Travelers are increasingly becoming aware of the hazards of travel to the
environment and are ready to spend more money to stay in a hotel with an eco
friendly attitude. Since they are unfortunately no international
certifications for ecotourism and green hotels, it can be hard to discern real
eco friendly hotels among hotels that use the world green for marketing purpose
only and behave in an environmentally irresponsible way.
The owner of Best Eco Lodges states:" Our goal is to create awareness among
our fellow travelers about genuine sustainable lodgings. There are some
wonderful and dedicated people out there working hard to make a difference in
Ecotourism and I passionately decided to promote them on my website Best Eco
Lodges. Just because there are no official certifications on Eco Lodges yet
does not means that you can call your hotel green when you only use energy
efficient light bulbs. A genuine Eco Lodge is much more than that.."
An Eco lodge must be energy efficient by using renewable energies. In
Tanzania, the Saadani lodge uses Solar Panels & Wind Power to create
electricity. The lodge has also built a wind powered water pump which allows
the villagers to have clean fresh water.
The Niwatu Lodge in Indonesia uses Bio-diesel fuel to power the resort; it is
produced from coconuts purchased from local villagers. The Sumba Foundation,
co-founded by the resort owners, constructed a bio-diesel factory at Nihiwatu
as one of their many social and economic initiatives.
A Eco Lodge must protect the environment, it flora, fauna and landscape:
The Campi Ya kenzi in Kenza runs an organic vegetable garden. Their grey water
passes trough lava filters to be cleaned completely before it finally goes into
two ponds for the wildlife.
In Seychelles on Cousine Island, the luxurious Eco hotel purchases giant
tortoise living in poor captive conditions within the Seychelles and releases
them on the island giving them the freedom they so rightly deserved.
Most eco lodges have designed their buildings to be energy efficient and made
with renewable materials. In Ecuador, The Kapawi Ecolodge and reserve is built
entirely using traditional Achuar architecture. In Egypt, the Adrère Amellal
Desert Eco lodge is made of kershef; a traditional building material created
out of mud, sand and sun-dried salt.
Eco Lodges conserve natural resources:
In Mexico, The Balambaku Inn has an ingenious system that filters and cleans
all the water from the showers and sinks. It supports constructed wetlands,
providing controlled nutrition to a variety of plants.
Eco Lodges also support, respect and benefit local culture and economy:
In South Africa, The Bulungala lodge have helped the community to start a
number of 100% community-owned and run businesses including horse riding,
canoeing, fishing, guiding, baking, sewing, cooking, wood-carving and
environmental protection projects. These have created jobs and income for 33
families over and above those employed directly at the lodge.
In Kenya, The Campi Ya Kenzi have founded the Maasai Wilderness Conservation
Trust to preserve the cultural and wildlife heritage of the Maasai. There is an
adoption scheme of wildlife, programs concerning conservation and health (50
teachers,50 game scouts, 6 nurses and 1 doctor are employed).
In Indonesia, the Nihiwatu decided to offset their carbon footprint they have
so far planted 64,000 Teak trees in a 12 hectare area.
For more information on Best Eco Lodges, please visit their website
www.best-ecolodges.com
