The Resort that Helps the Environment



Today was a very exciting day for the Costa Rica crew.  Our first full day in the beautiful country was full of educational, adventurous, and fun experiences. We started the day as an audience with the visionary and founder of Hacienda Baru, Jack Ewing.  Jack described his efforts to restore the deforested, cattle pastures of Hacienda Baru into a thriving, diverse wildlife reserve, which we enjoyed today.  Jack told us about his original purpose of exploiting the rich land to breed cattle and his change of heart due to a growing love and appreciation of the wildlife that he developed as he spent his free time exploring the land.  As a result of Jack’s dedication and will power, the Hacienda is now the home to thousands of species of wildlife creatures.  Now, the goal of Hacienda Baru is to restore, conserve, and protect the biodiversity of Costa Rica.  As the Hacienda grows, Jack hires more employees who share his appreciation for nature, who will play an important role later in the day.   After our long walk through the jungle and the tropical beach, our delicious lunch of “Arroz con Pollo” (Rice with Chicken), and “Arroz con Vegetales” (Rice with Vegetables, for the vegetarians in the group), and a brief ciesta, the group reconvened to plan our interviews of the previously mentioned, nature loving employees of Hacienda Baru.  We interviewed the kitchen workers, a security guard, the storekeeper, and the neighbors:





Composting, Trash & Recycling Bin



Clare and Eleanor (Interviewed: Storekeeper)à

In the resort’s gift shop, there was an abundance of eco-friendly art for sale, from masks to cutting boards to wooden figurines. When talking to the storekeeping, she informed us that the Hacienda Baru Resort buys from the native population surrounding the resort. This helps the local economy and promotes the usage of eco-friendly art. The art is made of the dead bark of local forest trees. Due to the condition of the dead wood, the art shows worm holes, mold, and other imperfections on the s/urface. These qualities give a uniqueness character to the figurines in the gift shop. By picking up dead wood instead of cutting down live trees, the native population helps maintain the lush rain forest that we are able to explore this week.

Hale and Vince



Inside the kitchen



When we found a chance to interview the cooks of the small, homely, Costa Rica kitchen from which we enjoyed our meals at the Hacienda Baru, we discovered that these cooks were also taking many actions to protect and supplement the resort’s biological environment. For example, the kitchen avoids the pollution used to ship processed foods and imported crops by only using organic foods and locally grown crops in their dishes. Later, the cooks take the food not eaten by their guests and dispose of it into a large compost bin located outside the kitchen. The groundskeepers of the hacienda use this compost to fertilize the luscious plants growing throughout. In addition to composting uneaten food, the kitchen also recycles many items that they used. In similar fashion to how the kitchen restricts pollution in the shipping of crops, the hacienda also restricts its use of energy by air drying sheets and towels rather than using costly, wasteful, and eco-damaging dryers. Likewise, the hacienda preserves energy by using solar panels to heat the water in the rooms. The friendly security guard who patrols the grounds says that it is his duty to protect the hacienda and ensure the prevention of unwanted guests. Although the hacienda suffers minor problems from small-scale poaching, the security effectively protects the treasured wildlife of this beautiful reserve.

Ryan, Felix, Nick

The trio of us were given the difficult task of interviewing some local turtle caretakers. As we trekked through the rainforest, we struggled to devise a plan as we gazed upon the exotic plants and animals. We eventually came to Martin’s house and greeted him. We asked if we could have an interview with him and his assistant. As we attempted to bridge the language barrier, we interviewed him about his job. His job consists of transporting turtle eggs to a safe environment, protecting them from predators, and then transporting the eggs back to the beach to be hatched. Martin explained how he and his assistant have to make sure the temperature of the sand is exceptional for the eggs to be hatched. Right before they hatch he brings them to the shore, twenty to thirty meters from the ocean, so they can safely return to the sea

Hand Painted Ornaments



Clare showing off a cool mask





Laundry Air Drying



Solar Heated Water Tank