Each sustainable & green travel programme makes it easier for environment-minded travellers to select accommodations that meet a distinct set of eco-friendly criteria. As we’re moving our business towards sustainability in energy and in order to qualify for those awards, Summer Lodge passed a series of requirements, including the following green practices, selected for their high impact potential and verified by independent sustainability experts :
- Part of consumed electricity is sourced from the national renewable energy power plants network
- Energy saving light bulbs throughout the building & lighting controls in external areas
- Energy-Star qualified guest room appliances & energy/water saving washing machines
- Installation of wall mounted cooling fans instead of energy consuming A/C units
- Water heated by solar thermal system installed on our roof
- Measurement and record of electricity & water consumption on a regular basis
- Regular checks to ensure energy and water equipment is working efficiently
- Tree shading & selective plants in the gardens to keep building cool
- White painted combined with planted (green) rooftop to reflect/reduce the summer heat
- Water efficient showerheads and toilets in guest bathrooms
- Use of alternative water sources for watering gardens and cleaning our hotel’s exterior
- Limited use of chemicals for the water treatment in the swimming pool
- Implementation of organic gardening practises & non-toxic pest control
- Towel & linen reuse programme with option to opt-out of daily room cleaning
- Use of recycled toilet paper & eco-friendly certified cleaning products
- Keep away from using plastic single-use products according to the EU directive 2019/904
- Completed waste assessment in accordance with the community’s waste & recycle management system
- Recycling bins in common areas for different types of waste such as paper, glass, plastic & metal
- Participation to local educational activities related to the objectives of the eco-friendly tourism
- Staff training on implementing the hotel's green practices & sustainability in tourism
- Encourage guests to walk, bike & use public bus instead of hiring cars
- Support archelon.gr the protection society of sea turtles in Crete and participate to their voluntary projects
We strongly believe in making sustainable travel choices easier for everyone. If done with respect for local communities, environments and biodiversity, travel can broaden horizons, reduce barriers and bring people closer together" (Summer Lodge, Greece).