Sustainability Starts In Your Garden

Sustainability can be an overwhelming concept.

Where to start, what to do, ample loads of research and information – often contradictory. But sustainability doesn’t have to be such a huge task. It can – and we’d argue it should – start at home. So how about in your backyard or on your windowsill?

While the Zambezi Queen Collection has many varied sustainability initiatives – some focused on the wildlife and location, others focused on our staff and the surrounding communities – we felt something was missing. Taking it back to the roots (or the seeds in this case!).

Read all about our sustainability initiatives here: Choose sustainable travel – making a positive impact.

So this Earth Day, we are so proud to share our very special vegetable garden at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge. Our garden has been there for some time but we’ve made a concerted effort to take it to the next level and share how a few seedlings and a small patch of ground – when given some TLC – can reap much more than just delicious organic and sustainably produced vegetables.

How do vegetable gardens support sustainability?

Growing one’s own food is so important, whether you’re nestled on a stunning, secluded patch of Impalila Island as we are here at the lodge or growing a few herbs on your inner-city windowsill.

Reduced food costs – given our remote location, as you can imagine, getting food to our little island can cost an arm and a leg. By growing what we can, we are not only reducing these costs but also ensuring that what we offer our guests is the freshest, ‘straight from the earth’ as we can get it. Planting your own vegetable gardens ensures that you’re consuming less pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals.

Did you know that “according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 25 percent of global carbon emissions are caused by the worldwide industrial production of food?” Crazy right! Given the long journey our food has to make in order to reach us here on Impalila Island, we’re significantly reducing our carbon footprint by growing what we can.

You can rest assured that we don’t wrap our fresh veggies in plastic taking them from the garden to the kitchen and to your plate!

Better Nutrition

 The world food industry runs on the assumption that food has to look pretty in order for us to want to consume it. This has a huge knock-on effect in food waste as well as altering what we grow to get an end result that looks a certain way. But honestly, what’s the most important? Food that feeds us. We certainly don’t care if our carrots are a little misshapen or if our spinach leaves don’t look perfect. In fact, we’re proud of it!

“Healthy, nutrient-dense food comes from plants that are grown in healthy soils harbouring helpful microbes alive and working hard to help produce tasty, nutritious fruits and vegetables.” Source.

Active learning

We know that when our guests make the long journey to come visit us, that they want to truly immerse themselves in the incredible opportunity to experience life on our remote little island in Africa. We welcome guests to tour our vegetable garden and even help us harvest the fresh produce – now that’s farm to table cuisine! This is how all our guests can contribute towards sustainability by choosing a travel partner – such as the Zambezi Queen Collection – that genuinely makes a positive impact on the people, place and planet.

So with Earth Day just around the corner, we encourage you to get your hands dirty, grab some soil and grow your own happiness!

To book your sustainable fishing safari, contact us today. View our special offers here.