“The main focus is to do something that will change the world…”
When Leonardo DiCaprio bought an island, we thought that he just wanted to have a place where he could go off with friends and family and not be in the public eye. That is why Johnny Depp and many other celebrities opted to buy an island. But it looks as if he wants to follow in the footsteps of fellow actor Marlon Brando and open up a resort on his island. Of course, knowing how Leonardo feels about the Earth, we’re not surprised he’s planning on building an eco-friendly resort. That is the latest business venture that Leonardo has attached himself too as if he’s not busy enough. But if you’re going to have an island then you might as well make some money from it.
“The main focus is to do something that will change the world,” DiCaprio told The New York Times. “I couldn’t have gone to Belize and built on an island and done something like this, if it weren’t for the idea that it could be groundbreaking in the environmental movement.”
Plans of opening the resort are already well underway and we can expect a grand opening sometime in 2018. It won’t be anything like the crazy island from The Beach where only certain people will be allowed on the island, though it will be a luxury resort. Nor do we expect there to be any shark attacks like in the movie, but we’ll have to see how it goes. The resort already has a name, Blackadore Caye Resort, and judging by the plans and mock photos, it’ll be gorgeous. “I believe that it will be an incredible private island that will set the mark for all future island developments.”
So, what should one expect from a luxury, but eco-friendly, resort? We have all the answers that you need and maybe this will be your next travel destination.
15Open-Air Buildings
Nothing says eco-friendly more than feeling as if you are one with nature. It’s always a lot of fun to be in open-air buildings because you get the best of both worlds. When it comes to staying at the resort, you will have the benefits of resort space that is open in some areas to integrate the indoors and outdoors. This way you can sit outside while still being enclosed away from the elements and enjoy the view of the gorgeous landscaping as well as the palm trees that are surrounding the property. There are couches all through the open-air buildings, giving you a luxurious space to relax when you aren’t in the pool or sight-seeing around the island. There is no better person than Leonardo to put together an eco-friendly resort and we are looking forward to seeing how well it does for him.
14Solar Panels
It’s not really surprising that there will be solar panels involved in DiCaprio’s luxury resort. The resort already has 36 estate homes as well as 36 resort bungalows which are super fun to stay in. If you prefer to stay in the water, then the bungalows are perfect for you, but if an island room suits you more, then there are plenty of accommodations on the island. Either way, they are all powered by 100 per cent renewable energy that is coming from the solar panels. It’s definitely the best possible way to power the resort and when people are looking for eco-friendly resorts, that’s usually one of the main things they check out. DiCaprio seems to have everything figured out for his island and we love everything he’s doing for the environment.
13Rainwater Collection
So, what does an eco-friendly resort do about providing water to the people in the resorts? They use rainwater of course. It all sounds pretty amazing and we are impressed by what they will go through in order to make sure that the resort is environmentally sound. What the resort intends to do is collect the rainwater and filter it onsite. They will then use solar-powered desalinization devices to make sure that the water is up to par to meet all the resort’s water needs. That, of course, will include the water for the pool, as well as all the drinking water for the resort.
12Stunning Infinity Pools
Judging by the pictures the infinity pools look incredible and add an element of tranquility to the vacation spot. These contemporary styles are not sleek and modern, but they are all made out of recyclable materials. It’s these sorts of details that vacationers appreciate when they start booking eco-friendly vacations. When it comes to planning a vacation, vacationers want things to be as simple as possible when they are looking at eco-friendly resorts. It looks as if DiCaprio’s island getaway will provide them with everything they need.
11An Amazing Coastline
One thing that Leonardo DiCaprio discovered when he purchased the island was that the coastline was eroding and the reefs had suffered from overfishing. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he discovered that there was deforestation of the native mangrove tree population. He was determined to reverse the trend especially since he was looking to build a resort on the island. He went forward with assembling a team of scientists to control and set baseline levels of resilience and biodiversity. They would then watch it and monitor what was going on with it over time. They planted over 20,000 new red mangrove trees around the island’s perimeter. They added more rocks and sand in strategic places to fortify the shoreline. They plan to reintroduce new native species to restore the vegetated cover on the island. It’s amazing what DiCaprio is willing to do in order to create a thriving island.
10Circadian Lighting
The whole resort, including the 36 estate homes and the 36 bungalows will feature circadian lighting. If you don’t know anything about circadian lighting, it can literally make you feel better emotionally and physically. According to Glumac, “The eye sends these signals to the brain to trigger the release of serotonin (the body’s natural antidepressant) during the day and melatonin (a hormone affecting sleep) at night. This is what creates our circadian rhythm and promotes our mental and physical health, our mood, and our energy.” This lighting system is designed to mimic what sunlight does for our bodies. It can make you more productive and give you an overall feeling of good wellbeing. So, imagine having that in your bungalow during your stay on vacation. You would be able to start your day feeling incredible.
9Wildlife Preserve
As if the island couldn’t get more amazing, DiCaprio has decided to section off a part of the island for a wildlife preserve. So, while you’re on vacation on the resort side, you can have the peace of mind that the owner of the island is doing everything in his power to preserve the wildlife. DiCaprio has a research station that will be set up to host scientists who can watch over the wildlife preserve. While they are watching the wildlife, they will also be conducting ecological studies. The best part of the wildlife reserve is that guests will have the option of being involved or not. If you so choose, guests can work on some of the restoration projects if they want to. So, while you are on vacation, you can take part in making a difference to the environment and wildlife in general.
8Removing Invasive Species
DiCaprio is an environmental activist and recently released a documentary called Before the Flood, so his efforts all over the world have been noticed. What that means for the resort is that they are going to reshape some of the flora to remove any invasive species and then they will replace those species with native ones. They are bringing in more mangroves and planting them, maintaining the reef that surrounds the islands. The efforts for this island and resort is really quite remarkable. It’s practically going to be an honor for any environmentalist to stay there. If you have seen any of the documentaries that DiCaprio represents, you know this is his life crusade.
7Living Building Challenge
Even the buildings will be designed in a very special way that will change the structure of the buildings themselves. Leonardo’s resort will be the first luxury resort to welcome the Living Building Challenge standards. It’s the most rigorous sustainability certification available for buildings and structures. The resort has not released the square footage of the bungalows or homes yet, but the energy-efficient buildings will be able to capture breezes and literally keep out heat from the sun. Now that doesn’t sound like any hotel that we’ve ever stayed in. As if that isn’t amazing enough, both human waste and food waste will be treated right onsite. They are going to compost all waste to improve the island’s topsoil.
6Strict Rules On Technology
We’re not saying that there will be any strict curfews, but there will be some rules on the luxury resort. There will be some restrictions in regards to what technologies they will allow on the island. It hasn’t been released as to what technologies will not be permitted, so we have to wonder if tablets and laptops will be banned from the island. Although it might be difficult for some to unplug, it’s necessary for our mental health. We can just imagine how difficult it would be for some celebs not to be able to post their vacation on social media.
5All Organic Foods
When it comes to an environmentally safe resort, you would probably expect the food to be organic as well. Not only will they serve food at the resort that is organic, but it will also be locally sourced. The developers of the resort are forming partnerships with local fishermen as well as farmers to make sure that the kitchen is fully stocked for guests. They are also going to grow things like greens and produce onsite hydroponically. “Belize is truly unique. It has the second largest coral reef system in the world, and it has some of the most biodiverse marine life like the manatee population and almost every species of fish you can imagine. Then there are the Mayan temples and the culture,” DiCaprio told The New York Times.
4It Will Be Expensive
We’re not sure what the bungalows will cost to rent out, but when it comes to the estate houses, those are likely to be very expensive. For those who plan on purchasing their own private house, there were will be 48 hours that will range between $5 and $15 million plus an added monthly fee for maintenance, meals, and services. None of the prices have been determined and the information has yet to be released. Considering the level of sustainability and eco-consciousness, we imagine that the estate homes will be nowhere near cheap. Not only does the resort itself sound amazing but so does the beach and what they are doing to preserve it means that it is going to be an amazing beach.
3Everything Is Wood And Marble
You can see by the photos that the resort is going to be a stunning establishment. A lot of money is being put into it to make it look contemporary as well as beautiful. When they decided to build the resort, they wanted it to be built it out of natural elements and obviously elements that could sustain certain weather conditions over time. When it was all said and done, they decided to build it all out of marble and wood. So, what we have now is a gorgeous structure that looks flawless. People are going to love staying at this resort not only because it’s beautiful but because a lot of care has been put in to make sure that it is environmentally friendly for its guests. We love the passion that is behind this project and everything that Leonardo DiCaprio does for the environment.
2No Water Bottles
Obviously, if you are on vacation, you may want to have some water bottles with you. But as you may or may not know, non-reusable water bottles aren’t exactly great for the environment. According to Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute, “There is no comparison with the environmental footprint of bottled water. Of course, the plastic footprint is the same as it is with other drinks which come in bottles. But that argument is disingenuous because for bottled water the alternative isn’t soda, it’s tap water.” So, it’s not surprising then that DiCaprio is not going to have regular water bottles on the island. Guests will also not be allowed to bring any non-reusable plastic water bottles. There won’t be a bunch of water bottles lying around as you may see at other resorts. The rules will be enforced so make sure you pack a reusable water bottle to bring to the island.
1No Vehicles On The Island
We’re not just talking about jeeps and cars but also boats and scooters. Well before you freak out, it’s not all vehicles. As long as the vehicle uses the clean energy, it will be fine. But anything else is just not going to work. There will also be no recreational vehicles allowed on the island. That means all boats, cars, and scooters will be banned from the island unless they use clean energy. So, if you were thinking about bringing anything that requires the use of gas, think again. This is why we always see DiCaprio on bikes when he is sightseeing and we can bet that there will probably be a lot of bikes available to rent on the island as well. That way you can get from A to B in no time flat.
