Archive for eco friendly
Nature Lover’s Paradise: Unique ecotourism destination
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been working many years as a travel agent specializing in Costa Rica. As a result, now I pretty much know everything about this small yet unique country. The country is now on the forefront of “World Ecotourism”.
If you ask me to find out the special places out there, I would certainly recommend some unique eco-tourism sites for the nature lovers. I would also highly recommend them to every eco-tourist.
Nature Lover’s Paradise: Unique ecotourism destinations
1. Tortuguero Canals: This unique place is on the Caribbean (Atlantic) side of Costa Rica. I have wrote thoroughly about it in my extensive articles on Mawamba Lodge and the Tortuguero Canals. Visit www.costaricalearn.com and search for Tortuguero. You may also find them on the web www.grupomawamba.com
2. Poas Volcano National Park: This place is situated in approximately 15 miles north of Alajuela in the Central Valley. Poas Volcano is inactive at the moment, however, you can cherish the beautiful view you find there. It is a very large and beautiful geyser which, after looking down on it, you can see a large blue-green gurgling of pool of hot steam.
3. Doka Plantation Four Generations Coffee Tour, Costa Rica: If you are at the Poas Volcano area, just drive five miles outside of Alajuela for a must seen site. You can see the place and learn more about coffee. You can see how it is handpicked, processed and packaged according to quality before it is exported. You can taste the different varieties of coffee here to make your decisions, and of course, they give you some of it as a souvenir!
4. Arenal Volcano National Park and Arenal Lake: This place can be touted as one of the best attractions in the world and is a tourist magnet.
5. Rincon de la Vieja National Park: One of the best place a ecotourist can be! It is situated in south western Pacific and is one of the most remote national parks in Costa Rica.
6. Corcovado National Park and Cano Island: This place can be said that one of the best places you can find in all Central America, familiar for its rich wildlife and birds. Corcovado National Park is actually a primary rain forest and has a lot of unusual trees, some with buttress of 4 meters in diameter. I would recommend you to visit the park with a guide because if you are alone, you might easily get lost in the dense and unforgiving forest. You can take a boat ride from the side-places to Cano Island which can remind you about Robinson Crusoe. With beautiful long stretches of unspoiled beaches to stroll upon, it is a day trip from the mainland. The place is uninhabited and you can find a very attractive scenery out there. And trust me, you can never sleep there, I mean, sleep won’t come at all!
Special Interest Tours can be done in 1 or 2 day or 1 day
1. Rancho Margot – Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal: If you want to see all the food growing organically, electricity driven by water powered generators, a unique setting allowing you to seen the beauty of Lake Arenal and a mighty river that runs through the middle of the property, this self sustaining ranch (learning center) is the place for you. This another nature lover’s paradise allows you to have a guided tour of the ranch or horseback rides to the peak with a view of lake Arenal you will never find anywhere else. The ranch also offers several beautiful bungalows for their guest and their food in the restaurant is awesome. You can also find a yoga center on the banks of the river there.
2. Sloth refuge, Aviarios del Caribe: The beautiful place is located around 19 miles south of Limon on the Caribbean coast. This is an excellent place for the treatment for the injured sloths. The injured ones are taken here, then after that, they are nursed back on the wild. Judy and her husband Larry built up this refugee camp and will charge around $25 for a tour. You will be able to see the learning of the baby sloths at the first hand and also will be able to learn about this strange creature’s lifestyle. The main attraction of this place is Buttercup, who was the first to be rescued from the highway when she was only a few months old and thus, the journey of the refugee camp had begun since.
Ecover Products – The Power of Nature – Product Review
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Living in Central America really limits my ability to buy eco-friendly cleaning products. There just doesn’t seem to be a big enough market here. Yet, some companies, that truly believe in improving our the state of our Earth are working their butts off to get these products in every nook and cranny of the world. I’m not sure how they’re doing in other parts of the world, but I can gladly say they have arrived to Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Naturally, I ran out and tried them out. Yes, they are quite pricey in comparison to local brands, but the difference is remarkable.
Ecover Products have won my vote over and over again.
Thes are the products I’ve chosen as a permenant fixture in my household:
This is an easy to use bathroom cleaner. Normally, whenever I use any cleaners in my bathroom, I have to run out gagging from the chemicals that are in each product. This freshly lime scented product worked well on the grime, and left my bathroom air light and easy to breathe.
It’s chrome friendly with plant based ingredients.
My other favorite product is the Washing Up Liquid Dish washing soap. Normally my skin gets all pruney, and old looking after spending too much time washing the dishes. Not that I like to spend too much time doing it, but sometimes you just have no choice. Plus, dishwashers aren’t really the norm here just yet.
I’ve had many people tell me, don’t use soap, just hot water. I tried that tactic for a while, but it just doesn’t feel like you’re cleaning them. Finally, after finding this product, i feel like I’m washing the dishes in a smooth shower gel. My hands feel soft after working them!
I know that the products are costly, however, if you use a little it goes a long way. And just think of all the great benefits you’re doing to our Mother Earth!
Costa Rica's Expotur – Carbon Neutral!
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EXPOTUR will be hosted at the Conference Center, Ramada Plaza Herradura Hotel, May 13-17/09.
This trade show event has been taking place for the past 25 years where the Costa Rican tourism industry showcases their latest and greatest services and products.
So what’s the big deal this year?
This year the goal is to make it carbon neutral. The Costa Rican Association of Professionals in Tourism (ACOPROT) and the National Fund of Forest Financing (FONAFIFO) have pledged a series of tree-planting events to preserve the rainforest of the country. Plus, there will be a bunch of eco-friendly travel how-to’s seminars given by different organizations such as:
Rainforest Alliance
National Geographic
Organization for Tropical Studies
So swing on over and let’s learn all about sustainable tourism and carbon neutral travel May 13-17 at Ramada Plaza Herradura.
Carnival Time – The Carnival of the Green
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Carnival Time – All Things Eco
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Sustainability Certification Program (CST) for Hotels and Tour Operators of Costa Rica
Posted by: | Comments“The program of Certification for Sustainable Tourism of the Costa Rican Tourist Board is an excellent tool to assist in the sustainable development of the country.”
~ Alvaro Ugalde, Founder of the Costa Rican National Parks System
The system is focused on encouraging businesses to operate and use natural resources in a sustainable fashion, and to encourage the healthy development of the surrounding communities. Not only does it measure turnover rates and employment numbers of the local people, but it looks at how much responsibility is taken by the company as they manage natural, cultural and social resources. The program is intended to balance these basic elements on a local and a national level.
Both tourism and non-tourism related organizations are encouraged to take a pro-active stance and to abstain from destroying natural, social and cultural resources. These are the main factors contributing to Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity and healthy society, and without them, the country would lose its unique and inviting qualities.
The rating system follows these important parameters:
1. Physical-Biological Parameters: Evaluates the interaction between the company and the surrounding habitat including the presence of gardens and natural areas, and protection of the native flora and fauna
2. Hotel Facilities: Evaluates the management policies and the operation systems within the company, its water and energy use, waste management and employee training.
3. Customers: Evaluates the interaction of the company with its clients in terms of how much it allows and invites them to be active contributors to the company’s policies of sustainability.
4. Socio-Economic Environment: Evaluates the interaction of the company with local communities and the population in general.
Plus, all establishments are encouraged to adopt eco-friendly programs for long term improvement:
1. Recycling programs
2. Proper disposal and treatment of waste
3. Implement water and energy saving systems
4. Conserve forests and surrounding green spaces
5. Contribute to reforestation
6. To work with neighboring communities to improve their way of life CST-Ranking-System
The rating system is on a scale of 0 to 5. If a business scores a 1, that means that they have taken the first step towards sustainability and will be re-evaluated later for progress. A level 5 signifies that the establishment is working at the highest level of sustainability.
How does all of this affect you, the consumer?
The price difference is usually negligible between hotels and other businesses that are certified and ones that are not. We encourage you to take a stance and choose a sustainable hotel or tour operator for your next visit to Costa Rica, this way more and more businesses will be encouraged to join in and start working for a more eco-friendly future. Contact us to learn more.
Change is a slow process but with the CST program in place, many Costa Rican companies are working hard to make a significant difference by preserving the natural environment and improving the local communities.
Note: The National Accreditation Commission is comprised of the Costa Rica Tourism Institute, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, the National Institute of Biodiversity, the University of Costa Rica, the Central American Institute of Business Administration, the National Tourism Chamber, the Earth Council and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
WOWGreen Household Products that are 100% Toxin-free made from 100% Recyclable Material
Posted by: | CommentsAmy has an interesting story because one of her sons was plagued with numerous food and environmental allergies from a young age. Helping to cure him, pushed their family to learn about living a more natural, non-toxic lifestyle. With all their research they found a became distributors for WOWGreen. WowGreen has one goal: to free the world of toxic chemicals one household at a time.
She sent me a few samples to try out at home and let me tell you. I’m hooked!
These are the products I tried out:
1. WOWGREEN all purpose cleaner – the texture felt light and it cut through my greasy kitchen.
2. WOWGREEN carpet and upholstery cleaner – I don’t really have a lot of carpets, so I experimented with my rug which has been filthy! I won’t lie to you by saying it looks like new, but the difference is remarkable.
3. Laundry detergent - I love this stuff. Really, I’m sooo over the corporate detergents and the residue that is constantly left on clothes. After using this detergent I was impressed how light my clothes felt, and there was no residue at all!
4. Glass and stainless cleaner – one of the biggest problems I face with window cleaners, besides the horrible smell that makes you gag, is that they always leave marks on your windows after you clean them, resulting in dirtier windows. I had none of these issues. I used this cleaner on my mirrors mainly, and they came out clean without any lines running through them.
The process for the majority of the cleaners is simple: Spray the surface you want to clean, let it sit for a minute or so, then rub it off with a moist cloth. Simple, no hassle. And the best part it’s all made from 100% recyclable material!
I definitely recommend trying this brand out. And let’s begin the change with your household!
Stock up on Facial and Eye Serums
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My parents just recently came to visit.
Well, in Costa Rica it’s not that simple as to just go to your neighborhood beauty store and buy a wonderful organic, or even all natural facial serum. And if you do use the regular facial creams like estee lauder, clinque. You have to pay triple the price because of the custom taxes that are paid here. So, my only solace is when I go to the States to stock up or wait til someone visits. Which, actually, happens often:)
Before my parents arrived, I did my research. It’s so hard, when you can’t feel the product and put it on. So, you just gotta trust what the companies say.
After tons and tons of site surfing, I decided on two companies:
Taylor Made Herbs & Aromatherapy
They both are very strict on the ingredients they use and more specifically what they don’t use:
paraben, phthalate, mineral oils, petrochemicals, synthetic toxic chemicals, and sodium laureth sulphate (SLS)
Plus they are 100% animal cruelty free, Certified Vegan.
Sounds good to me.
From Wild Natural Beauty I bought the Refresh Vitamin C Natural Facial Serum.
I have to say, some products just wow the bejesus out of you. This one, not so much. I found it to be a bit heavy on the skin. I naturally have an oily complexion, so it didn’t really help that. Plus, I can’t really say there is a difference. Since I stocked up and bought two of these bottles, I have to think of who doesn’t read this blog to give it to as a gift:)
From Taylor Made Herbs & Aromatherapy I bought the Calendula Chamomile Facial & Eye Serum.
This is what sold me:
An intense superior anti-a
ging, age defying serum made with nourishing oils, extracts, pure essential oils and CO2 extracts. Used for normal to sensitive skin, this eye and facial serum is packed with antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and nature’s natural collagen booster. Moisturize those fine lines, wrinkles, and crows feet with our elegant Eye and Facial Serums.
Rosehips CO2 Seed Oil – High in essential unsaturated fatty acids, namely oleic, linoleic, and linolenic. Rosehip seed oil is also high in vitamins C and A, and has remarkable skin rejuvenating properties. It is extremely effective against irregular skin pigmentation, burns, and early aging wrinkles.
Sounds great, right. The thing is, it’s all different oils: Rose hip, Avocado, Calendula, Aloe Vera and other essential oils. It’s sooooooooooo heavy. A teeny drop goes and goes. Honestly, I believe it’s great for anti aging. However, I don’t recommend to use it in the morning. The greasiness of it goes into your eyes and you can’t see anything.
Traveling the Green Blogosphere
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The hot topic on the Green Platform is natural dyes for Easter Eggs.
Granted this year we’re going to be in Guatemala, the furthest thing from Easter Egg hunts. I’ll fill you in on the incredible Easter celebrations there. However, I do want to write about some great green bloggers and their alternatives for egg dyes.
Over Coffee – The Green Edition - has come done her research on some great articles and has some interesting recipes for color dyes.
Green Living Ideas gives a step by step recipe with a super important ingredient:
A measure of patience and tolerance for a messy work area!
to make a wonderful Easter egg dyes and even decorations.
Over at The Green Connoisseur Blog they show the Easter Egg Tradition with a twist. Or maybe I’m just out of the crafty world even worse than I though. However, I love their Easter eggs. As a mom of a 5 year old, I don’t know how much my son would find them fun to play with. But they are sooooooo beautiful!
Tales from a Tiny Apartment has the same gorgeous eggs and this blog really explains how to do them step by easy step. Each ingredient easy to find. However, I’m not crafty AT ALL, so I know I personally wouldn’t be able to do this, even with the important ingredients of patience and tolerance. But I know some of my readers are wonderful at it, so enjoy this post!
Here’s a great table of Natural Egg Dye Recipes from Lakewinds
| Natural Colorant | Egg Color | Directions | Hints |
|---|---|---|---|
| turmeric powder | bright yellow to deep gold | Put -1-2 tsp. ground turmeric powder in heat proof cup. Fill 2/3 full with boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar. | Works quickly. Turmeric stains so be careful. Wipe dusty spice residue from eggs. |
| chopped red cabbage | blue/teal | Put 2-3 tbsps. chopped red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar. | Let sit overnight. Avoid excess handling. |
| onion skins, yellow | light peach to gold/orange | Use 1 large handful of onion skin for each cup of water. Simmer 20 minutes then add 1 tsp. of white vinegar. | A perennial favorite. Easy. |
| grape juice | blue to purple | Add 1 cup frozen juice concentrate to 1 tsp. vinegar. | Eggs may be simmered right in the juice to cook. |
| grated red beets | magenta red | Put 2-4 tbsps. freshly grated beets in heat safe cup. Fill 2/3 with boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar. | Speckled design. Dye may be strained before use. Orange beets may be used to obtain saffron color. |
| red cabbage & turmeric | green | Pour scant tsp. of turmeric and 2-3 tbsps. of chopped red cabbage in a heat safe cup then add boiling water. | Speckled design. Wipe vegetable off with damp cloth. |
| red cabbage & beet | purple | Put 2 tbsps. grated beet and 2 tbsps. red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water. | Striking and intense. |
| onion skins, red | pale celadron green | See directions for yellow onion skins. | Allow long steeping time. |
More Traveling the Green Blogosphere
Traveling the Green Blogosphere
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Since I’m a newbie to blogging, and I want to get to know my other blogger friends, I’m starting my own travels around the Green Blogosphere!
Interesting Articles
Costa Rica along with its neighboring countries has been under going major land consumption is super rural areas. Since land is cheap here, the customers are mainly interested in buying up as much as they can, clearing it of every living thing and then planting the highly controversial African Palm. Passionate Green blog, has a great article about this!
Who is balanced? I know I’m struggling daily to find my balance, however, Healthy Green Moms deals with the subject.
My son is the most fussiest eater on this side of the planet! I am bending over backwards lately to get good food into him, but it’s a super challenge. Hip Organic Mama has some great ideas how to serve veggies.
Crunch Chicken raises an interesting point about birthday candles. Do you have a good solution?
Mindful Momma found a great site to find and rate products for health and environment GoodGuide.
Even though I can’t enjoy this particular new goody, Mom Goes Green talks about Green Dry Cleaning. Her article is full of interesting facts about how damaging dry cleaning is.
I’ve read a ton of articles about toxins in shampoos and kid shampoos. Non-toxic Kids has written a great post explaining what to look for and which companies to stay away from. Since I lot of the wonderful options don’t exist for us here in Costa Rica, Bio-land products are all free of toxic chemicals and additives. I’m partial to the Aloe Vera and Chamomile shampoos for my son’s bath.
Great Products
I am constantly at my wit’s end about the amount of plastic bags I use for everything. Even for my son’s lunch, I put it in plastic bags. Granted, I use the SAME BAG for a good two weeks, til it’s falling apart:)
Green Mom Finds got a great product to help stop plastic bag usage!
When visit in the States my mom surprised my son with organic candy. Since this was before I was a freak about greening up my life, I didn’t pay any attention to it. She told me that she got them at the local health food store, but when I returned they were all out. Over Coffee reviews a great candy store that is organic and yummy Natural Candy Store.
Costa Rica is sooooo rich with produce that I find myself doing the ultimate sin and throwing away good veggies and fruit that rots because we can’t eat it all. I’m glad I have a compost pile, I don’t feel that bad. However, Practical Nourishment talks about dehydrating. I am going to get me one of these!!!
In response to my Greening it up, wacko style post Misty at Environmental (ish) confessed to having an elephant poo journal. Plus, she sent me a great link where they sell it and other weird green fun stuff, Greenward Shop
More Traveling the Green Blogoshere
