Vacation rentals going green in Roatan is a trend we’re more than happy to see! Roatan’s island infrastructure and delicate ecosystem require extra support from all of us who call this island home. But we also want to encourage our visitors to take extra care in protecting this beautiful natural environment.
After all, that natural beauty is what draws you to come to visit!
By encouraging our vacation rentals to go green, we’re promoting sustainable practices locally while also granting tourists an easier way to help support conservation efforts.
At Roatan Vacation Rentals, we’ve been taking steps within the homes we manage to make small changes that can create a lasting effect.
We’ve also taken steps in our office environment and our personal lives to support these sustainable practices. We have plenty of helpful tips for sustainable travel to Roatan that we’ll be sharing. Right now, we want to highlight a few of the steps we’ve taken as a company that we hope you’ll support.
Vacation Rentals Going Green
First, we want to acknowledge that many homeowners are opting to take steps on their own, which we love! Vacation homes going green is a positive step for all involved.
We have many rental homes going green in Roatan already. Some run the entire home on solar energy, others have zero-energy water heaters that exchange with the air conditioning system. Some homes also utilize solar pumps for their swimming pools.
We certainly can’t take credit for the many homeowners who are seeking out alternative energy options, efficient appliances, and other eco-friendly home improvements. But we can support them as a company!
Whenever a homeowner asks about sustainable options, we are happy to connect them with our local contacts here on the island and even on the Honduran mainland.
When you own a home overseas, it can be a challenge to manage it from afar. That’s why we manage properties locally and ensure that our homeowners connect with reputable vendors and companies.
We love when homeowners approach us with new ideas to improve their homes’ environmental impact. If you’re looking for new ideas, contact us anytime!
Green Products in Vacation Homes
Roatan Vacation Rentals has made the shift to offering locally-produced products in our rental homes.
As of January 2020, our vacation rentals are going green with Aegis items. Renters will now find Aegis combination shampoo and soap bars in the homes we manage.
We’re taking this step to reduce our plastic use, as well as cutting out harmful chemicals often found in mainstream products. You can feel good knowing you’re keeping Roatan beautiful by using these locally-made, environmentally-friendly products!
Founded here in Roatan, Aegis produces a variety of eco-friendly products to protect our environment.
After observing the number of tourists and locals spraying harmful chemicals on a regular basis, founders Andrea and Matt decided to make a change. They started making reef-safe sunscreen and bug spray to protect our skin without adding harmful chemicals to our delicate ecosystem.
Aegis has since expanded to include an extensive line of products being sold locally in Roatan, as well as internationally to the United States. These products are effective, without being detrimental.
If you’re interested, Aegis sunscreen and bug spray are even available for purchase when you check-in here at Lawson Rock. The Lawson Deli (just next door to the Roatan Vacation Rentals office) stocks Aegis products for your convenience!
We love supporting local businesses in Roatan, but we especially love supporting local entrepreneurs who are also protecting what makes Roatan so popular.
Many of us at Roatan Vacation Rentals chose to move to Roatan for its incredible natural beauty. Protecting that natural beauty is a natural step for all of us!
Maximizing Our Recycling Efforts
The Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) runs several projects to minimize the physical products damaging our island ecosystem. One of these projects is to collect batteries in order to properly dispose of them.
This keeps them out of the landfill, where their harmful chemicals can seep into the groundwater and out to sea.
In 2019, BICA handled 113 lbs of batteries on the island. That’s 113 lbs that didn’t get added to the landfill!
Roatan Vacation Rentals has a battery collection location at our main office in Lawson Rock. We use it to deposit any dead batteries from the rental properties we manage, from our own office use, and also from our personal use.
All of our staff know that they can bring their dead batteries from home and deposit them into this collection. BICA will then appropriately dispose of the dead batteries.
Vacation Rental Owners Going Green
It’s not just our company making the effort to improve sustainability standards. Many of our vacation rental homeowners are taking matters into their own hands, too. And that’s not just with solar panels!
We have several owners who support the Roatan Marine Park as donors, often by using the income from their rental! This means that — if you choose to stay in one of those rentals — you’re actually supporting conservation efforts by the RMP. Win-win!
One of the projects our vacation rental owners have supported recently helps the Roatan Marine Park’s Coral Restoration Project. This is a nursery for coral growth and protection, which is a beautiful sight to see if you’re diving around the Seaquest dive sites!
The actual planting and subsequent protection of these coral nurseries requires financial support for staffing and other costs. Some of our homeowners have opted to support this coral restoration project as a way to give back to the community and support sustainability efforts.
Ready to Book Your Green Rental?
If you’re ready to book a vacation home in Roatan, you can contact us directly here or peruse all our listings here.
We’re always happy to answer questions about the homes we manage! We can point you toward specific houses or condos that are maximizing environmentally-friendly options, if that’s what you want.
We hope to see you in Roatan soon!
