Costa Verde Sustainable Resource Center ignites a learning community, encouraging residents to search for and solve the problems relevant to our community.

The idea of Costa Verde began as a school, but immediately everyone involved realized they needed to make a more significant contribution to the surrounding community. Costa Verde created the Sustainable Resource Center to serve the local community.

The Sustainable Resource Center provides information on how local residents can contribute to the cause of environmentalism and instigate their own response. It is a place to find books. It is a place to discuss. It is a place where people find the spark to ignite change.

We are able to accept donations through our non-profit organization in the United States, "Ninos del Sol Inc." with check to:

Ninos del Sol Inc.
100 Chambers Street #2
New York NY 10007

THE LEARNING COMMUNITY:

One of the most important parts of our Sustainable Resource Center: horizontal relationships and team work. CVIS provides a setting for all the people of Sayulita to come together and participate in a Learning Community: a group of people getting together to share knowledge. Already key figures in the town have been invited to take part in this educational experience. There have been several successful meetings already and everyone is excited to see what will evolve in the future. Participating already are a local herbalist, a biologist, a carpenter, and an anthropologist, all sharing their different points of view.

With the primary purpose of connecting, knowing each other’s capabilities and necessities and proving a space for hosting the weekly reunions, the LC work has developed a plan to grow trees in the elementary schools of Sayulita to later hand them to the middle school for planting involving the different schools in town in environmental activities.

GARDEN CONSORTIUM:

We are planning a congress on education and sustainability in the region for 2009 where we expect to have the presence of local national and international agricultures, environmentalists and speakers. The congress will be focused on how to incorporate the green theme into the education curriculum. Some of the confirmed workshops are:

• Importance of school garden and it’s pedagogic spectrum
• Passive consumers to active learners (media literacy)
• Weaving social nets (connecting the school with ONG’s for curriculum development)

LIBRARY:

In an effort to bring modern ecology to Sayulita, Costa Verde maintains a library of books on ecology, "green" building, and the climate crissis, as well as contact information for numerous ecological builders and materials. Some of the titles include ways to approach sustainable building, bio-intensive gardening and farming, energy saving habits, water resources in the region, herbolaria , etc. Also check out "Resources" section to find online resources.

EVENTS - ECOLOGY FAIR:

Last May we held our first bio-regional fair at Costa Verde IS. It was a free public event that included the presence of the Punta Mita middle school with a stand informing the attendants of the virtues of vemiculture. There where environment related workshops for kids and a traditional Mexican ensemble from the coast of Veracruz.

RECYCLING:

The CVSRC has been working with Riviera Recicla on the regional recycling program which involves associations such as Punta Mita Foundation and PEACE. Representatives of the SRC have assisted in orchestrating the recycling of plastic and card board.

GREEN RENTALS:

The Sustainable Resource Center has begun a campaign to "green" the local rental homes. Without any big hotels, Sayulita travelers are dependent upon the local homes offered for rent by vacant owners and "snow birds." The CVSRC is currently working with local property managers and owners to figure out ways to green the operation of these houses in a costless way by producing a series of information on ecologic ways to dispose of waste, eco friendly customs such as how to cut on energy consumption, etc.

Several homes are already participating and have been equipped with environmental notices: re-use towels and linens, turn off the lights and ac, conserve water, use recycling can, use compost bin, and this house uses environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.