Eco Policies
 Eco-design
Following the walkways your will find nestled in a green sanctuary of natural beauty individual bungalows that are intimate and insure the privacy that our guest need. The bungalows at Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge are designed of the natural circulation of air with large louvered windows let in the tropical breezes.
Energy
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.
Conservation
The hotel is actively working on two different programs of sustainable tourism, one with a non-profit organization, Rainforest Alliance and another with the Costa Rica Tourist Board. This entails and education programs in many different areas including, best practices in sustainable tourism and environmental protection, emergency response and first aid, handling of solid waste and recycling and imparting information on protected areas and the socio-cultural realities of our communities.
Ecological sustainability
The lodge is working on our new systems to compost organic material and handles 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.
Community
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: |
