Eco-friendly holiday homes

The tips listed below won’t certainly solve the problem of global warming, but if everyone of us did a small part, we could make the world a more pleasant place to live, and at the same time we could, as well, save some money.
 

Here are some useful tips and products to make your Sicily holiday home eco-friendly thus reducing carbon emissions.

Fill out a “green” manual for your guests, to be included in the welcome hamper, with some ideas for an eco-friendly stay by suggesting the following:

• Remind your guests to turn off the lights and make a sustainable use of air conditioners. The dryer is a household appliance which can easily be avoided; our Sicilian warm climate allows us to easily dry up clothes outdoor in the sun. Prefer energy-saving light bulbs and rechargeable batteries.
• In Sicily we could live only on sun energy. Install solar panels to heat up your rooms as well as to provide electric power to most of your property.
• Remind your guests they are in Sicily where the water represents a valuable commodity to be apportioned.
• Ask your guests to pay attention to their waste material and remind them to use specific bins for plastic, glass, and wet waste which you will have already made available in the house before their arrival.
• If you buy wooden furniture, make sure it comes from sustainable sources. Ask for the FSC Italia on the website http://it.fsc.org/ or ask directly to your dealer.
• Install a rainwater collector on the house’s roof or in the garden. It will turn out to be useful during periods of drought.
• Install infrared heaters in order to save a huge amount of gas when compared to traditional heaters.
• Use environment-friendly products for the purification of swimming pool and garden.
• Invest in materials for thermal insulation, make sure there are no drafts and pay attention to the energy class of your appliances.
• If your holiday home will be unoccupied for a long period of time make sure that all electrical appliances are turned off, the gas is closed, and the taps are dry.