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

If yes, please attach.

• Do you have a written environmental management system?                  NO

If yes, please attach.

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

Latitude 10 Resort was built as a private resort and is now available to the public. As the winner of the 2008 Grand Award in the International Class for second homes, the resort leaves nothing to be desired in luxury and elegance in its natural setting, providing interaction with the jungle and it’s beachfront location.

The resort consists of five spacious free standing, individually decorated and private casitas. Each casita has its own tropical décor, situated on over seven acres of private beachfront property located near the bustling beach town of Santa Teresa.

Staying at Latitude 10 is like staying with good friends at their luxury beach house. You will experience personalized service and attention to detail in a relaxed, yet classy atmosphere. Breakfast and pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres are included in your rate as well as your private in room mini bar. For lunch and dinner, Santa Teresa provides probably some of the best cuisine in Costa Rica and we will be happy to suggest a restaurant to your liking just a few minutes from the resort.

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

Santa Teresa is a long wide sandy beach located 6 km north of Cabo Blanco National Park, stretching to the pristine Playa Hermosa in the Southern tip of the Peninsula de Nicoya. This beautiful touristic destinations has tropical jungles, world class surf, and amazing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.

Last but not least, Santa Teresa boasts a remarkable reputation for its ecological consciousness that gave them the "blue flag"(ecological national program) since 2001.

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

The main idea when building Latitude 10 was to create a secret place, hidden from the outside world by overgrown jungle and native plants. The layout was designed in a way that no trees had to be cut down during the construction, for this reason a dense canopy covers the property. At night, guests were to explore the grounds with wooden torches as lighting. Villas were to be dimly lit with candles and lamps at night and completely open during the day. Cobble stone pathways were to intertwine and connect each villa until finally merging and revealing the spectacular clubhouse, with the teal swimming pool and crystal ocean in the background.

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:

_ x__  use natural air circulation and fans, not air conditioners
_ x__  use natural light during the day
_ x__  minimize use of fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines and equipment
_ x__  use “on demand” or solar heating for hot water
_ x__  air dry clothes/linens
_ x__  wash dishes by hand
_ x__  use energy efficient appliances and electronics
_ x__  use low wattage fluorescent light bulbs
_ x__  change linens, tablecloths, napkins upon request
_ x__  switch off lights when not used
Other energy conservation activities? Please list:
 
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:

_20__solar (for heating hot water)
___  wind
___  hydro
_ __ generator
_80_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) =  3

Water

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

_ x_  low flow faucets and showerheads
_ x_ low water use toilets
_ x_ change linens, towels, tablecloths, and napkins upon request
_ not used_  use table mats that can be wiped and not laundered
_ x_ use biodegradable laundry detergent, dish soap and hand soap
_ x_ 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:

___ spring
___  river
___  rain
___  reuse gray
_100_  public utility
Other water sources? Please list.

100% TOTAL

Fresh water treatment: how is captured fresh water treated?
_ x__  naturally.  Indicate method: charcoal, ultraviolet light, other? List:                                  
___  chemically.  List chemicals used:

Waste water management:
_ __  septic tanks
___  cesspools
_ x__  other? List methods:  Wastewater treatment plant

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).

Your Water Level (select 1 – 5): 2

Recycling and waste

Check all that apply:

_ x _   use durable service items, e.g. cups, glasses, dishes, tableware, storage items
_ x__   buy fresh and local to reduce packaging and emissions from transportation
_ x__   purchase in bulk to reduce packaging
_ x__   recycle paper, glass, plastic, aluminum
_ x__   minimize emissions from fossil-fuel powered vehicles, machines & equipment      
___   zero waste in the kitchen
_ x__   serve local water, not bottled water
_ x__   cleaning products are biodegradable
_ x__   compost organic matter
Other methods to recycle waste? Please list.

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:

_ x__   minimize tree removal when building
_ x__   use only botanical (plant-based) herbicides & pesticides in garden & grounds
_ __   maintain organic gardens as food source for resort
_ x__   use biodegradable cleaning products
_ x__   minimize external illumination
__ x_   take additional specific actions to preserve the local habitat.  Please list actions and projects: conservation of the land.
 
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:

_ x__  hire staff residing near the resort          _100__% local nationals
_ x__  use local suppliers                               _80_% purchased goods produced locally
_ x__  re-invest resort income locally            _75__% income re-invested locally
_ x__  pay above local prevailing wage
_ x__  pay into local social security
_ x__  provide health insurance or coverage
_ x__  use regular staff meetings to educate staff about sustainable processes throughout the resort, in the garden, with waste disposal, etc
_ x__  provide educational awareness programs for staff, guests, suppliers and other members of the local community
_ x_  provide sustainable transport to work for staff
_ x__  take additional specific actions to support the local community. Please list actions and projects.

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): 3.4

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

• Please describe your single most important eco achievement:

Implementation of the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST).  Latitude 10 Resort has not been officially certified to this date, but we plan on being certified in the next few months and to receive a five-leaf rating (the highest rating available from the CST).

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

An Overview of Latitude 10’s Ecotourism & Sustainability Efforts

• Responsible landscaping design and species selection to nurture biodiversity.
• Biodegradable cleaning and laundry products.
• Organic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.
• Plastic, paper, glass and aluminum recycling.
• Community education on sustainability.
• 90%+ of the staff comes from the local community.
• Guest education on how to support recycling and the community during stay.
• Paper re-use within the office.
• Organic produce used in the restaurant whenever possible.
• Local food influence on menu offerings.
• Bulk purchases.
• Water and energy management.
• Invitation for guests to re-use towels and linens to save energy and water.
• Support of the nearby areas in the national park system.
• Support of the local guard system to ensure guest safety.

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

Latitude 10 is proud to be a sustainable hotel that not only connects guests with nature, but respects it in all areas of operation.

“Sustainability is the ability to provide for the needs of the world's
current population without damaging the ability of future generations
to provide for themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried
out over and over without negative environmental effects or impossibly
high costs to anyone involved.”

To recognize communities that respect and take care of the beaches with a strong commitment to ecological preservation, the national water utility, Aqueductos y Alcantarillados, in partnership with the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo began ranking beaches in 1996. Beaches that received a score of 90% or greater Bandera received an Azul Ecológica (ecological blue flag) to fly as a symbol of excellence. The Malpais/Santa Teresa area beaches have proudly flown the blue flag since 2001.