Traveling towars sustainability, sustainable tourism is possible

Today in the new article on our blog, we want to tell you how little by little we are walking towards sustainable tourism. From Mucha Masia Rural-Urà hostel, located in the old town of Prat de Llobregat (hence Urbà).  A stone’s throw from Barcelona, ​​surrounded by spectacular natural areas. Such as El Delta del Llobregat, a virgin beach and the Parc agrari. Full of cultivated fields (hence the Rural one). We believe that each step in that direction, how small it is, adds up. Together we can achieve a greener, healthier and more beautiful planet!

Don’t leave yet, this is just the beginning. Below, we are going to reveal, how we would like to advance, along this wonderful path towards sustainability.

 

Feeding sustainably!

 

  • Espigoladors, preserves that care

At our reception, we would like to offer you some snacks. When you arrive, tired from a long trip, or a busy day in the city, you can recharge your batteries without shopping. We have recently incorporated an assortment of creams and pates, produced by the Espigoladors Foundation. It is a non-profit organization that fights against food waste. We are a social enterprise model which works for three social needs at once and interconnects them: fighting for a better food usage, guaranteeing the right to a healthy diet and creating job opportunities for collectives at risk of social exclusion.  Let us be so kind to share their website so you can discover what great concept they have.

Creams and pates made by the Espigoladors Foundation

And yes, it is true. We also have the typical snacks of a lifetime. Bags of potatoes, cookies … But as we spoke before, this is a process of small changes. Always focused on the goal of sustainable tourism, without going crazy !!

 

  • Breakfasts

Apart from snacks, all guests have breakfast included. Those who sleep in shared rooms have a buffet, where they have fruit, cereals,juice,milk and a wide variety of teas. All fruit is served by La Masia Fruits and Vegetables,who is  a local farmer. No industrial pastry packaged in plastic. because that does not help your health or the health of our planet.

Free breakfast for our shared rooms

 

If you are sleeping in a private room, breakfast changes. For this type of room we try to follow the line of a sustainable and healthy diet. We offer two different types of  breakfasts. The first one is a delicious granola. Seasonal fruit, yogurt, oat flakes bought in bulk, nuts and honey, served with tea or coffee. The second option is ‘El Tipico’. A tasty sandwich with chapata bread from Pa i Coca, the bakery next to the hostel. A tomato and longanisa with pages of Cal Picapedrer from the Mercat Municipal, accompanied by a freshly squeezed orange juice is also included.

Turismo sostenible

Granola with watermelon and peach

 

  • Buy from small local business

We buy all our products to prepare these breakfasts in local shops. It is a way to reduce the carbon footprint, support the growth of local trade. Like this we achieve to get closer, to the idea of ​​sustainable tourism.

Our friends from La Masía Fruites i Verdures bringing the fruit order

Clients can do groceries where they want. But we would recommend to buy in the small, local stores. It is an unique experience. Stores of the own ¨pageses¨,local products that are growing in our town. El mercat del Pages, which is a market where they sell fresh products every Saturday. This has nothing to do with what you buy in the supermarket.

El Rebost del Pagès at El Mercat del Pagès

 

The carbon footprint is the amount of emissions, of greenhouse gases, that human beings produce when manufacturing a product or carrying out their daily activities. It is the footprint that leaves our path on the planet. It is expressed in tons of CO2 emitted.

 

Reduce and Reuse, lengthens the useful life of things

 

  • Reducing single-use plastics

If you did not know, we like to hold events in our patio. In that way, there is a cultural exchange between the traveler and the locals. With what that entails, glass, drinking straws …. For some time now, we have been using paper straws, made from renewable raw materials. And we stopped serving the vermouth in plastic cups and went to the glass!

One of the latest ideas that have come up in the hostel, is to re-use glass jars of preserves. How? Very easy. Giving it another use. Once it stops working as a container, we use it as a glass. In addition to re-using and extending its useful life, we give a different and cool touch to our tableware!

  • Reuse, lengthen the useful life of things

One of the things that we do not realize on a daily base, is the amount of things we use, for single use. In addition, many of them with a very short durability. Our patio has always been full of tables, and not just any tables. Coils of cable, that we have turned into  magnificent and attractive tables. That is why in the last renovation of one of our common areas (El Granero), we have decided to give it a color. Placing three new tables, that we reconditioned and painted ourselves.

“El Granero”, common area inside the hostel.

 

“El Patio” of the hostel, with the coils turned into tables

In our kitchen we have a wardrobe with reusable bags, for when our customers go shopping. Take your bag from the hostel and let’s not fill the oceans with plastic anymore. The Ocean will be thankfull and we can all enjoy bathing and surfing on our beach without contamination. We have to think more and more about sustainable tourism if we want to continue enjoying, according to which animal species.

 

Less smoke, huh!

Another thing we propose, is to use the bicycle whenever possible. It is a fun and great opportunity to get to know our environment in a sustainable way. For this and with the intention of facilitating this activity, we have bicycle rental. Touring the Delta del Llobregat, walking through the cultivation fields of the Parc Agrari or going to the beach on wheels. And all of this, without leaving a trace is something worth enjoying.

Guests arriving at the beach, with our bikes

Apart the fact, that it is healthy, you also don´t contribute to the increase in CO2 emissions that are so harmful to the well-being of the planet!

 

Leaving the route from the Hostel

 

Public transport is cool!

We have already told, about a way to move around reducing the carbon footprint. Last but not least, to continue on that path towards sustainable tourism, is the use of public transport. Luckily, we are located very close to the Prat train station, the L9 metro and a wide variety of buses.

In general, using public transport pollutes much less than traveling in a car that consumes diesel or gasoline. However, if you also do it by metro or tram, you will already be more ecological. These ways of transport are electrically operated railways. They do not emit CO2 into the atmosphere. In addition to being an ecological alternative, they contribute to the sustainability of cities and improve mobility.

(Metro photo)

We always recommend to our guests who arrive at Barcelona airport, the option of public transport. By subway, bus or train. It will not take you more than 20 or 30 minutes to get to the hostel.

Traveling by train is a way to enjoy the landscape without worries. The views from the train on the way to Sitges are wonderful. You will enjoy spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea coast, knowing that you are dedicating your part, almost unconsciously.

Views from the train on the way to Sitges

 

Sustainable tourism is possible!

Defenitly, it is not necessary to make great efforts or very heavy changes. As we have told you in the first paragraph, each action adds up as small as you thought it was.

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