Tag: earth

Zeavola – EcoLiving In Thailand

by EcoLiving Property, posted in Travel Tuesday

This Tuesday, let’s travel to the lush rainforest on the Phi Phi Island of Thailand.  There you will find an environmentally friendly luxury zeavola08hotel with suites made of teakwood connected by a tranquil white sandy beach.  Zeavola- Koh Phi Phi has engaged in an energy conservation system, water is sourced from local wells and rainwater collection systems.  Waste water is treated before being used to water the jungle garden, natural waste is composted, and the resort is engaged in beach and coral cleaning programs. Even further, Zeavola participates in first aid and survival assistance for birds.  All of this lead Zeavola to be recognized as the world’s top sustainable boutique hotel.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

The villas are spaced to give some privacy and offer some variety.  Options are beachfront, village garden or on the hillside.  And during your stay you can relax on the beach, scuba dive in the Andaman Sea, take a cooking class, or enjoy the spa.  Zeavola is just the type of EcoLiving adventure we would love, how about you?

zeavola04

Planting Seeds

by EcoLiving Property, posted in Clean Environment, ecofriendly, Real Estate Investing, Renovation Process

At the inception of EcoLiving Property, we aimed to have a positive impact on the properties we touched and the communities surrounding them.  We wanted to inspire others to follow our influence and see how homes can be renovated in a mindful way which reduces harm to the environment.  We knew with every project we would find ways to improve our own system; increase the sustainable ideas and decreasing the waste.  We knew we would face challenges and that others would doubt our ability to accomplish our goals.

What I failed to realize is the positive impact we would have within our own house and with the next generation EcoLiving home rehabber.  My daughter has absorbed so much of the business from how we preview a property and estimate repairs, to what products we use in our projects and how we market.  She can recite many of the things I tell to real estate agents, contractors and fellow investors about our business.  And she is excited about some day being responsible for her own project.  Now if she could differentiate between colors/patterns of her own preference and the preferences of the majority of buyers I would say she is about ready.

This knowledge and experience will give her financial security early in life by recognizing the value of real estate and understanding the business.  Even better, she identifies the desire to protect the environment.  I have no doubt my daughter will continue to improve our processes and share the positive influence until the environment will no longer need protection.  I’m just grateful to be planting the seeds.

#Travel Tuesday: EcoLiving In Japan

by EcoLiving Property, posted in Travel Tuesday

Today we are highlighting an environmentally genius home in Kitasaku District, Japan.  This structure was conceived by Kotaro Ide / ARTechnic architects and constructed in 2008.  This house is not only a unique architectural marvel, it also is intended to coexist with nature as a weekend retreat to escape busy weekday life in Tokyo.

What Makes it Energy Efficient:

  • Due to the humid climate it is constructed mainly of steel to reduce deterioration.
  • Custom made floor heating improves the energy efficiency and prevents the growth of mold.  By dividing the oval section with a flat floor, a bow-shaped space  serves as a heat chamber.  Warm air blows from locations of frequent use will efficiently heat the flooring.
  • Since the house is not utilized full-time, other measures were added to automatically kick in to run an antifreeze procedure, dehumidification and ventilation as needed.

 

Travel Tuesday: Maggie Island

by EcoLiving Property, posted in Uncategorized

Once upon a time; five planes, one shuttle and a ferry ride from where I am today, I found myself on a rocky tropical island off the Queensland coast of Australia.  If I were being honest, the mystery of Maggie Island was one of the reasons I chose to attend a semester in Australia as opposed to Europe where I had always planned to go.  I can recall my travel advisor reporting:

maggieisaldnkoala.jpgStudents who go to James Cook University in Townsville have the ability to go an hour inland to the rain forest or an hour out the the Great Barrier Reef.  They also can take a 20 minute ferry ride out to an island to spend the weekend.  Maggie Island was named Magnet Island because it interfered with the compass of the ship when it was discovered.

With the promise of endless natural adventures ahead, I headed for Australia and Maggie Island did not disappoint.  Over half of it’s 20 square miles is reserved as a national park.  I learned to scuba dive in the bays, spent hours hiking the rocky trails and soaking up sun on the beach, rode horse back into the ocean, and spotted koalas in OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAthe eucalyptus trees.  With so much the island has to offer with natural beauty and abundant wildlife, it is no wonder the 2,100 island’s residents recognized the need to move towards sustainable living.  The island embraced the opportunity to go solar and installed panels on many homes and businesses,  the majority of homes received smart meters to monitor energy usage and the island has cut energy during peak houses down by 16%.

Maggie Island has plenty to offer eco-minded travelers as well.  There is a wide range of Eco Accredited accommodations to stay and even more eco-tourism activities to enjoy.  In order to keep the island healthy, they limit where motorized vehicles can go and provide walking tours of the forts.  Hostels and hotels adhere to recycling and minimize waste.  They work to build environmental awareness and strive to minimize their impact.  There are dozens of ways to appreciate the island and with so much devotion to conserving it, Maggie Island will be able to be appreciated unchanged for a long time.

kayakmaggieisland