Ecological impact is a common topic at Amansala Retreat and Wellness Center. The focus is on conscious participation in ecological sustainability. This is managed through the reduction of our Ecological Footprint by implementing environmental supportive practices thereby remaining aware of our Embodied Energy usage. Those practices may include, but not limited to:
- Avoid single-use plastics – eliminate goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and service ware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags.
- Implementing renewable energy – Renewable energy involves natural phenomena such as sunlight, wind, tides, plant growth, and geothermal heat. Amansala Retreat and Wellness Center is migrating toward solar with a focus on moving away from the “grid.”
- Eliminating energy vampires – standby power, phantom loads, and idle power in buildings are being reduced and eliminated. Televisions, radios, computer monitors, and as many electronic devices as reasonably possible to reduce energy consumption have been removed. In one of the facilities implementation of solar electricity is being conducted.
- Increase plant based diets – According to many medical professionals, plant-based diets typically reduce the risk of developing numerous chronic diseases over the lifespan and require fewer natural resources for production compared to primarily meat-containing diets. In the promotion of physical and environmental health, Amansala Retreat and Wellness Center promotes increased plant based diets, while reducing the need for animal-based consumption. We have implemented regenerative agriculture techniques in the local garden to provide plant-based foods to visitors and guests. Animal consumption is at a minimum and only through humane efforts.
- Reduce animal consumption – Livestock production contributes an estimated 14.5% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions – more than the entire transportation sector. Globally about 30% of the food supply is never eaten. This includes both plant and animal based products. There is emphasis placed on remaining conscious in your diet.
- Foods that are avoided – those that contain ingredients such as Canola Oil, Carrageenan, Palm Oil, Pearl Essence, Casein (or Sodium Caseinate), Glycerin (i.e Glycerol), Stearic Acid, Carmine (aka Cochineal) and Red #40 (among other dyes), and focus primarily on locally and pasture raised products for our guest meals.
- Travel sustainably – promote the concept to travel “off-peak” and incorporate events and activities to coincide with off-peak times. Eco-conscious accommodations and reusable items are recommended, thereby reducing single-use plastics and waste.
- Water reclamation – the implementation of aerobic water reclamation facilities to reclaim waste water is being researched to repurpose as much grey water as reasonably possible from sinks and showers. This is why there is requirement of plant based, nontoxic and no chemical based cleaners and soaps.
- Buy local – in order to reduce the carbon footprint, it is important to partner with local agriculture to provide food for guests that may be unavailable on the farm. This eliminates the need for transportation across the nation, thereby reducing the carbon footprint generally caused by transportation industries.
- Purchase used goods when possible – No additional fossil fuels are used in manufacturing or delivery around the country. The item is liberated from ending up in a landfill. Used goods purchases include primarily outdoor, gardening and garage items.
- Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, Refuse, Rethink and Repair – Recycling is the least effective of the “6R” practice. Almost everything bought and used in daily lives has a carbon footprint: from its manufacture to its transport. Almost everything we buy ends up being “thrown away” at some point – although there is no such thing as thrown away. It goes to landfill, becomes litter, pollutes our oceans, contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases, or harms the planet in other ways. For the environmentally unconscious and those who used disposable masks during the “COVID-19 Plan-demic/Scam-demic”, you can thank yourself for contributing to the largest single global catastrophic event adversely affecting our water and oceans for the next half a millennium – that’s 500 years. This will result in an additional 4,680 to 6,240 metric tons of marine plastic pollution. We need to cut our consumption to reduce our environmental impact. Single use items make no sense for the environment. more . . .
Amansala Retreat and Wellness Center practices low ecological impact through a variety of aspects contributing to our Costa Rica region to continue striving to meet the Blue Zone requirements.