Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality

Interesting news on green travel from Trip Advisor

2009-04-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Survey Finds Travelers Mostly Skeptical of Hotels’ Green Programs
By Glenn Hasek
04/24/2009

TripAdvisor just released the results of its recent environmentally-friendly travel survey of more than 1,200 U.S. respondents. For anyone running and marketing a green establishment, the survey includes some results worth noting, including this alarming finding: Seventy-two percent of travelers think hotels are more interested in marketing themselves as environmentally-friendly than actually being green (72 percent!), while just 10 percent think hotels are genuinely interested in being environmentally-friendly. Yikes!

What has our industry done to create such skepticism? Has greenwashing—defined as deceptive marketing—been that prevalent in our industry? What is at the root of this mistrust? Is it the towel and linen reuse programs that properties often promote but do not always carry out? Are people just skeptical by nature? What do you think?
Sometimes surveys will draw conclusions based on a sample size that is statistically insignificant but TripAdvisor’s survey included a reasonable sample number. Let’s assume that most of you are not doing a good enough job convincing your customers that your green efforts are sincere. What can you do differently? You certainly should not “shout” about your initiatives. Be subtle with your messaging. Back up what you “talk about” with facts. Thanks to the Internet, every guest who stays at your property has the potential to instantly convey their disappointment to their friends and countless others.

Focus on Internal Matters First
Do all of these things and more before even thinking about bragging about your property’s green efforts:
1. Concentrate on the value going green brings to your bottom line.
2. Set goals and focus on continuous improvement.
3. Create a mission statement and form a green team.
4. Implement the products, technologies and processes that will result in measurable impact.
5. Establish a culture of leadership and empowerment.
6. When you are ready to create your message, work with a marketing expert who understands the behavior of today’s consumers.

More TripAdvisor Survey Results

Are travelers willing to spend more to travel green? According to TripAdvisor, 45 percent of travelers won’t go green if it means spending more green. I am sure the current recession did not help that number. The good news is that twenty-seven percent of respondents said they are willing to spend $50 or more to be environmentally-friendly when traveling.

Thirty-three percent of travelers said they would pay more for a hotel with an environmental certification. For those of you who run establishments that have been certified green by a third party, have you thought of charging more simply because your property is green certified? You probably have not but you may want to think about how you could do that. Think about the different packages you could put together. Are there local businesses (restaurants, parks, zoos, museums, gardens, etc.) that would be willing to partner with you?

Seventeen percent of travelers reported staying at a hotel that didn’t live up to its eco-friendly promises. No surprise here.

The survey found that seventy-six percent of travelers sometimes incorporate green choices in their travel plans and 27 percent of respondents intentionally made environmentally-friendly travel choices in the past year. Fifty-two percent regularly find it challenging to incorporate green choices into their travel plans and 44 percent of travelers find that environmentally-friendly options are not readily available when traveling. This last finding amazes me, given the prevalence of available online green travel and lodging websites.
Most Participate in Linen/Towel Programs

In the past 12 months, 77 percent of respondents participated in a hotel’s linen/towel reuse program, 45 percent walked, biked, or took public transportation as much as possible during a trip to be greener, and 17 percent took their eco-friendly actions to the skies and paid more for a direct flight to reduce carbon emissions. Twelve percent of travelers have stayed at a hotel specifically because of its green policies. Thirty-seven percent believe that hotels with eco-friendly policies are making a difference.

The top five most important green hotel practices, according to survey respondents: recycling program, 74 percent; linen/towel reuse option, 73 percent; energy-efficient light bulbs, 71 percent; environmentally-friendly cleaning products, 60 percent; and low-flow toilets/showerheads, 59 percent.

Twenty percent of respondents said they don’t worry about eco-friendly options when traveling because they believe vacation is a time to indulge. Fifty-eight percent of travelers admit to being more eco-conscious at home, compared to when traveling. Of the environmentally-unfriendly actions committed during their travels, 41 percent of travelers own up to leaving on the heat or air-conditioning when not in their hotel room, 37 percent indulged in long showers, and 24 percent confessed to not recycling and/or reusing plastic bottles and cans.

Growing our own lettuce!

2009-04-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

We´re growing our own lettuce at Lapa Rios Ecolodge: http://blog.laparios.com/

5 leaves at the Harmony Hotel

2009-03-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

We have just been informed that the Harmony Hotel in Nosara (www.harmonynosara.com) is the first hotel in Costa Rica to have received a rating of five leaves from the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) on its first evaluation.

The CST is a complete, and rigorous, certification system, which is the only certification endorsed by the Costa Rican government, awards hotels “leaves” on a scale of one to five based on their sustainability achievements (much like the Mobile star rating which evaluate hotel services). The CST bases its judgements on four factors:

1. Biological-physical: How does a property impact and/or protect its surrounding environment?

2. Services and Infrastructure: How does the property’s operations (including product use and disposal, water and energy management, etc.) affect the environment?

3. Social-Economic environment: What impact does the property have on nearby communities to promote/provide education to its staff and community and to work with community service providers.

4. External client: How does the property promote and teach responsible tourism with guests who visit?

Currently, the CST is not mandatory for all properties in Costa Rica. For this reason, it is imperative that the consumer take an active role in looking for properties that are indeed participating in the certification process. By supporting organizations that are CST certified, you not only know where your money is being spent, but are showing your support for fair, honest and, above all, truly sustainable business practices. When you travel in Costa Rica, inquire about CST certification, ask questions and demand answers. Your travel decisions, and your “colones”, can truly make a difference.

To learn more about Costa Rica´s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST), visit: www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr for more information.

The Harmony Hotel Works to Green Its Restaurant...

2009-03-29T15:35:00.001-07:00

In an effort to push our sustainability program to the next level, we at the Harmony Hotel have decided to focus on “greening” our restaurant. According to the Green Restaurant Organization (www.dinegreen.com), which certifies restaurants for their efforts to incorporate sustainability into their operations, a sustainable restaurant should work to:

o Implement energy efficiency and conservation practices;
o Reduce water usage;
o Participate actively in recycling programs and work diligently to reduce food waste which can be composted to create rich soil;
o Eliminate all toxic and environmentally hazardous chemicals from restaurant operations;
o Purchase organic and/or sustainably produced fruits, vegetables and meats;
o Incorporate “green” materials and design into its architecture and building.

One of our first steps towards building a sustainable restaurant at Harmony was the creation of an onsite huerta (garden), which produces a number of fruits, vegetables an herbs that we have recently begun to incorporate into our menu. We are now growing: yuca (a starchy tuber grown in the tropics), cilantro de cayote (cilantro), papaya, zacate de limón (lemon grass), tilo and hierba buena (herbs used by locals to make teas). According to our executive chef Marco Leiva, “these products not only help us to lower our environmental impact by reducing the carbon emissions caused by transport, but are also of superior quality and taste”.

Our pajillas (straws) are also made from one of the “greenest” materials on earth: bamboo. These bamboo sticks are grown locally by Don Tino, the head of our gardening staff, and have been dried and cured for use in our freshly squeezed fruit juices and cocktails. In fact, two other hotels in Costa Rica have also caught on to the bamboo straw trend and have begun to buy straws from Don Tino as well.

Future plans for our sustainable restaurant include training local farmers on organic agriculture techniques in order to source more local produce and meat and to incorporate more traditional Costa Rican dishes with local ingredients on the menu. For more information on sustainable dining developments, check out our website at: http://www.harmonynosara.com/en/features.html

Recycling in China

2009-03-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

A really interesting article that just came out in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/business/worldbusiness/12recycle.html

Visit from Dean Johnson of the Cornell Hotel School

2009-03-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

We were fortunate enough to have Dean Michael Johnson and Meg Keilbach from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration here in Costa Rica. They were especially interested in the sustainability programs at Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality (and the coffee at Finca Rosa Blanca!). Here are some photos:

Good News from the NRDC!

2009-02-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

NRDC Names Costa Rica as a “BioGem”
Country aims to be carbon neutral by 2021; New BioGems Web site engages more than 400,000 activists

WASHINGTON (February 3, 2009) — For the first time, the Natural Resources Defense Council named a country – Costa Rica – as a BioGem today. The designation follows efforts by Costa Rica to become the world’s first carbon-neutral nation by 2021. BioGems are extraordinary and at-risk places that stretch from the Arctic in Alaska to Patagonia in Chile. Costa Rica joins 12 other BioGems across the Americas that NRDC is leading efforts to protect.

“Designating Costa Rica as a BioGem reflects NRDC's determination to support the country’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality and become a model for the world,” said Peter Lehner, NRDC’s Executive Director. "Our goal is to secure long-term environmental solutions to protect Costa Rica’s unique biodiversity and reduce pressure on its natural areas.”

Costa Rica, located in Central America, has two coastlines, tropical forests, mountains and volcanoes, and the world’s greatest density of animal and plant species – an estimated 500,000 – many of which are found nowhere else on the planet.

Despite a successful track record in protecting many of its natural riches, Costa Rica is facing growing pressure to open its coastlines to oil and gas drilling, clear forests for agro-industry, and recklessly grow its tourism infrastructure on the Pacific Coast, including the Osa Peninsula, the crown jewel of Costa Rica's biodiversity.

In order to help Costa Rica meet its carbon neutrality objective and achieve long-term environmental solutions, NRDC is working with its Energy and Environment Ministry to identify a series of measures to reduce and offset global warming pollution. NRDC also just signed an agreement with the national electric utility (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad) on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. In partnership with one of Latin America’s leading ecological facilities (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza), located in Costa Rica, NRDC has launched a rainforest rejuvenation project to plant 30,000 trees to restore a natural rainforest. These actions will help Costa Rica reaffirm its position as a global environmental leader.

Since 2001, NRDC has campaigned to save more than 30 special natural places throughout the Americas that offer sanctuary for endangered wildlife, curb global warming and provide livelihoods for local communities.

NRDC also redesigned the “Save BioGems” Web site with new features in order to more effectively mobilize more than 400,000 online activists to protect these areas. The site features a blog by NRDC wildlife experts; an action alert widget that can be embedded on social networks; interactive slideshows and video; and more Spanish-language content. It also includes an “Action Log” where BioGems activists can track their actions and achievements in protecting these areas.

“The success of the BioGems Initiative demonstrates the power of the Internet as a tool for conservation,” said Jacob Scherr, co-director of NRDC’s BioGems Initiative. “Save Biogems has enabled people around the world to have a voice in protecting some of the most unique wild places in our hemisphere.”

For more information, go to www.SaveBioGems.org.

# # #

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 1 million members and e-activists nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing. More information is available at www.nrdc.org.

Looking for Interns in Sustainable Tourism

2009-01-28T10:46:00.001-08:00

Position Overview

In an effort to stay up-to-date with worldwide sustainable tourism and development trends, we are searching for an intern who can help us to evaluate and report on our sustainability programs, provide insight into current sustainable tourism trends and offer suggestions for how Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality can improve on its sustainability program:

Specifically, candidates will be asked to:

• Create an in-depth report detailing the current sustainability programs at all three properties and Cayuga Corporate.

• Compare and contrast Cayuga Sustainability Hospitality and its hotels with other sustainability programs worldwide (including programs within and outside the tourism industry).

• Offer suggestions for how Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality and its hotels can improve upon its current sustainability programs to stay up-to-date with sustainable tourism trends.

Preferred Candidate Qualities

The following is a list of qualities that we seek out in our applicants:

• Ability to work independently and take on a leadership role in project
• Excellent written and verbal English. Conversational Spanish is preferable.
• Advanced knowledge of current sustainable tourism and development trends
• Experience in hotel and/or restaurant operations
• Professional attitude (able to meet deadlines, punctual, etc.)
• Ability to live and work in rural Latin American communities.

Time Frame/Compensation:

This internship will me commensurate with experience and includes a 10-day visit to each of our properties within Costa Rica (including room and board in staff housing while on property). Dates are flexible, but should fall between May-August 2009. Please note that international flights are not included in compensation package. The bulk of the internship (such as turning in reports and documents) will take place via online communication with Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality’s Director of Sustainability.

How to Apply/Contact Information:

Please submit your resume and cover letter by February 6, 2009 to:

Millay Kogan
Sustainability Coordinator
millay@cayugaonline.com

Resume and cover letter should be written in English, and should convey your reasons for applying to internship as well as any relevant experience that you may have in the specifications expressed in internship descriptions. Selected interns will be notified by February 9, 2009.

Maybe we should chill our beaches as well

2009-01-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

I just read this article on GreenInc (a great blog published in the New York Times) and couldn´t help but laugh thinking about us doing this in Costa Rica:

Global Tourism and a Chilled Beach in Dubai (http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/)

The idea of constructing an artificially cooled beach may sound a bit like an anachronistic excess in a world that is struggling to be more energy efficient. But a luxury hotel and condominium complex being constructed in Dubai by Gianni Versace, the Italian fashion house, will include a beach allowing guests to frolic on the sands — without becoming uncomfortably hot.

The hotel, Palazzo Versace, to be completed in 2010, is aimed at the ultra-rich who live in or visit the desert emirate, where summer temperatures can go above 120 degrees.

While some accounts of the plans for the beach say it will be cooled by air conditioning or even by refrigeration laid beneath the sand, other reports suggest the goal could be accomplished through clever landscaping and shading.

Speaking to The Times of London two weeks ago, Soheil Abedian, the founder and president of Palazzo Versace, said a refrigerated beach could also be sustainable. “We will suck the heat out of the sand to keep it cool enough to lie on,” Mr. Abedian told The Times. “This is the kind of luxury that top people want.”

Whether or not that proves to be true, the complex highlights a bigger issue for global climate policy wonks: the tourism industry. Visitors generate huge emissions jetting to tropical destinations and then inhabit hotels that frequently operate wasteful water, heating and cooling systems, and contribute to local pollution.

Wishing you a Green Christmas...

2008-12-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

I just saw this article posted on Time.com on how to "green" your Christmas:

Buy a potted or balled Christmas tree (roots still attached) so you can replant it in the backyard or donate it to the parks department. LivingChristmasTrees.org has lots of advice for do-it-yourselfers; it also "rents" living trees to residents of Portland, Ore., for $75 each. Friends of the Urban Forest of San Francisco (Fuf.net) rents nontraditional trees, such as Southern Magnolia and Strawberry, for $150, and replants them on city streets. Prefer a regular cut tree? Choose a real one that's grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers—ask local merchants if they have an organic farm supplier—or order from Freshchristmastree.com, a grower that ships to 46 states and uses sustainable methods. Then recycle: many municipalities collect trees to mulch. Search Earth911.org to find programs in your area.

LIGHTS

Choose LEDs (light-emitting diodes) instead of incandescent bulbs to decorate your tree and home. They're more expensive, but last much longer and use 80% to 90% less power than conventional mini bulbs. LEDs, which cast a bright white light, also stay cool to the touch so they won't singe the tree—or your child's fingers. Brookstone.com's oversized multicolored LEDs—$10 per 12-ft. strand—look just like the lights Dad used to put up.

GIFT GIVING

Do the folks on your list really need more stuff? If not, skip the store-bought presents and give a home-cooked gourmet meal or free night of babysitting instead, or donate to a charity in their name. Oxfamamericaunwrapped.com invites donors to "buy," for example, a camel ($175), cow ($75), sheep ($45), building tools ($25) or the planting of 50 trees ($30) as a way to support Oxfam's programs in developing countries (the recipient gets a card with a photo, not an actual cow). For more ways to give, go to Treehugger.com.

GIFT WRAP

Nobody will notice that you wrapped your gifts in brown bags from the grocery store if you add a pretty bow on top. Danny Seo, author of Simply Green Giving (he also blogs at http://dannyseo.typepad.com), recommends using old VHS and cassette tape (both curl nicely on a sharp scissors' edge), old Christmas lights, tape measures, shoelaces—really anything from the junk drawer that's long enough to tie around a box—for a vintage look. Instead of plastic bubble wrap to cushion the contents, try unshelled peanuts, dry pasta or polyester fill from old pillows. Seo also suggests using bandanas and other reusable cloths, and for bottles of wine, sleeves of old flannel shirts. Not fancy enough? Try Poinsettia hemp wrap from Paporganics.com or Importica.com's paper made from naturally shed mulberry tree bark. Smithandhawken.com sells recycled-paper wrap for $9 per 10-ft. roll. For more stylish ideas, go to Idealbite.com.

ORNAMENTS

Artist Jeff Clapp turns discarded aluminum oxygen canisters from Mt. Everest into decorative bells for $2,400 a pop. The leftover aluminum shavings make a nice tree ornament that someone might actually buy (the "Everest" balls are $48 for four at Eco-Artware.com). Or save your money and hang items from around the house—Barbie's accessories, Pez dispensers—using hemp twine.

WREATHS

An original door hanging fashioned out of retired aluminum street signs can be ordered for $140 at Eco-Artware.com, where you'll also find step-by-step instructions for creating a "silver bell" wreath using old soda cans and fishing line. McFaddenFarm.com, meanwhile, sells handmade garlands and wreaths of fresh bay leaf (harvested from the hills of Northern California, where it grows wild) that provide more than enough herb to cook with for six months or more.

TABLE D�COR

Most eco-friendly bamboo tableware is too drab for festive occasions, but not this Bambu Lacquerware, available at Branchhome.com for $12 each and up depending on size. Made in Vietnam from 100% organically grown bamboo (deemed green because it grows so fast), the bowls are coated in a natural lacquer and painted in six bright colors.

CANDLES

Another way to conserve electricity: burn candles. But toss the old ones—they could have lead wicks, which are toxic when burned and were banned in the U.S. only as recently as October 2003 (visit cpsc.gov for details). And choose soy, vegetable wax or beeswax—all renewable and biodegradable materials—over paraffin wax candles, which are petroleum based. Big Dipper Wax Works' 100% beeswax candles run $10 to $24 at 3Rliving.com.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Costa Rica and Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality!

Just like in Lapa Rios...

2008-12-05T05:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/science/earth/04meat.html?_r=1&em

CST CST CST

2008-11-30T13:34:00.001-08:00

We are busy preparing for the CST in the Harmony Hotel, hoping to win five leaves upon our first evaluation (which has never been done thus far!).

The Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) is a rigorous certification system, administered by the Costa Rican ministry of tourism, that awards hotels with a sustainability rating of “leaves” based on a scale of one to five that is similar to the Mobile Star evaluation of hotel services.

The CST bases its judgments on four factors:

1. Biological-Physical: How does the property impact and protect its surrounding environment?

2. Services and Infrastructure: How do the property’s operations affect the environment?

3. Social-Economic Environment: What effect does the property have on nearby communities, including staff and community education as well as working with community service providers?

4. External Client: How does the property promote and teach responsible
tourism with guests?

People frequently ask us why is it necessary for the Harmony Hotel to be “certified” as a green hotel when we are already implementing a number of sustainability practices. We have found that, in a climate where “green-washing” has exploded as a
marketing ploy, it is an important part of our mission to identify the Harmony Hotel as genuine in its passionate commitment to the environment and local community throughout every level of its operations. In doing so, we can help travelers to create an itinerary that is truly aligned with their ecological interests and concerns.

The CST is not currently mandatory for all properties in Costa Rica, which
makes it even more imperative that the consumer chooses from CST certified
properties. By doing so, they will support fair, honest and, above all,
truly sustainable business practices.

And the winner of the 2008 Sustainability Contest is...

2008-11-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

HANS PFISTER!

The 2008 Sustainability Contest awarded members of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality for their efforts in incorporating sustainability into their personal lives and homes. While the competition was tough, Hans (the president of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality) beat out other members of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality by installing solar panels to heat the hot water of his home, purchasing biodegradable cleaning products for his home, compensating the carbon emissions by his international flights and much more. Hans has received a free trip to Tranquilo Bay in Bocas del Toro, Panama (http://www.tranquilobay.com/home.htm) in March. Felicidades Hans!

Sustainability Makes $ense

2008-10-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hans and I just participated in a conference sponsored by the Cornell School of Hotel Administration called "Sustainability Makes $ense". The event was very interesting: a great mix of hoteliers, academics, architects and more all discussing why, and how, tourism and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Here are some pictures from the event:

Making soap from used cooking oil!

2008-10-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

In rural areas of Costa Rica that lack proper waste management controls, the disposal of oils (such as those produced in hotel kitchens) can serious environmental implications, polluting local rivers and streams. In an effort to effectively deal with used cooking oil produced onsite, Arenas del Mar has started to make its own soap made from used cooking oil which is used in employee housing areas (some of it has even been scented with natural mint and other flavors).

Here is a photo of Geiner (the head of our landscaping department) and his team creating the soap:

Even the dogs are recycling...

2008-10-01T22:12:00.001-07:00

The 2008 Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality Sustainability Contest is still underway. This contest evaluates how well members of Cayuga our incorporating sustainability practices into their own homes and everyday lives. Today I visited Maria Jose and Fabian Palma house and was impressed to see that even their dog Clito is participating in the recycling process...

The winners will be announced by mid December...

TravelMart Latin America 2008-Quito, Ecuador

2008-09-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

This year, Maria Jose and I were fortunate enough to attend TravelMart Latin America in Quito Ecuador. Here were are representing Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality:

It was really amazing to see hotels and tour operators from all over Latin America. And we were ESPECIALLY impressed by the sustainable efforts of the event itself (organized by the Rainforest Alliance). Here is Maria Jose with a refillable water bottle:

And here are recycling bins that were placed in every stand:

Lapa Rios supports the Wild Cat Conservation Project

2008-08-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lapa Rios Ecolodge has just begun to offer a tour that allows guests to join a wild cat research expedition!

The Wild Cats Conservation project began in 2006 to determine the status of feline populations and their prey on the Osa Peninsula. This project uses cameras and video equipment to catch wild cats in action, allowing us to study their behavior and population densities in order to better protect and save these highly endangered species.

This tour allows guests to join biologist Aida Bustamante as she installs and reviews camera traps that will generate relevant photos and data important that will generate relevant photos and data important to the survival of these precious creatures. Your support will make a huge difference in the conservation of the Osa Peninsula
. Visit www.laparios.com for more information.

Osa Conservation

2008-08-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Just received great news that a HUGE track of land adjacent to the Lapa Rios property has just been donated to Friends of the Osa (a nonprofit organization in the area that is working towards the conservation and protection of the Osa Peninsula). Congrats to Friends of the Osa for all of their hard work! See www.osaconservation.org for more information.

Sustainability Contest!

2008-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Cayuga Sustainability Contest is underway, awarding members of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality for their efforts in incorporating sustainability into their personal lives. Winners receive a weekend at Tranquilo Bay in Bocas del Toro, Panama (http://www.tranquilobay.com/home.htm).

Arnay Garcia from Lapa Rios Ecolodge received 2 points for using biodegradable cleaning products!

Paper vs. Plastic

2008-07-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

I just read this article, which recently came out in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/science/29tier.html?em&ex=1217476800&en=c2f6b5dd36564fec&ei=5087%0A

This article states the following:

"Evil plastic bags. Take it from the Environmental Protection Agency : paper bags are not better for the environment than plastic bags. If anything, the evidence from life-cycle analyses favors plastic bags. They require much less energy — and greenhouse emissions — to manufacture, ship and recycle. They generate less air and water pollution. And they take up much less space in landfills."

And it struck me as yet another example of how trying to go "green" or "sustainable" is not always as easy as it appears, that real research, analysis and investigation is truly needed in order to make a worthwhile decision and that the simple answer is not necessarily the best.

First Green Drinks in Manuel Antonio

2008-06-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, Arenas del Mar hosted its first Green Drinks meeting. Green Drinks is an international organization brings together people who work in the environmental field for informal gatherings. With meetings all over the world, Green Drinks work to bring together a mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. It's a great way of catching up with people you know, making new contacts in the “green industry” and promoting the concept of “green” worldwide. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network. These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity.

While our first Green Drinks event in Arenas del Mar was small, we see a lot of potential to bring together the environmental community in Manuel Antonio. I personally spent some time talking with a couple from North Carolina about their solid waste issues, a builder from Oklahoma who is pioneering the green building movement in Oklahoma city and a local couple that runs a horseback riding company in Manuel Antonio...

Green Drinks-Manuel Antonio will be held monthly at Arenas del Mar. Contact our Hugo, our Sustainability Director, at sostenibilidad@arenasdelmar.com for more information. Hope to see you at the next event!

Biodegradable Plastic!

2008-06-17T16:40:00.001-07:00

I feel like all I do is write about plastic these days.

We just ordered these reusable water bottles that are 100% biodegradable and a great substitute for the traditional, single-use PET plastic bottle (see Jorge Arrieta being a responsible consumer). After 18 months, these water bottles will supposedly break down completely into carbon dioxide, water and biomass, helping us to reduce the amount of PET plastic that we both buy and produce. A small step, but one in the right direction we hope...

A solution to the plastic bag epidemic?

2008-05-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

I just read this article and can´t really express how excited I am:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/05/28/breakthrough-decomposes-plastic-bags-in-three-months/#more-11201

According to this article, a teenage prodigy has found a way to break down plastic bags in just three months. By isolating the microorganisms that break down plastic, this teenager has found a way to solve one of our hugest solid waste issues in Costa Rica.

Plastic bags make up a large portion of trash that cannot be recycled. They are strewn along the beaches and roads of Costa Rica and wind up piled up in open-air botaderos (dumps) hidden away in the country side.

We at Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality have been doing our best to minimize our use of this ubiquitous plastic, attempting to use reusable cloth bags or plastic vegetable crates. We always believe that it is better to avoid producing waste in the first place, to examine our consumption policies before we consider disposal. And back in 2006, Lapa Rios Ecolodge (www.laparios.com) sponsored a workshop that taught local women how to weave beautiful handbags made from recycled plastic (http://blog.laparios.com/2007_11_01_archive.html). All of this is a step in the right direction...

But, if what this article says is true and there is a way to actually decompose existing plastic bags in landfills, it will truly be a breakthrough. I´m excited to see about how this story develops...and will make sure to keep everyone posted.

Organic cotton? Bamboo sheets?

2008-05-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that materials made from sustainable sources (such as organic cotton and bamboo sheets) are becoming readily available in the marketplace. From what I have read, the amount of pesticides used in the production of traditional cotton is astounding and has had very detrimental effects on the environment. To think about the amount of cotton we buy in the form of towels, sheets and uniforms, and to then think about the number of huge hotel chains in the world, it really makes me realize how big of an impact we in the hotel industry really can have.

However, just like the organic food movement, the first products that were in the market were extremely expensive, luxury items. For the average person, or the average hotel, the purchase of these products just wasn´t feasible. I remember looking at packets of organic cotton sheets that were going to cost us around $200 a set. Believe me, I am 100% in favor of supporting green products, but $200 a set is one thing for home use (if you pay $200 for a set of organic cotton sheets, you KNOW you will take care of them) but a whole other ballgame for hotel use, where the use, and carelessness of the users (vacationers tend not to think about their impact on our linen department...nor should they!) increases substantially.

Fortunately, it looks like things are changing. I just read an article, for example, on a blog called GLiving about how the clothing retailer H&M has begun to incorporate more and more clothing made out of organic materials into its designs:

http://gliving.tv/fashion/organic-fashion-by-hm-popping-up-like-those-damn-pinkberries/

Additionally, we at Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality have just found a really good source of bamboo/cotton blend sheets that are affordable AND available in Costa Rica. However, to complicate the issue even further, I just read this article:

http://sattlerclothing.com/blog/tag/bamboo-clothes/

in which the CEO of Patagonia Outdoor Clothing (a company that I admire dearly for their sustainability efforts) points out that while bamboo may be a very sustainably grown product, the process of turning it into clothing needs a great deal of toxic chemicals.

We´ve always known that it´s not easy to be green. Certifications often don´t indicate what they say they do and green washing (especially in the hospitality industry) is extremely prevalent. And even when we think we are being green (such as in the case of buying bamboo sheets), we may not actually be making the best decision. Maybe we should just opt for organic cotton?

Next time you visit one of our hotels, make sure to ask us what our sheets and towels are made out of; it is your responsibility as a consumer to ask these important questions and our responsibility as a sustainable hotel company to find the answer.