Lessons from Costa Rica -- Redefining Natural Gas

Welcome to the first installment of a new mini-series, Lessons from Costa Rica. Alvaro and I and a dozen others studied abroad in this incredible country in 2011 and learned more than we ever could have imagined in a mere two-and-a-half weeks. We stayed at numerous eco-lodges and with families, immersing ourselves in a whole new perspective on sustainability. [See first post about the Costa Rica trip here].

At La Finca Educativa de Don Juan in La Fortuna, this commitment permeated every single activity on the land, from the most minute to the largest actions, leading to truly holistic responsible land stewardship. For one, they were able to provide 100% of the kitchen's cooking gas... without having to pay a natural gas company hundreds of dollars to fetch it from thousands of feet underground! What was the source, then, you ask? Two cows. Yes, you herd me correctly (couldn't resist).

Basic diagram of a biodigester

The cows are fed each meal at a specific trough...

...those meals leave the other end, landing on a special platform...

...where they then find their way into the biodigester 'bubble': where the gas / slurry is collected and released methane is captured. It is then sent to the kitchen via the green pipe.