Image courtesy of OaksSpa.comIt all started with a simple problem: swim class instructors at The Oaks at Ojai needed a power source for their battery-operated stereos so that they could have music throughout the whole class without having it cut out halfway through.
The solution seemed to be that they should run the power to it through a nearby electrical outlet. But this solution presented another problem: the risk of electrical shock for those in and around the pool.
Enter the perfect solution: solar panels. Not only do the panels eliminate the fear of electrical shock but also the need for more than 300 batteries per year– batteries that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
“From battery packaging to space to store them to the batteries themselves, we’ve eliminated a lot just by using solar panels,” explains Cathy Cluff, the managing director of The Oaks. “It’s just one less consumer item that we don’t have to write a request for or have sent to us.”
From a practical standpoint, the new solar-powered stereos allow instructors to plug in their iPod directly and to charge long enough to still have power on cloudy days.
“We’ve calculated that the solar panels with pay for themselves in a year, and we won’t be putting batteries in landfills,” Cluff says.
But that’s not all the spa has been doing to go green. As part of a major renovation that includes four of the existing cottages on the property, they are replacing their old water heaters with flash heaters. This means instant hot water for guests without having water continually running through the system getting heated.
Additionally, they’ve been actively cutting down on the waste produced from plastic drinking cups.
“For the past six months, we’ve been requesting that our employees bring in their own reusable cup, which has saved about 90 cups per day,” Cluff says. “Even our guests are encouraged to take part, and the response has been positive so far.”
Guests have been asked to use the recycled plastic cups and write their names on them so that they can keep using them throughout their stay and are encouraged to be conscientious of their towel usage.
“We want to make our guests aware of our impact on the environment,” says Cluff. “A lot of time, they’re not consciously doing it, because they’re on vacation, but we want to remind them that even while they’re on vacation, they can be protecting the environment.”
The Oaks is one place where you can relax completely: body, mind and conscience. OaksSpa.com
rachel grice 