Reducing our footprints: In a conscious move from waste management to waste reduction, Spice Village has outed around 45,000 units of packaged drinking water in plastic bottles from its waste stream. These have been substituted now with RO treated drinking water served in reusable glass bottles. This has reduced our waste and carbon footprints by a considerable degree.
Harnessing the sun: 75% of our power needs are met from solar energy harnessed on the property. Barring some heavy machinery used in the kitchen and laundry, we can proudly say that we are 'off the grid'.
Compost for our gardens: 250 to 400 kg of food waste is turned into nutrient-rich vermicompost at our plant at Spice Village to fertilize the two-acre vegetable and herbal gardens at the property.
Farming for our tables: Our organic garden at the resort that puts fresh vegetables, fruits and spices on your tables every day is an attempt to reduce our footprints by reducing our food miles. It is stewarded by members of the local community who are skilled farmers who employ traditional methods of crop raising.
Locally centered: Our engagement with the local community for our everyday needs is keenly evident at the resort. The list is vast and includes a wide range of people and services; from the person who supplies us milk and meat, the lady who makes pappadams, the women's group who make candles, the farmers who supply us our fresh produce, the local guides who take you on treks in the forest, the cooperative that supplies honey or members of the native Mannan tribe who thatch our roofs in the indigenous way only they can, our dependence on the local people and their inputs shapes our policies and operations in large ways.
Old wood = new furniture: Our quest to lighten the burden upon our environment began 25 years ago, long before it was fashionable to be environment-friendly. We also sought to use and integrate recycled materials as much as possible in our property to add a touch of novelty to our interiors and decor, while reducing our footprints at the same time. The simple yet elegant and comfortable pine furniture in your rooms is a statement to this broad commitment to the environment. They were made from old wood from packaging crates that came into our resort. They are as much a work of art for us as a dedication to a cause we take seriously.
Upgrading Bio-waste to Paper: Paper generated from old newspapers and magazines is used at our handmade Paper Making Centre and turned into useful paper. The centre works on the vision of sustainable use of renewable resources. The method we have employed dates back ages. The paper is created using waste paper and the crown of pineapples as a tenacity enhancing agent, which increases the binding quality in handmade paper. The recycled handmade paper is used as in-house guest stationery, invitation letters, manuals. notepads and also paper garlands for our guests.
Fostering a spirit of community: We believe in creating a family that is local in its spirit. The girls and boys at Spice Village hail from the village and small towns nearby and have grown within CGH Earth to become professionals, leaders and mascots for the group and its philosophy.