First two lodges, in Belize & Dominica, receive ECOCLUB Rating 

8 July 2008 - Athens, Greece

The first two lodges have successfully undergone the new ECOCLUB Rating process and have been rated as 'Ecolodges' by Members of ECOCLUB.com - International Ecotourism Club. Following a transparent & democratic evaluation process, at no extra cost to the Lodges, both Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge in Dominica (rated 4.4 out of 5), and The Lodge at Big Falls in Belize (rated 3.9 out of 5) were found to fulfil the majority of ecotourism criteria and are therefore officially accepted as ECOCLUB Ecolodge Members.

Going further than other rating systems which focus on environmental impact issues, the ECOCLUB Rating system tries to include broader social & political ecology criteria. It aims to be as democratic as possible, without employing a panel of experts, but relying on collective wisdom. The Lodges were rated against the following five criteria: 1. environmental impact minimisation, 2. environmental conservation funding, 3. poverty reduction,  4. respect of human rights and 5. promotion of knowledge & understanding. The novel rating process tries to be CO2 neutral by being conducted exclusively online, not involving travel, brochures or paperwork. It is available at no extra cost to Accommodation facilities that are Business Members of ECOCLUB.com.

The Lodge at Big Falls Staff, Belize	Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge Staff, Dominica

The next rating period will commence on July 10, with two more Lodges, both from Ecuador,
La Selva Jungle Lodge and Septimo Paraiso Cloud Forest Reserve.

About ECOCLUB:
ECOCLUB®, the International Ecotourism Club™ is an award-winning network & media for Ecological Tourism with Members, individuals and organisations, worldwide. It was founded on July 1, 1999 and is based in Athens, Greece, European Union.

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