April 22nd- Earth Day!

April 22nd- Earth Day!

earth day On April 22nd we celebrate Earth Day, a day entirely dedicated to nature and all its ecosystems, to the protection of our natural resources and to finding sustainable solutions to mitigate the pollution of our planet. The prosperity of every community on earth depends on the presence of water, fresh air, forests and the scenic beauty found in its natural spaces. In this day and age, we actually lead such hasty lives that we have become oblivious to the fact that we need nature to survive, in the same way a plant needs a rich soil to be able to grow. Confronted by a myriad of environmental conflicts, we often feel overwhelmed and doubtful about how to contribute to a possible solution to the environmental problems around us. It can be useful to reflect on the environmental problems we witness on a daily basis and, consequently, take the decision to make some changes in our homes, offices, schools and all other community spaces. For this reason, Futuro Verde is committed to helping with our community´s waste management and has accepted the challenge of functioning as a recycling center both for our institution and our students´ homes. As an institution, we feel proud to be in the position to contribute to the search for sustainable solutions to the problems of waste production and its ill management. We aim to make our students aware of these problems and of the need to Reject, Reduce, Reuse, and, lastly, Recycle. We truly appreciate your support in making our community more sustainable every day!

reciclar, centro de acopio

The End to a Long Campaign: The Battle of Rivas

The End to a Long Campaign: The Battle of Rivas


160 years ago, in 1856, a war raged in Central America that lasted an entire year. The war started because some North American soldiers set out to invade this territory and govern it with the aim of profiting from the numerous resources at hand. These soldiers, called filibusters, initiated their endeavor when they arrived in Nicaragua, where political chaos made it easy for them to take control of the government. When the Costa Rican president heard that the filibusters had taken over in Nicaragua and that they intended to take control of the other Central American nations as well, he communicated to the Costa Rican people that he would not allow Costa Rica to lose its independence. Combatantly, he requested those who agreed with him to form an army so as to stop the invasion. While the army was still being formed, the filibusters had already made their way down to Santa Rosa, in Guanacaste Province, and occupied a mansion. When the Costa Ricans found out, they planned a surprise attack to lure them out of the mansion under the cover of darkness. Upon their arrival, the battle began and finished in mere minutes, because many filibusters fled after hearing gun shots. Nonetheless, the Costa Ricans´ mission was not over, as the filibusters continued their efforts from the Nicaraguan territory. The final battle was fought in Rivas, Nicaragua, during which a Costa Rican soldier called Juan Santamaría set fire to the meson where the North American soldiers had been hiding out. The Costa Rican army triumphed when the North Americans abandoned the area. Given the fact that Costa Rica never had to fight a war to obtain independence, the Rivas battle represents the first time the Costa Rican people took up arms to defend their sovereignty and territory.