increase hostel sustainability
Hostels are eco-friendly by nature, but we can always go further towards sustainability.
The hostel building:
Heat:
- Bio-climatic architecture: making use of passive-solar heating
- Heating from renewable energy sources (wood from managed forests, wind, biomass, or photovoltaic)
- Change from classic gas heating system to a condensing gas heating system
- Proper insulation of doors, windows, and attic spaces
- Automatic sensor lights connected to thermostats
- Maintaining winter temperatures from 18-20 degrees Celsius
Water:
- Water-saving or low-flow flush systems, water-saving shower heads, faucets, and toilets.
- Rain and grey-water collection for toilet flush systems, gardens and plants
- Energy Star or A-rated washing machines and dishwashers.
- Properly connected water sewage treatment
Energy use:
- Air-drying sheets in favour of using hot-air dryers
- Hanging and folding sheets so that use of iron or press not necessary.
- Energy-saving light bulbs. – experiment with different types…some have a horrible cool blue tinge, but some are quite warm
- Florescent lighting in staircases, offices, hallways or common spaces – seems like an ugly option, but you can hide that florescent office glow by hanging a swath of canvas over the light for a “light sail” effect.
- Discourage or limit the use of air-conditioning, if possible.
- If heating water with electricity, arrange with local electric company to heat and store water supply in insulated boilers during the electric company’s non-peak hours.
- Encourage healthy guests to use the stairs, instead of the elevator.
Eco-education of hostel staff & eco- office practices
- Cut back on the production of paper brochures.
- Concentrate on making your website effective and mobile, so that guests can use their mobile devices to quickly get your info.
- A-star or energy-star energy efficient office equipment
- Recycled office paper products
- Printing double-sided whenever possible
- Printing brochures on recycled paper with non-toxic inks
- Switch your domain to a green host like aiso.net, canvasdreams.com or supergreenhosting.co.uk (let them know you heard about it here!)
- Create a hostel training guide to eco-friendly practices
- Recycle paper, plastic, glass, tins and Tetra juice cartons
- Properly dispose, recycle or donate electronic devices, refrigeration equipment & mobile phones.
- Donate old mattresses, towels, blankets, etc to those in need
- Properly dispose of batteries, energy-saving lightbulbs, or toner cartridges.
- Use refills – soap, cleaning supplies
- Ban or limit the number of products for one-time use -plastic tableware, individually wrapped packets of sugar, jam, butter, soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc.
- Dilute the daily cleaning supplies, or use eco-friendly cleaning supplies
- Use 100% recycled toilet paper
- Use of eco-labelled interior paints, lacquers, and cleaning products
- Routine maintenance to prevent breakage
- Reupholster old furniture
Eco-education of hostel guests through well-placed signs* that direct them to:
- fill their water bottles at the tap
- recycle paper, plastic and glass- battery disposal containers
- compost organic material for the hostel’s veggie, herb, or flower garden
- use less water by limiting shower use to 5 minutes
- turn off lights when not in use
- wear sweaters or use extra blankets in winter
- non-smoking areas. Better yet, make your hostel 100 percent non-smoking.
- communally shared food
- information about public transport, ride-sharing,
- book- or clothes-exchange
- reuse plastic shopping bags, or use cloth shopping bags
Hostel waste management
- Recycle paper, plastic, glass, tins and Tetra juice cartons
- Properly dispose, recycle or donate electronic devices, refrigeration equipment & mobile phones.
- Donate old mattresses, towels, blankets, etc to homeless shelter
- Properly dispose of batteries, energy-saving lightbulbs, or toner cartridges.
Eco Public Relations
Local:
- highlight your donations towards local earth-friendly projects
- offer food products grown at local farms
- create a local network of eco-friendly hotels, hostels, restaurants, and pubs
- encourage guests to visit establishments that sell or feature locally-made or locally-grown products
- promote healthy activities at the hostel like bike riding, hiking, rafting, horse back riding
- encourage volunteer participation in local conservation projects (river clean-ups, Earth Day, etc)
- provide eco-friendly information about camping in nearby national forests and/or protected nature reserves
- support companies that keep to the ISO 14000 standard (companies that follow strict ecological management guidelines)
- press local authorities about the possible use of biomass or other forms of energy- and earth-saving technology
- offer food products grown at local farms
International:
- Highlight your donations to international eco-friendly projects
- Host your website on a green server, add an eco-friendly page to your hostel website
- Cooperate with or donate to eco-friendly institutions
*see our eco-friendly pdfs