Environment - Present Moment Retreat - Troncones

Before we opened our doors in 2005, we discussed at length how we could make Present Moment a positive instrument for change in our world. We committed to continually refining our ecological practices in order to maintain and restore the health of natural ecosystems, the local community and the well-being of our staff and guests. We sought to step more lightly on the earth, provide healthy food, protect biodiversity, and conserve water and energy.

Now, seven years later, we have decided to seize the opportunity of Earth Day 2012 to reflect, reevaluate and recommit ourselves to our mission. On this sacred day we are revisiting our commitment by outlining the following:

Keeping it Green: Our current ecological practices
Earth Day Promise: How we can improve in the coming year
You Can Help Too: How guests can contribute

Keeping it Green

Waste Treatment System
We have a state of the art waste treatment system to ensure that all of our waste is clean before release. Solid waste is treated using live bacteria that are completely safe for the environment. Liquid waste is treated and pH balanced before it is released. We adhere to the highest US standards as outlined in the Clean Water Act and far surpass the legal requirements of Mexico.

Water Treatment System
We have installed a water treatment system so that all water on the property is safe for drinking. This eliminates the need to truck in bottled water, which reduces gas emissions and plastic bottle waste.

Sustainable Architecture
Present Moment was design to be low impact:

Palapa Architecture uses locally sourced trees and palm leaves... it doesn't get more natural or sustainable than that!
Our hardwoods are reclaimed and local. That means they lived a natural full life before we used them on our property.
10 of our bungalows are an open-air design which eliminates the need for air-conditioning. AC is the most resource demanding element of most hotels... we prefer a fresh ocean breeze and a ceiling fan.

Organic Products
We use biodegradable, non-toxic soaps and detergents to ensure that any water that runs off of our property is safe for the local ecology.

Eco-Friendly Pool
We clean our swimming pool using a saline filtration system. That means that it's mainly treated with salt instead of harmful chemicals. Small amounts of chlorine are used to abide by international regulations, but it's drastically less than a traditional chlorine pool.

Eco-Tours
We work with local Oceanographer Alejandro Rodriguez Pruneda to guide eco-tours in local estuaries, on the ocean, or in the Sierra Madre Mountains. What better way to inspire people to care for our earth than with spiritual experience in nature. For more information see our Adventures Page

Earth Day Promise

In the coming year Present Moment Retreat commits to take the following measures to lighten our footprint on the earth:

Use 100% Organic Fertilizer (when locally available)
Use only free range eggs in our restaurant (when locally available)
Donate 5% of our profits to Green Projects
Increase our support of local, community based ecological projects

You Can Help Too

If you're interested in making your trip more "Green", we recommend the following:

Bring your own reusable water bottle. All of the water on the property is safe for drinking, but when you're going on your eco-tour, going surfing, or heading to town, it would be a lot more ecological if you could carry a reusable bottle instead of a one-time use plastic bottle.
Use bio-degradable, non-toxic soaps and shampoos. We treat all of the water used at Present Moment, but certain chemicals are hard to remove. Skin Deep is a wonderful website to help you determine the toxicity level of your toiletries.
Buy Carbon Offsets to mitigate the environmental impact of air travel. Click here to read a good article that explains how Carbon Offsets work and which companies to use.