Costa Rica Ecotourism & Wildlife Refuge<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Our DNA has been green right from the start.<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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One of the early advocates of eco-tourism was founder and CEO Jim Damalas,\nwho helped pioneer the concept of sustainable hospitality 30 years ago, with the\ngroup\u2019s first property, S\u00ed Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge, in Manuel Antonio.\nToday Si Como No is a recognized leader in sustainable hospitality in Costa Rica,\nand beyond. Sustainable hospitality is the unifying principle that connects all the\nstaff and management and is expressed through our passionate and deeply held\nconviction to respect, honor, and protect the Magic of Nature.<\/p>
Those values are the foundation of our brand, resulting in a behavioral\ncommitment to continuous improvement in sustainable hospitality. It is how we\ndeliver exceptional Costa Rica experiences that are shaped around the unique\nregion of rainforest of Manuel Antonio.<\/p>
Reducing our carbon footprint while increasing our activity in protecting the\nnatural resources in our areas of operation is one of our key objectives. The other\nis the economic sustainability of the surrounding communities where we operate.\nWe believe Costa Rica\u2019s natural resources include the county of Quepos and the\nbarrios surrounding the property, which includes our long-held commitment to\nhire locally. We invite you to learn more about the hotel and surrounding\ncommunities by talking to our staff, the majority of whom grew up in the area.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Recycling and <\/b>Waste Management <\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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We recycle glass, plastic, paper, and aluminum cans across all hotel operations\nutilizing the local recycling center in each community. Fruit and vegetable waste is\nrecycled for compost to fertilize hotel gardens. Meat, fish, and poultry waste is\ncollected daily for farm animals, reducing demands on local waste disposal\nfacilities. We have also eliminated plastic shampoo bottles and have limited soap\nbars to the vanity sinks. All soap bar wrappers are recyclable and banana paper is\nused wherever possible for printed material.<\/p>
Housekeeping teams use certified biodegradable cleaning and laundry products,\neliminating the use of chlorine bleach and other harmful chemicals. Chlorine is\nused only in swimming pools in compliance with Health Department regulations.\nHowever, waterfalls were designed into each of our pools for improved aeration,\nwhich reduces overall chlorine use.<\/p>
To involve our guests in sustainability, each room has cards with suggestions to\nminimize environmental impact. Guest support in turning off lights and air\nconditioning when not in the rooms, and reusing linens per their preference,\nhelps us significantly reduce energy consumption and save water.<\/p>
We also learn from our guests and our staff. Through guest feedback in\nconversations and surveys, we\u2019ve fine-tuned our services and policies, acting on\nmany of their suggestions and observations over the years.<\/p>
We have a long-standing program at Si Como No to help the Corcovado\nFoundation with the help of our guest\u2019s voluntary donation of $2 per night that\ngoes directly to the Corcovado Foundation mission in education of sustainable\npractices and the emphasis in Regenerative Agriculture.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t