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Monteverde Leads the Way in Sustainable Waste Management

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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Monteverde ranks among the most popular destinations in the country, attracting over 200,000 tourists annually due to its robust conservation efforts. In response to the large number of people who visit, Monteverde is starting a project aimed at gathering and processing organic waste, particularly leftover food from restaurants, with the aim of utilizing it to enhance the local ecosystem. The project involves the Association for the Administration of Community Water and Sewage Systems (ASADA) of Santa Elena, Monteverde, which collects more than six tons of waste per week from 100 businesses and transports it to a processing plant to produce organic fertilizer. In this region, 450 tons of organic waste are produced annually, of which 333 tons are composted and returned to the environment. According to the Directorate of Radiological Protection and Environmental Health of the Ministry of Health, composting organic waste in the country increased as a method for recycling organic waste, going from 4,700 tons of waste in 2018 to 42,580 in 2020. The compost is sold in sacks to businesses and individuals for the maintenance of their gardens and green spaces, and as a complement, native trees from the area are given as gifts for the conservation of the forest. This also ensures the project is self-sufficient and provides income to families. At the same time it addresses an initial problem that was the contamination of Monteverde’s watersheds, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint, maintaining a cleaner Monteverde. The ASADA in the area incorporates the businesses that participate in the waste collection program into the water bill, thus simplifying the project’s contribution procedures. There is currently a large waiting list of businesses looking to join this project that positively impacts social and environmental wellbeing, and which is gradually growing to meet the needs of the entire community. ASADA and the Monteverde Municipal Council are leading a macro-project called the Monteverde Environmental Technology Park (PTAM), which will include a Wastewater Treatment Plant, a Solid Waste Transfer Center, and a Productive Treatment Plant to transform various organic wastes into value-added products. “Composting on a large scale generates benefits for an entire community. However, people can also implement it at home to responsibly dispose of their organic waste and in this way we all contribute to the environment,” said Aura Sandí, administrator of ASADA Santa Elena, Monteverde. The post Monteverde Leads the Way in Sustainable Waste Management appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

The project involves the Association for the Administration of Community Water and Sewage Systems (ASADA) of Santa Elena, Monteverde, which collects more than six tons of waste per week from 100 businesses and transports it to a processing plant to produce organic fertilizer.

In this region, 450 tons of organic waste are produced annually, of which 333 tons are composted and returned to the environment.

According to the Directorate of Radiological Protection and Environmental Health of the Ministry of Health, composting organic waste in the country increased as a method for recycling organic waste, going from 4,700 tons of waste in 2018 to 42,580 in 2020.

The compost is sold in sacks to businesses and individuals for the maintenance of their gardens and green spaces, and as a complement, native trees from the area are given as gifts for the conservation of the forest.

This also ensures the project is self-sufficient and provides income to families. At the same time it addresses an initial problem that was the contamination of Monteverde’s watersheds, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint, maintaining a cleaner Monteverde.

The ASADA in the area incorporates the businesses that participate in the waste collection program into the water bill, thus simplifying the project’s contribution procedures.

There is currently a large waiting list of businesses looking to join this project that positively impacts social and environmental wellbeing, and which is gradually growing to meet the needs of the entire community.

ASADA and the Monteverde Municipal Council are leading a macro-project called the Monteverde Environmental Technology Park (PTAM), which will include a Wastewater Treatment Plant, a Solid Waste Transfer Center, and a Productive Treatment Plant to transform various organic wastes into value-added products.

“Composting on a large scale generates benefits for an entire community. However, people can also implement it at home to responsibly dispose of their organic waste and in this way we all contribute to the environment,” said Aura Sandí, administrator of ASADA Santa Elena, Monteverde.

The post Monteverde Leads the Way in Sustainable Waste Management appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

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New Zealand Inks 'Sustainable' Trade Deal With Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand signed a trade deal on Saturday with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland to remove tariffs on hundreds of...

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand signed a trade deal on Saturday with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland to remove tariffs on hundreds of sustainable goods and services, in a move Wellington says will boost the country's export sector.The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) was signed at a ceremony during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Peru on Saturday after being struck in July, Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said in a statement."This agreement removes tariffs on key exports including 45 wood and wool products — two sectors that are vital to achieving our goal of doubling New Zealand's exports by value in 10 years," McClay said."It will also reduce costs for consumers, removing tariffs on hundreds of other products, including insulation materials, recycled paper, and energy-saving products such as LED lamps and rechargeable batteries."The deal prioritised New Zealand's "sustainable exports", he said, amid a roll back by the country's centre-right government of environmental reforms in a bid to boost a flailing economy. Exports make up nearly a quarter of New Zealand's economy.(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Sandra Maler)Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Sustainable

Agriculture

Energy

California inks sustainable aviation fuel deal with major airlines

California on Wednesday signed an agreement with the country's leading passenger and cargo airlines to accelerate the use of sustainable aviation fuels across the state. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Airlines for America (A4A) — an industry trade group representing almost a dozen airlines — pledged to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuels statewide. Sustainable aviation fuels, lower-carbon alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuels, are typically made from non-petroleum feedstocks, such as biomass or waste. At a San Francisco International Airport ceremony on Wednesday, the partners committed to using 200 million gallons of such fuels by 2035 — an amount estimated to meet about 40 percent of travel demand within the state at that point, according to CARB. That quantity also represents a more than tenfold increase from current usage levels of these fuels, the agency added. "This is a major step forward in our work to cut pollution, protect our communities, and build a future of cleaner air and innovative climate solutions," Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in a statement. Among A4A member airlines are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air Worldwide, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and UPS, while Air Canada is an associate member. To achieve the 2035 goals, CARB and A4A said they plan to work together to identify, assess and prioritize necessary policies measures, such as incentivizing relevant investments and the streamlining permitting processes. A Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group, which will include government and industry stakeholders, will meet annually to both discuss progress and address barriers toward meeting these goals, the partners added. A public website will display updated information about the availability and use of conventional and sustainable fuels across California, while also providing details about state policies, according to the agreement. “We’ve put the tools in place to incentivize cleaner fuels and spur innovation, creating opportunities like this to radically change how Californians can travel cleaner," Newsom said. Kevin Welsh, chief sustainability officer for A4A, stressed the importance of this government-private sector partnership, which he described as "necessary to achieve ambitious climate goals." This effort will help support the "industry's efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050," he added, referring to a 2021 resolution passed by the International Air Transport Association. Like the U.S. airline industry, the federal government has also mounted a push for the integration of sustainable aviation fuel — offering tax credits for its use via the Inflation Reduction Act. Nonetheless, some experts maintain that sustainable aviation fuel is anything but sustainable, since plant-based fuel sourcing can require the diversion of valuable lands away from crop cultivation and thereby increase emissions. The World Resources Institute noted that 1.7 gallons of corn ethanol are required to make 1 gallon of sustainable aviation fuel — necessitating corn acreage expansion that could jeopardize forests and grasslands. The agreement signed on Wednesday, however, expressed a commitment to "ensuring the sustainability and environmental integrity of feedstocks," by prioritizing the use wastes and residues in these power sources. “This partnership with the nation’s leading airlines brings the aviation industry onboard to advance a clean air future," CARB Chair Liane Randolph said in a statement. The agreement, Randolph added, will accelerate the "development of sustainable fuel options and promote cleaner air travel within the state.”

Sustainable

Climate

Government

California Announces Sustainable Fuels Partnership to Curb Emissions From Planes

California is partnering with a major airline trade group to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuels in the state

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will partner with a trade group representing major U.S. airlines to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuels, state officials said Wednesday.The California Air Resources Board announced a plan with Airlines for America — which represents Delta, JetBlue, United and other airlines — to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuel in the state to 200 million gallons by 2035. That amount would meet about 40% of intrastate travel demand, the agency said. Davina Hurt, a board member and chair of the San Francisco Bay Area's Air Quality Management District, said the commitment would help the state combat climate change and improve air quality.“Together we are not just taking a step forward in cleaner fuels but creating a ripple effect of positive change that will resonate throughout the nine counties of the Bay Area and extend to the state of California and beyond,” Hurt said at a news conference at the San Francisco International Airport.California produces about 11 million gallons annually of sustainable aviation fuel, according to the board. The state plans to use sustainable aviation fuel produced in California and in other states to meet the new targets.The announcement comes after some airline workers and advocates said the state is not doing enough to address the health impacts of jet fuel emissions. Air Resources Board staff last year included jet fuel in proposed updates to the state's low carbon fuel standard, a program aimed at transitioning the state toward transportation fuels that emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But staff later removed jet fuel from proposed changes to the rule, which the board is set to vote on next week.President Joe Biden's administration has also set targets for curbing jet fuel emissions. Biden announced a goal in 2021 to reduce aviation emissions 20% by 2030 and replace all kerosene-based jet fuel with sustainable fuel by 2050. Planes contributed about 9% of planet-warming emissions from the transportation sector in the U.S. in 2022, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Emissions from cars and trucks account for the majority of greenhouse gas releases from transportation. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who often touts the state's status as a climate leader, said the new commitment will help the state and industry “tackle emissions head-on.”“This is a major step forward in our work to cut pollution, protect our communities, and build a future of cleaner air and innovative climate solutions,” he said in a statement.Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on Twitter: @ sophieadannaCopyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Sustainable

Climate

Pollution

Pumpkin soup and DIY fake blood: how to be more sustainable this Halloween

The environmental footprint of this holiday is frightening – here are ways to celebrate responsibly and still have funHalloween is just around the corner, with millions of children gearing up to put on their favorite costumes and flock to the streets for trick-or-treating. Spooky skeletons and glowing jack-o’-lanterns are adorning homes that have gone all out to celebrate a night of fright. But the truly scariest part of the holiday might just be the plastic waste left behind after the festivities end.The environmental footprint of Halloween is staggering. Continue reading...

Halloween is just around the corner, with millions of children gearing up to put on their favorite costumes and flock to the streets for trick-or-treating. Spooky skeletons and glowing jack-o’-lanterns are adorning homes that have gone all out to celebrate a night of fright. But the truly scariest part of the holiday might just be the plastic waste left behind after the festivities end.The environmental footprint of Halloween is staggering.A 2019 study out of the UK found that 83% of materials used for Halloween costumes are made from non-recyclable plastic. “They’re basically destined for a landfill near you,” said Lexy Silverstein, sustainable fashion advocate. This year, US shoppers are anticipated to spend more than $11bn on candy, decorations, costumes, parties and pumpkins. Here are some ways to celebrate Halloween more sustainably.1. Shop your closet or a thrift storeWhen buying any piece of clothing, it can be worth asking yourself: how many times am I going to wear this item? Where am I going to wear it? And what am I going to wear it with?These questions are harder to answer when it comes to buying a single-use Halloween costume that’s unlikely to be reworn another time. According to the Fashion Transparency Index, there are enough clothes in the world to dress the next six generations of people. Try finding a costume at a thrift store, and look out for clothes that you can rewear next Halloween or for regular occasions.“I really challenge everyone this year to shop your own closet,” said Silverstein. For example, a regular white button-up shirt can be used for a multitude of costumes such as the titular character of movie classic Risky Business. A striped shirt, bobble hat and round glasses are all the components you need for a Where’s Waldo costume. And working with colors you already own in your closet, such as all green or head-to-toe pink, can go with a multitude of iconic characters such as Barbie and Glinda.2. DIY or borrowSome of the most memorable Halloween costumes can be the ones created with your own hands, whether it’s cardboard butterfly wings or a jellyfish made out of an umbrella and some scrap materials. For parents of ever-growing children, making a simple cape can work for a princess, a superhero and a magician, among others. The best part: capes can be adjustable so they won’t grow out of them as quickly, lasting them several Halloweens.Hosting a costume swap is another way to minimize buying single-use outfits. Is there a costume your friend wore that one time that you’re dying to recreate? You can ask to borrow it or swap for one of yours.“Last year, my friend went as Padme and Anakin with her partner, and this year I’m going as Padme and Anakin with my partner,” said Silverstein. “I’m just repurposing her costume from last year and part of my costume is rented.”3. Try recreating a look with face makeupA lot of mass-produced costumes found in UK stores are made with thin synthetic materials such as nylon. They may be cheap but they are also highly flammable. In the UK, Halloween costumes are classified as toys and are not required to be flame-resistant or flame-retardant, meaning they can potentially catch fire if exposed to an open flame, and can be hard to extinguish quickly. This very thing happened to the daughter of television presenter Claudia Winkleman in 2014. A recent assessment out of the UK of costumes for children under seven has found that more than 80% of tested costumes have failed basic safety tests for flammability and strangulation from cords.In the US, thanks to the Flammable Fabrics Act, costumes sold at retail stores are required to be flame-resistant, but it doesn’t mean that the costume can’t burn, and it doesn’t solve all issues related to concerns about toxic chemicals found in Halloween costumes. Vinyl face masks can potentially expose people to heavy metals and ones made with flexible plastic are highly likely to contain phthalates.Opting to recreate the mask through face-painting may seem like a better alternative, but many conventional face paints can contain lead, arsenic and mercury. Experts recommend using regular drugstore makeup and cosmetic-grade face paint, as they have stricter regulations.And if you really want to know what goes into the products applied to your face, why not try some items found in kitchen cabinets? You can make fake blood from corn syrup, beet juice and cocoa powder.4. Ditch the cobwebsIt might be tempting to deck your front yard or stoop with fake spiderwebs this season. But these cotton-like cobwebs can be a death trap for wildlife. They’re often placed in trees and bushes and on windowsills, where birds and other small animals can get trapped in them, risking injury or death. Instead, window displays with a light-up LED web or a crocheted cobweb can be a safer and a more long-lasting alternative that can be reused in future decorations.“Every time I see a fake spiderweb drawn onto a window that is thrilling to me, because it looks great, it celebrates the holiday spirit, but it also eliminates a threat to birds, which is window collisions,” said Dustin Partridge, director of conservation and science at New York City Bird Alliance. Millions of birds die each year due to window collisions, many of them during migration, which is happening right now. “Painted spiderwebs or stickers can block out a reflective window and that can actually save birds.”5. Turn pumpkins into soupEach year, the US harvests about 2bn lbs of pumpkins to sell whole. One of the ways to utilize it for purposes beyond decor is using the flesh for soup and roasting up the seeds.It might be tempting to make your carved pumpkin stand out by spraying it with hairspray or glitter, but that can limit the ways it can be repurposed once festivities end. “Avoid spraying down your pumpkins and find a good use for them afterward,” said Partridge.After the celebrations are over, you might be wondering what to do with all the jack-o’-lanterns decking the halls of Halloween’s past. One satisfying way is to smash them up and compost them. Some zoos and farmers even accept them as feed for animals.“So much of the concern of consumption is put on the consumer, but really the onus is on these corporations capitalizing on these holidays,” said Katrina Caspelich, chief marketing officer for Remake, a non-profit advocating against fast fashion. “They really just need to create less stuff. How many Halloween costumes do we need?”Remember that it’s not all on you. Trying to reduce the footprint of this holiday can be hard when companies constantly churn out these single-use products. Halloween candy is one of the largest contributors to plastic waste.“[We’re] focused on developing packaging that adheres to the highest standards for food safety while also being fully recyclable, compostable or reusable in order to reduce the environmental footprint of confectionery packaging,” said Carly Schildhaus of the National Confectioners Association. “There’s also a role for federal, state and local governments to play in repairing and advancing the nation’s broken recycling infrastructure, which cannot yet fully address flexible packaging.”Some candy companies have been distributing collection bags to recycle the candy wrappers to turn into dog poo bags. But that only addresses a small part of the greater plastic problem from this holiday.

Sustainable

Waste

Business

High Pesticide Use in Costa Rica Sparks Call for Sustainable Farming

Costa Rica is facing a pesticide crisis due to the high use of chemicals in agriculture and their harmful impacts on human health and ecosystems. Experts have repeatedly called for a transition to sustainable agriculture practices like agroecology, which promotes organic farming and eco-friendly alternatives. Costa Rica ranks among the highest in pesticide use per hectare worldwide, with estimates ranging from 10 to 35 kg per hectare. About 90% of the pesticides used in Costa Rica are Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), raising significant health and environmental concerns. Research by the Regional Institute of Studies on Toxic Substances at the National University (Iret-UNA) highlights the urgent need for Costa Rica to adopt safe and sustainable food production methods. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agroecology seeks to optimize interactions among plants, animals, people, and ecosystems and emphasizes social practices essential to achieving a sustainable and equitable food system. In 2023, the School of Agricultural Sciences at the National University (ECA-UNA) began mapping agroecological initiatives across Costa Rica. Through the Center for the Valorization of Agri-food and Artisanal Products, they identified Alajuela as the leading province for agroecological practices (27.61%), followed by San José (17.16%) and Puntarenas (15.67%). Most agroecological farms in Costa Rica range from 0 to 3 hectares, while 25% exceed 10 hectares. The top organic products sold are vegetables (59.1%), fruits (56.2%), and bio-inputs (51.1%). Notably, 74.5% of producers use direct sales for marketing, followed by municipal fairs and organic markets. Producers rely on organic fertilizers, soil and water conservation, and agroecological pest management to promote biodiversity and sustainable growth. Family labor (34.3%) is the most common workforce source, with occasional (33.6%) and permanent outsourcing (27.7%) following. Despite the benefits, researchers note that agroecological farming in Costa Rica often lacks external support, with producers funding these practices on their own. The post High Pesticide Use in Costa Rica Sparks Call for Sustainable Farming appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

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Agriculture

Crisis

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Una Perla de la Revolucion (A Pearl of the Revolution)

A documentary short that focuses on a sustainability project in Cojímar, Cuba

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WILD in the Garden State

WILD in the Garden State is the story of connecting to the natural world in suburban New Jersey. Dave and Sarah are city transplants with no gardening experience who want a beautiful, ecological garden. The documentary short (30 minutes) will attract experienced and new gardeners who want to spend less time maintaining a pristine — and unhealthy — lawn and more time enjoying the natural world, right in their own backyard. Filmmaker Sarah Galloway honed her craft producing exhibit media for the American Museum of Natural History. Husband Dave Comins is an architect who is inspired to garden for nature while creating a beautiful, park-like space. Shot over ten years, "WILD in the Garden State" documents gardening missteps, lessons and experiences that go far beyond replacing a rectangle of lawn. It’s a story of connecting to the natural world in suburban New Jersey.

Plants

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Sustainable

Market Gardening In The Last Frontier

The path to successful bio-intensive market gardening in the Last Frontier involves an enthusiasm to work in partnership with nature; to steward the soil and the multitude of organisms it contains and supports. As Alaskans contemplate the reality that a staggering 95% of food found in the grocery stores is imported, Emily Garrity and her Twitter Creek Garden operation are chipping away at this food insecurity and providing a roadmap for others to emulate. Aspiring to provide alternatives to the destructive standards of commercial agriculture, life-long Alaskan, Emily Garrity, shares her hard-won secrets in this biopic short film.

Sustainable

Business

Agriculture

Yo Gleans

We follow a day in the life of Yosarian Bisbee, aka Yo, as he gathers “junk” from the local dump and unwanted food from the grocery store, all in an effort to minimize waste.

Waste

Experimental

Sustainable

Sashiko as Cultural Sustainability

When we talk about Sustainability, we tend to focus on the sustainable solutions based on physical resources. However, very frequently we overlook a key part for creating a successful sustainable society: Cultural Sustainability.

Culture

Sustainable

Solutions

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Monteverde Leads the Way in Sustainable Waste Management

Related News

New Zealand Inks 'Sustainable' Trade Deal With Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland

California inks sustainable aviation fuel deal with major airlines

California Announces Sustainable Fuels Partnership to Curb Emissions From Planes

Pumpkin soup and DIY fake blood: how to be more sustainable this Halloween

High Pesticide Use in Costa Rica Sparks Call for Sustainable Farming

Suggested Viewing

Una Perla de la Revolucion (A Pearl of the Revolution)

WILD in the Garden State

Market Gardening In The Last Frontier

Yo Gleans

Sashiko as Cultural Sustainability

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Monteverde Leads the Way in Sustainable Waste Management

Related News

New Zealand Inks 'Sustainable' Trade Deal With Switzerland, Costa Rica and Iceland

California inks sustainable aviation fuel deal with major airlines

California Announces Sustainable Fuels Partnership to Curb Emissions From Planes

Pumpkin soup and DIY fake blood: how to be more sustainable this Halloween

High Pesticide Use in Costa Rica Sparks Call for Sustainable Farming

Suggested Viewing

Una Perla de la Revolucion (A Pearl of the Revolution)

WILD in the Garden State

Market Gardening In The Last Frontier

Yo Gleans

Sashiko as Cultural Sustainability

Join us to forgea sustainable future

sign up for our mailing list to stay informed on the latest films and environmental headlines.

Join us to forge
a sustainable future