SOLAR COOKING

Iris Island Resort is the only island resort in the world that cooks their food predominantly using just the sun.  Abiding by our sincere eco commitment to reduce the use of fossil fuels, we have incorporated and installed special solar ovens and solar cookers on the roof of our restaurant kitchen.

Sample our solar cooking in our clifftop restaurant.  We try to cook as much as possible using these solar ovens. These fantastic appliances utilize only the sun for cooking.  This method is not only healthier but many see foods cooked by the sun as full of healing energy or “prana”

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Each building and villa on the island has their own solar energy power source, including solar panels, batteries, charge controllers, and battery monitors. Aiming at our commitment to become a carbon neutral island, we do not use a generator to charge up batteries. Currently we only use a generator a few hours a day to run the water pump but future plans will implement a solar energy water pump station. Path lighting around the island and pier lighting utilizes special solar lights that incorporate in their body a solar panel, battery and detectors that allow the light to turn on at night and shut off during the day. There is no over or underground wiring at all on the island.

COMPOSTING TOILETS

All toilets on the island are composting toilets. We use specialized toilets that are waterless (use absolutely no water) are self-contained, requiring no septic tank and no energy. A composting mixture of peat moss and enzymes is added daily to accelerate composting.  The waste matter remains odorless due to a special suction pipe from the toilet that draws air up and out into the atmosphere. Liquid waste evaporates and solid waste in the form of odorless powder remains which is environmentally safe for use as fertilizer for plants.

GREY WATER RECYCLING

All grey water from sinks and showers is directed out of the buildings into a series of perforated pipes that slowly release the water through a natural filtration system of sand, gravel and soil planted with shrugs.

BIODEGRADABLE SOAPS, SHAMPOSS AND DETERGENTS

We use only biodegradable soaps, shampoos and detergents on the island and dispensers are located in each villa.  Please do not use your own shampoos, conditioners, soaps or other detergents while staying on the island.

ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE REDUCTION

To reduce environmental waste, we have enacted several projects on the island including:

• We do not sell any water or soft drinks in plastic bottles or plastic cups
• We do not use any plastic cutlery
• We make our own bamboo straws
• All cans from soft drinks and foods are sold and recycled
• We compost all kitchen scraps in special rotating composters
• We use only composting toilets on the island
• We do not burn any plastics

COMPOSTING

We utilize a special rotating composter for all kitchen scraps which we use for fertilizing plants.

We use composting toilets throughout the island.

RAIN WATER HARVESTING

We utilize rain water harvesting to capture rain water through a system of sheets, drainage pipes and gutters which feeds into our main water tank.

REDUCING IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT

Our goal is to reduce all carbon emissions on the island.  We limit the amount of fossil fuels used and we use solar cooking as much as we can.  We utilize solar energy for almost all of our electrical needs. We recycle grey water from sinks and showers and use composting toilets with no septic.  Our eco commitment is to become entirely sustainable in the future.

ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY LECTURES

Iris Island on occasion hosts ecology and sustainability lectures in the evening.

ISLAND ECOLOGY TOUR

Ask our staff for an island ecology tour and learn about solar ovens and solar cooking, solar energy, composting toilets, rain water harvesting, garden composting and other ways we keep our beautiful island clean and relatively pollution free.