Tsitsikamma backpackers: Environmental initiatives.

Tourists are becoming more aware of the potential negative impact they make and global warning is a real concern.
The Backpackers Green Policy provides an environment in which guests can negate their carbon footprint tangibly by becoming more selective as to where they stay and what they do.

The green initiatives are an integral part of the ethos of responsible tourism principles which Tsitsikamma Backpackers was established upon.

These principles also incorporate the stimulation of local socio economic upliftment through the recruitment, training and empowering community members to become professionals in the backpacking sector.
Tsitsikamma Backpackers, although not accredited as a ?Fair Trade? establishment has been fully endorsed on the principles of fair trade from the onset with the objective of becoming accredited in 2010.
?Local Procurement? of goods and services is an essential principle applied to stimulate the peripheral businesses.

Environmental Green Policy:

The establishment has an environmental management plan in place which addresses potential impacts. These include:

The bio waste water system which separates sewerage and grey water. The grey water is then recycled for use in the garden, reducing water usage by 30%.

Solar Hot Water System: The state of the art solar system supplies all the hot water requirements. The system is extremely efficient and works on cylindrical glass vacuum tubes to harness sunlight. A 40% reduction inn electricity consumption has been evident with the ?Green Solar System?

All the lights are energy saving conserving approximately 70% of power use.

Total energy consumption has been reduced by 50% through the solar hot water system and lighting.

One thousand ?indigenous plants? and trees have been introduced into the garden which is now 80% indigenous further reducing the carbon foot print.

A recycling initiative ensures that all glass, plastic, paper and cans are separated and recycling bins are provided. The separated bulk waste is transported to a collection depot.

An ?Orange? base liquid soap is used. This is derived from orange peels which is totally bio degradable. The product is totally natural and used for all cleaning applications.

Alien vegetation is used for firewood thus stimulating the removal of aliens.

All garden refuse is composted and recycled back into the garden.