Thought I’d offer some of the follow-up comments I’d received through social networking on my recent post on the palm tree plantations and their destructive environmental effects.Enjoy and feel free to send me your comments too!
from Antonio Bettencourt, Independent Architecture & Planning Professional:
“Thank you for the very interesting post about the palm tree plantations. It is truly sad to see the “leaders” of Costa Rica engaging in such blatant green-washing.
Palm trees are tremendously useful, not only for the oil, but even at the end of their lives, when they are cut down. Their wood can be put to many longlasting uses, such as flooring.
However, I agree with you absolutely. It [...]
Some follow-up comments to un-sustainable palm trees
The Un-Sustainability of palm oil
At the end of the conference on sustainable tourism, I flew to the first of three eco-resorts I’d be visiting while here in Costa Rica. While flying from San Jose (Costa Rica, that is) to the city of Quepos on a small plane via Sansa Air, I looked out the window. What I saw was troubling.
After hearing a great deal at the conference about Costa Rica’s reforestation efforts, I thought at first the acres and acres of trees I was seeing were just that – tree reforestation areas. Everything was laid out neatly, symmetrically and close together. But it looked too perfect and my intuition said something wasn’t right here.
As we got closer to the airport and flew [...]
Sustainability and Adventures with Purpose
In today’s conference, author, nature film maker and outdoor adventurist Richard Bangs awed and mesmerized us with two clips of his latest eco-films from around the world.
“It’s all about what can we change and what can we improve,”
he said.
A brilliant wordsmith, Bangs’ films are shown on PBS and other television networks around the world.
The two clips covered eco-adventures Bangs took – one in New Zealand and one in Switzerland. Panoramic views were breathtaking, jaw-dropping with scenes from the New Zealand wilderness – capturing lakes, rivers and even the most remote “eco-chalet’s” in the world. Pictures of Switzerland’s Matterhorn and the Alps – often with little to no snow – truly displayed why author Mary Shelly called them “the backbones of [...]
Is Sustainability a requirement for eco-tourism?
In yesterday’s sustainable tourism conference, speaker Lawrence Pratt dissected the issue and importance of sustainability in regards to successful eco-tourism. Pratt - from INCAE, a multi-national graduate business school that was established by support from President John Kennedy – said that sustainability is integrally linked with eco-tourism and vice verse.
But sustainable tourism goes beyond Nature, he said. In Costa Rica in particular, it’s taken on a highly diverse profile.
The Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST) has helped Costa Rica create a country position as an eco-tourist destination. In fact, he said, the CST has been successfully replicated in other countries.
But he questioned whether sustainability really helps drive eco-tourism and if it’s a requirement to creating the tourist-related income [...]
Sustainability Development and Eco-tourism
During her detailed presentation at today’s conference, Gina Guillen – senior advisor to the Costa Rican Minister of Tourism – discussed the challenges and benefits of eco-tourism.
Eco-tourism, Guillen said, generated over $1 million in revenues last year. This went to help conservation efforts.
She discussed the Blue Flag certification program, which helps protect Costa Rica’s oceans, beaches and waterways.
Eco-tourism helps generate social development, she stressed, stating that she believed there has to be a balance between sustainability and development.
Adopting “green”- peer pressure works
During one presentation at today’s conference, it was revealed that famed hotel chain, Four Seasons, had adopted green practices in Costa Rica.
And only here.
Why? Peer pressure apparantly. With the concerted efforts of Costa Rica’s tourist board, CANAECO, along with the support of the Costa Rican government, Four Seasons realized that it was in their best interest – and would help attract more tourists – if they embraced sustainable practices.
So what would it take for them to implement them company wide, wonder? Just a thought.
Sustainabilty – from rivers to reforestation
In today’s conference, speaker Rafael Gallo outlined his challenges and successes with protecting Costa Rica’s rivers and his evolving environmental activism.
Beginning as a white water river rafting operation, Gallo began with local tourists. In 1985, Gallo and his brother began a campaign to save Costa Rica’s rivers.
“We had to protect the rivers that gave us income,” he said.
In 1986, the brothers were able to delay the building of a dam on one of the rivers for six weeks. Ultimately this forced the corporation to do an Environmental Impact Review, a step they’d ignored.
From there, Gallo bought land along the river, with plans to restore land that had been deforested. He even hired [...]
Sustainable architecture’s impact
Yesterday, renowned architect Bruno Stagno spoke during the sustainable tourism confrerence about the importance of creating sustainable architecture that adapts to the local climate.
Stagno, winner of numerous international awards including from the Dominican Republic and Holland, stressed the need to recognize and incorporate Nature in architectural design, or, as he calls it, bioclimatic architecture.
Stagno said that 50 percent of the world’s existing forests are located in tropical areas. Of the UN’s membership, 108 countries in are in these areas.
“We have to develop guidelines foe eco-development,” Stagno said.
Stagno is currently working on projects to bring forests to urban settings, particularly in San Jose, Costa Rica.
More soon.
UN indicates lowered expectations from environmental summit in Copenhagen
Indications that this December’s Copenhagen summit might not achieve its environmental goals came yesterday when Janos Pasztor, Director of the UN Secretary-general’s Climate Change Support Team, said he doesn’t expect any solid agreement to emerge, based on the lack of a comprehensive climate bill from the U.S. Congress and a lack of consensus from industrialized nations.
The UN still plans to push governments toward forging the content of an agreement, he said, even though the talks may not produce a binding treaty.
This is a discouraging prediction that, if true, hold serious global ramifications.
Sustainable Travel – Protected Areas
Conference presenter Marco Araya spoke about the protected areas of Costa Rica.
SINAC operates eleven areas that encompass 167 protected areas. These include wetlands, watersheds and three biosphere reserves.
He mentioned that in 1988, legislation and the ICT created all the volcanic range of Costa Rica as one national park. This encompasses over 1 million hectors of protected land.
Costa Rica continues to expand the amount of environmentally protected areas for future generations.
More soon.