2015 bodhi surf initiatives

7/24/2019 2015 Bodhi Surf Initiatives

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2015 Bodhi Initiatives

The Ocean Guardian

Journey


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What is Bodhi SurfSchool?


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We are a surf and yoga company who, in 2015, celebrated five years of being in business. Over the years, we have grown from adream shared by four individuals to a thriving small business that today provides full-time employment to three members of our

community and, proudly shares our love and knowledge of surfing, yoga, our community, and the environment with a multitude of

people from around the world.

Mission: To provide memorable travel experiences that facilitate learning through exposure to the people and

environment of the place we call home.

But what is Bodhi Surf really? What do its owners and staff stand for? How do we use our position as a surf and yoga camp to makea positive difference in the world we live in? And more importantly, why do we feel a responsibility to do so?

Read on to get the answers to these questions! 2


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Table of Contents


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Bodhi Surf is a Tourism Operator..5

Bodhi Surf is an Educator.13

Bodhi Surf is an Environmental Steward25

Bodhi Surf is an Active Community Participant32

Bodhi Surfs Notable Partnerships..46

Bodhi Surfs Goals & Vision for the Future59


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Bodhi Surf School is a

Tourism Operator

Tourism is our livelihood Bodhi Surf School is a tourism-based business that serviceshundreds of visitors annually through our surf and yoga camps, our single surf and

yoga classes, and our Special Interest Groups.

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Whyre

spon

siblet

ourismisimportantt

ous

Bodhi Surf School is dependent on the well-being of our community as well as our terrestrial

and marine ecosystems after all, it is the vast beauty of our environment and the cultural

richness of our community that attract these visitors in the first place! For that reason, we have

a vested interest in ensuring the health of these entities and encouraging others to do the

same. Additionally, we feel that we are in the position to provide a unique educational

opportunity to our patrons and encourage them to implement some of these responsiblepractices at home post-visit.

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8/68Resp

ons

ible

bu

sinesscan

haveapos

itivene

t

eff

ectonour

community

andourenv

ironment

We know firsthand that being a responsible business is highly conducive to great and lasting success.Why? Because a responsible business, by definition, is one that reinvests in the very entities upon whichit depends not just to maintain them, but in many cases, to make them better. This ensures continuity,growth, and improvement.

Bodhi Surf School measures its success in how many people we are able to positively effect that is,

our influence in our localand globalcommunities.

Locally, we take great pride in helping to maintain what makes this community so special, while alsobeing a force for positive change:

In October of 2015, Bodhi Surf School officially contracted three community members with full-timeemployment.

Through our Service and Surf Saturday program, we continued to work with an average of eight local

youth, helping to empower them through surfing while also highlighting the importance of collectivelytaking care of our home and livelihood.

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Globally, we use our influence as a business that, in 2015, hosted 110 international

visitors, to highlight the importance of impact reduction:

We facilitate positive experiences in nature with surfing and yoga, and then

underscore the duty for each of us to protect what [we] love.

Over 250 people have pledged to become Ocean Guardians and to take

concrete steps to reduce their impact on the planet and the oceans.

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D

oesrespo

nsible

to

urism

hav

e

the

ability

to

chang

e

behavio

r?

For many years now, weve seen signs that point to this powerful thesis: nature-basedexperiences lead to long-term, pro-environmental behavior change. We have discovered

that this is true for our own guests, and have thus been compelled to incorporate this idea

into our surf and yoga teaching methodologies and the framework for our week-long

camps. We have come across literature and have connected with academics who have

introduced us to concepts that are at the forefront of the branch of the conservation

movement. So we happen to be at a very interesting time and place: where theoutdoor tourism industry and the conservation movement intersect.

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Skidmore

Global

Leadersh

ipAdventures

CaseStudy

One group that visits multiple locations in Costa Rica each year is Global Leadership Adventures

(GLA). Their program Protecting the Pacific is dedicated to marine conservation and other

ocean related environmental issues and allows students work hand in hand with community

members on projects such as reforestation, beach clean-ups, and GPS mapping of highly

polluted areas. Using these students as subjects, Dr. Andrew Schneller, a professor and

researcher from Skidmore College, surveyed the students pre, intra-program, and post programto determine if this program does indeed encourage pro-environmental behavior change.

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P

ennSt

at

e

B

odhiS

urfC

ase

St

ud

y

We mentioned in a past monthly roundup blog post that there was an opportunity to participate in a study that

investigates the long-term effects of nature-based tourism and to see if there is any behavior change when it comes

to pro-environmental tendencies. Specifically, studying Bodhi Surfs past guests and their experiences with our

week-long surf and yoga camps. Researcher Dr. Carter A. Hunt of the Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at

Penn State University, is spearheading this study, and this excerpt comes from the studys official abstract:

In collaboration with Bodhi Surf School, researchers from Penn States Department of Recreation, Park and TourismManagement will study the pro-environmental behavior of travelers following their nature-based tourism experience

in Uvita-Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

This study will take two approaches to assessing the ways that new behaviors, advocacy, and activism in favor of

environmental conservation result from week-long instructional surf and yoga experiences inside a national marine

park.

This research will be of equal interest to practitioners operating activity-based forms of nature-based tourism

enterprises and researchers interested in pro-environmental outcomes of tourism.11


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Bodhi Surf is an Educator

Tourism to natural destinations is an educational opportunity. According to a paper released by

Science Daily in 2015, the worlds national parks and reserves receive eight billion visits annually,

and a large part of those visitors participate in nature-based activities. Outdoor tourism

operators have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to not only provide memorable experiences, but

also facilitate educational experiences that may help to create lasting behavior change intheir patrons and guests.

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Our Unique Teaching Methodology


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SURFING

Our goal as a surf school is to to form responsible, independent surfers who are not

only skilled in the sport, but also have a heightened awareness and sensitivity towards

the environment in which the sport is practiced. We have designed a unique teaching

methodology based on the Circle of Courage, a teaching model designed for at-risk

youth, which has proven very effective. Within the five surf lessons included in ourBodhi Sessions, we are able to touch upon each of the four phases.

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1

.B

el

on

gi

ng

/A

ttachm

en

t

In this phase, we help our guests get their bearings, teaching a little of surfings history, some

of its culture, a lot about the necessary equipment, and where we have the privilege of

learning to surf. It is in this phase that people typically have many doubts and fears: about

the ocean, about their abilities, etc. and it is in this phase that we hope to help them

become comfortable. Easing into the surf world gradually versus diving right in helps people

achieve personal success in later lessons.

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2.

Ma

stery

/

A

chievement

This is the phase that we spend the most time on, giving the crucial knowledge and

practicing with the goal of developing skills, with lots of feedback integrated. We have

strayed away from the model that many surf schools follow, in which we do all the dirty

work (choosing the waves and pushing students into them) and our guests just get to do

the fun part (catching waves). Why? Because while some aspects of surfing arent as fun as

others carrying your surfboard longer distances, turtle rolling they are necessary tomaster in order to become competent enough to surf without an instructor.

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3.In

de

en

d

en

ce

/A

u

ton

om

This is the ultimate goal for our students as surfers: to ensure that they surf safely, and

successfully, on their own. In order to do that, as instructors, we facilitate a safe space for our

students to make their own choices based on predetermined personal surfing goals while still

maintaining a level of supervision.

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4.

Ge

neros

ity

/

Altru

ism

This phase is actually dispersed throughout the others, but we consider it the most importantphase for Bodhi Surf the business and the individuals that comprise it. The theme of What

makes a surfer is woven throughout the curriculum. We teach that, even more important

than standing up on your surfboard, having a long ride, or riding a big wave, is how you use

your position as someone who utilizes the ocean for the purposes of diversion. For the

surfers of Bodhi Surf School, that is everything that encompasses our Ocean Guardian

Journey. For our guests, we hope it is signing the Ocean Guardian Pledge and startingtheir own journeys to impact reduction and caring for the ocean and the earth.

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YOGA

Our yoga teaching methodology is not revolutionary, though it is increasingly unique in

a day and age when yoga has become a workout routine rather than what it was truly

intended to be: a practice that connects the mind, body, and spirit.

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A

mor

e

tra

diti

ona

l

pa

th

Our teaching follows a more traditional path, guiding students through the asanas or postures in

a way that does indeed push the body, but more importantly, brings the focus back inward on themind. In order to accomplish this, we emphasize the following:

Multi-level classes in order to accommodate different levels, allowing newer practitioners tomaster basic postures and advanced yogis to deepen their practice

Going back unceasingly to the zenith of the practice: the breath Bringing yoga philosophy into every class, addressing the human condition in this modern world:

our shared struggles and triumphs, the important connections between our minds and bodies

and ourselves and our environment, and awareness of the power of our thoughts,

intentions, and actions21


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POST-VIS

ITEDUCA

TION

In late 2015, we launched our Ocean Guardian Digest email campaign for signees of the

Ocean Guardian Pledge. These monthly emails provide tips and resources for individuals

who are looking to reduce their impact on the ocean and the planet as a whole. Having had

the opportunity to do a great deal of research ourselves, as well as being connected to

many different environmental organizations and movements across the globe, we finally

took the time to consolidate all of this information for our guests and anyone who may beinterested. Emails consist of short videos, links to articles and organizations, and action

steps that range from easy for anyone to highly committed to ensuring the wellbeing of

the planet.

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SpecialInteres

tGroups

As part of the facilitating learning aspect of our Mission, Bodhi Surf School has worked with SpecialInterest Groups (high school, college, and private groups visiting the area on service learning trips) sinceour inception in 2010. In 2015, we worked with 284 students from nine such groups which included

Global Leadership Adventures, Discover Corps, Case Western Reserve University, and The University ofTennessee Knoxville. Our services ranged from arranging logistics and lodging to providing surfingand yoga classes, to connecting with other community organizations and members to facilitatingworkshops and lectures, and any combination thereof. These services helped bring in an estimated$75,000 of new income to the community and 6,000 service hours.

With many of these groups, we also take the opportunity to screen several educational videos to our

guests and special interest groups that provide an in-depth look at the realities of development andtourism in Costa Rica, including CRESTs The Goose with the Golden Egg and CAVUs OurWaters, Our Lives.23


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Bodhi Surf is an

Environmental Steward

Bodhi Surf School is located in a small, coastal Costa Rican community, which borders the

Marino Ballena National Park. It is clean, pristine, and offers spectacular views of an area of the

world that remains, for the most part, untouched. Our proximity to such important terrestrial

and marine ecosystems means that everything we do directly and immediately impacts these

areas. We aim to have our own and our guests impact be positive.25

F B dhi S f S h l fi d j h i l i i i b l


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Why

beingAnenv

ironmental

stewardis

so

impo

rtantto

us

For Bodhi Surf School, surfing and yoga are not just physical activities, but also

lifestyles that are aligned with conservation and environmentalism. Surfers spend

more time in the ocean than most people, and therefore, are very aware of not just

the state of their favorite surf spots, but the ocean in general. Learning to surf at

Bodhi means learning pro-environmental behaviors, because in our opinion, that is of

equal importance to standing up on a surfboard. Yoga, which helps provide physicaland spiritual awareness, allows prana the vital life force of all living things to

enter the yoga practitioner. This allows for the development of consciousness, and

respect for all living things.

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Sprea

ding

the

messageo

f

enviro

nmentalstewardshi

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Ocean

Gu

ar

di

anP

ledge

This is a voluntary pledge that we encourage our guests to sign after spending a week

with Bodhi Surf School, yet is also open to the public. It encourages reflection about

how the ocean makes us feel, and also asks signees to make a commitment: I pledge

to do my part to help protect the worlds oceans by participating in Bodhi Surf's Ocean

Guardian community. Finally, signees agree to receive our Ocean Guardian Digest

a monthly email with information and concrete, easy-to-incorporate actions to reduce

their impact on the ocean and on the planet. As of December, 2015, the pledgehas over 250 signees.

I pledge to not use plastic straws.

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My

Oce

an

Guardian

Conte

st

Since 2013, we have held this annual contest that invites Ocean Guardians to enter and share their

innovative actions and ideas for marine conservation in exchange for meaningful prizes, including thegrand prize: a free yoga and surf camp for two people.

In 2015, we had a great variety amongst the entries, and were happy to award the Grand Prize to twocollege students from Quebec, Canada, for their innovative idea to help protect the St. Lawrence BelugaWhale they will be redeeming their grand prize and visiting us in June of 2016!

We had lots of help this year in getting the word out about the contest. We were so thankful to have thesupport of larger organizations who we look up to and whose work we revere: Surfrider, TheStory of Stuff, and Life Without Plastic to name a few.29


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Leadin

g

by

ex

am

ple

Bodhi Surf School believes that impact reduction must start at a small-scale level, and that a

commitment to changing common behaviors and everyday actions is critical. At Bodhi Surf School,

we continually work on reducing our environmental impact in a variety of ways: at the lodge,

within our business operations, and individually as owners and staff. We are also always looking

for ways to reduce our impact as our business grows. We encourage our guests to participate in

reducing their impact during their stay, and hope that they will feel motivated and empowered tocontinue their good work when they return home.

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Con

tr

ibu

tion

toac

limat

ec

hangecases

tu

dy In 2015, Bodhi Surf School was invited to contribute to a publication created by the Center for

Responsible Travel (CREST) which aims to share the current best practices and guidelines for the

private sector on how tourism in coastal destinations should be developed and managed to

address climate change impacts. We contributed a case study on our Best Practices for

Sustainable Surfing in their chapter on Marine Recreation, looking at it through the lens of climate

change and the tourism industry in particular.

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Bodhi Surf is an Active

Community Participant

The community of Bahia Ballena is special: beautiful, clean, and tranquil, and with many

people who share the collective goal to keep it that way. It is also unique from other

tourism destinations in that it was a thriving town prior to tourism, and we recognize that,

as a part of the community that we operate within, we will not flourish if ourcommunity does not flourish. 32


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For the community

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ONG

OINGPROGRAMS

Since our inception Bodhi Surf School has been actively involved in keeping the Marino


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S

ervice&

SurfSatu

rda

s

Since our inception, Bodhi Surf School has been actively involved in keeping the Marino

Ballena National Park clean and healthy with our Service & Surf Saturday program. What was

once an informal beach cleanup with other community members has morphed into a set

monthly service program which uses surfing and environmental education to empower the

communitys youth; currently, the program includes Geoporter, Forjando Alas, and Asociacin

Amigos de la Naturaleza del Pacfico Central y Sur (Friends of Nature of the Central andSouthern Pacific Coast), Costa Rica (ASANA).

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Yoga

for

the

Community

This service learning program offers community members the opportunity to learn and

practice yoga with a teacher who speaks their native language, to be paid forward with

community service hours. In 2015, Pilar donated 60 hours of her time through the Yoga for

the Community program, which had the potential to generate an additional 300 hoursof community service by the average number of students attending.

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Pr

of

essi

on

alin

tern

shi

p

pr

ogr

am

In 2015, Bodhi Surf hosted six interns from different corners of the world who were seeking to

continue their education and gain real world experience in the fields of tourism, outdoor education,

business management, media, and marketing. These wonderful and hardworking individuals not

only helped out at Bodhi Surf School, but also within our community, sharing their skill sets with

other businesses and organizations and offering manpower to ongoing community projects. Its

safe to say that they learned a great deal during their time in Bahia Ballena we know that we andfellow community members learned a lot from them!

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COMM

UNITYEN

GAGEMEN

T

For our guests

ll f f d h d d lk l d d h


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Commu

nityWalk

All of our surf and yoga camp guests have a guided community walking tour included in their

week-long stay. This tour was designed to teach our guests a little bit about our towns

history, culture, environment. It highlights issues the community has faced or is facing as the

pressures of development are revealed, as well as the actions the community is taking to

develop in a sustainable way.

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l

W h h t h f b i ll i l i t f th t


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Opt

ingoutof

theall-inclusivemodel We have chosen to shy away from being an all-inclusive resort for many reasons, the most

important being that we want to share the economic benefits with our fellow businesses, and

encourage cultural exchange by having guests patronize local markets, restaurants, and tour

operators.

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personal contributions

Andla

stbutn

ot

least


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GIBRA

N

Gibran has donated many hours from his personal time to help build or develop

websites for local businesses, organizations, and initiatives in the area. He has also

made it attainable for many local organizations and companies to reap thebenefits of having a web presence.41

Th h h Y f th C it Pil h d ibl t


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P

ILAR

Through her Yoga for the Community program, Pilar has made yoga accessible to

residents of Costa Ballena, breaking down price, language, and cultural barriers. She

has also been donating her personal time to mentor up-and-coming yoga instructors

and help them achieve their goals of teaching yoga.

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TRAVI

S

Travis works as a regional coordinator for the Osa-Golfito Initiative through the

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, specifically on the the Caminos de

Liderazgo Project which focuses on creating Caminos de Osa, a sustainable tourism

destination. He also works as a consultant to the Costa Rica - USA Foundationfor Cooperation in rural economic development programs.43

Adrianne works with local farmers and producers to source food for guests at the


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AD

RIANNE

p g

Bodhi Surf Lodge. Her example of cooking healthy meals using real ingredients and

finding alternatives to commonly-used, processed foods has been motivational to

Bodhi Surf kitchen staff, who in turn have taken these tips home and have

implemented them with their own families.

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B S N P


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Bodhi Surfs Notable Partnerships

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Travelers

Philanth

ropypro

gram

Bodhi Surf School helps to foster a sense of engagement between its guests and the community through its

unique Travelers' Philanthropy program. Breaking away from the traditional model of soliciting funds directlyfrom patrons, we allot 2% of our profits from vacation packages as a parting gift to our guests in the form of a

donation gift card. In 2015, our Travelers Philanthropy program brought in $970 for organizations whose work

benefits our community.

The funds are channeled to three locally operating NGOs, Forjando Alas, ASANA, and Geoporter, whose work

directly benefits our community, and whose focuses are on youth development, environmental conservation,

and geospatial education. The program uses 21st-century geospatial technology education to improve these

young people's understanding of their environment and nature-based experiential learning programs

that foster long-term environmental stewardship.47


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DONATION

S

In 2015, Bodhi Surf School donated five vacation packages valued at

a total of $11,000.

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2

015

My

Oce

an

Guar

dia

n

Journey

Con

tes

t

For the third year in a row, Bodhi Surf School gave away a surf and yoga camp

for two people, valued at $2,400, for the grand prize of our own

environmental stewardship contest.49

C

I 2015 B dhi S f d t d f d l d t $2 400 t


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en

terF

orR

espon

si

bl

eTr

av

el

(CRE

ST

)

sE

co-A

cti

on

In 2015, Bodhi Surf donated a surf and yoga camp valued at $2,400 to

CRESTs spring Eco-Auction, which benefited their work in sustainable

tourism, and specifically their day-to-day operations, internship program,

research, and Travelers' Philanthropy program.

50

s


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Su

rfr

ider

Found

ation

s

TwoC

oas

ts:

One

Oc

ean

Even

ts

For Bodhi Surf School, the Surfrider Foundation has been a shining example of how the surf

industry can and must be at the forefront of the environmental and marine conservationmovements, and their work has motivated us greatly to combine surfing and conservation

within our own business model.

We were thrilled at the opportunity to donate two vacation packages, valued at $5,000

total, to their fundraising events this fall, one on each side of the United States. We were

stoked to learn that this donation raised $7,500 for the Montauk event and $3,500 for the

Malibu event.51


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Escuel

aV

er

de

Bodhi Surf also donated a vacation package, valued at $1,200, to a locally operating school

here in the Costa Ballena, Osa for their annual auction fundraiser.

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Collaborations


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Cen

tr

al

States

WaterEnvi

ronm

en

tal

Associ

ati

on

Gl

obalW

ater

Stew

ar

ds

Bodhi Surf School is excited to be working with community members and Global Water

Stewards to assess the possibility of developing a water treatment plant for Bahia Ballena. We

are working to connecting community based organizations, community leaders, the private

sector and national government.

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Life

Without

Pla

sticalli

ance

In 2014, the folks who started the online store called Life Without Plastic won our annual My

Ocean Guardian Journey Contest. They redeemed their grand prize a yoga and surf vacation

in November of 2015. While their time here was a vacation, we also spent a great deal of time

conceptualizing ways to collaborate, and we are excited at the prospect of working with them to

become a vacation destination that is known not just for great service, but also as one whostrives to continually reduce its plastic consumption.55

Patagonia is yet another company whose business model we greatly look up to and we were


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Patago

niaCosta

Ricabrandlaunch

Patagonia is yet another company whose business model we greatly look up to, and we were

thrilled to be a part of their official Costa Rican brand launch. In late 2015, Bodhi Surf School

played a role connecting Patagonia Latin America with the press and other notable companies

and organizations here in Costa Rica in preparation for their new chapter. Patagonia has a well-

earned reputation for using their business and brand to support grassroots activism in the

countries that they operate out of, and we hope that their work in Costa Rica will be no different!

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I

Am

Water

Foun

dationvi

sit

Early in 2015, the Bodhi Surf team was introduced to two prominent freedivers/ocean

conservationists, Hanli Prinsloo and Peter Marshall, when they joined us for a few days of

relaxation and surfing at the Bodhi Surf Lodge. They taught us a bit about freediving, giving us

another piece of the puzzle as to why the ocean makes us as humans feel so good. We also

learned how our fellow ocean lovers are sharing this passion with others, and using it as atool to spark conservation.57


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Bodhi Surfs Goals &Vision for 2016


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T

ourism:inourind

ustry

Continue to support the pro-environmental behavior change and voluntourismstudies that are currently being undertaken with Bodhi Surf guests, and once we

have the data:

publish and spread its results

document and share a replicable model of best practices for the Bodhi Surf

Ocean Guardian Journey (pledge, digest emails, etc.)

encourage other businesses to adopt it, first within our industry (surf schools,dive shops, and even ocean kayak tour companies) and then globally60


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Education

:with

our

guests Double the number of Ocean Guardian Pledge signees

Provide useful tools to pledgees such as the 12 month Ocean Guardian digest email campaignthat helps them better understand simple actions they can take to reduce their footprint

Continue to spread the teachings of Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How BeingNear, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, andBetter at What You Do 62


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Education:with

ourstaff

Continue to provide and support continuing education and formal work training sessions

with our staff to ensure that they grow and develop both as individuals and as a team

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Perform a Plastic Audit of the Bodhi Surf Lodge operations to create and execute a


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Envir

onment:attheBodhiLod

ge

plastic reduction plan

Purchase and install solar panels Build and utilize rainwater collectors for watering plants and rinsing surfboards

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En

vironment:inourcommunityandworld

Contribute to the creation of a wastewater treatment plant in Bahia Ballena Support the Semillas de Ballena coastal reforestation project in the Marino Ballena

National Park and community of Bahia Ballena65

Double the number of youth participants in our Service and Surf Saturday program, and havecurrent students become mentors and stewards to the next generation of Ocean Guardians


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Com

munity:o

ngoin

gpr

ogram

s

g

Double the number of community businesses and organizations participating in the ongoingService and Surf Saturday program

Double the number of participants in our Yoga for the Community program and start guidedself-practice sessions for dedicated students who want to move to the next level with their

yoga practice

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Partnerships

Continue to make donations to organizations whose work is in line with our own values of

responsible business, education, environmental conservation, and community participation;repeat 2015s number of donated packages; five surf and yoga camps with a total value of

$11,000.

Create partnerships with organizations featured in our Ocean Guardian Digest email campaignto disseminate useful environmental conservation information to a wider audience

Double the number of community businesses and organizations participating in the already-

2015 bodhi surf initiatives

Documents