10 sustainable projects in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is known for its lush flora and fauna, which stretches across the entire country. However, tourism, climate change and deforestation also leave their mark here, which sustainable projects are intended to counteract.

Environmental protection in Costa Rica dates back to the first years of independence (1828), when communities were charged with reforestation. Today, almost 30 % of the entire country is protected and the state already uses 99 % of renewable energy, which is mostly derived from hydropower, but also from geothermal energy. In addition Costa Rica named the second most sustainable country in the world by the World Energy Council.

More and more government and private organizations are involved in advancing Costa Rica's environmental protection. Some great projects have emerged from these efforts. We'll tell you about the best of them now. 

First hydrogen bus in Latin America

"Nyuti," as the bus was christened by the manufacturer, means "star" and comes from the language of the indigenous population of Chorotega. Latin America's first hydrogen-powered bus has been tested on Costa Rica's roads since 2017. As the name rightly conveys, the bus is taking the lead. With only 38 kilograms of hydrogen, the bus can cover a distance of 338 kilometers, which was even free of charge for the population for a while.

"Nyuti" is just one of many stars, as Costa Rica is constantly planning more environmentally friendly means of transportation. Currently, an electric train connection is being built between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, which also supports sustainable tourism. In addition, a ban has been imposed on the import of old cars.

Permaculture Punta Mona

For regenerative design and botanical studies, check out the sustainable Punta Mona community project on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. There, you can spend time in a completely off-the-grid, spectacular community through permaculture workshops, medicinal plant classes, and volunteer programs. In the process, you'll learn how to take better care of the planet. A place that proves we can all live in harmony with nature without negatively impacting it.

Stays from one day to a whole month are possible. You can then share the newly learned knowledge about sustainable tourism and sustainable living practices at home with your own community and make a wonderful contribution to a greener future.

Energy self-sufficient soccer stadium 

LD Alajuelense soccer club is a pioneer in the field of solar energy. As a sustainable project, 864 solar panels were installed on the roof of the stadium. The club, which is in the country's top league, thus supplies itself with electricity. Any surplus electricity generated is fed into the state grid. However, should the club have increased electricity requirements, such as during games with floodlights, it receives free electricity from the grid in return.

Blue Flag Ecology

The Blue Flag Ecology program was originally created to strengthen public health and tourism. Since the blue flag certificates are a sign of prestige, the program has encouraged many communities to make a concerted effort to protect their local environment.

The goal of the program is to teach and inspire people, businesses, communities and organizations to care for the environment and use environmentally friendly practices. The Blue Flag Ecology program is divided into ten categories: Beaches, Communities, Neutral Weather, Educational Centers, Community Health, Microcatchments, Sustainable Homes, Special Events, Protected Natural Areas, and Climate Change. Awards are given annually to those communities that have achieved at least 90 percent of the required goals. Communities that did not meet these goals can also have the blue flag revoked. 

Ecoins

Ecoins also works with rewards. This company offers a loyalty program to reward people for recycling. Ecoins now has users from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Peru. They must register as recyclers and are then assigned a location where they are to drop off recyclable goods. These items must each be cleaned, dried and separated in order to be accepted by the recycling sites.

If these tasks are completed satisfactorily, recyclers receive a financial reward in the form of Ecoins in return. Ecoins can in turn be spent on a range of discounted products on the platform.

Species preservation experience park

At Selvatura Adventure Park, located in Monteverde, in Costa Rica's highlands, conservation is approached a little differently. The park is divided into two equal areas. One area was built for ziplining and walking routes, while the other area is undeveloped. The natural area is used for conservation and species preservation and protects habitat for many wild animals.

The idea behind the routes of the walking trails is particularly interesting. Visitors start at the bottom and then hike up to the heights of the jungle. On a symbolic level, this path describes the plants' struggle for light. Since little light reaches the lower levels of the jungle, the plants and trees tend to climb towards the sky. The park hopes this will increase visitors' awareness of Costa Rica's flora and fauna.

Bromé

Bromé sees great opportunities in waste. The company uses enzymes to convert pineapple byproducts into components for various industries. The products can serve various industries. These include the cosmetics and textile industries, as well as bakeries and breweries.

Magenta Biolabs

Similar to Bromé, the company Magenta Biolabs also makes use of waste. Nutrient-rich agro-industrial by-products undergo a recycling process and are transformed in the process. The resulting materials are then used in other production processes at Magenta Biolabs.

The start-up is best known for converting the waste into hyaluronic acid, a substance often used in the cosmetics industry. The company is open to specific requests as to which substances should be extracted from the by-products.

Green Track

Green Track provides an alternative to conventional GPS systems. Here, it is about more than just monitoring the movement of vehicles. In addition, Green Track offers a platform that measures and registers gas consumption. The system creates awareness for reducing gas emissions. Users also benefit from route recommendations that reduce costs, consume less gasoline, and thus promise a greener future.

DosMil 50

The project of "2050" is to convert by-products of the agricultural industry into environmentally friendly packaging. These byproducts include starch, cellulose and polylactide, which is very similar to plastic. DosMil 50's mission also includes educating about home composting to promote a more sustainable future. 

Ecotourism

Costa Rica is one of the pioneers of ecotourism and ensures that the beautiful nature of the country is maintained. Mass tourism has already exceeded any limits and has a very negative impact especially on the environment. Our mission at TripLegend is therefore to create unforgettable adventures that prove that it is also possible to travel sustainably.

We provide you with tips on how you can easily Responsible travel can and how we Prevent overtourism can.

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