Ocean Friendly Business

Certified by Nicoya Waterkeeper & National Geographic

Sustainability is an important focus for us here at Florblanca.  We have such a close connection to nature with our location on the Nicoya Peninsula. We cultivate that connection in the services we offer our guests and and in our own day-to-day lives.  We strive to live in harmony with wildlife, trees, the ocean, ocean life, and local farms.

We know first-hand the value that these elements contribute to life in Costa Rica.  And we know how important the natural world of Costa Rica is to our guests.  They visit this area in large part to strengthen their connection with nature and with the beautiful world all around us.

When the opportunity came up to pursue certification as an Ocean Friendly Business from the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper in association with National Geographic (NatGeo), we were already well on our way to meeting their guidelines with our existing and ever-evolving Sustainability Program. We were so excited about this opportunity and are proud to say that we’ve earned the distinction of being an Ocean Friendly Business.

Ocean Friendly Business is a Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper initiative, supported by National Geographic, which seeks to guide businesses in the area towards environmentally friendly practices. 

There are extensive guidelines for earning this distinction and verification methods for showing how we are complying. The guidelines include five main areas.

1. Drinking Water: Must have potable water from a legally registered source or from the businesses own officially regulated source. This helps avoid excessive exploitation of water resources and discourages the purchase of water in plastic bottles.

2. Single Use Plastics: Plastic has become one of the most used products daily. Its massive consumption exceeds the ability to manage them properly, so they end up polluting soils, rivers and seas, and generate serious impact on human health and ecosystems. Ocean Friendly Businesses do not sell bottled water, do not offer plastic straws, bags, cutlery, wraps, plates, cups, or takeaway containers.

3. Solid Waste: Must have a comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan to handle all solid waste appropriately – both the non-recoverables (garbage) as well as the recyclables. Organic waste must be composted.

4. Wastewater: Wastewater polluting the ocean is one of the main issues the Southern Peninsula faces. Locals and tourists want clean water to drink, swim and surf in happily. Ocean Friendly Businesses use biodegradable cleaning products, collect used cooking oils separately, have appropriate grease traps in the kitchen, dispose properly of of all “gray” and “black” wastewater, and dispose properly of septic sludge.

5. Communication: It’s important to share the message of what it means to be Ocean Friendly and how people and businesses can affect change. More and more people need to understand the importance of sustainable lifestyle choices, adopt them, and show their support and commitment to be Friends of the Ocean.

We were able to meet the specifications in each area and we continue to pursue ways in which we can support the environment, support our local community, and support our guests and visitors to the area.

If you would like to learn more about this distinction or about our other Earth-friendly practices, please see our Sustainability Program.

Thank you to the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeepers for the amazing work you do and to National Geographic for supporting this important work.