Luna Lodge Sustainability Program

Luna Lodge participates in the CST (Certification of Sustainable Tourism) program which has been recognized by the World Tourism Organization as a program that is gradually improving environmental and social impacts of tourism.

Our sustainability program focuses in four areas:

Natural Environment: Sustainable interaction of the hotel with its natural surroundings through the implementation of programs for the environment.

Socioeconomics: Interaction of the hotel with the surrounding communities. The hotel generates benefits and growth with development by creating jobs and supporting local small businesses.  All of these measures up to a collective initiative.

Hotel Infrastructure: Internal processes for waste management, water and energy saving, use of alternative energies and the type of products that the business acquires (organic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly products).

Guests: Hotel programs to invite participation and/or create awareness for the guests in its sustainability program.

Luna Lodge is an active member of several associations that work for the benefit of the community in areas such as infrastructure, culture, education, health, security, sustainable tourism and environment protection. Some of the associations that Luna Lodge is a part of are The Turtle Protection Committee, The White Hawk Project, and The Corcovado Chamber of Tourism which Lana Wedmore (owner of Luna Lodge) is the current president.

Luna Lodge’s Sustainable Initiatives:

• Luna Lodge protects the flora and the fauna inside and outside of its property; wild animals are not kept in captivity and they are not fed.
• Most of the hired employees are from the surrounding communities, thus, creating employment and economic stability for the local communities.
• Local small businesses are preferred when buying food, crafts and services such as tourism, transportation, furniture design, craft making and other hotel structures, generating economic stability for the surrounding communities.
• Our gift shop sells products from small local businesses, crafts made of recyclable materials, crafts from native groups, crafts from entrepreneur local women, organic products, and products from associations that work to protect the environment.
• Zero tolerance policy towards activities related to sexual trade, sexual exploitation of minors, prostitution or drug trafficking. If such activities are detected, they will be reported.
• Water saving programs
• Energy saving programs
• Solid waste management programs such as recycling.
• Worm garden for compost to produce natural fertilizer for our plants.
• Organic garden
• Liquid waste management program
• Use of natural biodegradable products (shampoo, conditioner, hand and body soap, and all  the products used for hotel cleaning)
• Pest control through biodegradable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly products
• Salt treatment for pool water purification
• Use of clean alternative energies: 100% of the electricity generated for all lighting and all electric outlets throughout the entire property is produced through our own hydro-power plant, which does not use any petroleum derivatives for its functioning. Luna Lodge is 100% energetically self-sufficient. Our computerized electric meter displays how much CO2 (carbon-dioxide) the hotel has stopped generating due to the use of its hydropower plant to produce electricity.
• Other sources of alternative clean energy used at Luna Lodge are: solar energy for water heating and the pool treatment equipment.
• Environmentally friendly open structures, that allow the use of natural light
• Creating awareness for our guests about our sustainability program
• through the information they can find in the hotel guide in their rooms
• a library with information about the flora and the fauna of Costa Rica
• brochures promoting natural protected areas in Costa Rica
• an information board (called the Green Corner)
• tour and activities offered in which guests can interact with the surrounding natural environment and the community
• biodegradable products in their rooms
• water and energy saving signage
• guest recycling
• observation of all the sustainable practices in the installations and operations of the hotel.