When enjoying an amazing Ibiza villa holiday please also spare a thought for the beautiful paradise around you. At Mi Casa Tu Casa we strongly believe that a ‘luxury villa holiday’ and ‘environmentally responsible’ are perfectly compatible.
We’re not claiming to be eco warriors nor are we claiming to run eco retreats, but as an island based villa manager we feel responsible and have started various villa sustainability initiatives. We also know that if we lead by example we can encourage the whole Ibiza villa tourism sector to take steps to reduce it’s environmental impact so that generations to come can enjoy the island as we all do today.
Here are some initiatives we are taking, and ways that you can also go about making your impact on Ibiza more sustainable.
Plastic Free
We’re proud to be a plastic free collaborator and to have the Plastic Free logo on our website, contributing to Ibiza’s fight against plastic.
As part of our sustainability pledge we have removed all single use plastic bottles from our villas. The complimentary guest shower gels and shampoo are now in refillable dispensers, and we have installed osmosis filters in the villas so that guests don’t need to buy bottled water anymore. We are also adding water carbonaters (e.g. Sodastream) so plastic bottles of ‘agua con gas’ become a thing of the past. Additionally, each villa comes equipped with reusable shopping bags for guests to use.
Through these initiatives we have managed to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic entering our world; 10.000 x 1.5L bottles each summer in fact. We calculate that this saves our guests €15.000 in bottled water each summer. That’s 40.000 less bottles and €60.000 saved since we started the initiative. Find out more about our sustainable initiatives.
Buying Local
Ibiza is bursting with locally grown succulent fruit and vegetables, many grown fully organically on tiny plots. Miss the flavours of the island at your peril; they are delicious. KM zero produce has many benefits. Here is our list of where to buy your local organic products when ‘on-island’.
Save Water
Ibiza’s wells are running dry. There have been several years of well below average rainfall at a time when consumption has increased dramatically. We are looking at water saving measures at the villas with the villa owners, from grey water recycling, to rain water storage, to reduced use. As a guest you can help the island by being conscious of the issue and in your use of water. Please see the The Allianz Por el Agua to understand the issue in more detail.
Ibiza’s Sustainable Fashion Brands
Over the past few years many fashion brands in Ibiza have started embracing a sustainable fashion model using organic materials for their designs. We round up some of the best here.
Eco-friendly Tourists
Ibiza is a paradise island, gorgeous beaches, crystal clear waters, buzzing nightlife & rich history. But as with many tourist destinations, the island struggles to maintain a balance between the natural world and the needs of the tourism industry craving to enjoy that beauty. There’s no denying that travel has a significant environmental footprint, and it’s something we think about rather a lot. So we have crafted a list of five initiatives to help the environment whilst on your holiday in Ibiza:
- Mind your water consumption: turn off taps when brushing teeth or lathering up, and reduce your number of laundry days
- Respect the environment: place rubbish in appropriate bins and watch where you anchor
- Reuse: buy or ask for glass bottles where possible, refill bottles, and keep a reusable shopping bag onhand
- Keep it local: support local businesses, artisans, grocers and farmers
- Offset your carbon emission: use Myclimate to calculate your journey and support one of their programmes
Leading The Debate
Tom Hoddell, one of the Mi Casa Tu Casa founding partners, was one of the speakers at Villa sustainability session at the AVAT conference in October 2019. The annual conference was attended by about 200 delegates, mostly villa owners and villa rental agents. It’s aim is to raise and debate key industry issues and find solutions for them.
We are proud to be working with the Ibiza Preservation Foundation, an environmental NGO focussed on preserving the natural beauty of the island through sustainability projects. For the amazing work that the Ibiza Preservation Foundation does please see their website.