Sustainable Tourism at Bosque del Cabo
We at Bosque del Cabo have pledged our time, funds and hearts to preserving this beautiful area surrounding our eco lodge. We believe that we have the duty to not only use our surroundings for our own comfort and convenience, but also to respect, foster and protect that environment.
We believe that there is an interdependence of human beings and nature, and that our actions must try to reflect that symbiotic relationship. In this spirit, we have created Bosque Verde, which is an environmentally focused program for our staff and our guests that strives to provide education and guidance for ways in which we can lessen our negative impact on the Costa Rica environment and actually create positive habits and procedures for a more sustainable and renewable relationship with our natural environment. Here are some of the ways that we are trying to implement these ideas:
We believe that there is an interdependence of human beings and nature, and that our actions must try to reflect that symbiotic relationship. In this spirit, we have created Bosque Verde, which is an environmentally focused program for our staff and our guests that strives to provide education and guidance for ways in which we can lessen our negative impact on the Costa Rica environment and actually create positive habits and procedures for a more sustainable and renewable relationship with our natural environment. Here are some of the ways that we are trying to implement these ideas:
Education
- Providing forums for guests to learn about local conservation, wildlife programs & general information about rainforests
- Providing guidelines for workers regarding recycling at the lodge and in their own homes
- Educating staff on hunting and conservation of natural resources
- Sponsoring/promoting beach health & awareness of the need to keep beaches pristine & natural by sponsoring cleanups
- Hosting interns from around the world in order for them to learn about sustainable tourism
- Exposing guests to local culture such as dance classes, local crafts, and reading materials about the area
- Sponsoring 3 children of Bosque employees to attend local bilingual school (Nueva Hoja)
Waste Management
- Reusing building materials from previous structures for new constructions whenever possible
- Providing receptacles and transportation to recycling center of plastic, aluminum, and glass for staff and guests
- Recycling of paper, envelopes, packing materials, newspapers and anything feasible to recycle
- Reusing fresh food scraps as compost for our gardens
- Donating cooked food scraps to a local farmer for feeding his pigs
- a practical choice we recommend at Bosque del Cabo:
When Kim & Phil had their first child together, Ben, they were looking for an alternative to plastic disposable diapers. They calculated that at about 60 diapers a week, and baby in diapers for at least the first two years, that would be over 6,000 diapers in the landfill! And that was just one baby (baby Sam followed Ben a couple of years later). Conventional disposable diapers are the third largest contributors to landfills in the world. And yet only five percent of the population uses them. And a single disposable diaper can take up to 500 years to biodegrade in the landfill. Since the Spiers own Bosque del Cabo, they know exactly how much solid waste is generated by the lodge and themselves, and they wanted to reduce this waste with the diapers. So, they found the gdiaper system. The diapers are cloth with velcro, with inserts held in place by plastic snap in liners that can be washed. gRefills are disposable diaper inserts that you tuck inside little gPants diaper covers, and the inserts are either flusable or compostable (it takes about 2 months for them to completely disappear). They’re the only 100% certified biodegradable diaper there is. An absorbent diaper that is better for baby and better for the planet. Sam is almost out of diapers now, but the Spiers used gdiapers for both boys, and passed their cloth diapering system on to other mothers when the boys grew out of them. Bosque wanted to pass on the information about this system to all our friends and family, and the larger Bosque family. We loved this system, and recommend that our guests consider using these diapers for their children and when they travel to Bosque (to reduce the impact on the environment)! Please let us know if you have any questions about our experiences with gdiapers. GDiapers.com
Low or Zero Impact Practices
- Implementation of a constructed wetlands filtration system for processing of grey water
- Use of organic compost as fertilizer
- Construction with mainly bamboo and plantation grown wood
- Biodegradable soaps and cleaning products used whenever possible
- Drainages around lodge created with erosion control measures and plantings
- Provide carpools for workers to decrease number of vehicles coming and going from town
- Reduce number or vehicles going to town by combining guest transfers when possible
- Creation of reusable bags for transport of laundry and etc to and from town
- Provide signage in cabinas asking for guest cooperation in reducing water use, power use and unnecessary sheet/towel washing
- Use of biodegradable straws and stir sticks at the bar
- Participation with the Costa Rica Tourism Board in their Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST), a program meant to protect the country’s cultural and natural treasures through responsible tourism ().
Alternative Energy
- Creation of most of lodge power with micro-hydro and solar system
- Implementation of low power consuming LED & compact florescent light bulbs for fixed lights & flashlights
- Use of non-chemical ionizing system and solar run pool pump for the pool maintenance
Focus on Local Community
- Cooking with local ingredients
- Preparing local dishes and typical food as a way to encourage local Costa Rican culture and traditions
- Buying majority of food supplies locally
- Buying/cooking with organically grown food when possible
- Hiring of mostly locals/Costa Ricans for staff
- Selling primarily locally or nationally crafted souvenirs in our shop
- Hosting a local artisan once a week to display and sell her work directly to our guests
Support & Participation
- Hosting Annual Bosque del Cabo Jungle Golf Tournament (all proceeds go to Women of the Osa causes)
- Hosting of Annual Science Meeting of Friends of the Osa
- Active participation in Friends of the Osa and their related projects
- Donations to multiple projects by local and international organizations focused mostly on community development and conservation