Commitment to Conservation

Why are we in this business? We are often asked this question, and the reply is always the same: "We choose this work because we love nature." In order to make our actions consistent with our love of nature, we must do all we can to make our efforts sustainable and to protect the global ecosystem. At the Canopy Tower, here are some of the things we do to "walk our talk": Reduce our use of resources, especially waste The bathroom sinks have a time-release mechanism to reduce wasted water Toilets use only 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to the typical 5 gallons We take care to educate our guests about our effort to conserve water and energy, and invite them to join our efforts Most of our lightbulbs are energy saving compact fluorescents, saving 80% over conventional incandescent bulbs We use light sparingly, and eliminated most of the perimeter lighting around the Tower We buy food and supplies in bulk to reduce packaging materials, especially plastic The soap in guest rooms is served by a dispenser, not little wasteful plastic bottles Linens and towels are not changed daily, except by request; they are changed every four days or when a new guest arrives We do not use air conditioning - it really isn't necessary Re-use resources whenever possible Water from showers and washbasins (greywater) is used again in the garden All organic waste is composted and reused in the gardens The chairs on the observation deck were built with wood salvaged from the old radar station The Tower itself is a classic example of "beating swords into plowshares" by finding a noble use for a surplus defense installation Recycle resources that cannot be reused The iron structure and wooden decking on the outdoor deck are recycled from the old Panamá Railway's rails and ties The marble floors are salvaged from a refurbishing project in Panamá City Aluminum cans are collected and sold to a recycler Reject products made from scarce or toxic materials All the wood in the bedrooms, and the Adirondack chairs on the deck, are made from wood from a sustainably managed teak plantation Our refrigerators and freezers use ozone-friendly gas We are conscious about the number of trips we take in our vehicles, and we use public transport when we can Having given these matters a lot of thought, and having seen how difficult it is sometimes to live mindfully in a wasteful culture, we know first hand that progress is often slow and minimal at first. If you can think of any ways we might do better, we would be grateful. If, on the other hand, you feel we have stinted on your care, we count on you to let us know immediately so we can make you comfortable. We hope our guests will join us in applying these principles to their daily lives when they return to their homes.

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