SustainaBulldogs

Our group had an amazing time exploring, learning, and bonding with each other as we climbed up mountains, rafted through rivers, traipsed across farms, and let’s not forget enduring those long bus rides! After being back from our trip for an entire semester now, it is easy for our memories to fade and to forget the sustainability practices that we observed and learned while in Costa Rica. However, it is important to keep these ideas in mind and spread the word on the benefits of being sustainable.

Being sustainable gives back to the environment and supports the land that provides for us, but it also enhances the natural beauty of the area. We observed countless beautiful views, in dark and light, sunshine and rain that derived from the community caring for nature. The people of Costa Rica were passionate about preserving their land and planting many of their own fruits and vegetables. At Don Juan, we explored the farm and sampled their organic produce in juices while admiring the lushness of the gardens. In Costa Rica, families and communities work together to sustain themselves and help one another. Bryant students, staff, and faculty can do the same, as we are one community that can help each other, as well as our environment.

We noticed many simple ways that encourage eco-friendly behavior. Often times, actions that seem small can truly make a difference, such as recycling paper and plastic instead of throwing them away, composting food waste, buying local products and supporting local farms. These behaviors are taught in the Costa Rican culture through their education systems to instill this importance of sustainability at a young age, and it is something that other countries, including the United States, could consider. After visiting several coffee plantations, we had the opportunity to plant coffee trees to harvest in the future!

Ultimately, we learned how sustainable practices add to a country's beauty, small changes can yield big results, and knowledge is key in making a difference. We are now ambassadors of sustainability, and it is our prerogative to pass on the knowledge that we learned in Costa Rica. We are a team of sustainable bulldogs! Pura Vida!

Keep up to date on the latest sustainability news and events on social media:

Twitter: @SustainBryant

Facebook: Sustainability at Bryant

Email: sustainability@bryant.edu

To learn more, visit: http://www.bryant.edu/about/sustainability/

Author: Bridgette Kosek

Follow me on Twitter! @BridgetteKosek

Stay up to date with all of our activities by following @BryantMKT421 on Twitter!

La Quinta

La Quinta

During our stay at La Quinta in Sarapiqui, our class was invited to adhere to sustainable practices that have guided the Inn since its establishment in 1993. Owners Beatriz and Leo transformed a former orange farm that was depleted of its natural vegetation into a regenerative environment suitable for an eco-friendly hotel. La Quinta – translated to “The House” – and its guests strive to co-exist harmoniously with nature.

Sustainability

La Quinta possesses the highest qualification offered by the Costa Rican Tourists Board at the Fifth Leaf Level of the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST). The CST is a comprehensive program that categorizes and certifies each tourism company to the degree they comply with the model of sustainable tourism. Out of the four hotels we explored during our trip La Quinta, at the Fifth Leaf Level, is considered the most sustainable by these standards. Beatriz frequently commented on the overwhelming amount of effort needed to achieve this qualification including: great investments in time and money, ability to maintain complete and accurate paperwork to validate claims of sustainability, and community engagement.

ü  Some Efforts Include:

o   Regenerative agriculture à organic farming intended to build soil health

o   Reforestation à restocking existing forests with native plants

o   Bio-digesting facility à collects sewage and harnesses the gas emitted from separating solids and liquids for alternative sources of energy

o   Saltwater pool à avoids using harmful, unnatural chemicals found in traditional chlorine pools

o   Bulb transition à converted traditional $.05 bulbs to long-term, low-voltage bulbs at $10 each for energy conservation

It was very apparent that La Quinta was a life-long investment for Beatriz and Leo’s family. Prior to its establishment Beatriz asserted that, “The idea of La Quinta was more of a dream than a reality.” Her passion for the development of the Inn was very sincere, and after fifteen years the family advanced from one to five Leaves.

                                                             Community

Most qualified participants in the Certification for Sustainable Tourism lack community engagement, a contributing factor to achieving the coveted fifth Leaf Level. La Quinta is unique to the other three hotels in that it heavily relies on the greater community for support. For example, the inclusive package to accommodate guests at La Quinta does not include the price of meals throughout the day. This intention enables guests to explore and buy food from nearby farmers or providers. This increases the volume of exchanges and stimulates the local economy. Further, most organic produce that was not grown on-site at La Quinta was sourced from these local providers as a means of supporting the community. Additionally, La Quinta makes it a priority to employ the citizens of Sarapiqui in order to offer stable job opportunities. La Quinta ventures farther than just employment, and participates in the Happy Schools Program to provide educational opportunity. During the Happy Schools Program, La Quinta sends representatives to seven local schools to educate students on sustainable practices and bio-diversity. Here students are given an educational foundation on what it means to be sustainable and how to make an impact. More simply put, it’s the hotel’s way of giving back. It is these distinguishing factors that separate La Quinta from the two four Leaf hotels, the Hilton Double Tree and Mountain Paradise Hotels.

Ethan Agnello @BryantMKT421

Our Adventure on Dole Banana Plantation

After a few road blocks along the way, we finally made it to the Dole Banana Plantation in Sarapiqui around three in the afternoon on Saturday, January 17. We were all looking forward to learning about how bananas are grown in this organic and sustainable farm. Carlos, the farm manager, was our tour guide. He broke down the tour into three segments: history, production and packaging.   

Dole logo at the farm

History

• Bananas originated from Asia
• Costa Rica started producing bananas as a commodity in 1876
•  HenryMeiggs, a Californian entrepreneur in the lumber business, constructed a railroad in Costa Rica. He brought the Chinese from San Francisco, Italians and Caribbean into Costa Rica. Along with the workers, he brought along 100 seeds of banana from Panama to supply his railroad workers with food.
• Before the railroad finished, Henry Meiggs died. His nephew, Minor Cooper Keith took over building the railroad. He soon became a pioneer in banana production in Costa Rica.
• The first batch of bananas were sent to Boston, Massachusetts



Carlos holding a banana plant

•  United Fruit Company had the power in Central America to remove the government in power if they do not agree with what United Fruit Company wanted to do

Production Process

• It rains a lot in the Sarapiqui region. A banana plant’s body has 90% water and it takes 36 liters of water from the soil.
• There are 20-30 ways of cable system to transport bananas and fertilizers around the farm
• There are 200 miles of cable around the plantation
• The bud of a banana has 14-17 female flowers at the bottom. The male flowers are on the top.
• The market requires banana plantations to use plastics during the banana production process to avoid bruising on the skin. The market wants only pretty yellow bananas. It is the standards that banana plantations have to meet.   
• There are eight ribbon colors. Ribbons are used to tie plastic bags, tells how old a branch of banana is, keeps track of the inventory of bananas in Costa Rica
• The flowers on each banana plant have to be deflowered to reduce problems with insects, avoid hurting other bananas and avoid the bananas from rotting.
• There is on average 120 workers on the farm since planting bananas is very labor intensive.
• On the third visit to a banana plant, 3 hands of bananas are removed and the bottom is pruned so that nutrients spread to the top branches. The bud is removed since it does not produce anything. One banana is left hanging at the bottom because it allows nutrients to be sent all throughout the banana plant.
• Bananas are produced from fertile seeds

Packaging Process

Rejected bananas in a basket

• Three pieces of information are recorded when bananas get to the packaging plant:

1.     Color of ribbon

2.     Weight of bananas (lb)

3.     Number of banana branches

Based on these three pieces of information, the number of boxes needed to pack bananas is calculated.

• Water is used in the packaging process to move bananas easily from tank to another, cool down bananas, and wash bananas from latex.
• Rejected bananas are sold locally, used in baby food base or as organic fertilizer in the plantation
• Bananas are packaged in a spooning shape

     Additional Information

• Banana production process is a seasonal process
• This farm is the first banana farm in Costa Rica to be ISO certified
• This farm is rainforest alliance certified
•  Dole bananas have barcode labels on them that allow customers to track the origins of the bananas
• 50% of Dole's market is in the US, while the rest is in Europe and Canada



Dole labels that have tracking capability

• This farm buys electricity from the government. They have an emergency generator that runs on diesel incase the electricity goes off.

Sustainability

Although there is mutual understanding between Dole and the end customers that plastics are contaminating products, they are used in the production of bananas to maintain quality. Bagging the banana branches in plastic bags reduces bruising, curtains insects from getting to the fruit, and serves as a micro-climate so that bananas can be released one week ahead.  

As an organic farm, they have social accountability. They care for the environment and provide social benefits to employees while producing quality bananas.    

Fun Facts

• The number 3 is key to understanding the banana production processes.
• In 1809, Minor Cooper Keith’s face was on the 100 colones coins (shows how powerful he was in Costa Rica).
• A banana plant is not a tree, it is an herb.
• 25 branches of bananas make a banana train
• #1 consumer of bananas per capita annually is Sweden: 42 pounds of banana per capita annually
• In the United States, it is 28 pounds of banana per capita annually

  

  Foam cushioning between bananas to avoid bruising

For more information, visit Dole Costa Rica.

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Written by Eaindra Aung

A banana branch covered in plastic