Chiang Mai resort, Northern Thailand

We keep a lot of trees and therefore there is alot of shade in the garden. We try and avoid open grass area to cover the ground and reduce evaporation. We choose the tree species that are well adapted to the garden conditions and water the garden during the cool hours of the day: early morning and late afternoon.

In terms of the laundry, we do not change bed sheets and towels everyday unless the guests request it. We load the machine to its full capacity, and have different sized washing machines (ie during the low season we use the home sized washing machine but in the peak or high season we use the heavy duty machine). Furthermore, we use cold water washing. But in the case of special care linen we wash it by hand.

We solar panels for energy use. We also use a solar laundrette drying hut, similar to a green house. It takes only 2 hours for a king-sized bed sheet to dry if hung in the morning. This unit is also used to make dry banana chips.

In the kitchen, our dishes are scraped clean by the bus boy and stored in the wash tray until the end of the meal and washed all at once to save time and water.

In order to reduce energy waste, we have used some glass for the roof to avoid using electricity during the day time. Furthermore, the main public areas such as the lobby, restaurant and bar are open air spaces, thus avoiding airconditioning and incresing the fresh air which the guest can enjoy.

We re-use old clothes such as napkins and table clothes for cleaning purposes, and re-use paper for draft document or receipts. We avoid plastic wrappings and use traditional wrapping techniques such as banana leaves. We also provide guests with re-usable laundry bags made from cloth instead of plastic. Glass bottles are used instead of plastic bottles. We recycle mineral water plastic bottles for use as detergent and washing liquid containers for the housekeeping. We also reuse 5 litre milk containers for fridge storage, or home made organic lemongrass juice served as a welcome drink.

In the restaurant we do not use single serving condiment packages (jam and butter salt and pepper for example); instead we use ceramic containers. We use bamboo table mats that are reusable and we do not use the single use chopsticks.

We reduce food waste by preparing the appropriate quantities of food. For pack lunches provided during outdoor activities, we give priority to reusable containers that can be brought back and washed instead of plastic or Styrofoam wrappings.

We also have a successful community project. Just like we care for our environment, we also care for our community. Tambon Ban Klang (the sub-district of Ban Klang) where our resort is located is one of many areas where children of San Patong district are affected by HIV/AIDS. More than 700 of people around the age of 25 - 39 in San Patong, are infected with HIV/AIDS. This means their children and families are affected in many ways, but the most crucial impact on their children is the education.

Affected children may have to drop out from school to take care of their parents when they fall ill. Many children do not have financial support to continue their schooling when the families’ breadwinners pass away. Discrimination in schools also discourages children to go to school. These are just a couple of impacts of HIV/AIDS on children preventing them from the opportunities to learn and develop in schools.

Having realized the problem in our community, we organised a children’s cultural art exhibition under the theme 'Lanna through My Eyes' (1 Nov 2007 to 31 Jan 2008). The exhibition consists of approximately 20 pieces of Lanna arts done by children from various schools of San Patong district. All exhibited arts will be on auction and all incomes will turn into 5 scholarships for the 3 most in need schools of Tambon Ban Klang, where HIV/AIDS affected children are enrolled, namely, Ban Tung Siao school, Wat Tha Kan school, and Wat Sam Lang school in Tambon Ban Klang.

We cordially invite you to help us help the children in Tambon Ban Klang by visiting the children’s exhibition at Kao Mai Lanna’s Nondsri room if you are here during the exhibition.