Although most Costa Ricans believe that the protection of the environment is one of the great challenges facing the country, their practices and daily habits do not match this.
The survey “Citizen patterns and perceptions on the environment and conditions for change”, carried out by the State of the Nation Program, revealed that 73% of the people interviewed believe that the population does not do anything specific to solve these problems, although it does care about them, while 17% said that society is not interested in the subject.
Another of the relevant findings of the survey was that 70% indicated that their families reuse packaging, separate glass containers, plastic and use efficient light bulbs, but very few take measures to save water and electricity.
Those interviewed are interested in the environment, but do not do anything to protect it. They feel partly responsible, but believe that the obligation is on the authorities, and that they, not the citizens, are the ones who are not fulfilling their task,”
indicates the report.
In addition, 36% accept that companies that generate employment can be allowed a little pollution, and for the people consulted, the main causes of climate change are deforestation (79%), the burning of fuel for transport or industry (72%), and the accumulation of garbage in landfills or dumps (69%).
Experts from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and other entities have also reiterated several times that the country is not sustainable, and insist that nature should not be held responsible for the impact of disasters since, when studying the reasons that cause true impact, it is obvious that the causes correspond to human intervention.
According to Luis Zamora, coordinator of the Sustainable Urban Development Program (Produs-UCR), the country is deficient in planning and management.