Carbon Neutral lunch
Costa Rica is a tiny country with big plans. By replacing conventional agricultural practices with cheap, low-carbon technologies it is aiming to become the world's first carbon-neutral country by 2021.
"We have a lot of food and many ways to feed ourselves in a healthy manner while caring for the environment", says organic farmer Jimenez. Like 550 Costa Rican families, she benefited from government training in low-carbon agricultural techniques. Innovative and inexpensive solutions such as the 'bio-gas digester' - a sealed pool of pig waste, trapping methane bubbles emissions that are used as fuel - are increasing in popularity across the country. The trend is followed by commercial giants like Dole, which is now trying to make its entire banana supply chain in Costa Rica carbon-neutral. Agriculture Minister Gloria Abraham Peralta also hopes that "the ability to be carbon-neutral gives producers an added value in the marketplace".
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