Hi Lizzie, and hi all airbnb hosts,
We call ourselves an Eco-friendly accommodation even if we still are waiting to install solar energy -it's about money.
But the house is made of Spanish Red Cedar timber, a beautiful wood that makes home. The wood comes from the trees my husband had at his organic farm. We cut them, mill them... and treated with java oil and wax. The result is a beautiful characteristic smell and a healthy breath. We avoided toxic varnish and toxic treated wood in the house.
We use natural soap and eco-friendly cleaning products.
Our septic tank treats the dirty waters to convert them in garden waters, but still, we made a special designed big spool of stones to recycle even more the "recycled" garden water feeding a little plantation of bananas (bananas have the property to convert naturally dirty waters into valuable nutrients. In that way the garden doesn't smell bad (we have an organic garden of fruit trees and herbs at the front of the property for guests also) and no drop goes to the amazing environment where the house is located: ocean on the left, little island and channel in the front, the turquoise lagoon and the mountains on the right.
Our lights have been replaced by LED to save energy in this little island of Rarotonga.
The batteries needed (in the torch for the beach, etc.) are rechargeable.
Guests have no washing machine. I do their laundry in my apartment; that is the way to always fill up the washing mashine (otherwise, they do a full wash for only some clothes and spend too much electricity, water and soap). Guest will give me a whole bag of dirty clothes to wash, that is right.
Our swimming pool is treated with salt only. No clorine.
All our gardens are treated and feed organically.
No little bottles of xampu, hand cream or whatever. They bring their own and we save in unsustainable left overs.
There is a drinkeable water filter in the kitchen, no need to buy water.
Of course, there are small bins to recycle glass, plastic, aluminium at home, but also in the garden there are big bins to empty the small ones. Recycling food is also welcome, it goes back to the garden after being composted or burnt.
Change of towels when guests ask or for stays longer than 5 nights.
Cleaning clothes available at home for guests and also used to clean the house, instead of one-use cleaning clothe.
I am probably forgetting something...
Sorry if this is a long post 🙂
Ka kite,
Susanna