Composting: Each Bungalow has a convenient sink top composter for your green waste. We will remove this as needed and add it to our composting bins for later use in our gardens.
Cotton Towels and Linens: Puakea uses only 100% Cotton or Bamboo products that don't add VOCs to the air, thus helping air quality in our bungalows. Towels and linens that are a blend of cotton and synthetic fabrics aren't sustainable because of their reliance on petrochemicals.
Durable Service Items: Our dishes, cups, glasses, mugs, tableware, and serving pieces are long-lasting, not disposable.
Eco-friendly Food: We encourage you to buy your produce from open air, produce markets found in both Kawaihae and Hawi towns. These markets offer produce and flowers grown in a manner sensitive to its natural habitat for preserving wildlife and other plants, organically grown and raised, and local and thus freshly "harvested". There is a Farmers Market in Hawi town under the Bayon Tree every Saturday morning from 7am-1pm.
Energy Conservation: Puakea is committed to reducing the amount of energy used. Through our use of energy efficient lighting and appliances, turning off lights and appliances when not in use and using fans, not air conditioning and low flow toilets and shower heads, we promote and encourage you to be mindful of your energy consumption. It is possible to dramatically reduce energy consumption for powering our bungalows with little or no sacrifices. Please join us in reducing our dependency on non-renewable resources and reduce the costs connected with excessive energy use
Environmental Cleaning: We approaching housekeeping and laundry from the perspective of not using harsh or harmful-to-people chemicals or cleaning styles. That includes not using perfumed or scented laundry supplies, carpet cleaners, cleaning supplies, or constant air fresheners.
Fresh Air: Upon arrival your Bungalow will have windows that are open as part of a fresh-air exchange. North Kohala boast some of the cleanest air in the world! So breath deeply during your stay with us! Fresh air, even in cities, is healthier than the musty, stale air of closed-up rooms.
Gray Water Recycling: Gray water, wastewater composed of wash water from the kitchen, bathrooms sinks and showers/tubs, laundry sinks and tubs, and washing machines (clothes and dish) where only non-polluting, biodegradable soaps are used is recycled for watering gardens and landscaping. It is filtered through the soil on its way to ground and subterranean water sources. This reduces the amount of fresh water needed for that purpose.
Guestroom Recycle Bins: Please use provided recycle containers in each bungalow. place your rinsed glass, plastic and metal items in the bins provided and our staff will take care of sorting and collection.
Maintenance for Conservation: Puakea's Green Program included replacing all of the old, wasteful fixtures (light bulbs, old toilets that use lots of water in their flushing, old shower heads and faucets that allow more than 2 gallons/minutes through) and appliances (refrigerators and freezers, ice machines, washing machines and dryers, air conditioners) with new efficient fixtures and appliances.
Non-Smoking Rooms: Puakea has a strict non-smoking policy inside our bungalows. Bungalows are guaranteed to be safe from the pollution of smoking. Please preserve the quality of our indoor air, our furnishings and the well being our our guests sensitive to second hand smoke.
Water Conservation: At Puakea, we strive to reduce water usage. Water use reduction methods range from more efficient practices to capturing water for use through water storage or conservation projects. We are installing large gutters on each bungalow to capture and reuse rain water. More efficient practices include using low-flow toilets, shower heads, and faucets; washing sheets and towels less frequently (though of course between guests); planting xeric gardens -- using native plants that don't require much additional water beyond what falls from the sky; and gray water recycling systems.
Sheet and Towel Re-Use: Guests are encouraged to sleep on the same sheets for the duration of their stay with us. Drying lines are provided at each bungalow to hang bath, beach and pool towels for reuse at least 3 times before washing.
Xeric Gardens: Xeriscape is a coined word derived from the Greek 'Xeros', meaning dry. It is used to describe landscaping with water conservation as a major objective. It often is also accomplished by using plants native to the region. A xeric garden is an attractive, sustainable landscape that conserves water.
Alternative Energy: Puakea is currently researching and obtaining bids on renewable energy solutions including hydro, solar, wind, geothermal and photovoltaic conversion systems. It is our goal to become an "off grid" property.
Recycled Building Materials: On all past and future restoration projects we are committed to reusing and refurbishing existing materials whenever possible. Windows, doors, hardware and fixtures that could not be salvaged were were replaced using building salvaged resources and recycled materials reducing consumption and disposal.
