Eco-Love
Our goal is to show that green practices and sustainability can be achieved while providing 5-star luxury to every guest.
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Every decision from flooring materials to the items on our menu are carefully made to respect and preserve the way of life and traditions of local communities and to minimize our impact on the environment by adhering to a policy of environmental sustainability.
Our Eco Philosophy
In today’s environment, sustainability should be a crucial concern for all building projects. This is especially true in Bali. In creating the best yoga retreat in Bali, Floating Leaf has gathered a team of specialists to help make each decision more environmentally responsible, durable and safe. We have incorporated age-old Balinese wisdom; state of the art computer simulations, and just about everything in between to ensure our Bali eco-retreat is truly green and showcases environmentally accountable practices.
Our goal is to maintain the highest standards of excellence and seek to empower staff and guests alike to facilitate their full contribution to the environment and society in which they live and travel. To this end, we employ a proactive environmental policy, train our teams in ‘green’ thinking and encourage our guests to be as ‘green’ as possible.
For a modern travel accommodation, being a true eco hotel involves much more than the obvious energy saving measures, or having non-smoking rooms. Here’s a taste of how we provide genuine eco accommodations:
- Environmentally friendly towel and sheet re-use program
- Volatile organic compound (VOC)-free cotton towels and sheets – for better air quality and to provide the luxury feel…
- Allergy awareness when choosing furnishings and cleaning materials
- Rainwater harvesting system
- Bulk dispensers for soap and other consumables – reduces wasteful packaging
- Hotel recycling bins make recycling easy and convenient
- Solar charging stations for electronics
- Organic permaculture garden and compost systems
Organic Garden-to-Table Farming
Floating Leaf’s Permaculture Garden makes every effort to protect the environment, give back to the community and grow the healthiest and nutrient rich foods we can.
At a wellness retreat at Bali Floating Leaf, we pay attention to more than just the human and environmental connection. We hope to help you learn to self-regulate, to observe and interact with individuals you might not otherwise have the opportunity to get to know in your everyday life.
As part of our health & wellness retreats in Bali, we strive to offer the healthiest foods possible. We have dedicated a portion of our property for a permaculture garden. We grow strictly organic food for our guests and do so in an environmentally sound manner. We reuse grey water and make use of solar power, recycling and more to ensure a low carbon footprint and high yields of nutritious foods. We offer permaculture gardening classes and guests can even pick food for their meals.
Floating Leaf also subsidizes local farmers so they can retain traditional methods of agriculture and grow organic nutrient rich foods. Many farmers in Bali have gone bankrupt or have had to sell their family farms while others who have survived have had to resort to chemical fertilizers, dangerous pesticides and crops of nutrient deficient fast growing foods to compete with their changing environment. We subsidize the farmers in our community so they can get back to the traditional ways their ancestors had used for generations to produce true, healthy food in a way that does not harm the environment.
Eco Design and Construction
We have performed rigorous testing on site including soil, water, wind, sun, energy conservation and much more to ensure our buildings make the most environmentally sound use of our positioning, materials and construction techniques. This testing helped us plan the structure to withstand earthquakes, make the most of the sun’s power, advance water use strategies and use the prevailing winds as an active source of natural ventilation.
We’ve tried to take this science a step further by incorporating living green walls and roofs into Floating Leaf. The plants and soil will not only shield the rooms from the Bali heat, they will also capture and benefit from the rainfall and moisture, further saving on energy needs to cool the property.
Other Community Initiatives
Round Rooms
Round structures use 15 to 30% less flooring, wall and roofing materials even though they enclose the same square or rectangular space. Energy efficiency is also increased as improved airflow allows for less consumption to heat and cool circular dwellings. We have dramatically reduced our eco-footprint and created more usable living space simply by eliminating right angles. Passive cooling is also improved, as there is less exterior surface area that comes in contact with the elements. This in turn increases the durability of the structure as well.
Reclaimed Material
- The floors of the guestrooms and main lobby, as well as the countertops, are all recycled terrazzo.
- Wood used to install the air–conditioners and toilet paper holders is from 100% reclaimed teak wood.
- The floors in the bathrooms and in some hallways are recycled pebblewash.
- Bathroom sinks, shelves, walls and even the bathtubs are all handmade from recycled materials.
- The more formal dining-ware is crafted from locally occurring stoneware by Balinese craftspeople.
- Many of the colorful chairs, stools, cabinets, tables and benches are made from old fishing boats that are no longer seaworthy. We have had them made into useful utilitarian objects and given them a new life.
Water Preservation
- We are 100% self-sufficient with our water usage. Not a drop is taken away from the farmers and no dirty water is introduced into the environment. We make use of massive rainwater harvesting systems.
- Healing Pool: A natural saltwater process is used to run the pool and even the backwash, normally a massive source of unusable water, is naturally filtered so that it can be used to wash vehicles and the grounds. The water then is collected in massive ground tanks, filtered again, and used throughout Floating Leaf. Some water even helps local farmers irrigate their crops.
- Low flow sinks, showers and special toilets are used to conserve water, yet maintain high water pressure.
- The massive beams holding up Floating Leaf’s namesake roof are made from ‘old coconut’. This means the tree has had a full and prosperous life and will no longer produce coconuts. Only then is the wood used so as not to deprive the Balinese of any food source.
- Water efficient machines.
Biodegradable Products
- Organic high quality biodegradable bath products are provided for each guest in reusable ceramic containers.
- Only 100% organic, all natural ingredients are used in the creams, tinctures, oils and preparations for spa and massage treatments. Secret Royal recipes have been passed down for generations.
- Some of our cups and plates are actually grown from corn and other plants that are organically processed to act like a strong plastic but are all natural, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Reduced Energy Usage
- Solar charging stations for laptops, smartphones, cameras, etc.
- Passive cooling ventilation systems – air-conditioning not required in over 80% of the building
- Energy-efficient air conditioning
- Energy efficient lighting, appliances and electronics
Other Sustainability Practices
- The hangers and some door handles are made from bamboo.
- All left over food, paper and cardboard are composted for use in our organic gardens.
- One of the most sustainable products on the property is used for the floor and lights of The Sanctuary. It is called strand woven bamboo and takes one of the planet’s most sustainable natural products, bamboo, and compresses it into extremely dense planks that have properties similar to hardwoods and will last for many years.
- Bamboo is one of the most frequently used materials in Floating Leaf as it is recognized as one of the most sustainable products on the planet. The railings are 100% bamboo as is some of the furniture, the bridges, flooring, door handles, and even the drinking straws.
- Floating Leaf only uses paints that are eco-friendly.
- No plastic straws, only bamboo.