5 leaves at the Harmony Hotel

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...

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

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

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: