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Steve Tooze

@rebelhack.bsky.social

864 followers 810 following 424 posts

Recovering former Murdoch tabloid hack working off the bad karma by campaigning for an oligarch-free media. I'm pouring energy into mass movement mobilisation to tackle the climate crisis - before it tackles all of us

Posts Replies Media

Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Costa Rica is living proof that nature conservation policies are NOT a hippy-dippy waste of money and resources. They are a pragmatic way to boost an economy, make its people happy and inspire the rest of the world.

Costa Rican women joyfully celebrating their culture through dance

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Costa Rica is one of the happiest countries in the world! It often ranks #1 or very close to the top in the Happy Planet Index which measures wellbeing, life expectancy and life satisfaction.

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

The education system has a strong focus on pride in nature and protecting the country’s rainforests, so younger generations understand their role as guardians of nature.

Children learning about nature and biodiversity in Costa Rica

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Clean water and air from revitalised ecosystems and forests, combined with universal healthcare and education, has seen child mortality fall by 70% and life expectancy leap from 74 to 80+ years since 1980.

An exotic tree frog in the Costa Rican rainforest

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Money from booming ecotourism cascaded through the country. Jobs as park rangers, guides and eco-lodge staff lifted rural communities out of poverty. And the government put money in the pockets of landowners for conserving forests rather than cutting them down for timber and cattle pastures.

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

As Costa Rica’s rainforests rebounded, tourism boomed. Millions of visitors began flocking to the country every year to marvel at its lush forest cover, volcanoes and wildlife reserves. Ecotourism now accounts for ~8% of GDP and is one of the country’s largest sources of foreign income.

Tourists trek through the Costa Rican rainforest

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Costa Rica is one of the only countries in the world with no army! They abolished it in 1948, meaning they could spend their money on education, healthcare and environmental protection instead.

Costa Rican soldiers celebrate the abolition of the army in 1948

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Political unity was one of the key factors. Politicians of all parties buried their hatchets and agreed that the drive to conserve Costa Rica’s biodiversity transcended all other matters.

Carlos Alvardo, former president of Costa Rica

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

But Costa Rica’s leaders launched a national nature rescue plan in the 1980s and 1990s. Landowners were paid to preserve existing forests, plant trees and grow back deforested areas. Today, more than half of Costa Rica is covered in forests and it's one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth.

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Nature was in deep trouble in Costa Rica in the 1980s. Over 75% of the country’s forests had been destroyed for cattle farming and farming. Animals were vanishing and ecological collapse loomed.

Deforestation in Costa Rica in the 1980s

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

They want you to think that protecting nature will make us all poorer, sicker and sadder. It's a lie - as Costa Rica proves. The Central American country’s extraordinary push to protect its rainforests and nature made its people happier, healthier and wealthier. Here’s how. 🧵

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

The corrupt and murderous politicians are only the symptoms. The root cause are the billionaire oligarchs and their global disinformation apparatus. That's who we need to target.

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

If you wondering what to do about the endless bait and switch nonsense from the Muskrat and his Orange attack dog...

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Steve Tooze @rebelhack.bsky.social · 20/09/2024

Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #6,149,513!

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