One of the most
interesting places to live
in the world
a mindful way of community living
that changes everything
We are co - creating
The best quality of life
is also the most
sustainable for all
Personal Paradise
Rio Gigante is a sustainable community that sees itself as part of an ecosystem and makes decisions based on sensitivity and solidarity with present and future generations
Our Houses
Meeting and food exchage center with a delicious organic restaurant!
Arts and meditation center for unleashing the joy of playing and creativity!
More than 25 beautiful islands with white sand beaches
Over 10 years producing food without pesticides
5 extraordinary waterfalls and pounds in which you can swim
Trekking paths with amazing view points and wildlife
Humpback whales from July to November
Our Community
Photos
Videos
How do we see it?
“It´s 5.35 am, I walk outside, and the sky is starting to light up. Clouds,like awakenings thoughts, begin to color up in orange fire. Birds and howler monkeys are heard at the distance. Another day begins. Today we are walking to the cluster of waterfalls and will do some free birdwatching along the way. Nothing compares to this feeling of swimming in pristine emerald-like waters. The sun enters the majestic green ceiling of the forest and the whole waterfall flowing and its reflections seem to transport us to a different type of light, like when suddenly seeing the missing colors of an old black and white movie. Now we are at the island. The beach is white, the ocean water warm and gentle. The taste of our locally grown food and drinks is superb. We boat around the island in the sunset and find hundreds of birds getting ready for the night. We have decided to spend the night at the biological station, a couple of hundred meters above sea level. It´s 9 pm. We are on the open terrace of the biological station. The breeze is warm and gentle. The stars seem to talk to us. I have never seen the sky like this. The ocean down below is asleep. Tomorrow we will be able to see the dawn from up here. I can´t wait to see it.”
Social Sustainability
1% of the income will be directed to funding local sustainable development initiatives in which you can also choose to participate actively.
We are aiming at directly improving the lives of 35,000 people by achieving by 2025:
- Cero poverty
- Clean employment based development
- Successful adaptation to climate change (there are over 20 islands in this region)
- A local organic food network
- Incubation of sustainable enterprises
- Regenerative organic agriculture
- Sustainable fishing and tourism
- Sustainable social housing
- Renewable energy self-sufficiency
- Sustainable infrastructure projects: ports, roads, public transport, internet coverage
- Strengthening public education, health, sports, cultural identity and its natural reserves
Asociación Agenda Verde Penínsular
This association is a strategic organization for the sustainable development on the southern cone of the Nicoya Peninsula, an area also known as the peninsular región. Agenda Verde works through long-term projects which have a high economic, environmental and social impact in the local solving of global challenges.
We aim to become a model of advanced sustainable rural development with: cero poverty, fully self-sufficient with clean energy, highly democratic, strong in education, in health, in sports and in cultural development, with a world class internet infrastructure and transportation system, constructed based on direct trade, organic agriculture, enterprise incubation in activities such as sustainable fishing and tourism, conservation and development of protected areas, development of sustainable communities, gender equality and successful adaptation to climate change.
We also actively support the Territorial Council of Rural Development, a region wide network of social, economic and government institutions responsible for leading and coordinating the sustainable development of the Peninsula.
How do we live this?
“It’s just amazing. We are creating a new way of living. A truly sustainable way. We have been told that poverty and climate change are the major local challenges. I guess it’s not much different from most other rural regions of the world. But developing a public transportation system based on biogas that is produced locally? Becoming the first rural region which produces all its energy from clean renewable energy sources ? With an area of responsible fisheries where humpback whales are received as special guests? With a thriving organic farming, an advanced local organica food network and direct trade system that employs people out of poverty and also fixes carbon below ground in quantities greater than any other inhabited place in the world? With a geographic information system that feeds itself every five years with data from the biodiversity inventory and which is used to monitor in the most sensitive way possible (the tissue of local natural life) the result of our adaptation to climate change? Well, we will continue to learn and innovate. But certainly this community already feels like an intense place of global hope under construction.”
We are creating a new model of advanced Sustainable Rural Development
Our present economic model based on non renewableble energy and population growth has reached its limit. In 2010 we spent 1.5 times the renewable resources of the earth. The use of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) is about to alter global climate irreversibly. And life in the rural areas so far has meant poverty and fragility.
An advanced sustainable rural development model can reverse this and significantly help save the planet. 95% of the planet habitable area is rural and so is for Costa Rica. Our goal is to create in 10 years, in the Peninsula of Nicoya, an advanced model of sustainable rural development that is replicable in the rest of Costa Rica and the world.
The Rio Gigante Community is a solar, organic and socially sustainable production unit with 27 organic lots with homes which are self sustainable based on photovoltaics and methane gas in the vicinity of an organic and forest farm.
1% of the income from the sale of these homes will be directed to funding sustainable projects promoted by the association Agenda Verde Peninsular (AVEP).
Location
Travel by Ferry and Schedule
El paseo en bote através del Golfo de Nicoya dura unos 65 minutos. Es un viaje escénico y relajante con magníficas vistas de la Península de Nicoya. El ferry pasa por pequeñas islas sólo habitadas por colonias de aves marinas.
A global connection
What is happening to our planet and how does it relate to what we do
- Costa Rica the economy that improved the most in the world
- Solartopia
- Costa Rica’s Solar Map
- Seven reasons cheap oil cant stop renewables now (february 2015)
- Green Economy Global Index 2014 (where Costa Rica ranked as the greenest economy in the world)
- World Happiness Index (where Costa Rica also ranks as number one)
- Good News: Solar Power Capacity Tops Coal for the first Time Ever
- 92% of World`s Population Breaths Toxic Air
- CO2 Levels in the World Reached life threatening point
- Living Planet Report 2010 – Global Footprint Network – humanity now needs 1.5 earths
- Living Planet Report 2014
- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
LUIS DANIEL GONZALEZ
Professional Profile
Luis Daniel is a glocal leader (global – local) and a social and business entrepreneur with a background in Law and Development Economics, with extensive experience in organizational development, complex negotiations, systems thinking, team leadership, emotional intelligence competencies, strategic mapping, long-term public private partnerships, evidence-based social impact evaluation, pragmatism, heuristics, psychoanalysis and meditation. His main focus is on solving global sustainable development challenges with a special emphasis in equality. He has developed an extensive social, political and business network at a national and regional level in Costa Rica.
Bo Fco Peralta, 200 Sur y 125 Este de Casa Italia, Costa Rica
Phone Number: 506-22806100 / 506-8301-5898
E-mail: luisdaniel@riogigantecostarica.com