How eco-sustainable tourism and barefoot luxury can protect the planet

Jun 13 , 2019

The three-bedroomed Villa Tantangan, on the Indonesian island of Bali, was designed to be removed from the energy grid by minimising its energy consumption through the use of solar panels.

Hospitality industry can help the environment by using bamboo straws, reusable water bottles, locally sourced food and energy conservation

We often hear the terms “eco-sustainable” and “barefoot luxury” being bandied around, but what do they mean? And more importantly, how does not conforming affect our travel?

1. Single-use plastics

The Bawah Reserve island resort, situated on Indonesia’s Anambas Archipelago, has banned all single-use plastics and instead uses things such as bamboo straws.

The hospitality industry is one of the largest consumers of single-use plastics. Items such as straws, tiny toiletry bottles and plastic shower caps are used once and thrown away – yet take hundreds of years for the environment to break down; they will still be around when we are not.

When they get washed into the sea, marine life, such as turtles mistake plastic objects for jellyfish and eat them – leading to disability or death.

What it means to you: single-use plastic usage = depleted marine and reef life when diving/diving in a sea of plastic.

Do differently: at Bawah Reserve, a luxury island resort in Indonesia’s remote Anambas Archipelago, there are no single-use plastics in its operations – and best of all, the natural bamboo straws fit right in with the rustic surroundings.

2. Drinking water

The villa Baan Kilee in Koh Samui, Thailand, has banned the use of plastic bottles and instead asks guests to bring reusable bottles or drink water from its glass bottles.