Positive Changes in Countries Part 18 – Remarkable Governments, Remarkable Citizens: Dominica, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador

The Commonwealth of Dominica, a small island country rich in natural beauty, is part of a group called the Lesser Antilles, situated in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica’s treasures include Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which was recognized by UNESCO in 1997 as a World Heritage Site. Protected areas such as these are home to a variety of plants and animals found only in Dominica, like our national bird, the Imperial Amazon, as well as the Red-necked Parrot and the Blue-headed Hummingbird. Moreover, following a resolution that banned single-use plastic and styrofoam in 2019, the Dominican government distributed cloth shopping bags to households across the nation in February 2020 as encouragement for all citizens to go plastic-free. The long, 1,300-kilometer coastline of the Dominican Republic is home to vast constellations of coral reefs and unique marine wildlife. Some of these are unique reef-building species that are found only in the Caribbean region. In 2018, the Southeast Marine Sanctuary was established as a new marine protection area covering 786,300 hectares of coral reef environment. The capital city of Santo Domingo is also home to a flourishing vegan scene. Plant-based dining is on the rise in this buzzing three-million people metropolis. Healthy-living enthusiasts, animal lovers and tourists alike can enjoy the city’s growing selection of delicious vegan offerings. The Republic of Ecuador, a small country located on the northwestern coast of South America, awes the world with her diverse landscape and colorful flora and fauna. Home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites that include the vast Sangay National Park as well as the unique Galápagos Islands, Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Toward the goal of environmental balance, Ecuador has supported the adoption of sustainable farming practices as well as efforts to protect water, land and forests. Ecuador has also joined a collective of Latin American nations that are striving for 70% renewable energy usage by 2030. A vegan trend is also on the rise in Ecuador. There are now over 100 vegan and vegetarian restaurants featured in cities throughout the country.