The 22 islands along Peru's coastline where guano – bird droppings used to make fertilizer – are a reminder of the asymmetric prosperity that characterized 19th century Peru, when the country exported this product in large quantities to the United States and Europe. Back then, Chinese coolies where sent to these islands to collect guano. Labor conditions were harsh: they harvested the guano under the sun and ended the day covered in seagull excrement. The situation is not much different for today's guano laborers. Now, the demand for organic products around the world has renovated global interest for guano. It is a natural and powerful fertilizer that satisfies the demands of "green" consumers who are against the use of chemicals in agriculture.
