Costa Rica Has Powered Itself Solely Using Renewable Energy This Year

Costa Rica is a sustainable oasis.

It's a true paradise comprised of several islands, where the people center their lives around the ideology of living harmoniously within their society as well as their environment.

In fact, "pura vida" is the common greeting used by natives in the country, and it means exactly what it translates to in English: pure life.

And it's truly more than just a saying exchanged while walking along the soft sand that meets the country's Atlantic or Pacific coasts; it's a way of life.

This year, in its first quarter, Costa Rica has solely used renewable energy, eradicating the use of fossil fuels from the national grid entirely.

That's 76 days of absolutely sustainable energy being used to power an entire nation.

I visited the beautiful country that is Costa Rica this year and was lucky enough to explore the island over the course of a 12-day trip.

I learned about the environmental efforts in every aspect of Costa Rican life: Banana trees were being used to prevent runoff and pollution in coffee plantations, and tourism excursion groups like Rainforest Adventures were entirely eco-friendly and 100 percent self-sustained.

The country has long been considered one of the most environmentally friendly nations in the world. Last year, 80 percent of its energy was made from hydropower plants, which provided 99.4 percent of all households with electricity, according to CNET.com.

The country is planning to further its sustainable energy efforts after approving a $958 million geothermal plant that will tap into the nation's volcanos to extract their vast resources.

Ten points for you, Costa Rica.