Hostelling International Bridge Street Inn Cambria California

Sustainability Pledge

Sustain and Recycle

We are committed to maintaining and promoting a sustainable environment here at the Bridge Street Inn as well as in our local and global communities. This can be achieved in conjunction with providing a comfortable and charming atmosphere at a reasonable price. Our imperfectly charming 115-year-old house exemplifies this belief that charming surroundings can easily be had by making do with simple things.

We strive to minimize use of resources, use least impacting products, to recycle/reuse our waste products and to positively contribute to our community. Please come join us – we’d love to talk about putting beliefs into action and get your feedback as we continue to experiment. Many things have worked and some can always work better.

We try our best to adhere to the following practices:

Minimize use of resources

  • Line dry laundry
  • No stay-over room cleaning
  • Old house, old carpets and old stuff
  • No special service contractors (owners and interns clean, maintain and garden)
  • No chemicals used in yard
  • Energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs and appliances
  • Bike, walk or carpool for errands and supply purchase
  • Solar panels provide electric power
  • Minimal use of disposables (paper towels or napkins)

Recycle/reuse

  • Laundry water for yard irrigation
  • Lid sinks-toilets: clean water for hand washing becomes grey water for flushing
  • Compost food scraps and yard waste
  • Recycle cans, bottles, jars and paper

Community Membership/Contributions/Links

  • Cambria Historical Society: www.Cambriahistoricalsociety.org
  • Greenspace: www.Greenspace.org
  • Friends of Fiscalini Ranch Preserve: www.Northcoastswap.org
  • Wise Acre Farm: Community Supported Agriculture. Local organic produce
  • Cambria water issues: www.CambriaCSD.org

Minimally impacting products

  • Travel towels
  • Lid sinks
  • Biodegradable soaps and detergents
  • Non-toxic cleaning products
  • Local produce and flowers-own and local Wise Acre Farm

Help us

  • Bring and reuse your own towels, where possible (we recommend travel towels)
  • Minimize use of wintertime heating (bring warm clothes and bundle up)
  • Keep showers short
  • Do not let water in taps run when it is not being used

Goals for improvement

  • House roof insulation, roofing and solar panel installation
  • More locally grown produce/products
  • Bicycle/electric scooter rental
  • Solar Electric Installation: second installation over main house (2 panels already over church building installed in 2006).

Cambria, California
April 1, 2008

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