the wearness / sustainability

Super relaxed Boho Beach Hotel directly on the beach of Santa Cruz on the west coast of Portugal. The Noah Surf House is perfect for families with children, but also for hip Twenty- and Thirtysomethings who want to get out for a long weekend. Particularly great: sustainability is a top priority here. Cork serves as insulation material in the house, the infinity pool is heated with solar cells, rainwater is collected and used for flushing the toilets and watering the plants. Most of the food served for breakfast or in the restaurant comes from the house's own organic garden, and the napkins are made of compostable paper.

Katharina Hogenkamp, a German journalist and translator living in London, writes about fashion and sustainability in Europe and around the world. In her new column for the wearness, she reflects on the challenges of the throw-away society, the power of the community, and how to inspire other women for change. In this first column she shares her thoughts on how she has developed a personal awareness of sustainability in her daily life and job.