tree leafs at Quinta Marugo

Water

Water is life and we treat and use it with that mindset.

We source our water from two boreholes on the property. We recycle and filter our black and grey water to irrigate and fertilise some of our olive trees using a plant-based water purification system.

Rainwater from our gutters is collected and stored in tanks to water plants, assist with reforestation and sustain other regenerative practices.

Our property was landscaped using drought resistant plants that are not only beautiful but also respect the natural environment and scarcity of water in the summer. 

We invite guests to be mindful of water consumption. We have installed water-saving devices on our shower heads and toilets. 


water at Quinta Marugo
photo by Alex Perez
sola panels at Quinta Marugo
photo by Erik Karits

Energy

Natural ways of providing a sustainable source of energy for our daily comfort

Our property is mostly powered by solar energy and only when absolutely necessary do we connect to the general electric grid.

We installed 10cm of insulation on our roofs and all our windows and glass doors are double glazed, so as to ensure the highest possible level of insulation thus reducing energy consumption for heating/cooling.

Hot water is provided by solar panels, and heating is provided by boilers burning environmentally sourced wood pellets, and ceiling fans keep the interiors cool. Walls and vegetation in front of the south-facing rooms provide natural cooling systems and help to lower the overall temperature during the hot summers.

We invite guests to keep doors, curtains and windows closed during the hottest hours of the day to ensure that the rooms remain cool, thus avoiding the use of air conditioning.

Carbon Neutral Footprint

We strive to always have a positive impact on our environment

We only use vehicles when essential.

Soil is one of the best means to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store it. It will then be regenerated by plants and microorganisms. This ensures the growth of more vegetation, which in turn captures further CO2 from the atmosphere.

We do our best to take care of our soil:

  • Plantation of nitrogen-fixing cover crops and trees whenever possible.
  • Use of equine manure as organic fertiliser.
  • Composting
  • Use of worms to create fertiliser and soil
soil on hand at Quinta Marugo
Zero Waste at Quinta Marugo

Zero Waste

We rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle our waste so that it can give back or do no harm

Food: All our food waste is reused to:

  • Feed the chickens
  • Feed our worms
  • Compost our vegetable gardens

Plastic waste: We use as little plastic as possible, purchasing everything we can in paper packaging and in bulk. We recycle the plastic we cannot avoid using in the nearby town of Serpa.

Other waste: We recycle as much as it is possible and are always exploring centres where we can send our ink waste. Used batteries are discarded in recycling bins in Serpa.

Human waste: Grey and black waters are treated with aquatic plants and repurposed as fertilisers and irrigation water for our olive trees.

Waste baskets can be found throughout the center.

We educate our guests with printed material about our philosophy to achieve a zero-waste impact on the environment.

Get in touch

Your stay with us will energise you in a way that will have a lasting impact on your life...