Guest Hook Travel Guides Anna Maria Island Families | Page 6

NANCY'S SUSTAINABLE VACATION TIPS... Sustainable Vacationing is not a new concept but each location has it's specific idiosyncrasies. We'll keep it simple by giving you our Top 6 Sustainable Tips for Anna Maria Island. #4: Travel the island while having fun and being eco friendly! Being eco-conscious we love the Free Island Trolley on beautiful Anna Maria Island. What a great way to get you and the rest of your gang from one end of the island to the other in such a sustainable and budget friendly way. If you are up for getting around the island in a more free wheeling way we suggest renting a golf cart. There is no better way to soak up the smell of the salty air and get sun kissed hair, all while using clean energy to toot around the island. #5: Donate your food at the end of your stay! #1: Be a hero for the local wildlife All of our vacation homes have the name Sirenia in them, and many people ask us why. Our name is important to us... and is pronounced "SIR-EN-E-YA". Sirenia is the order of aquatic mammals called manatees. You'll feel good about renting our homes when you realize a donation from every rental goes towards saving the manatees for future generations to enjoy. You can also make a gift donation to one of the local wildlife organizations who provide much needed care to many animals that are hurt, injured or living on the endangered list in and around Anna Maria Island. #2: Forego traveling to outlet shops and buy local! Anna Maria Island has unique mom and pop style shops and is void of brand name or big box stores. While you are traversing the island in style we suggest heading to the local shops to stock up on island life clothing, jewelry, and more! Buy Local and take home items that are as unique as you are! #3; Donate to the local community Riding bikes on the island is one of the charms and also a favorite of our kids. What better way to make memories than by riding as a family to the local ice-cream shop and a walk along the pier. A week-long bike rental for kids on the island may exceed the price you can pay to buy a new bike from a Big Box store. The sale price of the bike can save you money versus that week-long rental and after you leave, you can drop it off at the local Goodwill shop on the island. Feel good about your donation! We are lucky enough to host many families and friends throughout the year. The entire island is comprised of "luxury resort style" private residences, where most likely you will be self sufficient. Imagine the impact we could all have if each guest took the time to drop off their un-opened and unused grocery items to a local charity? Food Donations can be made to the Roser Food Pantry through the Roser Church office. 941-778-0414 #6: Stay in a vacation rental that takes sustainability seriously! We are not corporate honchos with tons of cash, but we are do-gooders, high maintenance, eco-friendly junkies. We consider it part of our responsibility to try and incorporate green living into our vacation homes. We use Energy Star rated appliances and eco-friendly lighting. We provide extra blinds and sun film on our windows to reflect the sun's heat, decreasing the cooling need. When carrying out renovations, we've used low or no VOC paints, reducing off-gases into our home interiors. Our exterior landscaping is focused on tropical plants that are native to the area, requiring less watering. If the idea of a sustainable eco-friendly vacation appeals to you... we are waiting for you!