Eco Friendly
Elundini Backpackers is an eco friendly backpackers and we try to minimise our carbon footprint. When we started the backpackers in September 2012 there was no electricity in the whole area. It was quiet a struggle to build without water close by and electricity:-). Since Easter 2014 they connected the village to Eskom, but we decided to depend mostly on renewable energy. Electricity is generated from our solar panels. Solar geysers and our hot water 'donkey' are warming up our water. This brings our electricity bill down to R150/month. Rain water is harvested from the roof and stored in 5000 liter tanks. We do not have fushing toilets but use compost toilets instead. A composting toilet is a type of waterless toilet that uses a predominantly aerobic process to treat human excreta. Grey water is treated on the premises.
We practise natural building techniques where we can. All our rondavels are build in the traditional way with cow and dung walls and floors and thatched roofs. All the grass for the thatch is locally harvested by local people and by ourselves. In the main building we use natural finishes such as cane for the ceiling and natural stone for flooring and our deck, all found in the area.
We like the idea that food should be free. That's why we started our own permaculture garden and fruit forest. We also have free range chickens, pigs and goats.
Our biggest worry is our rubbish. Unfortunately there is no recycling going on in the area. However we separate our green waste to give to the pigs or to dump it on our compost pile. Our soft plastic we push in plastic bottles to make eco-bricks.