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During their visit to EARTH in 2009, the Huatusco Union’s Board of
Directors took a trip to SantaMaría de Dota tomeet EARTH alumna
Hortensia Solís (‘06; Costa Rica). Hortensia is Manager of Sustainable
Research and Development Projects at Coopedota, a cooperative
of small scale coffee farmers in the verdant region of Los Santos in
Costa Rica’s central valley. Inspired by her work, the Union enlisted
her help in developing an investment proposal to present to their
buyers to mitigate the effects of climate change through the
production of organic compost and alternative energy.
During her third-year at EARTH in 2005, Hortensia did an internship
with Coopedota where she developed a proposal to reduce the
cooperative’s environmental footprint. Upon graduating, the
cooperative hired her to implement the projects she had proposed.
Since then, she has been able to secure international financing to
implement innovative programs for recycling and waste
management, the creation of an organic compost program and
the production of ethanol from coffee waste. She is currently
working on the cooperative’s international carbon neutral
certification, which will make this the first carbon neutral coffee in
the world.
In 2010, Hortensia was the first young delegate to be invited by the
Costa Rican Government to participate the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16), and El
Financiero, the leading business journal in Costa Rica, identified
her as one of the 40 most influential and successful young leaders
in Costa Rica.
Hortensia, pictured here in a waste collection center, has
established a model recycling program for the community.
HORTENSIA SOLIS (’06)
During their visit to EARTH in 2009, the Huatusco Union’s Board of
Directors took a trip to SantaMaría de Dota tomeet EARTH alumna
Horte sia Solís (‘06; Costa Rica). Hortensia is Manager of Sustain ble
Research and Development Projects at C opedota, a cooperative
of small scale coffee farmers in the verdant region of L s Santos in
Costa Rica’s central valley. I spired by her work, the Union enlisted
her help in devel ping n investment proposal to present to their
buyers to mitigate the effects of climate change through the
production of organic compost and alternative energy.
During her third-year at EARTH in 2005, Hortensia did an internship
with Coopedota where she developed a proposal to reduce the
cooperative’s environmental footprint. Upon gra uati g, the
cooperative hired her to impl m nt the projects she had proposed.
Since then, she has been able to secure international financing to
implement innovative programs for recycling and wast
ma agement, the creation of an organic compost progr m and
the roduction of ethanol fr m coffee waste. She is currently
workin on the cooperative’s international carbon neutral
certification, which will make this the first carbon neutral coffe in
the world.
In 2010, Hortensia was the first young delegate to be invited by the
Costa Rican Government to participate the United Nations
Framework Co vention on Climate Change (COP16), and El
Financiero, the leading business journal in Costa Rica, i entified
her as one of the 40 most influential and successful young le ders
in Costa Rica.
Hortensia, pictured here in a waste collection center, has
established a model recycling program for the community.
HORTENSIA SOLIS (’06)