“We cannot lay too much stress on the importance of regulating all our thoughts, all our feelings and actions, in harmony with the law of equilibrium.”
–Edmond Szekely, “Cosmos, Man and Society,” 1936

The Ranch goes to great lengths to minimize use of disposable products, and find ways to reuse everything possible. Among our steps: 

• Guests are provided attractive water-bottles at check in that they are invited to reuse throughout their stay.
• Spa locker rooms provide re-usable robes, slippers, and hair care tools.
• Natural shampoo and conditioners are provided in refillable bottles.
• Wastebaskets in the rooms and offices are lined with "Bio-Bags:” 100 percent compostable bags made of a cornstarch-derived material. 
• We buy in bulk whenever possible. Relatively few bottles, cans or other containers are used on property.
• The beautiful granite rocks used for functional and artistic construction are all from on site and unearthed during construction or landscape projects. 
• Other natural "waste" materials like eucalyptus limbs and cattail reeds are also recycled into new construction such as shade structures.
• Ranch staff members always search for ways to reuse out-dated or demolished materials and structures.  For example, a tennis court that was removed to make way for a new building was broken up to create a service road for maintenance staff.
• In 2001 Rancho La Puerta staff received the first Natural Step training provided to any operation in Mexico.  Natural Step is a system for incorporating principles of sustainability throughout the design of a structure or process.
• Many buildings at Rancho La Puerta have been “repurposed” multiple times, and we seldom demolish a building (which we consider a waste of materials, energy and time!). The first structure on the property, an adobe one-room shed once lived in by the Professor and Deborah, is still here today (it’s now a museum). Even it was repurposed: it originally was used to store hay before the Szekelys arrived in 1940.
• Garden trimmings are repurposed as mulch or compost.
• Office workers recycle paper, and when possible, print on both sides (or choose not to print at all).
• Collateral communication materials (brochures etc.) are printed on recycled papers using soy-based inks.
• See our “water” section for the ways we reuse water.