What makes ETNICO an Environmentally Friendly Hostel?

Recycling

Over 70% of our communal garbage is recyclable. We encourage our guests to use our recycle bins. We collect and recycle with a partner recycling facility in town.

Glass: its easily recyclable but takes long time to dissolve.

Aluminium cans: these are easy to recycle and people can sell them.

Plastic:This is the biggest amount of garbage as the most used packing/storing material. If dumped, it takes over 100,000 years to dissolve. Easily recyclable.

Organic: We have a compose bin and our signs educate clients about how to use it. All compost is used for our organic garden on the property of the hostel.

 

Water Conservation

We encourage our staff to keep water usage to a minimum. No need to let the tap run senslessly when cleaning.

We have lots of signage to remind our clients to try to use less water in showers and taps. We dont encourage you to shower together (unless you want to!)...but we would like you help in any way you can save water. It's good for Pucon and good for the environment!

Plastic

We encourage our guests to re-use their water bottles by filling them at the tap instead of buying plastic water bottles repeatedly (which are often just filled with tap water anyway!) We ask guests to leave unused plastic bottles and bags for others to use.

With signage and a bin to put your market bags we encourage our guests to GRAB A BAG before they go to the market instead of getting new plastic bags each time you visit the market.

 

Electricity Conservation

We hang the laundry! We dont have a dryer and we like it this way! Sheets smell fresher and the less energy we use to dry laundry the less need we have for damming Chile's wild rivers for energy!

We use only electricity saving lightbulbs.

We have motion sensors to turn off lights when guests are not around.

We have lots of signage to remind our clients to turn off lights when they are not in the room.

Paper Usage

We are trying to reduce printouts from the computer and to use digital records instead of paper prints.

We use scrap paper when possible by reusing paper before throwing it away.

Reduction of Chemical Usage

We use non-toxic, biodegradable, non-foaming cleaning chemicals that we buy in bulk to save purchase of many smaller plastic bottles and we encourage our staff to use these products with care (not using excessive amounts unessesarily)

 

Organic Farms

We have an organic garden on the property to contribute to food costs for our staff and all summer long we have lots of organic cherries growing on the many cherry trees on the property. Pick all you can eat--they are GOOD for you!

We can provide information about where to find clean or organic locally grown foods in the area and we can also offer our guests a tour to visit some of the local farms who provide for us.