We finally went to a banana plantation!! Not just any plantation, the Chiquita plantation! We spent part of Friday exploring and learning more about banana production and Chiquita as a company. It was a very interesting visit to say the least.
We started the trip by learning about Chiquitas conservation project. They are helping the environment by promoting public knowledge on sustainability and also by planting trees and preserving areas surrounding the plantation. The Project brings in students and groups and gives them lessons on maintaining and preserving the environment.
We were able to ask questions and we learned alot about how Chiquita works hard on sustainable practices and the health of their workers. We learned about the recycling of the bags that they use for protecting the bananas from insects which I mentioned in a prior blog. They also showed us the clothes that workers have to wear to prevent health problems while working. It was interesting that they were so forward about how they protect their workers but didn´t jump too much into the reasons that workers are required to wear the clothes. We actually saw huge signs telling people to not enter into the plantation because of how bad the chemicals are. Not only do they affect the workers and surrounding citizens, but they also can produce runoff that makes its way into to surrounding fields and water supply systems.
Chiquita has the potential for common banana production issues but they also have very good solutions. Chiquitas solution to runoff issues is that they have planted forests surrounding the plantation in an attempt to work as a barrier against the chemicals. They also evacuate surrounding homes during chemical sprays to protect the health of citizens who live nearby. After learning so much about the hazardous affects that banana production has on the environment, I was surprised to see the tactics that Chiquita uses to minimize the risks.
According to my professors, Chiquita is actually alot more sutainable than other plantations. I think that if other companies can curb their objectives towards sustainable growth, then the consequences will not be as large of an impact on the environment in the long run.
2 comments:
Very interesting about the bananas.
With the bad chemicals --doesn't it make any effect on the bananas?
Does the bananas absorb any of this? Just curious!!! ha
Also in the picture---is there just one stalk of bananas on one tree? Again---just curious
Great Aunt Miriam
I apologize for not leaving any responses. It doesn't alert me when there are comments. About the chemicals, they don't have any effects on the fruit itself. They are just to keep them ripe and yellow. As far as we know from class and the tour, it doesnt hurt our health when we eat them. Also, yes, there is only one group of bananas on each tree. First the flower blooms then small buds open to form the fruit and they grow out of the flower. After they are picked the whole top of the plant is cut off and it regrows by itself. Its actually a really interesting process.
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