costa-rica-plastic-free

Costa Rica: Goodbye to plastic

Excellent news from Central America: Costa Rica is preparing to become one of the first completely green nations in the World, in fact it has decided to completely abolish plastic and without carbon emissions by 2021.

Excellent news from Central America: Costa Rica is preparing to become one of the first completely green nations in the World, in fact it has decided to completely abolish plastic and without carbon emissions by 2021.Excellent news from Central America: Costa Rica is preparing to become one of the first completely green nations in the World, in fact it has decided to completely abolish plastic and without carbon emissions by 2021.

Since 2014, this small and splendid country is already fed by completely renewable sources and since 2017, it has begun a long process starting to no longer use disposable plastic (starting from the most common, plates, glass, forks, plastic bottles etc ..) that will lead it to become the first completely plastic free country in the World.

The nation’s current plastic needs will be replaced by 100% recyclable or biodegradable and certainly not petroleum-based alternatives. To reach this goal, the country will have the technical and financial support of the United Nations Development Program.

Yet until not too long ago, Costa Rica had a huge waste problem. It is calculated, in fact, that at least 20% of the 4 tons of waste produced every day was not even collected and ended up directly introduced into the environment, polluting rivers, beaches and seas. The plastic in the sea is not only the problem of Costa Rica. On the contrary, it is a decidedly global problem. According to a study conducted by the World Economic Forum, 32% of the nearly 80 million tons of plastic produced each year ends up in the oceans. In other words, it’s like spilling a garbage truck into the sea every minute. According to one estimate, 99% of seabirds by 2050 will have ingested remains of plastic objects. Definitely apocalyptic scenarios.

If the tragedy in our sea is microplastics, plastic islands are responsible for polluting the oceans. The most notorious is the Pacific Trash Vortex, the large two garbage islands in the North Pacific Ocean, documented since the 1980s. A true global shame.

Balance between man and environment

Love for nature has been inherent in this country for centuries, and is now internalized by the population as a philosophy of life. They call it the Country of Happiness and perhaps they don’t have all it wrong: with its luxuriant vegetation, the enormous turtles, and its sleepy and placid sloths, Costa Rica is a true earthly Eden.

The green project promoted by President Quesada demonstrates, however, that the natural predisposition of the territory is not a sufficient condition, the active commitment of people is essential so that eco-sustainable development becomes a concrete reality.

The new green economy

Continuing to move towards a type of sustainable production, recycling, waste collection and reuse, also creates job and development opportunities, improves people’s health, ensures fair and correct remuneration, while taking care of the forests and the areas of the country at most risk. The representatives conclude “We believe that our experience, from a small country like Costa Rica, can become a source of inspiration for the whole World“.

At Nakpack, with our products made entirely of recycled paper and cardboard, we try to make our contribution to protecting the planet. And what are you doing? Now you have the chance to change! Do the right things. Use as little plastic as possible, polystyrene and all related materials.

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Credit photo Cosmic Timetraveler

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