Can Your Next Surfboard Help Save the Waves?
8 Awesome Costa Rica Surf Camps for Women by Women
When CR Surf Travel Company was created in 1999 their slogan was “The best place to check the surf in Costa Rica” and after 14 years they have not only earned the top position on Google when searching ‘Costa Rica surf’, but have helped thousands of surfers and their families find safe and comfortable places to stay, along with waves matching their skill level. Their website, www.CRsurf.com, has the most up-to-date surfing report and forecast from both coastlines, plus decades of archived surf reports, each issue highlighting major travel and community news, promoting local events, and encouraging visitors to learn more about the issues facing Costa Rica’s environment. And now the company has earned the status of a California Benefit Corporation, proving a measurable assessment of its sustainable business practices.
The owner, Greg Gordon, volunteers with many environmental groups including the Costa Rican sea turtle protection non-profit, PRETOMA, the Surfrider Foundation, and Oceana. While living in the small Pacific village of Dominical he founded his own group, the Basura Busters, to help clean the local beaches and raise awareness about plastic pollution. He incorporates sustainability into every aspect of his business, recognizing that his success is fundamentally tied to the health of Costa Rica’s coastal ecosystems. He established and works through this business model that prioritizes respect for people and nature over profits, proving that businesses can be profitable and sustainable.
In 2010, CR Surf Travel Company moved its headquarters to California, a state that offers a new type of corporate status – a Benefit Corporation. Similar to LEED certification for construction or Fair Trade status for coffee, “B Corps” are certified by the nonprofit B-Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today there is a growing community of more than 760 Certified B Corps from 27 countries and 60 industries working together toward one unifying goal: to redefine success in business. Mr. Gordon summarizes it as “people and the planet before profit.”
After a complete evaluation by GIIRS, a top ratings agency and analytics platform for impact investors, the Costa Rica travel company earned its certification as a Benefit Corporation this year. The company chooses to partner with local businesses in the beachside towns and not the multinational ‘big-box’ resorts. They donate a percentage of their profits as a member of 1% for the Planet. CRsurf travelers always feel welcome and safe when visiting Costa Rica because Greg and his crew continually engage with the Costa Rica surf community.
Costa Rica is a nature lover’s dream. 27% of the land is protected in their National Park system. It holds 5% of the world’s biodiversity in a country the size of West Virginia. It has hundreds of miles of beaches fronting both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. And those beaches, which can be made up of white, pink, beige, or brown sand, are the main reason that over two million visitors come to the “Rich Coast” each year.
During the last week of July, CRsurf will publish their 700th surf report! To mark this event and to recognize 15 years of commitment and engagement with surfing community, CRsurf is running a fundraiser campaign to help the lifeguard programs on three beaches, Playa Cocles on the Caribbean, plus Dominical and Tamarindo along the Pacific coast. Partnering with fellow B-Corp, NiceShirt.org, their goal is to sell 700 t-shirts with the funds going for lifeguarding equipment, training, and salaries. To find out more, visit – www.CRsurf.com.
**
About CR Surf Travel Company:
CR Surf was created in 1999 to help surfers in Costa Rica find the best place to surf, to help travelers plan their trips, and to keep locals and visitors informed of news and upcoming events. They publish a weekly surf report and forecast, share the best photos from the country’s top photographers, and help thousands of surfers and their families with their vacations. CRSURF is a leader in promoting environmental causes and proof that businesses who support sustainable and community led tourism can enjoy success while protecting their playground- the beaches and the ocean. Visit their site and give them a call for more information and help create change in the tourism industry.
