From the Son of a Farmer on Earth Day

I am the proud son of a farmer.  

There are many lessons my dad taught me, but the care of our family, our land, our livestock and the environment were at the top of his list. I will always picture my dad on his knees as the warm, spring sun would rise gently over his shoulders as he carefully checked the small, emerald green sprouts of a baby corn plant coming to life. 

As we celebrate Earth Day this year, Earthday.org is encouraging all of us to “Restore Our Earth” and “examine natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world's ecosystems.” Now it is a perfect time to take stock. What are we in the vibrant Caribbean and Latin America region doing to embrace, enhance and protect our natural world? 

I am immensely proud of how many of our properties do their part to help restore and protect our beautiful destinations. Here are just a few examples:

• The Reserva Conchal Apiary, an active project within the Westin Reserva Conchal and W Costa Rica - Reserva Conchal, and Blue Zones Nicoya, a local organization that generates jobs and supports crops and steady income to small farmers in the area, partner to produce honey that is used on property and sold locally. The project currently manages 60 hives with 60,000 bees each, impacting the continuity of different ecosystems and providing meaningful value to human “ecosystems.”  
• Turtle preservation and education programs are thriving in Mexico at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Marriott Cancun Resort, and St. Regis Punta Mita Resort; in Puerto Rico, at the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort; and in the Cayman Islands at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Together, the properties have protected more than 1,000 turtle nests and released nearly 85,000 turtles back to the sea in 2020 alone.
• Many of our properties across the region engage in clean-up and reforestation initiatives and programs throughout the year that aim to take care of local environments and people, while inviting associates and guests to join our journey.

As a company we partner with several organizations to protect natural habitats and communities. A few of those projects that directly impact our region are:

• the Juma REDD+ project, in partnership with the Foundation of Amazon Sustainability (FAS) and the Government of Amazonas
• World Wildlife Fund with whom we partner to support the Peruvian Mahi Mahi fishery improvement project
• The Ocean Foundation (TOF) who we support to pilot project that sustainably removes sargassum seaweed before it inundates beaches along our region’s coastlines

As we emerge into a period of travel restoration, let’s find relevant ways in our own communities to embrace innovation for social impact and each do our part to maintain and restore our world.

My dad would often remind me, “You can’t just live off the land, but you must tend to it and care for it. In turn, the land will care for you.”  Wise words from a wiser farmer.