 Our Commitment to the Environment
Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge is the balance achieved between the luxury of the accommodation and the wilds of the jungle: the consumerism of the tourists and the interests in the environment.
Alastair Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada
 Casa Corcovado since its beginning in 1994 has tried to be an example of responsible and sustainable tourism. We have made great efforts to show that alternative energy sources can be practical and are the best option for remote locations. Our solar electric system using photovoltaic panels may have higher start up cost but in the long run is more economical and is non-polluting.
The micro-hydroelectric, “Pelton Wheel” turbine, that we use to produce a good part of our energy is very cost efficient and does not alter stream flow to any considerable extent. We use a very unusual type of “Induction Generation” that uses an electric motor as a generator, an interesting idea for rural communities. It has worked flawlessly for over 10 years.
Some of our bungalows get their hot water from a hybrid solar convection and propane gas heater system and the others from propane gas heaters. Propane gas is a by-product of oil drilling and burns very cleanly.
 Many of our refrigerators also burn propane gas, equipment that is imported from Brazil.
The wastewater from our hotel is handled with nine different septic tank systems, including the gray waters released by the kitchen and laundry.
The lodge is working on new systems to compost organic material and handle non-organic materials.
We created ‘’Ecological Islands’’ , re-cycling points, to encourage the proper disposal of solid waste.
We financed the building of a re-cycling center in Sierpe, collaborating with the local High School. The center can handle all of the re-cyclable materials from the Hotels and communities in the area and the earnings from this project go to help the school. Currently all our aluminum and glass in being re-cycled.
Part of our ‘’Working with Nature’’ program is our policy to wash guest bed linens every three days and towels when our guests feel it is needed, This practice can save large quantities of detergent and literally thousands of gallons of water.
 We invite you to visit the ‘’Green Corner’’ located in the ‘’Salon Corcovado’’ where our information board is located. You will find interesting news and articles about Costa Rica’s and Casa Corcovado’s efforts to protect our precious Natural Heritage.
We have been involved in many projects to support the National Park and local communities over the years. The owner of Casa Corcovado is the co-founder and president of the non-profit Corcovado Foundation. He felt that “Eco-Tourism” had to move to become more pro-active and to take a lead in protecting the environment. With the support of other lodge owners, the local community and international conservation organizations impressive results have been achieved. The Corcovado Foundation has taken a hands-on approach and is currently managing over 12 programs in the Osa Peninsula. Much work still needs to be done to preserve the natural heritage of Corcovado for future generations. If you would like more information on the Corcovado Foundation please see the web site at:
|
The Certification in Sustainable Tourism Program - CST - is a program of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT). CST was designed to grade businesses that work in the tourism industry based on the degree to which they comply with a sustainable and responsible model of tourism. The program encourages ‘’best practices’’ in the following areas: 
