Patrignone is doing its utmost to ensure that its footprint on the sensitive and beautiful landscape (and wider environment) is as delicate as possible. Our aim over the next three years is to reduce this further and become entirely self-sustained.
Currently we are recycling between 70 – 80% of our waste. We compost as much kitchen waste as possible for use in the garden and vegetable plot. Paper, card, plastic, metal and glass are all taken to local recycling bins and we encourage you to use the three bin system within your apartment whilst staying with us so that we can recycle this too. Anything made from the list above can be recycled here including all grades of plastic and Tetra packs.
Water is scarce in many areas of Tuscany, with water-cuts a daily event in many nearby towns, and Patrignone is no exception. We have a finite supply of water, particularly in the summer as the main supply is well water. Therefore water conservation is part of every day life for us, and we ask our customers to also exercise care. Simple things such as flushing the toilets only when really necessary, turning the tap off whilst brushing your teeth, washing the dishes once a day, shorter showers, and fewer linen changes can make a very big difference. We collect our rain water from several sources around the estate and use this water to irrigate the garden and to top up water levels of our fish pond. We are also looking at other ways of recycling our used water.
This same care is applied to our use of electricity and gas. This is our main reason for resisting the temptation to introduce air conditioning to Patrignone. Not only is air conditioning a massive power consumer, it is also a great host for poor health and infection as well as an eyesore on beautiful buildings. It does get hot in Tuscany in the summer, but Patrignone was built in times way before air con, and has thick walls and small southerly facing windows to help keep the inside cool. Another helpful hint is to keep all windows and doors closed in the summer daytime with curtains drawn, and then open them all up when the sun sets and the temperature drops. TV is another so-called luxury that we have chosen to omit. You won´t miss it. There are hundreds of books here, wonderful and interesting people, good wine and the most incredible sunsets to occupy your evenings!
We hope that over the next three years, to be completed 2010, we will have all of our hot water heated by solar panels and all of electricity generated by solar power. We are fortunate enough to be situated within immense grounds where the sun shines more often than not, and we feel it is well worth harnessing that power. We will also increase our rain collection and water recycling.
If you have any thoughts or ideas on how we can reduce our environmental impact please do let us know.
Verity Jones
Verity
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