Elizabeth Gilbert Believers, yoga fanatics, hippies: thousands of people come to the Island of the Gods every year in search of spiritual rejuvenation. They go to retreats, sanatoriums, participate in soul-restoring activities, hoping to get on a plane and come back a happier, calmer person. But it’s easy to get lost in the search for yourself, so let us gently guide you Desa Potato Headthe end product is both beautiful and functional, and often benefits the wider community – whether that’s you at the checkout, or a chair made from discarded Sprite bottles.
Potato Head’s slogan isn’t a mantra you might be humming to yourself while striking the lotus pose, but rather an uplifting “Good times, good things done” coined by founder Ronald Akili . After encountering plastic waste while on a surfing holiday with his son, he created an eco-friendly beach club that later evolved into the village (or “Desa”) where the hotel is located. This motivates Akili to achieve higher goals, which is consistent with BaliofSanhitakarana” Philosophy (achieving harmony with God, humanity and the environment).
His goal for the hotel is to work toward net-zero emissions. Go completely zero waste and then clean up the Petitenget beach environment, Batu Belig community and eventually the entire island. Progress is already being made with the recent launch of a community waste project in which voluntary local businesses sort waste. As for the community, locals are employed on the hotel’s lockdown project sweet potato farm, which feeds the orphanage and provides produce for the restaurant’s plant-based food; and with birthplace The voices of online radio stations, Balinese bands and activists were all amplified.
Perhaps the most interesting of these goals is “Sustainability in a beautiful way: raising awareness by inspiring rather than preaching”. This means not numbing guests with a cluttered list of numbers and technical terms, but showing them how trendy a pile of old junk can be. However, it must be noted that in 2023, only 2.9% of the 489,699 kilograms of waste generated by guests (equivalent to the size of three blue whales) was sent to landfill, while the rest was recycled; 36,437 were provided to orphanages meals.
Sniffing bins filled with bottles, staring at piles of compost and watching toilet paper being disposed of may not be your idea of a time in paradise, but the hotel’s “Follow the Waste” tour takes guests through its reuse and upcycling Reinvention strategy, this is really awesome and imaginative. Its climax is the Waste Lab, where dazzling terrazzo chairs are made from a mixture of sawdust, HDPE plastic and oyster shells, along with others made from Styrofoam (a substance notoriously difficult to recycle) and seashells Made of coveted homewares you can have in your room: trays, toothbrush holders, tissue boxes, soap dispensers… all available for purchase, FYI. Like magic, Willy Wonka’s waste material conjures vases and glassware from wine and beer bottles; rugs and aprons made from worn hotel sheets; and coconut shells and palm fronds slippers. The oil is turned into candles or biofuel and then donated to nearby green schools to fuel the buses that transport students to and from school. It’s regeneration over and over again, where greenness and beauty are not afterthoughts.
Designers Max Lamb, Faye Toogood and Andreu Carulla also transformed hundreds of discarded bottles and locally sourced stone, bamboo and palm fiber into Elegant, ergonomic chairs and lamps. Today’s trash will become tomorrow’s Architectural Digest spread, proving the vast possibilities of recycling when you’re as dedicated as the team here. If inspiration strikes, guests can harvest discarded treasures at a social beach cleanup, or kayak through the mangroves (stopping to plant seedlings along the way) and create sustainable souvenirs at an upcycling workshop.
This full cycle process is very effective. When what’s being served at dinner may become part of the chair you’re sitting on, you may be more inclined to sit up and pay attention. The thought-provoking design blends into the hotel environment with the same ease and ease as a guest reclining during a sound therapy session or a waiter serving some Amu-infused cocktails. Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas’s studio OMA has swapped out a thatched pagoda for a vibrant, colorful Bauhaus beach look, built from thousands of traditional temple bricks and It is hand-fired using biomass fuel; a recycled plastic roof; and soaring walls made from repurposed louvres. Guests’ minds, now opened through morning sessions of “energy activation,” Qigong, sacred dance or emotional release techniques, are perhaps more willing to consider the issues raised by the large art installation. This includes Liina Klauss’s 5,000 Sole is missingA collection of discarded flip-flops collected from just six trips to Bali’s beaches; and Futura 2000’s Pointman — River Warrioris a totemic figure made from 888 kilograms of plastic from used motor oil bottles collected by Yayasan Kakikita, a non-profit recycling organization that employs people with disabilities.
It really is a low-effort way to encourage people to think about environmental protection. Jackfruit curry with a kaleidoscope of flavors from ginger-pickled pineapple and green tomatoes sambal Spiced coconut may tempt carnivores into adopting more plant-based eating habits; kids learn how to upcycle while playing at an on-site club and take home more than a unique souvenir; and those who take the plunge People who engage in activities such as astrology reading, jamu (a Balinese medicinal drink made from spices and fruits), or dance the night away gamelan Up-and-coming Balinese DJs may feel like they’re ready to take on the world with their beats. With Desa Potato Head inspired by good intentions and, just as importantly, having fun that embodies its motto, these good times are likely to lead to a lot of good.
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