I don’t know about you, but I am often intimidated and overwhelmed by thoughts of climate change, conservation and sustainability. What can you do and where can you turn for some inspiration?

Natureair is a great story, and it is one about vision, perseverance and a dedication to conservation and service. Its Founder and CEO, Alex Khajavi, put it all on the line right after September 11^th, when he purchased a bankrupt Costa Rican airline and overcame some very tough odds along the way. Less than eights years later, it is an extraordinary accomplishment for this company to receive the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow award, presented by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Alex Khajavi accepted the award at the Global Travel and Tourism Summit, held in Florianopolis, Brazil, May 14th-18th. He said, “It is an honor for us to receive this award from WTTC which is one of the only awards decided by the top 100 tourism companies in the world and that includes on-site audits that vet your sustainable projects. The award only inspires us to do more and continue to chase sustainability, and we hope that it also inspires others, most notably other airlines to take up the challenge on climate change and work to reduce and offset their emissions.”

Sustainable practices and fighting climate change can be a personal decision to begin recycling in your home, or it can be about an airline in Costa Rica. It is the intention and not the scale of the effort that matters. Ultimately, individuals make these choices, whether they are CEO’s or single parent householders. So, this is an opportunity to thank individuals like Alex Khajavi for creating a company that makes a difference by operating responsibly with respect for the environment and the community, basic principles of sustainability.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, WTTC President and CEO summed up their story very well at the awards ceremony. “In 2004, Natureair made a highly ambitious pledge to set new standards for sustainable practices in the airline industry, compensating for 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions through preservation and reforestation of tropical forests in the Osa Peninsula. And it has not only fulfilled this pledge, but has also implemented a whole host of other effective sustainable policies and activities, including community benefit outreach programs.”

The need to travel and explore is basic to our nature. The curiosity to know what is just beyond the horizon, at the top of a mountain or at the bottom of the ocean, has driven us for millennia. The travel and tourism industries have empowered millions of us to experience the elation felt by early explorers when they first came upon the magnificence and abundance of places like the Osa Peninsula. These modern experiences expose us to the crying need to act responsibly, especially in light of the damage done from over development. The recently held summit was a tremendous opportunity for the sharing of ideas and strategies regarding responsible travel.

Alexi Huntley, Commercial Director for Natureair, was also at the gathering and had the following observations, “This event was the pinnacle of strategic thinking and innovation in tackling challenging issues like climate change, the global recession and even the impact of pandemics on our industry. The industry employs over 225 million people worldwide and represents 10% of global GDP. The ambience was electric, and it was a pleasure to see the Minister of Tourism from Botswana on stage with the CEO of Marriott. While strategies might be different, the goals are common to everyone in attendance.”

Purposely waiting until the day after Earth Day to post this commentary. It is really what happens to this Earth the other 364 days when we are not paying attention to it that matters. If you are writing for a blog that calls itself Nature Blog, you feel kind of compelled to pay some respects to this combination of celebration and loud siren of warning.

I believe our greed has sanctioned violations of excess without parallel in modern history. Over the course of the millennia, we have grown much more efficient, but no more intelligent. Cheap oil, followed by an explosion in technology, stewing in a soup of extraordinarily greedy financial institutions, and finally, seasoned by the relentless destruction of our natural environment, have created a catastrophic recipe with unbelievable consequences.

I would like to raise some questions on behalf of nature, who does not seem to have a voice in the discussion. What is it that ever gave man the idea that Earth, with all its finite natural resources and delicate life balances, was somehow placed here strictly for his convenience? Why is it that greed is a trait found only in the human species? How is it that our intellect has trumped our instincts? Why isn’t healing the planet more important than determining its origin?

The biggest question of all is what are we going to do about repairing the consequences of our actions?  Countries like Costa Rica are terribly challenged by the imbalance between their bountiful natural resources and very modest economic resources. It is difficult to preserve its exquisite natural beauty from the onslaught of unfettered commercial development. Well-intentioned laws are hard to enforce and environmental violations are not policed with sufficient manpower. The reasons for this are two fold: Lack of funds and a true political will to put the Earth first, ahead of commerce. There is nothing unique about this circumstance, but the country’s extraordinary natural gifts heighten the dilemma. The good news is that debate is growing louder in Costa Rica and the voices of preservation and community are being heard. The small number of conservationists and community activists has been growing over the decades.

The idea that maximizing profitability is the only yardstick for measuring success is precisely the thinking that has begun bankrupting our planet. The new world of sustainability has created three equally important units and we must navigate our future by using them to maintain our new course. Making money is no longer in charge; it now shares the stage with benefiting the people and safeguarding the Earth. Successful solutions incorporate these three basic elements and while there is balance between them, there is no exclusion of anyone for the benefit of any other. Like a tripod, it will topple over if one its legs are too weak.

When you look at Costa Rica through this thought prism called sustainability, you see a country well poised to chart a course through the minefield of challenges ahead. Like the rest of the players in the actual, Earth Survival Reality Show, winning is a matter of natural attributes, resources and will. However, in this game we really can’t afford any losers.

Now, if you have gotten this far into this post, I want to encourage you to read about Natureair by visiting their web site. While they are the folks who make Nature Blog possible, they are the same people who would want me to put the Earth first, especially the day after Earth Day, when it really counts.

Corporately, they don’t like to blow their own horn because being a responsible business is normal for them. On the other hand, you can only become an example through creating awareness. NatureKids is a splendid program the airline underwrites at an annual  cost of $65,000 USD. Equipment and supplies are provided for children, including computers, and they are taught English. Family involvement is encouraged in the program.

All of Natureair’s ground transportation runs on biodiesel they collect, refine and process. This is a great program and I encourage reading more about it.

No matter how efficiently the airline operates, they are definitely in the carbon emission business and all they can practically do is to purchase offsets. Well, the fact is, they were the first carbon neutral airline in the world, accomplishing it through the preservation and reforestation of portions of the pristine Osa Peninsula.

Happy Day After Earth Day.

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Just like you and I, companies are known by the company they keep. Natureair is one example of how Costa Rica’s private sector can do its part in making a positive contribution to the environment and to the people. We want to share the story of another company, GreenSpot.travel, selected by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the Top Travel Specialist since 2006.

Costa Rica is near and dear to GreenSpot.travel’s founders and employees. Those in the organization that are not Costa Rican themselves, have lived in the country, and they want their travel company to give back. Bringing travelers to carefully selected lodging with ecofriendly practices that contribute to conservation and local communities is a priority for GreenSpot. Condé Nast Traveler has recognized GreenSpot.travel for not only their expertise in Costa Rica but for their efforts in green travel by designating them a top travel specialist. The founders realized though that they could make an even greater impact by contributing some of their own profits to community development projects in rural Costa Rica. 

The first project  began with the goal of helping a small school near La Fortuna, where the famous Arenal Volcano is located, to raise money to build a room at the school for indoor activities, talks on environmental sustainability and to make other necessary improvements.  A rural school in Costa Rica doesn’t have many resources. So how can a travel company help?  Richard and Irene Edwards collect gently used clothing from donors in the U.S. and deliver the goods during their regular trips to Costa Rica. Project leaders at the school then sell the clothes for school resources. Read on…

In the past, we have posted stories on Natureair, with the idea of providing informative pieces that were not commercially driven. The airline has purposefully underwritten this blog to create a platform for sharing information relating to important environmental issues effecting Costa Rica. Their business ethic of being a responsible corporate citizen permeates all levels and it was highlighted in an earlier post on the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow nomination, just as we have focused on their commitment to carbon neutrality.

Like virtually every other industry, the global economic malaise has rocked tourism, and the companies that ultimately survive are the ones that operate leaner, maintain their brand identity in the market place, and develop more compelling connections to their prospective customer base. An immediate response by Natureair was to examine their web site and determine if it could be more effective as both an information resource and in capturing potential customers.

We spoke with Alexi Huntley Khajavi, Commercial Director of Natureair, and with Charles Davis, Solutions Director for Blast Advanced Media. It is interesting to note the synchronicity between the airline client and the web designers. Natureair is more than an airline focused on the bottom line, and you can sense that even in the dialogue regarding the web site, in which the ability to inform is as important as the achieved transaction efficiencies.

Here is what Alexi had to say about Blast, “We are extremely pleased with our new website designed and developed by Blast Advanced Media. The site has delivered an instant increase in gross sales and sales conversions while providing a clear branding message that reinforces our communication and impact thru this important touch point with our customers.” Read on…

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has selected Natureair as a finalist in the 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Award in the Conservation category. The judging is based on a company’s support for conservation and the protection of nature, along with supporting the community and promoting environmental awareness.

Natureair recently joined the Climate Neutral Network, which is part of the United Nations Environment Program. They are the world’s first carbon neutral airline, compensating for 100% of their greenhouse gas emissions through a reforestation program in the Osa Peninsula. Aerotica, a subsidiary company, collects and  processes biodiesel fuel, which powers the airline’s ground transportation.

Natureair is a unique company and it has nothing to do with the accolades it receives. There is an ethos that permeates all levels of the company. “It’s in our DNA. We do it because we know it needs to be done. We don’t feel like heroes. We feel like we could do a lot more and these awards don’t make us rest on our laurels. They give us more motivation to keep pushing”, says Alexi Huntley Khajavi, Natureair Commercial Director. Read on…

Natureair has just started Costa Rica’s first alternative fueling station thru its own aviation fueling company, Aerotica. Since June 2008, Aerotica has been offering biodiesel, in addition to aviation gas and jet fuel.

Natureair purchased this fifty year old business in 2003, three years after creating Costa Rica’s only carbon neutral airline, recently recognized by the United Nations Environmental Program for this achievement. According to Alexi Huntley Khajavi, Commercial Director for the airline, “ We originally purchased Aerotica to ensure that our most important resource would be of the highest quality and that the fueling process would be controlled by Natureair. We take on-time performance very seriously and if we can directly manage our fuel trucks and ensure that they will give priority to fueling our planes, we eliminate crucial variables to our successful operations.”

Currently, the airline purchases the refined biodiesel from a local provider, while the supply is complemented by cooking oil brought in from the homes of Natureair employees. According to Mr. Khajavi, they are analyzing their ability to sell biodiesel on a retail basis in the future. Read on…

For months, we have been living under a cloud of negative news and dire predictions for the future. The darkening, daily dose of information relating to our climate crisis and the skyrocketing costs of our diminishing oil supply were even pushed aside by a virtual collapse of the entire global economy. In the midst of all this disarray, there are countless positive stories seeking the light of day. Quietly, and without self-aggrandizing fanfare, Natureair has been rewriting the rules for the airline industry.

Natureair is the first airline in the world to join CN Net, the Climate Neutral Network, a global initiative led by the United Nations Environment Program, UNEP. The organization’s participants include countries, cities, international companies, UN agencies and leading NGO’s. “We welcome Natureair to CN Net as a trailblazer on a path to 100% carbon neutral air travel,” said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner.

In 2004, Natureair made a commitment to be the world’s first carbon neutral airline. In conjunction with the Costa Rican government’s FONAFIFO, they developed a plan to offset their annual 6,000 tons of CO2 emissions through reforestation efforts in the Osa Peninsula. Read on…

Natureair, Costa Rica’s airline and the world’s first certified carbon neutral airline welcomes you to Nature Blog. It is our effort to keep you informed and involved in Costa Rica as an ecotourist destination, and to provide a forum for the sharing and exchange of information relating subjects like global warming and climate change and its impact on this country.

Naturally Larry, my corner of the blog, will offer information relating to the efforts of people and institutions that make a difference, helping to create a balance between commerce and conservation amidst the backdrop of some very serious global issues, like climate change. I will attempt to communicate in a language that is easily understood. I believe the major reason why there appears to be a disconnect between the experts and the rest of us is because they focus on the facts alone and not the feelings they engender. We are completely overwhelmed by the complexity of the issues related to global warming and its technical vocabulary. Read on…