What we aim to get right:

• We aim to use green cleaning materials.
• We try to avoid using pesticides and chemicals.
• We use unbleached toilet paper when available.
• Our swimming pool is a salt pool.
• We use energy efficient light bulbs where available.
• Our bath/shower water is solar heated.
• We prefer to dry our linen in the sunlight rather than tumble dry.
• The tea/coffee tray comes with as many organic options as are available at the time of purchase.
• Likewise, the fruit platter will have organic fresh or dried fruit where available.
• All fruit peels and off-casts are placed on our compost heap.
• We choose our scooters over our cars as much as possible when doing purchases or rounds.
• We re-use our shopping bags.
• Our house is eco insulated.
• Read Karen's eco-fashion tips on -http://greeniedressesforless.blogspot.com.
• We sprinkle borax to deter insects.
• We switch off all our appliances and lights when not in use. We ask the same of you.
• Our hot water cylinders have blankets to retain heat and they are set at 55C. However please bear in mind that on sunny days the solar heating drives water temperatures up to as high as 70C.
• We re-cycle paper. Your weather report or bill may come on second- hand paper. And we purchase 50% re-cycled paper.
• We take cans, bottles, plastics, paper and cardboard to the recycling depot.
• We run a grey water system with your bath and shower water.
• We backwash pool water into a barrel, flocculate and re-use it.
• Our garden has many water-wise or indigenous plants and we limit our use of irrigation.
• We have a herb garden at the back. Please help yourself. Mint water?
• We do not provide bottled water. Tap water is perfectly safe to drink in Cape Town. We provide filtered tap water in the rooms.
• We provide a 1L of milk rather than lots of small mini milk containers.

What we do wrong, but think you might agree:

• For your complete peace of mind, it is necessary to wash all bed linen and towels at 60C. If it is not sunny enough to dry them outside, unfortunately we need to use the tumble drier.
• South Africa has a large variety of bugs! On the odd occasion there can be infestations (such as ants or mosquitos), and when this happens it is necessary for us to use insecticide to ensure complete eradication.
• We ask for your understanding: your wellbeing is our top priority.

And so what we are also saying is - it is not always easy - but we try.