Creative writing vacation in Andalucia

Planet

Our activities are low impact: we accommodate groups of no more than 14 people. We organise walking vacations which do not negatively impact on the local environment. (We always use designated footpaths for example, do not pick wildflowers, do not leave litter and do not cause any damage.) We also run a creative writing programme and yoga retreats which also do not impact negatively on the local environment.
Other ways in which we care about the environment:
Water: water is a precious commodity in this area, which is prone to drought from time to time. We minimise water use with dual flush loos, showers rather than baths, and we have a drip system for our garden watering.
Energy saving: we use low-energy light bulbs throughout the house and our outside lights are on timers.
NO to plastic! we recycle our plastic waste. We regularly encourage our local shops and market traders not to use plastic bags, but to encourage shoppers to bring their own. We encourage our guests to fill their water bottles from a natural spring nearby rather than buying plastic bottles of water.
Recycling: as well as recycling our plastic, we also recycle our paper, cardboard and glass items.
Shopping: we buy produce and supplies locally and when possible, we buy organic food and non-polluting cleaning products.

People

Our premises: we restored a historic building that had fallen into ruin with great care and sensitivity, rather than bulldozing the site and erecting new buildings. Our part of the Alpujarra is a conservation area so we maintained the traditional building style and used traditional materials such as chestnut beams and launa for the roof.
The local community: members of the local community participate in and benefit from our business. We are the major employer in our village (population 28), employing three local people at Casa Ana. We provide economic benefits to local businesses including bars, restaurants, shops, the local laundry and the local bus company, as well as local people involved in the building industry including plumbers, electricians, carpenters and builders.
Protecting the local environment: We are fortunate to be located in a Parque Natural conservation area. However, it is also an area which has suffered and continues to experience minimal economic development. Through our business we are demonstrating that sustainable tourism brings significant economic benefit to the area, and we argue that for tourism to flourish here, the unique rural environment that is the Alpujarra must be preserved and protected.