Costa Rica Bananas Save The Planet
A holistic environmental approach to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is being implemented in the Costa Rican industry. This is the first banana industry in the world to put in this strategy in place.
The ‘Banana Industry Action Plan against Climate Change’ has been handed in to the Ministry of Environment and Energy by the association of the Costa Rican banana producers. The goal of the action plan is to reduce the greenhouse gasses emissions to 0 by 2012.
A program to educate and raise awareness amongst workers will soon be implemented. The program is to teach the workers on the importance of fighting climate change and global warming due to CO2 emissions. Using a manual of environmental practices, this program is expected to succeed and reach each goal by 2012.
The holistic strategy will be implemented and measured by these points:
- Reforestation programs to create carbon sinks
- Reducing the use of fossil fuels and fertilizers
- Using bio-fuels and biodegradable plastics
- Applying bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers
- Implementing energy-saving programs
The Banana Environment Commission was the one who developed this action plan and all actors of this industry have decided to take part and commit themselves to the plan.
More than 25% of all the land in Costa Rica is protected as national parks and biological reserves which makes the country an international leader on green issues. From 1986 until today, Costa Rica forest has increased a whooping 30%, making it the first tropical country to reverse deforestation.
by Elisheva Wiriaatmadja.
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