Environmental & Social Sustainability

Management Practices

Housekeeping

  • We use only Natural cleaning products in our rooms
  • Eucalyptus oil for floors and toilets
  • Baking soda for sinks and toilets
  • Tung oil for wooden furniture
  • Newspaper for cleaning windows
  • Natural essential oil spray room fresheners
  • Natural locally produced – liquid soaps
  • We make our own natural laundry soap – all natural washing of bed linens, towels & guest laundry
  • Natural locally produced – insect repellents
  • We change the towels only when guests request
  • Bamboo paper for business cards & room information

Infrastructure – Buildings

  • Our accommodation and infrastructure is designed to be low impact both visually and environmentally
  • Buildings have been sited in harmony with the natural contours of the land
  • Local craftsmen only, using predominantly traditional Balinese designs and building techniques
  • Local timbers and materials are harvested from our own property where possible eg. bamboo, coffee wood and jackfruit timber for furniture and building
  • Bamboo (instead of steel) reinforcing in kitchen walls and upper panels in the restaurant
  • Sky lights and glass tiles for natural light
  • Woven bamboo walls in the Jungle & Tree house bungalows
  • Local coconut timber in structures
  • Floors are made using local terracotta tiles

In the Kitchen

  • Fruits, herbs, spices and vegetables are harvested from our organic gardens where possible
  • We promote local traditional dishes – all are home cooked in our restaurant
  • Herbs from the garden to make fresh teas and sauces
  • No MSG  in our cooking
  • We buy our produce locally where possible
  • We use locally grown coffee, palm sugar, vanilla, eggs and coconuts
  • We use natural materials for drink coasters
  • No plastic straws
  • Mountain spring water processed for drinking onsite
  • Eco friendly meals available
  • Organic rice
  • Eggs sourced locally from a small, clean farm with mountain spring water
  • Chicken sourced from a local farm
  • Bread, ice cream & yogurt is homemade at the lodge
  • No tea light candles

In the Gardens

  • Permaculture Principals including Edible Landscaping and Organic methods and practices
  • We use organic fertilisers on our property
  • Re use of grey and black water via waste water gardens
  • Composting

Pest control

  • Integrated pest management -Natural pest control using Neem sprays for insect control
  • Flying insect attraction lighting over our fish ponds

Garden plantings

  • We have planted all the trees on our property (except the coconut trees)
  • We grow local fruits, herbs and vegetables in our organic gardens
  • We use non-hybrid seeds where possible
  • Over 100 edible plants in our gardens
  • Tree plantings to encourage the local bird and butterfly population
  • Edible landscaping and Permaculture Principles
  • Ongoing tree planting – Fruit trees, teak, mahogany, coconut and bamboo
  • Medicinal plants

Land management

  • Vetiver grass hedges to stop erosion on sloping areas
  • Swales to stop soil and water loss on our property
  • We mulch the garden to protect the soil from erosion, to control weeds and minimize watering
  • Grey and black water is treated via watertight septic tanks and vegetated leachfields – wastewater is reused to fertilize fruit trees
  • Tree plantings on steep areas

Employment

  • Local employment only- Our 11 permanent staff live within 10 minutes of the Eco Lodge
  • We employ 11 full time staff
  • We train inexperienced locals and build capacity in experienced staff
  • Our wages are above the recommended Government wage
  • A 5% service charge is shared evenly among our staff
  • Our staff are supported to attend religious ceremonies
  • We close for 6 days for the 2 main ceremonies in Bali so our staff can attend ceremonies
  • Our staff choose their days off each month
  • Our staff are also paid to facilitate guest activities & workshops

Staff training

  • In-house – Eco-Tourism, Hospitality and Environmental Management training
  • Computer and English skills
  • Staff are provided with literature (Indonesian and English) on Eco Tourism and Sustainability issues
  • Staff are actively encouraged to improve their English skills
  • Provided First Aid and Environmental trainings

Creating employment in the community

We offer freelance work to over 20 local people so they are also able to work on their farms & look after their families.

  • We have trained 5 local village men to be trekking guides
  • We have trained 2 local women to practice therapeutic massage and a total of 4 local women make an income from massaging our guests
  • We employ a soccer coach and groundsman for Bi weekly soccer lessons in the village
  • We employ a Silat teacher for Bi weekly Silat classes ( Martial arts) in the village
  • We employ a team to manage and maintain our tree planting programs
  • We employ 2 men and a truck ( working with 2 other hotels) to pick up rubbish monthly from 5 villages including schools & shops
  • Wherever possible, we source products, services and building materials locally
  • We use only local tradesmen on all our building projects
  • We employ 2 local drivers

Ongoing Social Work

  • Seed group – we sell vegetable seeds at cost price to local women every month at the village meeting
  • Health awareness – we support local campaigns in health awareness
  • We often donate to local families having financial hardship with emergency medical bills
  • We are currently painting the local school and have set up a classroom for teaching english at the school
  • We sponsor all uniforms, excursions and equipment for our weekly classes ( Silat, Football & English class)
  • We continue to sponsor 1 young adult to attend university – a 4 year commitment

Respecting local cultures and supporting local development

  • Guests are informed of appropriate dress and information about our local area by discussion with our staff
  • Guests are welcome to attend local ceremonies
  • Our business has been approved by the traditional land owners, the local community and the local government
  • Feedback is sought on our business through informal staff feedback and monthly village meetings
  • A part time staff member represents our business at local community meetings and in general throughout the year in the community
  • We support the local area by giving a donation to the trekking guide association to improve and develop this attraction
  • We encourage our community to seek grants and help to develop government proposals for environmental improvements in our area
  • Our activities utilise local services

Seacology Grant (2006 -2007)
Benefits to the community from the Seacology grant (U.S$20.000)

  • New 15 piece Gamelan orchestra for the children
  • New temple for the local school
  • Construction of a 17m x 12m Community Hall in the village (community did not have a meeting hall previously)
  • 2 computers for the school and 1 computer for the village office (the first computers in this village)
  • “NO TAKE” signs at entrances to the rainforest
  • Pathway improvements in the rainforest
  • Environmental books and resources for the school

Environmental Principles

  • Ongoing commitment to enhance, rather than degrade, our natural environment
  • We plant food trees for birds and bats
  • Protection of natural areas including a “NO TAKE” zone in the adjacent rainforest* *see Seacology project
  • We encourage a no bird-catching policy in our surrounding community
  • “no rubbish burning” on our property
  • No chemicals are used in our gardens
  • Protection of the creek and adjacent habitat

Animals – Wildlife

  • Bali Starling breeding program (working with the Begawan foundation) to breed birds for release
  • Captive monkey rescue – providing safe homes for 4 captured monkeys, which can”t be rehabilitated back to the wild
  • Captive wildlife releases – Pangolins, native Spotted cat, Reticulated pythons, native birds
  • 20 years continuously promoting the importance of wildlife preservation in the local community
  • We support the Sumatran orangutans by bringing guests to Bukit Lawang through our private tours.
  • We believe in supporting the local economy in Bukit Lawang directly to help locals to place value on their natural environment

Guest Activities

  • Our activities aim to be as low impact as possible ie. trekking in the rainforest and surrounding farmlands
  • Swimming. We have developed our natural waterholes with minimum impact
  • We provide education through in-room information booklets, a range of workshops and discussions with our guests
  • We have a library for information on Permaculture and the environment
  • We conduct 3 day school Environmental Education Camps – see website

Efficient use of energy

  • Our energy consumption through mains power is kept to a minimum – total 4,600 wt
  • We encourage guests to turn off their lights when not in use
  • We use LED lighting & Energy saving light bulbs throughout the property
  • We use energy saving shower roses
  • No baths to conserve water
  • Energy saving front loading washing machine to reduce water and energy consumption
  • Gas powered clothes dryer & sun drying only
  • We use natural gas for cooking

Responsible waste management

  • Sewage is treated on site through vegetated leachfields – productive gardens
  • No untreated sewage or wastewater is released into the environment
  • Biodegradable cleaning items, compatible with biological wastewater treatment, are used in the guest rooms, kitchen and laundry
  • We Recycle glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans
  • We Compost all organic wastes, including paper and cardboard packaging
  • All non recyclable rubbish is taken to the landfill
  • We have a “No burn” rubbish policy

Commitment to continual improvement

  • A part-time staff member liaises with the community on environmental and social issues
  • We meet monthly with our staff to talk about improvements
  • We teach new skills to our staff on a day to day basis– i.e. cooking, environmental management, English
  • Our guests are able to give feedback through in-room feedback forms or verbally
  • We strive constantly to stay up to date and do better- educating ourselves and staff to do the same

Recognition of Environmental and Social Performance


Sarinbuana Eco-Lodge has the highest rating in The Natural Guide to Bali for environmental, social awareness and practices


Winner of the 2007 & 2010 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards – Best Ecolodge in South East Asia category .
See website: www.wildasia.net

2 time Nominee for the Virgin responsible Travel Award  Best accommodation for a community category

Featured on the Partir Autrement travel documentary “Off the Beaten Path” through channel TV5 internationally

The highest rating by Best Green Hotels 2010

For Enquiry and Reservation please contact us.