Hostels
are cheap and sociable ways to stay when visiting different parts of
the world. Whether you are travelling alone or as part of a group, a
hostel provides the perfect way to make new friends and learn about the
local area. As more of us become aware of our impact upon the planet, we
have begun to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. One excellent
way to do this is by changing our vacation habits. Long car drives,
flights, expensive hotels with air-conditioning and heated swimming
pools all contribute to the amount of greenhouse gases entering our
atmosphere. Therefore, it is important to start changing our habits and
becoming more environmentally conscious. The following hostels are all
eco-friendly establishments that will help you on your carbon neutral
journey.
1. Mellow Eco Hostel Barcelona, Spain
This beautiful, bright hostel is located in the quiet district of
Horta. They use renewable solar energy to heat hot water tanks located
on the building’s roof. They also recycle, use environmentally friendly
cleaning products and only run the air-conditioner when it’s absolutely
necessary. It has all the modern amenities such as luggage store, Wi-Fi,
etc. All dinners are served on the communal patio around the BBQ for a
more social experience.
2. Reykjavík City Hostel, Iceland
Iceland is a must-see destination for environmental warriors.
Waterfalls, geysers, icebergs and other natural delights make for a
dramatic natural environment. The hostel specialises in locally grown,
organic food and sells only fair-trade coffee in its adjacent café bar.
They also offer green workshops that guests can attend to learn more
about eco-living and environmental protection.
3. The Grampians YHA Eco-Hostel, Australia
Photo: www3.yha.com.au
The Grampians National Park offers an amazing vacation experience.
Guests can go hiking, rock-climbing, kayaking and abseiling all within
the same resort. The hostel is located right in the centre of the
National Park. The staff help to preserve the natural beauty of their
environment by participating in recycling programs, collecting rain
water to cut water consumption and only offer organic produce to their
guests.
4. Auberge Alternative du Vieux-Montréal, Canada
This boutique hostel will charm and delight art lovers with its
onsite gallery and art studio. Guests can really get back to nature as
there are no television sets, junk foods or vending machines available
on the site. The staff source the majority of their products from local
businesses and offer a sustainable breakfast buffet.
5. The Green Hostel, Uruguay
The main feature of The Green Hostel is its
promotion of bicycles as a preferred method of travel for guests. They
also use energy saving light bulbs, solar hot water heaters and the
hostel is decorated with furniture created using recycled materials. The
hostel also offers free breakfast, Wi-Fi, luggage store and a laundry
service.
6. Gyreum Ecolodge, Ireland
Photo: www.gyreum.com
Rising straight out of the ground in the hills of Northwest Ireland, the Ecolodge
looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. However, it is actually a
thoroughly modern eco-friendly accommodation building that is known as
an Installation Incubator. The idea behind it is that the guests travel
here to incubate different ideas. The hostel is powered by a wind
turbine producing geothermal heat, and the staff tend to their own
personal vegetable garden.
7. Portland Hawthorne Hostel, America
The main feature of this hostel is its living roof of vegetables and
soil. The installation is self-sustaining and is used to soak up water
from heavy rainfalls. The hostel offers free breakfast, bike rentals and
is located in one of the most beautiful parts of North America.
8. Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge, Ethiopia
Ethiopia may not be the first country that springs to mind when thinking of eco-friendly dwellings. However, the Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge is blazing a trial on the African continent. Small wood huts provide basic accommodation that is powered by solar energy.
9. Enigmata Treehouse Ecolodge, Philippines
This wonderful hostel also serves as an environmental workshop that
educates the guests on recycling and preservation. It is run by artists
that display their collections onsite. Located on a remote farm, it
allows the guests to reconnect with the planet.
10. Eco Hostel Palermo, Argentina
All of the furniture in this trendy hostel is made from recycled
materials making it a true eco-hostel. It also offers modern features
such as Wi-Fi and a 24-hour manned reception desk. Guests can relax on
the BBQ terrace or tend to the organic garden. The hostel even features
low-carbon computers.
Any one of these wonderful hostels guarantees visitors the time of
their lives. Helping to protect the environment whilst relaxing on a
vacation is a wonderful way to blend two different worthwhile
activities. Eco-friendly hostels are a relatively new phenomenon that
have become incredibly popular and offer a wonderful way to spend you
vacation. Just make sure you research the area thoroughly beforehand to
ensure you make the best of your trip and experience all it has to
offer.
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