Costa Rica is projected as a green country and its people boast a “green conscience”. However, when they are at home the situation changes.
On the International Day of Mother Earth or Earth Day, experts and diverse studies agree that in environmental matters, Costa Ricans and the government are in red numbers.
Environmental damage is becoming increasingly difficult to reverse. The solutions become very complex and costly for society,”
concludes the chapter Harmony with Nature of the latest State of the Nation Report.
Renowned activists of the country agree that Costa Ricans, as well as the different governments, have no will to move from words to deeds.
Allan Astorga, an environmental lawyer, said that teaching children to recycle or save energy helps, but it is not enough.
For example, we say that national parks are ‘our jewels,’ and yet people come in to hurt or hunt. And there are few park rangers to protect nature,”
said the expert.
In reference to political will, Alvaro Sagot, also a lawyer, said that in the country, there is a double discourse:
one thing is what it’s said internationally and another, very different thing is what the executive power materializes.”
For Mauricio Álvarez, president of the Conservation Federation of Costa Rica (FECON), the same thing happens with Costa Ricans.
It only takes one look at parks after a concert and a visit to the largest national rivers. Waste management, on a small or large scale, remains a serious problem for the country.