Sarapiqui Field Trip

Learning about banana plantations, unions’ struggles, environmental conservation, subsistence farming, eco-tourism, wildlife, deforestation, contamination, transnational….

It is amazing how much we can learn in a two-day field trip.

This past weekend, 25 students and 2 LAC leaders traveled to the North-Western region of Costa Rica called Sarapiqui for an intense and overwhelming field trip.

Our first activity was with the Public Relations Representative of Dole. In his hour-and-a-half lecture, we walked around the plantation and learned everything there is to know about banana growing, (well, on a commercial farm). We even entered the banana processing plant and observed the workers fast at work as they cleaned the green bananas, put fungicide on them, put stickers on them, boxed them and packed them. We learned that there is so much work in the banana industry. Plus, the banana history of Costa Rica is long and dynamic because it was an imported crop and now it is a primary crop.

Throughout the rest of the day, we visited La Selva Tropical Reserve, had two lectures with the Banana Union leader (who has been in jail 22 times for his environmental & social justice efforts), and a true environmental conversationalist (a.k.a. – a worrier). From these three ladder activities, we learned about the truth.

Commercial banana plantations, like Dole, Chiquita, El Monte, do not have good labor rights. The workers are exploited through their pay, lack of benefits and exposure to harsh chemicals.

The forests are being cut down and rivers are being polluted without control to enhance the growth of the banana and pineapple farms.

The government too often sides with the transnational that operate large businesses in Costa Rica, so environmental and labor law suits frequently favor the big companies.

Yet, there are many small farmers that live off the land and feed their families. There are some farmers that grow a limited amount of crops and sell them locally. They take from the Earth what they need and do not exploit anyone or anything.

And Eco-Tourism attempts to show tourists the beauty of the land and teach them about the negative impacts of the big banana and pineapple plantations. We went on a boat ride along the wide Sarapiqui River, which is filling up with pesticides and fertilizers from the bordering farms, and we saw a small amount of wildlife. Managing to survive, we saw Howler Monkeys, White-Faced Monkeys, a 2 meter crocodile, bats and a dead iguana. Our guide told us that, before, there was so much wildlife. But now the bordering forests are gone, and airplanes spray the neighboring farms and the wind carries the chemicals into the lives of the wild animals and remaining plants.

So much has changed in this area, and we saw many perspectives about the current reality. Banana plantations do whatever possible to produce a cosmetic banana that the world market will value, and these corporate farms value money more than the environment. Thus, buy organic bananas. Support fair (not free) trade. Write a letter and ask transnational to honor workers’ rights and protect the environment.

The Friends World Program definitely does demonstrate experiential education, and give us the tools to change the world’s issues for a better future.

For pictures, please click here.