Sustainability

Natural Haven

Terranea Resort retains the essence of the unspoiled beauty of California’s coast, meticulously designed with the utmost reverence for its native environment. Guided by the philosophy of ecological sustainability, our luxury resort’s aesthetic embraces a continuous interplay with nature and the coastal habitat of the Pacific Ocean. Every effort has been made to protect and steward this unique environment on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, preserving one of Southern California’s most scenic and coveted coastlines for future generations.

Minimal Impact

Terranea is dedicated to protecting the valuable coastal resources that define the Palos Verdes Peninsula and make this singular destination one of the most valued natural locations in the world. Since its inception, Terranea has remained committed to minimizing its environmental footprint by integrating transparent eco-friendly practices throughout the resort, including—but not limited to—those that protect open space, improve wildlife habitats, and enhance local water quality. Today, Terranea occupies only one-quarter of its 102-acre site, allowing guests to enjoy more than 75 acres of natural landscape.

Additional environmentally friendly measures supported at the resort:

• The resort collaborates with Chefs to End Hunger, a non-profit organization that redistributes prepared food that would normally go to waste in hotels, restaurants, and other foodservice operations to local food agencies serving meals to those in need. Terranea regularly donates its safely chilled and unserved surplus food to the cause. Since 2017, the resort donated more than 21,072 pounds of food through this program; that's 10.54 tons of "waste" diverted from the landfill to serve 17,560 meals.
• Terranea provides bins for recycling glass, paper, plastic, and aluminum and regularly educates staff on how to properly utilize these resources through its Green Team: a dedicated volunteer team of engaged employees who support new and innovative ways to enhance Terranea’s eco-commitment.
• Terranea donates partially consumed, wholly usable toiletries left in guestrooms to the Midnight Mission in downtown Los Angeles. In one month alone, this can amount to over 380 pounds of toiletries diverted from the landfill and sent to those in need. Since the project started in December 2017, Terranea has donated 29,848 rolls of toilet paper and 63,442 bottles of partially consumer toiletries. That's more than 4.4 tons of "waste" diverted from the landfill to those in need.
• No land was removed from the area during the development of Terranea. Instead, existing structural and raw materials were recycled in the site preparation, including more than 65,000 tons of onsite stone quarried, crushed, and utilized under roads and walkways.
• Approximately 45 mature trees, legacies of Marineland of the Pacific dating over 50 years old, were carefully boxed and preserved during construction and then replanted throughout the site as a tribute to the area’s history.
• Terranea employs natural irrigation and water treatment through a series of wet ponds and vegetated wetland channels called bioswales. These wetlands enhance water quality while serving as a habitat for native avian species. First flush rainfall collection systems called Storm Filters also reduce and treat the runoff of pollutants.
• The resort’s native plant palette features coastal species indigenous to Palos Verdes and the Channel Islands. The development team worked diligently to restore, protect, and preserve the ecological balance of the area by replacing non-native plants with indigenous ones locally cultivated and grown by the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy to reinforce biodiversity. Pesticides and fertilizers are limited to those which are either organic in nature or pose no residual effect on the environment.
• All four sparkling resort pools boast saltwater treatment in lieu of a fully chlorinated system, a process both environmentally friendly and healthier for pool users.
• Terranea’s eco-friendly growing philosophy incorporates seasonal dining menus that feature local ingredients and organic, freshly picked produce and herbs from the Chef’s Garden and the resort’s nearby Catalina View Gardens. In 2017, the resort introduced chickens to its farm, allowing the culinary staff to harvest eggs on-site.

Natural Encounters

Terranea Resort encourages guests to explore its unique ecology and embrace environmentally friendly practices through a variety of conservation programs, as well as exciting and educational activities.

More than 14 acres of wildlife habitat surrounding the resort make it easy to observe the local fauna at Terranea. The resort offers many opportunities to view a range of wildlife in their natural environs, from tracking whale migrations to spotting the endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly, and more.

Wildlife opportunities:

• Naturalist-led tours guide visitors along the resort’s extensive walking, hiking, and bird watching footpaths along the scenic Discovery Trail, part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula trail system. The tours help further the awareness of the land’s ecology, educating guests on the resort's coastal flora and fauna, such as the California crabapple, a rare species that grows only on the Peninsula and Catalina Island.
• California Blue and Pacific Gray whales migrate through the waters just 50 yards offshore, within view of Terranea nearly year-round.
• The Experience Concierge specializes in unforgettable indigenous recreational excursions, ranging from ocean kayaking, to tide pool treks through diverse marine habitat at the Terranea Beach Cove, and even falconry.
• For guest enjoyment and in support of the local community, several telescopes are set along Terranea’s coastal bluffs, to view the whales, sea lions, and dolphins constantly present offshore. Proceeds from the coin-operated telescopes support area non-profit environmental organizations: The Palos Verdes Land Conservancy, Marine Mammal Care Center, and Algalita Marine Research Foundation.

Green Measures

Terranea Resort embraces a vision of decreasing energy and water usage, reducing waste, increasing recycling and composting, and purchasing local and organic food and beverages as often as possible. In addition to these standards, Terranea is committed to innovative solutions that help inspire guests and develop a greater degree of environmental stewardship.

Additional green measures:

• Employee uniforms are made of bamboo or chemical-free organic cotton, wool, or hemp, and organic dry-cleaning services are offered to guests and staff.
• Hybrid and low-emission vehicles are used on-site to reduce carbon emissions and carpool programs are encouraged for resort staff.
• Dimmers, motion detectors, low-voltage devices, and fluorescent bulbs are utilized to reduce total lighting energy consumption.
• Terranea’s golf tees are completely biodegradable.
• Guestrooms offer biodegradable amenity containers and a voluntary reuse program for linens and towels.
• Plastic straws were replaced with paper straws in 2017, and no balloons are allowed on property.