Making the Conference Socially and Environmentally Responsible
In organizing the 3rd International Travelers’ Philanthropy Conference, CREST and the Monteverde Institute are committed to employing best practices in responsible tourism, including minimizing the environmental footprint and positively benefiting local businesses and communities.
The Conference begins in San Jose in the Hotel Herradura, the only urban hotel in Costa Rica that has reached the highest level for Sustainable Tourism practices through the Green Leaf Certification Program. The Conference then moves to Monteverde, an area that is a pioneer in many areas of environmental conservation and corporate social responsibility.
- Reduce the Carbon Footprint
CREST and the Monteverde Institute are partnering with the Climate Change Alliance (ACC) – a Costa Rica-based social enterprise – to calculate and offset the carbon footprint of the conference venues and local transportation through a contribution to ACC’s reforestation program. Conference participants are encouraged to use ACC to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of their travel to the conference. You can do so when you register for the conference or when you check in for the conference on July 20 at the Hotel Ramada Herradura. Click here to learn more about Carbon Offsets and ACC.
In addition, while in Monteverde, in conjunction with the Costa Rican Conservation Foundation www.fccmonteverde.org/reforest.html, conference participants and/or their family members can make a donation and participate in a tree planting activity. This reforestation program is located on the Pacific slope, an area that has been adversely affected to rapid human development and farming.
- Responsible Tourism Companies
Our partner hotels and transport companies in San Jose and Monteverde are all certified or undergoing certification under Costa Rica’s internationally acclaimed CST (Certification for Sustainable Tourism) program. Click here to see the hotels we have selected to use during the conference.
- Implementing Responsible Travel Best Practices
The format of the conference itself strives to model the best sustainable practices by: holding the conference in locally owned hotels and small community centers; encouraging participants to visit local projects, restaurants, galleries and shops; and encouraging the participation of local businesses and residents in the conference. In avoiding the structure typical of most conferences – holding all events in a single venue, often disconnected from the local community – CREST and the Monteverde Institute hope to share the benefits of the conference not only with conference participants, but with the local communities in Monteverde as well.
- Pre- and Post- Conference Trips
We have partnered with Horizontes Nature Tours, the first tour operator in Costa Rica to achieve 5 green leaves under the CST program, to offer a range of wonderful trips before and after the conference. These trips, all with leading responsible travel companies, showcase not only Costa Rica’s outstanding tourism attractions but also a number of travelers’ philanthropy projects as well. Click here to view and sign up for trips.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We are striving to reduce the amount of paper used in organizing the conference by using internet and web based publicity and correspondence. All official conference materials will be printed on recycled paper, using high quality ‘green’ printers. By reducing all documents, materials and resources used throughout the conference, and ensuring that any waste is recycled or disposed of properly, we will minimize the environmental footprint of the Conference.
- Local, Organic, and Fair Trade
Whenever possible, CREST will purchase locally conference materials and supplies, promote organic and locally grown and produced foods, and utilize companies committed to fair trade practices.
