Leader in Responsible Tourism and a Carbon Zero Hotel

We take Responsible Tourism and our environmental impact very seriously. As the first CarbonZero® Hotel in Andalucia, we have taken every step we can to minimise the impact of tourism on the local countryside and global environment by reducing our CO2 Footprint wherever possible.

Andalucia has been greatly impacted by Global Warming, with a long-term draught since 2000 and increasing temperatures during the Autumn and Winter. However, Tourism is critical to the local economy with some estimates putting the Tourism contribution to Andalucia’s economy at over 50% of GDP with a similar percentage for Direct and Indirect employment in the region. Therefore it is critical to ensure continuing growth in Tourism for Andalucia, guaranteeing continued employment and prosperity whilst reducing the impact on the environment.

We have made considerable investment and effort in means and methods of reducing Carbon Emission and Carbon Footprint, so that our guests can enjoy the wonders of Andalucia, safe in the knowledge that their enjoyment of their holiday is not ‘Costing the Earth’.

Carbon Reduction & Offset

We embarked on reduction in all our carbon producing activities and all the inevitable remaining CO2 emission is offset by contributing to CO2 reduction projects worldwide.

We are one of the first small hotels in Spain to embark on Carbon Offsetting to ensure our economical activity and contribution to the Spanish and Andalucian economy is not done so at the cost to the environment. We offset 17 tonnes of CO2 per year by contributing to Carbon Reduction projects worldwide. We have chosen the projects carefully ensuring that these projects are not solely focused on Carbon Reduction but have additional long-term social and economical benefits for the recipients.

Flight Offset

One of the biggest contributors of CO2 in any vacation is the emissions generated by the flight to your destination. Malaga is only 2 hour flight from most Northern European countries representing one of the shortest and hence least amount of CO2 emission for the sun-seekers.

We provide an opportunity for all our guests to make a voluntary contribution to our Offset programme in order to neutralise the CO2 generated by their flight to Malaga. Additionally, we meet 100% cost of Flight CO2 offset for guests staying with us for 7-nights or more during 2008.

(Click here to calculate your flight CO2 Emission).

Responsible Tourism

Our Responsible Tourism Programme is a holistic approach to the environment including many aspects of our operation including but not limited to:

• Local Buying – We purchase 95% of our supplies from within 15 KM of our Cortijo, ensuring our consumption of food, supplies, etc. does not have the additional burden of high travel mileage. The remaining food is purchased in bulk from Malaga, with only our Argentinean beef being imported from outside of the EU.

• Recycling – All our glass, metals, and plastic is recycled on weekly basis thanks to the extensive provisions of recycling collection centres in Andalucia and in particular Malaga regions. Our recycling collection centre is less than 6 KM from our premises.

• Solar Preheat – Water supplying our hot water boiler is pre-heated by Solar Power reducing the need to consume vast quantities of CO2 producing fuel.

• LPG – We use LPG for heating water for Pool Facing Casitas, minimising the CO2 emission and electricity consumption.

• Naturally Heated Pool – We do not heat our swimming pool as this luxurious activity is unnecessary and harmful to the environment. Heated pools consume huge quantities of fuel or electricity, producing unnecessary emission. Additionally heated swimming pools lose enormous quantities of precious water to evaporation due to their higher temperature. We feel heated pools are irresponsible and unnecessary activity in a country with scarce water resources.

• Low Energy Lights – All lights used for more than 4 hours per day have been changed to Low Energy Lights reducing electricity usage significantly. All our garden and exterior lights use Low Energy bulbs and footpaths switch to Solar Lights from midnight every night.

• Diesel Vehicle – Our vehicle fuel consumption is part of our off-set programme and we use economical Diesel Vehicle fitted with particulate filters.

Carbon Offset Projects

We have partnered with CO2Balance, an innovative and ethical organisation in the UK that is managing projects across the world. Our Carbon Offset payments fund projects that have holistic approach rather than a single purpose programs. Projects we contribute to are:

East Africa Lantern Conversion

Kerosene lamps are widely used for lighting in Africa. Not only are they expensive to run but also they are extremely dangerous and unhealthy. Kerosene lamps can induce respiratory illness as they are operated in enclosed spaces and additionally they are a fire risk. This project provides the technology and funding for conversion of these lamps to solar power through adaptation with a small solar panel and rechargeable batteries. So in addition to the eradication of the health and fire risks, there is a significant carbon saving across East Africa. The converted lamps are brighter and have higher luminous value; hence there are less of them needed to provide safe lighting levels.

Our carbon offset partner is funding a large part of the cost of materials for the conversion together with funds to pay the salaries of staff to train teams to undertake the conversion. Once trained, the individuals are able to set up small businesses to offer the service. The project is initially focusing on providing training and materials to individuals who are affected by HIV/AIDS either because they themselves are infected or because they support relatives who are infected.

Solar Ovens

A common method of cooking in East Africa is the use of traditional ovens burning rubbish and firewood as fuel. These ovens are used inside the dwellings without a chimney, which results in many respiratory diseases. Also the collection of firewood is time consuming but more importantly it is depriving the ground from its natural protection against erosion, whilst in some areas it is leading to unintentional deforestation.

Our Carbon Offset partner is working with local social groups in Nairobi to install solar powered sun ovens. These are replacing the use of wood fires and rubbish burning ovens. The ovens, which are currently imported into East Africa, will be manufactured in Kenya from early in 2008 providing jobs locally and reducing the projects carbon emission. In addition to the saving in greenhouse gases, the reduced need for firewood and rubbish leads to a corresponding reduction in the amount of time spent collecting the material (it does not totally remove the need as even in Kenya there are times when the sun is not shining!). The removal of smoke and fumes from the chimneyless wood and rubbish burners also eliminates a serious source of respiratory illness.

It is intended that this project is rolled out to many other major conurbations in East Africa as soon as the funds become available.