakes that call La Selva home. We were unsuccessful but the walk again, opened my eyes to the beauty and diversity located in Costa Rica. Pictures of some of our findings are to come!!
EcoTourism 3 (Troubles seen with EcoTourism)
With 5% of the world's biodiversity and 6 different types of ecosystems present in CR, the pressure to preserve these regions is very high. Is Ecotourism the solution to preserving these areas while also allowing Costa Rican citizens to prosper off the land? With 1.5 million tourists a year and Costa Rican Government wanting to double that figure by 2012, the future of ecotourism seems strong, but what is to become of the areas it is supposed to protect and preserve? Costa Rica is a world leader in the developement of the ecotourism industry and should make sure to preserve its number one asset, the natural surrounding people come to see.
With demand so high, more and more Costa Ricans are converting their farms and other businesses into something that has to do with ecotourism. Whether it is a lodge, natural springs spa, or an adventure offering business, an end to expansion is not in sight. All these things are being built in an effort for local people to benefit from the ecosystems that surround them.
The question being posed now, according to Leo Hickman an author of Guardian Books is "should tourists be allowed to access some of the most extreme and sensitive wildlife habitats on the planet? Wouldn't it be better if such places were restricted to all but a few scientists and indigenous communities in order to better protect them? " Although cutting tourism out of the picture might not be totally neccasary, the qoute does raise questions of regulations being placed on ecotourism developement. Costa Rica's former environment and energy minister, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, believes that "At first, it was only tourists interested in wildlife who came here, but this has changed. We need to stop promoting mass tourism and get fewer tourists who pay more. I would set rules about density and capacity." Diego Bermudez, Costa Rica's president of tour guides union and a professor at Rice Learning Institute, explains some of the detrimental results of over-tourism in his quote, "Ten years ago, I would see five pairs of quetzal [one of the region's most treasured birds] a day in some parks, but now I have to walk for hours off the trails to find them. You never see mammals any more from the trails, either. The tourists aren't to blame - they don't come across the sea just to destroy our habitats. We need to have an ethical code among the companies bringing people here to agree on visitor limits."
The main reason that the system CR presently has in place is not sustainable is the fact that it is largely voluntary. It is time that the entire ecotourism industry become environmentally certified as sustainable. Setting limits to future ecotourism developement ensures that both Costa Rican citizens investment and the environment can begin to grow in a manner that will allow both to be sustainable forever.
With demand so high, more and more Costa Ricans are converting their farms and other businesses into something that has to do with ecotourism. Whether it is a lodge, natural springs spa, or an adventure offering business, an end to expansion is not in sight. All these things are being built in an effort for local people to benefit from the ecosystems that surround them.
The question being posed now, according to Leo Hickman an author of Guardian Books is "should tourists be allowed to access some of the most extreme and sensitive wildlife habitats on the planet? Wouldn't it be better if such places were restricted to all but a few scientists and indigenous communities in order to better protect them? " Although cutting tourism out of the picture might not be totally neccasary, the qoute does raise questions of regulations being placed on ecotourism developement. Costa Rica's former environment and energy minister, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, believes that "At first, it was only tourists interested in wildlife who came here, but this has changed. We need to stop promoting mass tourism and get fewer tourists who pay more. I would set rules about density and capacity." Diego Bermudez, Costa Rica's president of tour guides union and a professor at Rice Learning Institute, explains some of the detrimental results of over-tourism in his quote, "Ten years ago, I would see five pairs of quetzal [one of the region's most treasured birds] a day in some parks, but now I have to walk for hours off the trails to find them. You never see mammals any more from the trails, either. The tourists aren't to blame - they don't come across the sea just to destroy our habitats. We need to have an ethical code among the companies bringing people here to agree on visitor limits."
The main reason that the system CR presently has in place is not sustainable is the fact that it is largely voluntary. It is time that the entire ecotourism industry become environmentally certified as sustainable. Setting limits to future ecotourism developement ensures that both Costa Rican citizens investment and the environment can begin to grow in a manner that will allow both to be sustainable forever.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
More on Bananas!!
Conditions within the banana industry are not always beneficial to the countries in which the crop is grown. Banana growing operations are largely owned by foriegn corporations and almost all profit leaves the country in which the crop is grown. Usually the plantation owner is the only person to become wealthy and many of the regular workers are exploited in an effort to maximize profit. These exploitations include being badly paid, having few rights, and being in danger of unjust firings and wage reductions.
Other problems the banana industry creates include by-products of harvesting and processing of bananas as well as other harmful waste. These wastes are oftenn dumped in landfills, rivers, oceans, or even un-regulated dumping sites. The accumulation of banana growth waste often results in the spread of disease, contamination of ground water, and harmful effects on those that live around the areas.
A company that is fighting all these problems in an attemt to turn around the whole banana industry is Chiquita Banana, the 2nd largest banana producer in the world. Through their pilot project, Nature and Community Project, Chiquita is trying to develope new processes that solve or address both the environmental and social issues of growing bananas. Some of the rules and regulations that Chiquita has been certified for with regards to workers include:
-No child labor, forced labor, or discrimination
-Safe working conditions and protection of employees health
-Freedom of association and collective bargaining
-No harsh or disrespective treatment
-48 hour work week max, overtime is voluntary and can be no more than 12 hours per week
-Wages meeting and usually exceeding legal or industry standards
-Workers using pesticides are well trained and protected. They also must shower after useage.
For over 4 years, Chiquita has also set into effect through this program, ways in which their plantations are less harmful and even somewhat beneficial to their environmental surroundings (planting more than 1 million trees). By using less and less pesticides and herbicides while also replanting native plants and tress on the plantation to create a natural rain forest, Chiquita is making advances to make their banana plantaions less harmful and more natural to the original environment. From working with Rainforest Alliance to making their plastic bags biodegradable, Chiquita is working towards sustainability.
While this project is currently present on only one plantation, its early success should lead to expansion to more and more platations that Chiquita owns. Doing so will set industry standards high and Chiquita's competitors will be playing the "catch-up" game. The ideas being implemented in Chiquita's Nature and Community project will hopefully reflect throughout the whole industry sooner rather than later.
Other problems the banana industry creates include by-products of harvesting and processing of bananas as well as other harmful waste. These wastes are oftenn dumped in landfills, rivers, oceans, or even un-regulated dumping sites. The accumulation of banana growth waste often results in the spread of disease, contamination of ground water, and harmful effects on those that live around the areas.
A company that is fighting all these problems in an attemt to turn around the whole banana industry is Chiquita Banana, the 2nd largest banana producer in the world. Through their pilot project, Nature and Community Project, Chiquita is trying to develope new processes that solve or address both the environmental and social issues of growing bananas. Some of the rules and regulations that Chiquita has been certified for with regards to workers include:
-No child labor, forced labor, or discrimination
-Safe working conditions and protection of employees health
-Freedom of association and collective bargaining
-No harsh or disrespective treatment
-48 hour work week max, overtime is voluntary and can be no more than 12 hours per week
-Wages meeting and usually exceeding legal or industry standards
-Workers using pesticides are well trained and protected. They also must shower after useage.
For over 4 years, Chiquita has also set into effect through this program, ways in which their plantations are less harmful and even somewhat beneficial to their environmental surroundings (planting more than 1 million trees). By using less and less pesticides and herbicides while also replanting native plants and tress on the plantation to create a natural rain forest, Chiquita is making advances to make their banana plantaions less harmful and more natural to the original environment. From working with Rainforest Alliance to making their plastic bags biodegradable, Chiquita is working towards sustainability.
While this project is currently present on only one plantation, its early success should lead to expansion to more and more platations that Chiquita owns. Doing so will set industry standards high and Chiquita's competitors will be playing the "catch-up" game. The ideas being implemented in Chiquita's Nature and Community project will hopefully reflect throughout the whole industry sooner rather than later.
More Coffee!!
Touching on some of the environmental risks that coffee poses to CR is important to consider when accessing the success of the coffee industry as a whole. As we have learned, it is not good enough anymore to just be successful from a profit point of view and that companies should now be accessed on their relationship with the environment. In the case of the coffee industry as a whole including in CR, there are a few main problems. These problems include, soil erosion, fresh water contamination, and deforeststation.
Both water contamination and soil erosion are caused in general, by the same thing. In the case of water contamination, rain water runoff carries pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on coffee plants to the fresh water streams and rivers of CR. Also, the growth of coffee results in a large amount of organic waste. Though the organic waste does not seem like a bad problem, it is quickly becoming one. When the waste is deposited, it too runs of into the fresh waters where it promotes plant growth which results in the depletion of oxygen. This depletion kills a lot of the natural wildlife that exists in the rivers and streams.
Soil erosion is also becoming an increasingly problematic side effect of growing coffee. It is believed that up to 2/3 of the land Costa Rica uses for animal pastures and agriculture is at a very high risk of erosion. Since coffee is a permanent crop that requires lots of water and for the most part leaves soil unprotected, the areas where it is grown often see hydro-soil erosion occur.
Lastly, deforestation is also something that should be considered when examining the success of the coffee industry. With demand so high for coffee, more and more biodiverse rain forest is being cleared for the planting of coffee plantations. With coffee plants requiring direct sunlight, areas where it is to be grown are often cleared down to the ground. This clearing results not only in the loss of the trees and other plant life but also in the the loss of animal diversity by their habitats being destroyed. According Chris Willey of Rainforest Alliance, "the monoculture of coffee is replacing the most diverse ecosystem on earth".
The problems that coffee growing pose must be addressed. The industry can not be successful in the mindset of environmental sustainability unless the problems stated above are fixed. Solutions must be found by the industry setting its own regulations along with governments setting regulations. Together, the harmful effects of coffee can be stopped and a new trend of being an entirely eco-friendly industry can begin.
Both water contamination and soil erosion are caused in general, by the same thing. In the case of water contamination, rain water runoff carries pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on coffee plants to the fresh water streams and rivers of CR. Also, the growth of coffee results in a large amount of organic waste. Though the organic waste does not seem like a bad problem, it is quickly becoming one. When the waste is deposited, it too runs of into the fresh waters where it promotes plant growth which results in the depletion of oxygen. This depletion kills a lot of the natural wildlife that exists in the rivers and streams.
Soil erosion is also becoming an increasingly problematic side effect of growing coffee. It is believed that up to 2/3 of the land Costa Rica uses for animal pastures and agriculture is at a very high risk of erosion. Since coffee is a permanent crop that requires lots of water and for the most part leaves soil unprotected, the areas where it is grown often see hydro-soil erosion occur.
Lastly, deforestation is also something that should be considered when examining the success of the coffee industry. With demand so high for coffee, more and more biodiverse rain forest is being cleared for the planting of coffee plantations. With coffee plants requiring direct sunlight, areas where it is to be grown are often cleared down to the ground. This clearing results not only in the loss of the trees and other plant life but also in the the loss of animal diversity by their habitats being destroyed. According Chris Willey of Rainforest Alliance, "the monoculture of coffee is replacing the most diverse ecosystem on earth".
The problems that coffee growing pose must be addressed. The industry can not be successful in the mindset of environmental sustainability unless the problems stated above are fixed. Solutions must be found by the industry setting its own regulations along with governments setting regulations. Together, the harmful effects of coffee can be stopped and a new trend of being an entirely eco-friendly industry can begin.
Visit to Makol
Today, Thursday June 5th, we took a short trip to a Costa Rican business by the name of Makol. Makol is a company in one of Costa Rica's Free Trade Zones that specializes in the Distribution of medical Supplies in Latin American and other places around the world. From the visit I learned a lot about the medical supplies industry in CR, which happens to be a very large player in their economy. Makol specializes in mostly ER, cancer detecting, and surgical equipment.
The biggest surprise to me was the difficulty Makol goes through to run its business successfully. Problems arise in all sorts of areas including, tenure bids with the governments, terms and contracts with their customers, and the changing prices in the world today. Competition to win bids is usually very fierce and it is difficult to meet the exact wants and needs of customers which usually results in losing the contract. None the less, last year Makol did 1.2 million U.S. dollars worth of sales and hope to grow that figure to 1.5 million this year.
Due to rising costs of oil, both transportation costs and in some cases product costs are rising. This creates difficulty in submitting bids too far into the future. Since accepted bid prices must be honored for up to 4 years, according to Costa Rican law, companies like Makol are very cautious in the amount of cost in their proposals. Secondly, when dealing with Costa Rican hospitals and other various regions, where the government controls the health care market, it is very difficult to win contracts. When the government awards bids, it demands that their exact needs be met and they always choose the lower price. Makol stated that they have lost contracts before when their product was less per ounce but because their bottles were 11 ounces and the government requested 6 ounces, they did not win the contract.
Another problem that Makol expressed was that Costa Rican law is different from those in America and Europe where they gwet a lot of their products. Because of this, many times shipments do not have the required documentation to be legal in CR. This is just another kink in the way business is performed. If shipments from these countries are late to Makol, Makol has trouble getting their orders out to their customers. If an order is late in Costa Rica, by law, Makol must pay up to a 10% fine of the sales amount which can be devastating to the bottom line.
Makol strives to keep inventories as low as possible but realize that getting them to zero is almost impossible. Due to reasons like the vacation month in the EU and Costa Rican hospitals routinely requesting orders in short amounts of time, some inventory must be kept on hand. I asked if inventory was kept electronicall or manually. The answer is that everything has a bar code but that their reader does not work, which results in manual inventory.
As far as Makol's relationship with sustainability, they did not believe that they hurt the environment. But with the shipping they do, based mostly of fossil fuels, their is room for improvement.
Overall, being able to see a piece of the medical supply industry in CR was very educational. It opened my eyes to another thriving part of Costa Rica's economy and enlightened me of the difficulties the industry faces. Makol seems to be successful by attempting to predict the future in terms of cost. To continue to grow, companies like Makol must continue to be able to work with corporations and countries around the world.
The biggest surprise to me was the difficulty Makol goes through to run its business successfully. Problems arise in all sorts of areas including, tenure bids with the governments, terms and contracts with their customers, and the changing prices in the world today. Competition to win bids is usually very fierce and it is difficult to meet the exact wants and needs of customers which usually results in losing the contract. None the less, last year Makol did 1.2 million U.S. dollars worth of sales and hope to grow that figure to 1.5 million this year.
Due to rising costs of oil, both transportation costs and in some cases product costs are rising. This creates difficulty in submitting bids too far into the future. Since accepted bid prices must be honored for up to 4 years, according to Costa Rican law, companies like Makol are very cautious in the amount of cost in their proposals. Secondly, when dealing with Costa Rican hospitals and other various regions, where the government controls the health care market, it is very difficult to win contracts. When the government awards bids, it demands that their exact needs be met and they always choose the lower price. Makol stated that they have lost contracts before when their product was less per ounce but because their bottles were 11 ounces and the government requested 6 ounces, they did not win the contract.
Another problem that Makol expressed was that Costa Rican law is different from those in America and Europe where they gwet a lot of their products. Because of this, many times shipments do not have the required documentation to be legal in CR. This is just another kink in the way business is performed. If shipments from these countries are late to Makol, Makol has trouble getting their orders out to their customers. If an order is late in Costa Rica, by law, Makol must pay up to a 10% fine of the sales amount which can be devastating to the bottom line.
Makol strives to keep inventories as low as possible but realize that getting them to zero is almost impossible. Due to reasons like the vacation month in the EU and Costa Rican hospitals routinely requesting orders in short amounts of time, some inventory must be kept on hand. I asked if inventory was kept electronicall or manually. The answer is that everything has a bar code but that their reader does not work, which results in manual inventory.
As far as Makol's relationship with sustainability, they did not believe that they hurt the environment. But with the shipping they do, based mostly of fossil fuels, their is room for improvement.
Overall, being able to see a piece of the medical supply industry in CR was very educational. It opened my eyes to another thriving part of Costa Rica's economy and enlightened me of the difficulties the industry faces. Makol seems to be successful by attempting to predict the future in terms of cost. To continue to grow, companies like Makol must continue to be able to work with corporations and countries around the world.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Pics From Osa
From Bottom to Top:
Waiting outside the bus as it tried a dangerous manuvure.
Group of us, after helping to push the bus across the bridge.
The "water forest" we traveled by boat through to get to our hotel.
Our hotel accomadations.
Leaf Cutter Ants at work.
Jaguar foot print.
Massive tree's root that came up during a storm.
Me drinkning from a fresh coconut.
Scarlet McCaw.
The waterfall that we swam in.
Crocadiles we saw while traveling in our boats (thankfully).
Friends with Fernando, the hotel owner.
Osa Penninsula Trip
We left San Jose by bus at 6:30 am Sunday moring for a long trip to the Osa Penninsula. WE traveled on the bus for about 6 hours and the trip was longer than expected due to terrible road conditions and traffic. Osa is considered the most Biodivers prat of Costa Rica and the lack of infrastructure found on the way there made it very clear that the Osa is very untouched from human society. At one point, we had to get of the bus so it could cross a skinny bridge that the bus driver didnt feel safe doing with all of us on. We also at one point had to push the bus to get it unstuck on a hill. The last part of our trip to get to Drake Bay (where our "hotel" awaited) included a 2 hour boat trip down a river and into the Pacific ocean. Without even a place to dock the boat on the beach we were staying, we were forced to get a little wet to reach our final destination.
We were the first guests our hotel had ever had as it just opened recently.Because of this, we were treated amazingly! Noone went hungary and they were very generous in meeting any of our needs. Fernando the owner was especially friendly and made the stay very enjoyable. Where we stayed was probably the most "outdoorsy" place I had ever spent the night. It was small tents with three cots each and bug netting aournd us. Though it was not something that I am used to, it turned out to be lot of fun. It was as if you were staying in the jungle because there was wildlife all around us. Along with a place to stay, the hotel also had a bar and a little sitting area for everyone to relax and play cards and most of our nights were spent doing just that.
The first day in the Osa, was filled with two hikes through the rain forest. The first was for strictly observing the beauty of the nature around us. We were provided a guide and were lucky enough to see many different wildlife. All sorts of bugs, birds, and interesting plants were all seen. My favorit parts were seeing a Jaguar foot print on the path we were following that the guide said was probably about 3 days old and the opening, drinking, and eating of fresh coconut. Again, surprisingly, I found I like something that I originally believed I did not.
The second hike was much shorter and led to a water fall where we were able to swim and relax. The water was a perfect temerature for the hot day and we were ever able to jump off the waterfall into the awaiting pool below. It was a refreshing swim and after the short hike back out of the forest, we traveled by boat back to our hotel.
Tuesday morning we woke up early again and set off by boat for and island that was aboout an hour and a half away. After arriving on the island, we loaded up the gear needed to go snorkeling and headed out to sea. The water was very clear and we were able to see all sots of fish and coral reefs from about 15 feet away. When I dove, I was able to get even closer and I saw many colorful and interesting fish. The highlights for me were seeing two schools of fish both containing what I guessed to be hundreds of fish and the BlueJack fish which was blue on its top half with silver sports and silver on the bottom half. The BueJack was about 3 long and according to our guide is a very good fish to eat. While on the island we also ate lunch, explored the coastline, and swam in the water.
On the boat ride back to our hotel, we saw the bird, Brown Boobie, which led us to dolphins since the Brown Boobie usually follows them and their feeding patterns. The dolphins we saw were Silver-Spotted Bottlernosed and our guide believed they were traveling in a pack of 50 or so. We followed in our boats for about 15 minutes and watched as they came up and out of the water for air.
I spent the nights in the Osa playing Hearts, a new card game that I learned and really enjoyed the company of everyone on the trip with me. The last night, Fernando through a small party for us where he made some cocktails and provided some music for dancing.
Wednseday morning, we left at 7:30 am and arrived back in San Jose around 6 pm after another long and adventurous trip through CR.
We were the first guests our hotel had ever had as it just opened recently.Because of this, we were treated amazingly! Noone went hungary and they were very generous in meeting any of our needs. Fernando the owner was especially friendly and made the stay very enjoyable. Where we stayed was probably the most "outdoorsy" place I had ever spent the night. It was small tents with three cots each and bug netting aournd us. Though it was not something that I am used to, it turned out to be lot of fun. It was as if you were staying in the jungle because there was wildlife all around us. Along with a place to stay, the hotel also had a bar and a little sitting area for everyone to relax and play cards and most of our nights were spent doing just that.
The first day in the Osa, was filled with two hikes through the rain forest. The first was for strictly observing the beauty of the nature around us. We were provided a guide and were lucky enough to see many different wildlife. All sorts of bugs, birds, and interesting plants were all seen. My favorit parts were seeing a Jaguar foot print on the path we were following that the guide said was probably about 3 days old and the opening, drinking, and eating of fresh coconut. Again, surprisingly, I found I like something that I originally believed I did not.
The second hike was much shorter and led to a water fall where we were able to swim and relax. The water was a perfect temerature for the hot day and we were ever able to jump off the waterfall into the awaiting pool below. It was a refreshing swim and after the short hike back out of the forest, we traveled by boat back to our hotel.
Tuesday morning we woke up early again and set off by boat for and island that was aboout an hour and a half away. After arriving on the island, we loaded up the gear needed to go snorkeling and headed out to sea. The water was very clear and we were able to see all sots of fish and coral reefs from about 15 feet away. When I dove, I was able to get even closer and I saw many colorful and interesting fish. The highlights for me were seeing two schools of fish both containing what I guessed to be hundreds of fish and the BlueJack fish which was blue on its top half with silver sports and silver on the bottom half. The BueJack was about 3 long and according to our guide is a very good fish to eat. While on the island we also ate lunch, explored the coastline, and swam in the water.
On the boat ride back to our hotel, we saw the bird, Brown Boobie, which led us to dolphins since the Brown Boobie usually follows them and their feeding patterns. The dolphins we saw were Silver-Spotted Bottlernosed and our guide believed they were traveling in a pack of 50 or so. We followed in our boats for about 15 minutes and watched as they came up and out of the water for air.
I spent the nights in the Osa playing Hearts, a new card game that I learned and really enjoyed the company of everyone on the trip with me. The last night, Fernando through a small party for us where he made some cocktails and provided some music for dancing.
Wednseday morning, we left at 7:30 am and arrived back in San Jose around 6 pm after another long and adventurous trip through CR.
White Water Rafting (Pacuare River)
Early Saturday morning, we departed San Jose for a white water rafting trip down the Picuare river. The company picked us up in buses for a short drive out of San Jose. We could not have asked for a nicer day to raft. Breakfast was provided when we arrived at the base camp for the rafting. After another 45 minute drive and lots of sunscreen, we were in the water and ready to hit our first rapids.
Our raft lost our first person on the very first class 1 rapid. It was very funny and was a good start to our trip. Though I had been white water rafting before, I had never done class 4 rapids and it was quite the adventure. I fell out of the raft twice. One of the times was particularly painful because I was sucked under the boat and was being knocked back and forth between the raft and the rapids.
After about 2 1/2 hours of rafting, we settled down on the riverbank for a delicious lunch also provided by our guides. Deli wraps, fresh fruit, and dessert were all very delicious. After letting the food settle in our stomach for a while, we loaded up onto the rafts again for the second leg of our trip.
The second part of the trip was shorter and a little less rough in terms of the class of the rapids. We were able to get jump off the boat and swim in the cool water, see waterfalls that fed fresh water from the mountains into the river, and even flip the raft upside down. All these things helped make this rafting trip really incredible. Some of the views while going down the river were truly something I don't think I would be able to see anywhere else!
After the long day of rafting we were transported back to San Jose. After the long day, it was nice to go to bed early and get some sleep. We had a departure time of 6:30 the next day for the Osa Penninsula.
Our raft lost our first person on the very first class 1 rapid. It was very funny and was a good start to our trip. Though I had been white water rafting before, I had never done class 4 rapids and it was quite the adventure. I fell out of the raft twice. One of the times was particularly painful because I was sucked under the boat and was being knocked back and forth between the raft and the rapids.
After about 2 1/2 hours of rafting, we settled down on the riverbank for a delicious lunch also provided by our guides. Deli wraps, fresh fruit, and dessert were all very delicious. After letting the food settle in our stomach for a while, we loaded up onto the rafts again for the second leg of our trip.
The second part of the trip was shorter and a little less rough in terms of the class of the rapids. We were able to get jump off the boat and swim in the cool water, see waterfalls that fed fresh water from the mountains into the river, and even flip the raft upside down. All these things helped make this rafting trip really incredible. Some of the views while going down the river were truly something I don't think I would be able to see anywhere else!
After the long day of rafting we were transported back to San Jose. After the long day, it was nice to go to bed early and get some sleep. We had a departure time of 6:30 the next day for the Osa Penninsula.
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