Cape Town backpackers, South Africa
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Waste:
The Backpack constantly strives to reduce and reuse in all areas of the business and to uphold and improve our green practices.
We recycle paper, plastic, glass and tin on the premises, which is collected by an independent recycling company.
Colour-coded, labelled recycling bins are visible throughout the building for guests to recycle plastic, glass, paper/cardboard and tin. There is a recycling 3-division waste bin in the guest kitchen, with signage about recyclable materials displayed in the guest kitchen and bin area to educate guests and employees on reducing the impact on the environment. The staff members have been trained on what items to recycle and are actively involved in this as part of their duties.
Batteries are recycled at Pick ‘n Pay stores, old computer hardware are donated to Incredible Connection, who rebuilds this into computers which are donated to disadvantaged schools. Printer cartridges are recycled at a primary school in the area.
We purchase compostable, biodegradable napkins made from sugar cane. All our take-away containers are biodegradable and take-away cups are compostable.
In the restaurant kitchen, the vegetable waste is put into a separate bin and is used to feed our worm farms on the premises; the worm tea and compost is then used to feed the gardens. Excess tea is sold to raise funds for the community project we support. A staff member has been trained to look after the worm farms.
We collect eggshells which are taken to our community project, where the children crush them and sprinkle them around the vegetables to keep snails at bay.
Our used cooking oil is sold to a company that turns waste oil into bio-diesel. Their production process uses fewer chemicals and less electricity than traditional production methods.
Most of our cleaning products are biodegradable and septic tank safe and our supplier collects and reuses their own containers.
We save all the beer bottle tops and donate them to an African art dealer, who use this as part of an employment opportunity by making these into fridge magnets and other crafts.
Water:
At The Backpack, all our toilets are dual flush toilets, we use aerated taps where possible and showers have water wise shower heads. We planted a water wise garden on the property, which is only watered when necessary. Water saving signs has been put up to instruct and educate guests and employees
Community
Volunteering and Charity:
Since 2007, The Backpack has been supporting a local NGO, GCU Academy, with sports-based projects and a literacy programme, by donations, tourism awareness and volunteers.
Guests and staff are actively involved by sourcing donations, visiting the project, volunteering and arranging fundraisers. The sports projects are soccer and rope skipping, which are being coached after school.
The Backpack started a library at the school and employ a part-time librarian to assist with literacy. In 2010 The Backpack planted a vegetable garden on the school premises, which is being used to make lunch for the kids every day. The project has also uplifted the community by providing employment for sports coaches and gardeners.
Local crafts and culture:
The Backpack has a community shop on the premises, where local and community upliftment programmes are supported.
Some of the artists or programmes that are supported are Woza Moya, an income-generated project of the Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust which is based in KZN; Kapula Candles in Bredasdorp, where Fair trade principles are applied to create a working environment of positivism and participation by employees; Gibela Crafts in Durban and “I left my heart in Africa” in Cintsa, where most of the women who make the crafts are HIV positive and are able to work from home and thereby spend time with their children, whilst earning an income.
We save our beer bottle tops and donate this to an African art dealer, who use this as part of an employment opportunity by making these into fridge magnets and other crafts.
The mosaic on the wall at the swimming pool was made by local artists as part of a community project.
We use local suppliers from within the Greater Cape Town area to promote business growth and development in our local community.
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