Our environmental work
We work continously to reduce the environmental impact of our business. Here are some examples of what we do:
- We try to conserve resources and energy. We prefer renovating rather than demolishing, and we reuse a lot. For example, we furnish the restaurant and cottages with second-hand furniture and tableware. We plan menus with a focus on minimizing food waste. We monitor water and electricity use and invest in reducing consumption. We have renovated extensively in recent years, which has allowed us to upgrade the facility to more energy-efficient solutions in everything from appliances to lighting.
- We have a recycling station with most recycling categories where both we and our guests can sort waste. We also have a small shed where guests can leave things they no longer need but that are still functional—such as a finished book or a game—or pick something up.
- We only purchase environmentally certified electricity and prioritize electric power over fossil fuels. For example, we use electric golf carts for cleaning and maintenance, and our rental boats have electric motors. In addition, most of our lawn mowers, chainsaws, and tools are powered by electricity.
- Hot tubs and the sauna are heated with firewood from the local area. Instead of using fresh water and chemicals in the hot tubs, we fill them with saltwater before each use.
- We avoid using cleaning chemicals whenever possible. When they are necessary for hygiene reasons, we choose eco-labeled products instead of conventional ones.
- We work to support biodiversity. When selecting plants for our facility, we prefer species native to Bohuslän and plants that provide food for birds or insects. We protect the trees on the property, especially oak, pine, and beech. We also actively work against invasive species through information about crabs that should be removed and by combating Japanese oysters and Japanese knotweed.
- If we must choose between organic and locally produced ingredients, we choose locally produced ones. We have weighed the pros and cons and believe that supporting local agriculture—together with the regulations that exist in Sweden—will contribute to sustainable local farming. We design our menus based on traditional local ingredients that are sustainable and remain open to change when new knowledge emerges.
The local environmental impact of our operations is greatly affected by how many guests we receive. Our goal is not to host as many guests as possible; instead, we try to balance what the surroundings can handle, both in terms of the strain on nature and also traffic and consideration for our neighbors.
We believe the greatest environmental benefit we can achieve is by being an attractive alternative to long-distance travel to less sustainable destinations. We work to find logistical solutions that allow guests to reach us without a car—or at least to keep the car parked once they arrive. Today, for example, it is possible to reach us by train, bus, or by sea with the archipelago boats. Once here, guests can get around by rental bicycle or on the water with a kayak, canoe, SUP, or boat.
Our main challenges right now are:
reducing water consumption, as we have an old and complex system
all of us, guests and employees, need to recycle more
to reduce packaging materials on items in the kiosk such as ice cream, candy, and takeaway products
