Austria Takes the Lead in Sustainability
Last updated 8/4/2008 12:45:52 AM
Austrian farm holidays enable visitors to experience a slower pace of life
More than 180 Austrian guesthouses, campsites and mountain huts have achieved the Östereichische Umweltzeichen standard – Austrian Eco label – a government run scheme which recognizes efficient waste and energy management.
The scheme include effective recycling systems, minimizing the use of packaging and using seasonal, local, organic food, sustainable materials in bedrooms and ‘soft chemicals’ to clean bathrooms.
“When it comes to the environment,” said Alfred Strigl, deputy director of the Austrian Institute for Sustainability, “Austrians are top of Europe and top of the world.”
Being green, he explained, has always come naturally to his countrymen.
“We are the Indians of Europe. We have a broad traditional knowledge of natural topics that comes from a conservative way of life – the farmers, hunters and forest men – that has been handed down from generation to generation.
“We know how to read the landscapes. We know about the cycle of life, to listen to the wind and to pay attention to the seasons and the way the herbs grow, the birds, the mushrooms and so on.”