Hedonisia Hawaii Sustainable Community Rainforest Retreat
Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism & Community Living
1 - Restoration. We have restored the Hedonisia property from it's past use as a car junkyard to a lush tropical Garden of Eden with many delicious fruit trees and beautiful tropical plants. Today's world has been so poisoned by the activities of Man that we have to learn how to restore Mother Nature as well as to preserve what's left.
2 - Reduce: We use frozen water bottles from the refrigerator for coolers so Guests and Volunteers can keep food items private and cool without having to utilise more fridge space thus reducing the need for more refrigerators.
3 - Recycle. As best as possible, we recycle all bottles, glass, cans, plastic bottles, paper, scrap metal, old clothing and other items by taking the time to properly sort them and then bring them to the nearby county run Kea'au Recycling & Reuse Center. This place is one of the best one-stop-shops for all recycling needs. In addition, they have a store of donated items which is an excellent place to get free clothing or to buy furniture and other household items cheaply. For more info on Hawaii Recycling go to: http://hawaiizerowaste.org/
4 - Energy. Though we are still connected to the electrical grid we are fortunate in that our electrical needs are met by a geothermal power plant located nearby. Puna Geothermal Venture uses hot liquids from deep underground the slopes of Kiluaea Volcano to drive steam turbine generators. So we can truly say that Hedonisia Hawaii is powered by a mighty volcano!
5 - Re-use: Before something is truly needed to be thrown away it can often be reused in an imaginative way. For example, old towels left by guests are converted into cleaning rags. Old tents are cut up and sewn together into entirely new living structures such as the Jungle Hideaway living space.
6 - Donations: We Use Freecycle to advertise for any particular materials that we need. As well, we receive much donated material from various people around the island. As a Fiscal Agent we can receive tax-deductible cash and materical donations to support our community activities.
7 - Compost & Mulch. The stars at Hedonisia are the beautiful flowers and marvelous variety of fruits and perennial vegetables. We do not use chemical fertilisers or pesticides on the plants at Hedonisia. We use natural green waste mulch that we generate from our compost or weeds.
8 - County versus Plastic Bottled Water: Bottled Water has been described as been described as one of the biggest scams perpetuated in the Western world. At Hedonisia Hawaii we encourage our Guests to drink our Rainforest Generated County Supplied TAP water!
9 - Eco-Building: Our Guest and Volunteer Lodgings are eco-friendly temporary structures designed with sustainable natural resources or salvageable building or other materials. Much of the materials used for construction of Ocean View, Ohana Kahuna, Guava Hut, Jungle Hideaway, Avocado Tent and Bamboo Hut are either from natural renewable sources such as bamboo or is recycled from items that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
10 - Local Environmental Activism: Hedonisia Hawaii is also a Board Member of the Hawaii Sustainable Community Alliance, a group of eco oriented properties and communities working to promote changing the current Hawaii County and State zoning statutes to allow for environmentally sustainable community living and alternative building practices.
11 - Green Recognition: As a result of our Green Sustainable Business and Social Policies, Hedonisia Hawaii has been officially designated as an Eco-Budget Vacation Rental by Hostelworld International
12 - Eco-Toilet: As a Sustainable Community we have built a unique eco-toilet which is now the most photographed room on the property!
13 - No Plastic Water! Guests and Volunteers at Hedonisia enjoy delicious rainforest county water which we put through a further filter thus reducing the need for plastic bottled water.