Inside the Bodhi Lodge
We built the Bodhi Lodge from the ground up and thus had the opportunity to of incorporate our environmentally-friendly ideas into the layout, design, and construction. Structures are made from pine that has been pressure-treated and are thus impervious to bugs, mold, and other kind of rotting, reducing the amount of necessary maintenance and preventing the need for chemical treatment. The units were built raised off the ground and have large windows and other natural ventilation systems, and along with the materials we chose, the need for air conditioning was eliminated. Within the rooms, we have low-flow toilets and energy-saving light bulbs. We also have solar powered lanterns and walkway lighting. We do not have high-energy consuming electronics such as televisions and microwaves in the rooms.
Outside at the Bodhi Lodge
On the Bodhi Surf + Yoga property, we make a concerted effort to reduce what we throw away by fixing what's broken, finding new uses for historically unused items, or upcycling. For example, we built several benches around from out-of-use surfboards. We collect recycling onsite and divide it into glass, metal, plastic, and cardboard for pick up by the municipality. Our gardens are lush and green, helping to absorb water and keep the temperature cool, and we utilize with natural pesticide and employ environmentally-friendly growing and chopping methods. We also have a compost system in place, greatly elimintating food waste. Finally, we have a custom, plastic and fibreglass-free saline pool that has a low-energy Pentair motor.
Carbon Travel Offsets for Guests
Starting in the 2017-18 season, we purchased Carbon Offsets for our guests as part of our Carbon Neutral program, and with help from our partners at Native Energy. Starting in the the 2021-22 season, we co-created a Carbon Travel Calculator and have been encouraging our guests to purchase their own offsets for their flights. We believe it is an important decision for each individual to make, and an opportunity for us to share our knowledge of the importance of this method to mitigate the damaging effects of air travel. While it may be imperfect, we believe it is a step in the right direction!
The Impact Beyond Our Shores
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Other sustainability measures
Inspiring our Guests
Displayed around the lodge are "Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Reinvent, Recycle" signs to raise awareness. Guests are shown how to recycle and compost while on-site, provided with reusable cloth bags to use for store runs, and encouraged to limit their use of single-use plastics. They are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles thanks to our partners at Klean Kanteen, and are offered both shower gel and shampoo which we have in refillable dispensers in all of the rooms. Guests are also asked to shut off lights and fans when they leave their rooms, and are provided with the option to rent bicycles instead of renting a car.
In the Bodhi Kitchen
All of the ingredients used for meals are purchased in Costa Rica, 80% Costa Rican in origin, and 50% directly from our local area. We have reduced our single-use plastic consumption in the kitchen, finding alternatives for saran wrap, Ziploc bags, and products that come in plastic. We take our own shopping bags when we go to the store or market. We serve all of our meals in small portions (with option for more) and share leftovers with staff to limit food waste. We do not consume red meat and serve vegetarian meals most of the time. Anything that cannot be used is either composted or recycled, reducing the amount of waste produced.
Non-Toxic Cleaning System
The majority of our cleaning products are biodegradable and earth-safe - made by Florex, a Costa Rican company that is also B Corp certified. Instead of daily linen changes, we do a mid-week cleaning that includes fresh linens. We try to limit our use of the dryer, instead opting for the power of the Costa Rican sun. We also minimize our use of water and energy-consuming appliances.
Bandera Azul Process
In 2023 we applied for and achieved the rigorous Costa Rica Ecological Blue Flag Award. Following the strict guidelines for the Bandera Azul award we invested in making our lodge solar-powered, putting up rainwater collectors, and installing solar lights for our walkays. We are also measuring our waste more thoroughly and on-site bike rental options for our guests! By meeting these standards of environmental sustainability and reduction for Bandera Azul, we became an overall more sustainable company with an even lower impact on the environment than before.
Corporate Responsibility Measures
Bodhi Surf + Yoga is built on an ethos of social and environmental responsibility, and our business a tool by which we forge a better world. Read on to see the various ways how.
