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Sustainability
Sustainability in the Bagoly-kő Pension
At Bagoly-kő Pension, we are committed to protecting the environment and operating sustainably. We believe that tourism and the preservation of natural values are compatible: we strive to leave as small an ecological footprint as possible. To achieve this, we have introduced a number of environmentally friendly measures, from reducing water and energy consumption to minimising waste. We also encourage our guests to be our partners in these efforts.
The owner of the building is Gergely Litkai, a comedian, editor and host of two green podcasts, board member of KÖVET Association, sustainability manager and member of the advisory board of the Sustainable Professionals Network, so it would be sad if these efforts could not be realized here.
If you want to listen to podcasts like this on a boring evening, you can do it here:
That’s why it’s not just about the outside of the doughnut – staying within the limits of the planet’s capacity – but also about ensuring wellbeing, about being an integral part of the local community. If you are interested in the economics of donuts, you can read about it here:
A healthy donut that can make our cities more sustainable
We host a number of local initiatives and cultural programmes at the Bouncing Buffet, and to keep track of these, you can also follow our Facebook page in addition to our programmes sub-page.
We regularly organise sustainability-themed Spiritual Wellness weekends, local community programmes in cooperation with Scale Impact and NGOs, and we also cooperate with the Dumaszínház in organising programmes at the nearby GarageCastle venue, providing accommodation and catering.
You can try the one and a half degree lifestyle for a weekend as part of our one and a half degree package.
Building energy is provided by solar collectors, solar panels and, on cold Mátra days, wood gasification boilers. We are constantly working on reducing our emissions and producing our energy locally from renewable sources, and we monitor our emissions. The cleaning products and household chemicals we use are Ecolabelled.
The guide below details our sustainability initiatives and how you can help as a guest.
Reducing water use
Water is an irreplaceable natural resource, so we try to minimise unnecessary water waste. We have installed water-saving taps and shower heads in our guesthouse, and use a two-phase toilet flush to ensure that only the right amount of water is used each time. We also wash our textiles sensibly: towels and bed linen are not changed automatically every day, but only on demand, reducing water and detergent consumption.
How you can help save water:
- Short showers: preferably take shorter showers, which will save a lot of water compared to a long bath.
- Turn off the tap: turn off the tap while brushing or shaving and only open it when you really need to.
- Towel reuse: if you have several days left, use the same towel several times. If you leave it on the holder, it will not be changed daily, thus reducing the number of washing cycles. (If you want to change it, please let us know: leave the towel on the bathroom floor or ask for a new one at the reception.)
Energy efficiency measures
Saving energy not only cuts costs, it also helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our accommodation is energy efficient on several fronts. We use energy-saving LED light bulbs in all rooms, which consume much less electricity than traditional light bulbs. Our electrical appliances, from the fridge to the heating system, are modern and energy efficient. In common areas, motion-sensor lights ensure that lights are never left on unnecessarily. The building is insulated with state-of-the-art insulation, which helps to keep the heat in in winter and cool in summer, reducing heating and cooling energy needs. Our building’s energy needs are met by solar panels, solar collectors for hot water, ducted air conditioning for heating and cooling, and a wood-burning boiler in winter to keep you comfortable. The pool is kept at a comfortable temperature by a heat pump.
Of course, the attention of guests is also key to energy saving. Please do not leave electrical appliances switched on or in stand-by mode when you do not need them. For example, televisions, laptops and phone chargers should be switched off or unplugged when not in use to avoid unnecessary power consumption. These small steps can add up to significant energy savings.
Refrigerator use (only if necessary)
For energy-saving reasons, the minibar fridges in our rooms are not operated when empty. Even running a small fridge continuously consumes a considerable amount of electricity, so it would spin unnecessarily if there was nothing in it. On arrival, the fridges are therefore switched off.
Of course, if you need it – for example, to refrigerate food or drinks – you can switch it on at any time. But please leave it off when you don’t need it and switch it off again when you leave. This small amount of attention can save considerable energy without unnecessary operation.
Heating and cooling (ideal temperature)
Setting the right room temperature is not only important for comfort, but also for energy saving. Excessive heating or cooling significantly increases energy consumption, so we would like to give you some advice on how to achieve a comfortable yet economical temperature.
Winter: the heating in our Pension is set to a maximum temperature of around 21°C. We have kept the temperature at 21°C. This value generally provides a pleasant level of comfort. Each additional degree of heating increases the energy consumption by 5-6% proportionally, so it is best to avoid overheating. If the room feels chilly, put on warmer clothes or use the extra blanket instead of turning up the thermostat. When ventilating in winter, use a ‘ventilation shock’: open the window briefly and close it to let fresh air in but not cool the room completely.
In summer: in the summer heat, we try to minimise the use of air conditioning. During the day, keep the blinds closed or the shades drawn to prevent the sun from overheating the room. As soon as it cools down outside (for example in the evening), use a cross-ventilation system: open the windows to let fresh, cool air in and cool the room. Naturally, the air conditioning is turned on if necessary, setting a reasonable temperature of 24-26°C. Please make sure that doors and windows are closed when it is running.
Avoiding single-use plastics
Single-use plastics – be it bottles, straws or plastic cutlery – have a serious impact on the environment. These materials degrade very slowly, accumulating in landfills and in nature, threatening water and wildlife.
We strive to minimise plastic waste. We don’t use disposable plastic cups or plates; we also avoid single-use food and drink packaging at breakfast. Glass cups and porcelain mugs are provided in rooms instead of plastic, and refillable soap and shampoo dispensers are used in bathrooms to replace miniature bottles.
You can do your bit to reduce plastic waste. Please avoid disposable plastics wherever possible.
- Use a canteen: When travelling, bring a refillable bottle and fill it with tap water instead of buying bottled water (the tap water at the guesthouse is of high quality and safe to drink.)
- Use a canvas bag: when shopping or on a trip, take a reusable shopping bag or canvas bag instead of plastic bags.
- Reuse & sort: if you do use a plastic bottle or bag, try to reuse it as much as possible. When you no longer need it, place it in the appropriate recycling bin.
Selective waste collection
Selective collection of waste is the basis for recycling, which reduces the burden on the environment and allows valuable raw materials to re-enter the cycle. At our B&B, we place great emphasis on sorting the waste we generate and recycling as much as possible instead of sending it to landfill.
Several collection bins for different types of waste have been set up in the boarding house. In the communal areas and corridors you will find bins marked by colour and signage: separate bins for black waste (grey lid), recyclable packaging (yellow) and mixed non-recyclable waste (black). Please always dispose of your waste in the appropriate bin. In the rooms, the smaller bins are mainly for the collection of mixed waste; if there is recyclable waste (e.g. paper or plastic bottles), please put it in the separate collection bin in the corridor. If you are unsure where to put your waste, please contact our staff for guidance – we will be happy to help.
It’s important to us that our customers can easily participate in the separate collection scheme, so we try to make it as clear as possible. By working together, you can help to reduce the amount of rubbish going into the environment and recycle more materials.
Switching off the electricity
It’s simple, yet very important to always turn off the light when it’s no longer needed. Even energy-saving LED bulbs consume some electricity, and we waste energy unnecessarily if we light up an empty room or in bright sunlight. Please make sure you turn off all lights in the room after you when you leave. During the day, when the light outside is sufficient, use natural lighting instead of artificial lighting. In common areas and corridors, if you see a light on that is not obviously needed, feel free to turn it off (motion-sensing lights will turn themselves off after a while). This will not only reduce electricity consumption, but also prolong the life of the bulb.
With your care and attention, you will contribute to keeping the energy consumption of the pension as low as possible, which is in our common interest.
Thank you for working with us to protect the environment!