Growing Bananas (sustainably)!

Earth University's sustainable banana farm - block 2 - which we visited on our second day in Costa Rica.  Finca means farm, so Finca Bananera Earth means "Earth Banana Farm." All photos Copyright (c) 2013 Wendee Nicole

On day 2, Heidi and I visited Earth University, which I'd previously visited in Oct 2011 for the Planet, People, Peace (P3) conference (there are some other really cool images from that visit here). The next P3 conference is coming up in Nov, and I'm considering attending again! It was really cool. Anyway, this was a trip to report on agritourism and sustainable agriculture practices, as well as ecotourism and Costa Rica's efforts to become the first - or one of the first - carbon-neutral nations in the world. Imagine the US government having an official policy of trying to become carbon-neutral? Even if Costa Rica doesn't achieve neutrality by the deadline - and there are rumors already of the date being pushed back - it is a commendable thing in itself that they have the goal. And they are certainly making efforts. I will be writing about it for Earth Island Journal and possibly another publication. Below are some images, and a video, from the banana farm visit. Earth University is a fascinating place, and they are a carbon-neutral operation. 

This is Michelle Medina, New Business Developer for Earth University product division. The banana plantation is actually a for-profit venture, whereas the university itself is nonprofit. However, 100% of the funds raised go into scholarships for Earth U students. They have shown that sustainability can be profitable. Some of the bananas go to Whole Foods in the US. 

The bags protect the bananas from pesticides. The banana plantation is not organic, but they employ various techniques to reduce the use of chemicals and other problems associated with traditional farms. Inside the bags they put chile pepper and garlic to repel insects, rather than chemicals. The plantation is still sprayed with fungicides to repel an otherwise devastating fungus called sigatoka. They spray by airplane - using GPS to make sure it is only sprayed on the plantation - 3 of 4 weeks, and during the other week, the plantation is sprayed with beneficial organisms. By using these beneficial microorganisms, they have been able to reduce chemical use by 30%. There are also fears of a new strain of Panama disease, a former version of which wiped out banana crops in the 1980s. Because all of the bananas are clones of one another and hence genetically identical, they are particularly susceptible to epidemics...

The banana man leads the "banana train." In other plantations, workers carry or drag all the banana bunches! Earth U created this trolley system to improve worker conditions.

Another view of the "banana train."

A video of the banana workers processing the bananas from the bunches. First they're cut into smaller bunches and then washed. I believe they use chlorine in this process and water, but don't quote me on that!

Heidi and I with our sexy hair nets!

The foam inserts are removed and the blue plastic is removed and recycled. They make plastic terra cotta roof tiles from the banana bags that are used all over Costa Rica.

Bananas!

The workers cut the bottom bananas to test the ripeness. A "good" bunch will be white inside, and green outside, and they take about two weeks after cutting to ripen. if they are too ripe when cut, they cant be shipped to other markets so are either composted, or they are sold to local markets. This bunch - he told us - were too ripe. 

Once bananas come off the banana train, they get washed and then placed on the conveyer belt, where workers put them in boxes.

The ones on the left go to local (Costa Rica) markets, while the ones on the right go to Europe. 

These bananas - the best quality - are shipped to Whole Foods markets in the U.S. 

Earth University student Niyi, from Nigeria, showed us around the university's intensive farm operations where students learn various aspects of sustainable ag. I visited here also in 2011! This "vehicle" is now planted with crops! They demonstrate how to make use of any and all items that would otherwise go into a landfill. 

  Niyi is a musician and you can see his cool Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas) video from Earth University above!

A yummy cafe mocha from Earth University's Aroma coffee shop, made with Earth University coop coffee (CoopeDota carbon-neutral coffee). 

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Aerial tram through the rainforest

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I had to get up about 3am to get to the airport for my international flight that flew from Houston to Miami and then I had to run halfway across the airport (where are those moving sidewalks when you need them?!), take a tram to the international terminal, and board my flight to San Jose. So I was a wee bit tired. I arrived in Costa Rica and met Freddy Lizano with ICT (Costa Rica Tourism Board), and Elizabeth Glazner a writer from California and Paula Alvarado, a writer for Treehugger from Buenos Aires. Cool ladies! We ate lunch at this restaurant on the way between San Jose (the capital) and our destination of Earth University in Guacimo. They had Salsa Lizano - mmm good! It is not spicy but made from vegetables. It's indescribable, but scrumptious. They did not have Arroz con Palmito, but I'm hoping I can get some somewhere. While dining, it started raining, then pouring...
Before we got to the university, we stopped for an aerial tram tour of the rainforest at Rainforest Adventures. They also have a zip line and other things. It was sort of thundering in the distance and we were the only people on the tram... I don't know if you know this, but I have a dreadful irrational (or perhaps, rational) phobia of lightning and thunder - especially being out in it. But I survived. This preserve borders Braulio Carillo National Park and includes some secondary and some virgin rainforest - if I remember correctly (there may only be virgin rainforest inside the park). At any rate, the tram had a cover but you got dampish and wet anyway. I didn't get great photos because I was cautious about getting my camera out and ruined in the rain! I did have a rain sleeve but it makes it hard to photograph. But I got a few pics! And it was absolutely amazing to be up in the canopy, in the lush green rainforest!!
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and spoke perfect English. That's one thing that I think a lot of people from the U.S. may not realize about Costa Rica. And of course this varies by exactly where you go in the country as there are more remote places than others, but nearly everyone speaks at least a little English (many speak it fluently), it's a safe country with very friendly people that are educated and do not have any sort of anti-American attitude. You can even drink the water (from the tap)! And although like anywhere where there are some conflicts between development and environment, the country really does embrace and aim for sustainability and conservation. In fact the entire country is trying to achieve carbon neutrality by 2021. Pretty cool! Oh, back to the guide - he called these "broccoli trees" - they do look like broccoli don't they?! There are 3 species of broccoli tree (their crowns resemble broccoli) which can be told apart by their flowers, when they are flowering).
This is a tree fern and it is shot from waaaaay above! The tram is constantly moving, hence the movement in the image.
More rainforest canopy and a broccoli tree to the left.
I love the misty clouds.
Paula in the tram!
This was a little sign back at the office area for the Rainforest Adventures for a bullet ant. The guide told us they hang out in this little area. It is very painful if you get stung!!
Very unfocused but I had to share this image. This is the road we drove in on... the water covered the road when it was time to get back! Apparently this is a regular occurrence in the rainy season, so there is a suspension bridge we walked back over the river on where our main car was parked (we had taken the tourism company's van over in case this happened). Pretty exciting!

Next, we got back in the car and headed to Earth University, where we got checked into our lodging on campus. We each have our own room & they are sort of dorm like but nicer - with hot showers and comfy beds and a fan and deck but no AC.
The university frequently hosts conference and the lodging is open for conference attendees but I'm not sure about the public. One guidebook said you can arrange to stay here but I was told they're picky about who stays, so I'm not sure. At any rate it's humid but it cools down at night. Some creepy crawlies share the room with me, and a ginormagantuan cicada kept banging against the back patio last night but I like bugs and creepy crawlies so it's all good as far as I'm concerned! We had a dinner with some of the conference organizers and presenters at the university, but I will tell you more about that soon.

I will be doing podcasts for Adventures in Climate Change - if all goes according to plan, it will be one from the final day of the conference tomorrow, one from Selva Bananito Ecolodge (which has achieved the 5-leaf level for being sustainable certified) and one from Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn near San Jose, also 5-leaf certified. Both of the owners of these lodges are at this conference and are involved in promoting sustainable tourism in Costa Rica. Juergen Stein, the Selva Bananito owner, is also head of Climate Change Committee of CANAECO (Costa Rica's Ecotourism Chamber) which is putting on the conference along with ICT which is governmental.

Adventures in the Costa Rican jungle - sloths, ziplines & fear!

We left Earth University on Tuesday morning and headed for Selva Bananito Ecolodge, where we would be staying. We drove through the town of Limon, and there we stopped at a little city park where we saw not one but two two-toed sloths. They are not as active as the three-toed ones, and are smaller. The Caribbean coast has almost a Jamaican, Rastafarian feel to it, with the bright colors and many blacks who were brought over as slaves many years ago. But it's also the least developed area of Costa Rica. I found the city of Limon to be a bit dirty and crowded. Like a typical third world town, but much of Costa Rica is nicer for a traveler who wants that kind of thing. There's another town that we didnt get to that has a younger, hipster, cultural kind of aura from what I've read. We were just passing through on the way to the rainforest proper! Anyway the previous two sloths were way up in trees like the photo below, so seeing these up close was a treat!
This is what most of the sloths we saw looked like - far away!This is a building in Limon. Apparently the Costa Rican government has recently invested money in improving the town but it hasn't started yet.We also saw two owls in the tree in the park. A major earthquake in 1991 affected the coast, raising a lot of the coral reef beds out of the water.This sight cracked me up because I thought "even in Central America!" The kid has his butt hanging out of his pants. Like seriously dude, pull your pants up!Next we met up with Juergen Stein, owner of Selva Bananito Ecolodge along with his sister. He is a German born in Colombia who has lived in Costa Rica most of his life, and his father had a cattle farm and has over the years transformed a small part of the ~3,850-acre property into an organic banana farm first but later (because the organic banana market didn't do so well) an organic palm oil plantation. However, 75% of their property remains as virtually untouched forest, and some of that 25% that isn't forested is being reforested as a carbon offset project. This is the road heading to Selva Bananito. The family started a Limon Watershed Foundation to help improve the local watershed, which was negatively affected by the earthquake.Paula, Elizabeth and I on the way to Selva Bananito!A beautiful creek on the way. I'm not sure what this is - maybe it is the Bananito River. My photos could not do the Selva Bananito bungalows justice! They are gorgeous! (Click this link to see more images - it's their new website, which is only in German so far - the other link is to their older version which also has tons o' info) The wood for the bungalows is made from trees that fell naturally, and the roof is made from recycled banana bags (they put blue bags around the bananas to keep insect pests out).
It's all open and you sleep with the jungle sounds all around you. The mosquito nets actually aren't even necessary - there's not really malaria or anything here - it's more of a decorative touch, though some people feel like they prefer to have it around them. Each bungalow has two beds and two hammocks. So amazing!This is Sofia, Juergen's sister. She is married and they have a son who was out at the lodge. They live near San Jose, the capital city. Juergen mainly runs the lodge, among many other amazing things he is doing. He pioneered the Climate Conscious Traveler program, where travelers to Costa Rica can offset their flights (or the travel agency or the lodge can do it for visitors - which is how it started). It's a very new program and the ICT (Costa Rican Tourism Board) has taken the project to help spread it far and wide. Selva Bananito has 5 leafs, the highest certification possible. The only electricity is solar and at night, dinner is served by candelight.We had a delicious lunch! This is the dining lodge and the photo isn't great but you can see the absolutely stunning rainforest in the distance. There's also a little lake where caimans live and we shone the spotlight at night and saw their glowing eyes. Leaf cutter ants are everywhere in Costa Rica! They have these in Houston too but I love them and they are literally everywhere you step. My friend's daughter once called them "Salad ants" (because they carry the vegetation on their backs and it looks like they are carrying salad) and that always stuck in my head). They make trails and are working night and day.Leaf cutters walking along a tree root.
And along a path on the ground.
As soon as we unloaded our luggage into our bungalows, we got on horseback and rode a short way down through some pasture and near a reforestation area and down to the rainforest. The property owned by the Steins and Selva Bananito borders La Amistad International Park which is the largest park in the country and takes up like 20% of the entire national area if you look at it on a map - it's massive! It also goes into Panama so is an international park, and a UN Biosphere Reserve. On the left, the roots are from the palm tree that they harvest hearts of palm ("palmito") with. Unfortunately I didn't get my Arroz con Palmito meal while there, but I am hoping to find a recipe and make it myself sometime. I now have plenty of Lizano Salsa!
We were walking to get to a zipline, but on the way our guide Justo told us about the rainforest and its ecology (of course, having studied rainforest ecology myself I know a lot of it but the others didn't as much). He knew a lot and was great. We also saw a ton of poison dart frogs - little, tiny red ones (not sure the species), and larger green and black ones (called, the amazingly creative "green and black poison dart frog").
Paula, Elizabeth, me and Freddy from ICT near a big tree right next to the zipline platform.
I have to admit, I was really scared to do this! I thought maybe it wouldn't be that bad but... it was so high and so new. I can dive with sharks any day over this! So everyone went across but Juergen was so sweet and he went across with me.
I don't know if you can see the look of terror on my face?! The image is blurry, but the look of terror is there. LOL! Honestly, it went very fast, and was fine but the worst was yet to come! There was a rope to rappel to the creek below - 100 feet down! I took one look and was like no way in hell! I really wanted to, but I couldn't. Juergen went straight down (he abandoned me!) and Paula made it look so easy, and then Elizabeth went and said it was a bit scary but... I just couldn't. So the only other way out is another zipline so I did that with the guide, Justo. I wanted to cry, I felt like such a loser... but it was genuinely frightening to me. I would like o go back and overcome my fear (I did it with airplanes, I know can do this...) but part of me is like, why the hell would I want to rappel down a rope that far in the sky! Ha ha!A giant buttress on a giant tree! After our adventure sports, we rode the horses back to the lodges, showered and met up for a delicious dinner of local cuisine by candlelight - but first Juergen gave a talk on the lodge, on their efforts with creating a watershed protection nonprofit for the Limon Watershed, and other work. It was Paula's birthday, and they made her a special cake! We also each got a special drink - coconut milk and Coco Loco served in a coconut. Such a truly fun and wonderful evening.
After our wonderful night the next morning we had to leave. I actually got up early to bird-watch and we saw a ton of species including an aracari toucan, keel-billed toucan, short-billed pigeon, masked tityra, slaty-tailed trogon, white-necked jacobin (hummingbird), yellow-chested kingbird, clay-colored robins, spectacled owl, and several oropendula (big black birds with large bills and they make really cool nests). Besides the toucans, my favorite was the snowy cotinga - this pure white dove - just gorgeous! We also stopped by the lake and saw a little caiman. I didn't bring my camera but we walked along the pasture as it is easiest to spot birds along the edge of the forest.
We next went snorkeling off Cahuita Point! It was cloudy so the water wasn't as brilliant and I didn't take any photos but it was pretty cool - not the best snorkeling I've ever done for sure. But it was cool and then we went to lunch at a local lodge, Suizo Loco, where there was the most amazing three-toed sloth right close! The three-toed species are more active so it would move all around and I got some photos. I'm in love and want one! Enjoy the photos. This is one of the sloth's favorite trees, a Cecropia tree.Just hanging out!
While eating, we also saw this blue-gray tanager as well as some other birds. Bananas!
We then drove 5 hours back to the Finca Rosa Blanca ecolodge, outside San Jose (It wouldn't have been that long but we stopped a few times). It is absolutely stunning architecture and I'm really bummed we didn't get there before dark, because it has an organic coffee farm along with the B&B. We had met the owners, Teri and Glenn Jampol, at the Planet People Peace conference and Teri met us for dinner in their restaurant which was 5-star dining and local, organic, sustainably harvested ingredients - many grown on site. Since we had to leave at 415am we also didn't get time to see it in the morning. Next time for sure!! I will leave you with this lovely photo of my favorite animal - the oso perozoso (means lazy bear in Spanish). :)

But wait - there's more! I just discovered the cutest video I have ever seen in my life (especially since sloths are my favorite animal - along with mountain gorillas) so check this out - it was from this Treehugger article!