• Do you have a written environmental or social sustainability policy?     YES/NO

If yes, please attach.

• Do you have a written environmental management system?                  YES/NO

If yes, please attach.

• Describe the property – aim, size, facilities, amount of land owned and leased  (150 words max)
  

Located at one of the most fascinating Mexican biological reserves, nestled on a 3 mile virgin beach, Hotel Eco Paraiso offers spacious attractively furnished bungalows, each overlooking the emerald green Golf of Mexico. Here we offer you a unique experience with nature and a place to relax allowing you to leave the pressures of everyday life behind.
Our bungalows were designed to harmonize with the surrounding nature.
Every bungalow has two queen size beds, sitting area, ample bathroom and private terrace with a hammock and two rocking chairs.

The hotel has a unique concept that, in addition to your lodging, offers you many interesting and exciting tours.
The main focus behind this is to enable our guests to become more intimately familiar with and appreciate the culture, history, unique ecosystem and archaeological wealth of Yucatan.
Don’t miss a visit to the spectacular pink flamingo colony!

• Describe the location, including distance to nearest town and size of town (100 words max)

Eco Paraiso Hotel is located in the State of Yucatan Mexico, 60 miles west of Merida City, the capital of the State, and 6 miles north of the fishing village of Celestun. It is at the border of Celestun Biosphere Reserve, between the famous Celestun Inlet (home of the biggest pink flamingo colony of the world) and the Gulf of Mexico
You can arrive by air to Merida or Cancun international airports. From Merida you can get to our hotel by car, bus, taxi or using our private transfers.

• Describe WHY you made the decision to develop an eco resort (100 word max)

The hotel founder Verena Gerber, a true ecologist, wanted to build an eco resort in a secluded area, and she found the perfect place at the Celestun Biosphere Reserve in 1996.

The hotel facilities were designed with a conscious effort to adhere to the strictest ecological standards in order to provide first class, comfortable accommodations without upsetting the natural balance of the surrounding ecosystem. 

Introduction to the Butterfly Club’s Eco Rating

The Butterfly Club Eco Rating has five equally-weighted categories:

• Energy;
• Water;
• Recycling and waste;
• Land and nature conservation; and
• Community.

Each category has five levels, designated by one to five butterflies.  Through self assessment, resort operators completing this rating will determine their own levels within each category based on their responses to items listed below.  

Two categories – energy and water – have similar rating systems with Levels 1 and 2 addressing conservation of existing resources, and Levels 3, 4 and 5 addressing creation of renewable energy or capturing water. 

Level five in every category also requires written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record consumption; (2) test and apply additional conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific targets.   We require a copy of your policies if you achieve level 5 in any category.

Energy

Levels 1 and 2 - conservation: Check all that apply:

YES  use natural air circulation and fans, not air conditioners
ONLY IN CERTAIN FACILITIES  use natural light during the day
YES  minimize use of fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines and equipment
NO use “on demand” or solar heating for hot water
NO  air dry clothes/linens
YES wash dishes by hand
YES use energy efficient appliances and electronics
YES use low wattage fluorescent light bulbs
YES change linens, tablecloths, napkins upon request
YES switch off lights when not used
Other energy conservation activities? Please list:
We have installed solar panels to heat the water of our swimming pool.
 
Level 1 = four or fewer energy conservation activities

Level 2 = five or more energy conservation activities

Levels 3, 4 and 5 - renewable energy: Indicate proportion (%) of energy from each source:

___  solar
___  wind
___  hydro
100%  generator
___  public utility
Other energy sources? Please list:

100% TOTAL
How were these proportions developed?

Level 3 = renewable energy is employed and is less than 1/3 of all energy

Level 4 = renewable energy constitutes 1/3 – 2/3 of all energy

Level 5 = renewable energy constitutes 2/3 or more of all energy.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record energy consumption; (2) test and apply additional energy conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific energy targets.  

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Energy Level 5 (required).

Your Energy Level (select 1 – 5) =   LEVEL 3

Water

Levels 1 and 2 - conservation: Check all that apply:

YES low flow faucets and showerheads
YES low water use toilets
YES change linens, towels, tablecloths, and napkins upon request
NO use table mats that can be wiped and not laundered
YES use biodegradable laundry detergent, dish soap and hand soap
YES treat swimming pool with chlorine-free processes
Other water conservation activities?  Please list.

Level 1 = three or fewer water conservation activities

Level 2 = four or more water conservation activities

Levels 3, 4 and 5 – capture and treat fresh water and manage waste water. Capture water: Indicate proportion (%) of water from each source:

30% spring
___  river
___  rain
35%  reuse gray
___  public utility
Other water sources? Please list.
35% SEA
All of the water in the hotel goes through a filtering process and is reused. 

• The grey water from the showers and sinks flows through biological carbon filters, and is then used to irrigate the plants and garden.
• The black waters are pumped to I.S.R.O.W. were they are allowed to settle and separate to later be used as compost.
• The greasy waters of the kitchen and the soapy laundry water goes through a special biological filtering process using sand, gravel, charcoal, and bacteria from which it later will also be used to water the plants.

100% TOTAL

Fresh water treatment: how is captured fresh water treated?
100%  naturally.  Indicate method: charcoal, ultraviolet light, other? List:   biological carbon filters                               
___  chemically.  List chemicals used:

Waste water management:
100%  septic tanks
___  cesspools
___  other? List methods:

Level 3: Water is captured (from springs, rivers, rain or prior use) and constitutes less than 1/3 of water from all sources.  Water is treated chemically.  Water disposal does not minimize damage to coral reefs and rain forests

Level 4:  Captured water constitutes 1/3 to 2/3 of all water.  Water is treated naturally. Water disposal minimizes damage to coral reefs and rain forests

Level 5:  Captured water constitutes more than 2/3 of all water.  Water is treated naturally. Water disposal minimizes damage to coral reefs and rain forests.   In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record water consumption; (2) test and apply additional water conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific water targets.  
Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Water Level 5 (required).
All our water comes from a salty well. We have taken great care in not pumping too much water out of the well - we have a little 1hp pump that pumps about 2 liters per second. This water is filtered with sand, gravel and activated carbon, stored and chlorinated. This water goes to the main water system of our hotel. Part of it is then pumped to our potable water system. We installed an inverse osmosis and ultraviolet rays to make our water potable, so that we can avoid buying water bottles that would cause more garbage.

Your Water Level (select 1 – 5): 4

Recycling and waste

Check all that apply:

YES   use durable service items, e.g. cups, glasses, dishes, tableware, storage items
YES  buy fresh and local to reduce packaging and emissions from transportation
YES  purchase in bulk to reduce packaging
YES  recycle paper, glass, plastic, aluminum
YES  minimize emissions from fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines & equipment      
NO  zero waste in the kitchen
YES  serve local water, not bottled water
YES  cleaning products are biodegradable
YES compost organic matter
Other methods to recycle waste? Please list.
Reduce: We don’t buy individually packed products to avoid this unnecessary non-recyclable garbage. The ham, butter, cereals and jams are all bought in bulk, as is the shampoo and conditioner which is provided in special dispensers in the shower.  The purified water available in your room is also not bottled to reduce excess waste.
Reuse: Whenever possible we reuse wood, plastic, metal, and fabric, as long as it meets our standards.  As for all that which does not, we donate to people who will use it.
Recycle: All of the refuse is conscientiously separated into recyclables and non-recyclables, and the organic matter is put into the I.S.R.O.W.  The recyclables such as paper, plastic, aluminum  and glass are collected and transported to a recycling center in Merida 69 miles away. 
Finally, the non-recyclable materials, less than 3 bags a week, are brought to the municipal trash collector in Celestún.

Level 1 = four or fewer recycling activities

Level 2 = five recycling activities

Level 3 = six recycling activities

Level 4 = seven recycling activities

Level 5 = eight or more recycling activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record recycling and waste; (2) test and apply additional recycling and waste conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific recycling and waste targets.  

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Recycling and Waste Level 5 (required).

Your Recycling and Waste Level (select 1 – 5):  4 

Land and nature conservation

Check all that apply:

YES   minimize tree removal when building
YES  use only botanical (plant-based) herbicides & pesticides in garden & grounds
YES  maintain organic gardens as food source for resort
YES  use biodegradable cleaning products
YES  minimize external illumination
YES  take additional specific actions to preserve the local habitat.  Please list actions and projects:
Much thought and careful planning went into the design and construction of this hotel complex so that the bungalows would flow with their surroundings.  We strove to incorporate as much as possible only natural products from the immediate area in the construction, as well as local customs such as the thatched roofs.
We have constructed our hotel from the second dune on, so that the first dune and the beach are intact - pristine. This is very important, as precisely in this first dune, the sea turtles come to hatch. I was told (I do not know if this information is correct) that only 5% of this first dune is intact in the whole world - we try to preserve what little is left of it. Also, the vegetation that you find in this first dune is unique, you won't find it anywhere else.
Very low construction density. From the 25 hectares (61.8 acres) land that we own, we only have constructed about 3,000m2 (9,842.5ft), that is about 1.2%.
The topography of the land was also kept intact, that is, we didn't level out the land when constructing, we left the dunes as they were.
All our gardens have been replanted with plants that grow in the region - we did not introduce exotic flora like grass, for instance.

Level 1: one or two land and nature conservation activities

Level 2: three land and nature conservation activities

Level 3: four land and nature conservation activities

Level 4: five land and nature conservation activities

Level 5: six or more land and nature conservation activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record land and nature conservation activities; (2) test and apply additional land and nature conservation methods; and (3) work towards specific land and nature conservation targets.  

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Land and Nature Conservation Level 5 (required).

Your Land and Nature Conservation Level (select 1 – 5): 4

Community

This category addresses policies and activities regarding staff, guests, suppliers and other members of the community. 

Check all activities that apply:

YES hire staff residing near the resort          50% local nationals
YES use local suppliers                                50% purchased goods produced locally
YES  re-invest resort income locally            50% income re-invested locally
YES  pay above local prevailing wage
YES  pay into local social security
YES  provide health insurance or coverage
YES use regular staff meetings to educate staff about sustainable processes throughout the resort, in the garden, with waste disposal, etc
YES provide educational awareness programs for staff, guests, suppliers and other members of the local community
YES provide sustainable transport to work for staff
YES take additional specific actions to support the local community. Please list actions and projects.
The nearby town, Celestún, also profits from our resort: about half of our staff comes from the town; we use the services of the local boatmen to make the Celestún inlet tour; we buy local products like fish, seafood, vegetables and bread; etc.

Level 1: one or two community activities

Level 2: three to five community activities

Level 3: six to seven community activities

Level 4: eight to nine community activities

Level 5: ten or more community activities.  In addition, there are written sustainability policies or environmental management systems to: (1) monitor and record community activities; (2) test and apply additional methods to support the community; and (3) work towards specific community targets.  

Attach a copy of your policies if you achieve Community Level 5 (required).

Your Community Level (select 1 – 5): 4

YOUR OVERALL ECO SCORE (add your level for each category and divide by 5and enter the result with the decimal point, e.g. 3.6): 3.8

We have three final questions which are not part of the eco rating: 

• Please describe your single most important eco achievement: The resort by itself, was built with the most strict ecological standards. It was also a necessity since it is at the border of a Biological Reserve

• Indicate additional sustainable practices that you plan to institute within the next 6 months.

• Is there anything else you would like to add to this eco rating?

We also take care of the Sea Turtle’s nests, by protecting them of the predators and realising them to the Sea every summer with the help of our Guests.