Eco News & Sustainable Living

Costa Rica Bans Destructive Bottom Trawling Practices

bottom trawling destruction

Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Practices are contributing to the destruction of our world oceans and to those in Costa Rica.  

 On Aug 8th, 2013 Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court made a landmark decision and declared the practice of bottom trawling unconstitutional. Among all fishing methods bottom trawling is the most destructive.   In fact the United Nations and Greenpeace compare it the clear-cutting of our world’s forests. 

 

Bottom trawling is a method whereby massive nets are dragged across the ocean floor destroying all the coral and scooping up all animal life, the shrimp and a few other species are sold off, and the vast majority of species are killed then just dumped back into the ocean.

 

There are only a handful of countries in the world who have banned bottom trawling, and this decision helps maintain Costa Rica’s leadership role in the area of environmental conservation.  The ruling states that no new permits or licenses will be permitted, and existing authorization for this destructive practice will not be renewed.

 

Also: Watch this great video on the destructive practices of bottom trawling; narrated by Sigourney Weaver

 

GMO - Seeds of Death - Full Movie

We believe Genetically Modified Food is one of the biggest global threats to our environment and sustainable living.   Please take the time to watch this excellent video on the dangers of GMO food.  


The battle for keeping GMO food out of Costa Rica is moving forward.  Even though it is currently outlawed to sell GMO crops in Costa Rica; the countries food supply is still overloaded with GMO.  Virtually all the processed packaged food in Costa Rica that contains corn or soy contains GMO.  

Living a sustainable organic lifestyle is important for our survival and that of the planet.   Please be sure to watch this important video and pass it on.  thanks

 

Costa Rica’s Fight against GMO

On January 21st 2013 Monsanto which has been rated many times as the most evil corporation on the planet, was granted permission to plant GMO corn in Costa Rica.  Although they were only given permission to plant a couple of hectares of GMO corn; they now have their foot in the door and Costa Rica’s native corn is in danger of contamination.   Currently there are approximately 500 hectares of genetically modified crops in Costa Rica, the vast majority are cotton and soybeans, but there are also GMO pineapples, bananas and now GMO corn growing in Costa Rica.


Although GMO is starting to make inroads into Costa Rica, months of protests by different activist groups opposed to genetically modified food have been able to dramatically impact the local level, and as of March 2013 there are 22 Cantons in Costa Rica that have so far declared themselves to be GMO Free Zones.

Costa Rica chooses Independent Verification Company to measure its Carbon Footprint

Costa Rica has made a pledge and is on track to become the world’s first carbon neutral country. 

Globally only six countries have even tried to make a commitment to become carbon neutral, and  Costa Rica’s target date of 2021 which also represents the 200 year anniversary for the country is by far the earliest target date.

A key aspect on the road to carbon neutrality and sustainability for Costa Rica is the ability to be able to measure Costa Rica’s current carbon footprint, and find ways to track the progress in carbon reduction. To meet this commitment it is necessary to measure emissions from both the public and private sectors for transportation, industry, energy production and other sources.

In order to measure the carbon footprints of the various industries it is important to have a certification body that tracks results.

On April 16th, 2013 Costa Rica chose Emeryville, California based SCS Global Services for carbon footprint verification and certification.

Globally Costa Rica is known as a world leader in placing natural capital at the center of development. Costa rica was rated as the “greenest and happiest” country in the world for by the New Economics Foundation, and is the only country considered a “BioGem” by the National Resource Council. Costa Rica is also the only tropical country to boast that over half of its territory (52%) to be covered in forests.

Sources:

http://www.scsglobalservices.com

World Bank Gives $3 million for CR Carbon Market Development


The World Banks Partnership for Market Readiness (PMR) recently granted Costa Rica $3 million to help further develop its local carbon market.  Costa Rica is a leader in moving towards carbon neutrality and the country pledges to be carbon nuetral by 2021.

Environment Minister René Castro said "the [World Bank] contribution is a tool to stimulate local actions to achieve carbon neutrality, but it is also strategic for the country’s economic competitiveness...For Costa Rica, the development of new market instruments and, in particular, the development of a domestic carbon market, is a strategic approach to support local action towards carbon neutrality by 2021,”