Our Mission:

To Teach as Many People as Possible
How to Live in Harmony with
Mother Earth



Students will be focusing on agroecology, alternative building materials, integrated waste management,
rainwater harvesting, renewable energy sources,
ecotourism
and social entrepreneurship.

Upon completion of the program, our students will do a community project that will be initiated by the university to create social, environmental and economic benefits to the people
of our nearby communities.

With this experience, students will be able to have
the critical thinking skills to evaluate the sustainability behind agricultural production systems, hotel operations, communities
and their own homes.

Our students will be able to develop a working plan to induce beneficial changes that will create a
positive impact in our societies.

Fruit trees, gardens, fish ponds & food production. . .
Thousands of fruit trees, humane animal husbandry, gardens and fish ponds are currently being integrated. . .
Water. . .
Thousands of fruit trees, humane animal husbandry, gardens and fish ponds are currently being integrated at the future site of Eco University. . .
By far, one of the most crucial elements on the planet and the easiest to pollute. . .

Always taken for granted and never given its due respect. . .
Our water systems at our location are being designed to not only harvest clean, pure mountain water, but also recycle it through a treatment system that will allow waste water to be filtered and used once again. . .
A planned community and educational facility. . .
                                           
Our students will be taught by Earth University graduates & sustainable-living experts. 


Students will learn how to create micro ecosystems that enhance the production of the land, the animal habitat and the water supply. . .
The World Institute for Sustainability and Education at Osa Mountain Village
Food. . .
Outdoor classrooms. . .
Learning, planting trees, building ponds, learning. . .
learning. . .
Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Take our Sustainable Living Course:



1.)The tropical forest is one of the most diversified habitats on the planet.  Learn how to help conserve the tropical forests of Costa Rica.

2.)Do it yourself!  Learn how to grow your own fruit crops, greens, roots and tubers organically.

3.)Learn how to use solar energy for cooking and for a healthy lifestyle.

4.)Preserving water is a great challenge for our society.  Learn how to conserve watersheds and how to farm in them so future generations will have a healthy water source.

5.)Help us develop new sustainable projects within our comunity.

6.)Integrated pest management is key for organic agriculture.  Learn how we can deal with pests using only natural methods and plant extracts.

7.)Biogas has an amazing potential as a renewable energy source.  Build your own biodigester and cook with natural methane gas.

8.)Composting is the key to saving the world´s soils from deterioration.  Build your own compost pile and learn about the many different composting techniques.

9.)Try your own garden designing and learn about crops in our biointensive research garden.

10.) Learn the principles of rainwater harvesting and how we can use rainwater to minimize our external water use.



Sustainable Living Course Program Goals:








Alternative Energies:

Learn how to incorporate the use of solar energy in designing homes and in household use.  Students will design and build their own solar oven and will be able to choose from different materials, using them to cook their own food. The group will also learn how to build solar water heaters and how to install a solar panel. 

We will teach students the principles of building a sustainable small-scale
hydroelectric power plant and we will review the installation of a Pelton wheel on site.

Students will also learn how to use organic waste such as food scraps, burnt cooking oil and animal manure to produce biogas with a small biodigester that they will build. This biogas will be used as cooking fuel and in a electrical generator.








Watershed Conservation:

Each student will be held responsible to reforest part of a watershed in the community.  They must learn about native tree species and the importance of watershed management to ecosystem restoration and health.  Students will learn about
tree nurseries and soil management in slopes around watersheds to encourage
soil conservation in the community.








Agroecology:

Our program will provide students with an integrated farm that will be managed with their help.  The importance of each component of an agroecosystem will be determined and each student will be involved in an intensive program that will guide them into how to manage agroecological systems.  On our farm, students will learn about
biointensive agriculture in our tropical biointensive research garden, animal management, composting techniques, integrated pest management with plant extracts and cultural practices, tropical fruit production and post-harvest management of crops.










Rainwater Harvesting and Wastewater Treatment:

Rainwater harvesting techniques will be taught and students will be able to apply these methods for household and agricultural use.  Students will also learn about sustainable soap water and sewage water disposal and treatment systems.  They will learn how to design a composting toilet, a biodigester and learn of
natural methods to clean wastewater. 

learning. . .
Reasons:
Course Curriculum Below!
Our 10-day Classes are Incredible. . .





Sustainable Living Course
Fees Include:

Room (wood floor, tent cabins)
3 Meals a Day
Field Trips
Living and Learning in Paradise
$1,450.00
Reserve Your Spot Today!
Link to our recent article!

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Living & Learning in Paradise
  Your days here are filled with fun, excitement, good food and lots of learning by the best professors in their field.
Hands-on assignments, getting dirty and experiencing life. . .
Beautiful Vistas
Beautiful Vistas
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The World Institute For Sustainability And Education
Day of Arrival
•Introduction of Participants
•Dinner
•Course review and introduction to Agro Ecology and Permaculture.

Day 1
•Organic agriculture.
•Tour of the farm with a review of energy and nutrient cycles.
•Seedling and substrate preparation for flats.  Calculation of seed amounts based on number of plants needed.
•Soil management in agriculture.  Bed preparation:  raised beds in permanent growing systems.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 2
•Bed preparation:  single-digging and double-digging practice.
•Soil types and the use of amendments in sustainable organic agriculture.
•Planting techniques: transplanting, direct sowing and broadcasting.  Garden design, crop rotation and crop associations.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 3
•Food forest production:  how an agro-ecological succession takes place.
•Planting a food forest.
•Swale construction.
•Fruit diversity.
•Nutrient cycles in an agro-ecosystem.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 4
•Elaboration of compost pile.
•Composting methods and carbon storage in soils.
•California worm management for worm casting operations.
•Soil microbiology and the use of beneficial microorganism in agriculture.
•Animal maintenance and the use of processed manure in agriculture.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 5
•Activation of beneficial microorganisms for agriculture.
•Elaboration of bio-ferments and multi-mineral solutions for crops.
•Harvesting of microorganisms in the forest.
•Crop maintenance and reproduction.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 6
•Free time to visit the river, waterfalls, hike the jungle trails or just relax.
•Canopy Tour or Waterfall Rappelling at discounted rates.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 7
•Alternative energy.  Use of solar energy, small scale hydroelectric systems, wind generated power.
•Building a solar oven and cooking with a solar oven.
•Biodigester design and the use of biogas and effluent.
•Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 8
•Watershed conservation techniques.
•Rainwater harvesting.
•Aquaculture.
•Farming on slopes and the use of contour lines.
•Introduction to construction bamboo. 
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 9 
•Small-scale gray water treatment systems.
•Composting toilets.
•Banana circle use and construction.
•Introduction to medicinal plants and their properties.
•Introduction to herbs and spices.
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 10
•Introduction to insect diversity.
•Insect repellant plants and beneficial insect attraction.
•Integrated pest management.  Different techniques to manage pests in organic farming.
•Plant extract elaboration and application. 
•Different extraction methods. 
•Documentary presentation and discussion.

Day 11
•Course review.
•Student departure.
Permaculture Design Course
Our 10-day Sustainable Living Course:
We Currently Offer 2 Different Courses:
1.) Our 10-day Sustainable Living Course (see below)

2.) Our 10-day Permaculture Design Course
      w/Certification     (click on the photo to the right)
Curriculum for our 10-day Sustainable Living Course:
Curriculum for our 10-day Permaculture Design Course w/Certification:
Click here
10-day
Sustainable
Living
&
Permaculture
Design
Courses