SUSTAINABILITY represents a model where present generations meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

A couch is the symbol for hospex connecting millions of travellers worldwide.
Sustainable Couch offers answers to your questions related to sustainability:

• "I don't know enough about sustainability. Where should I start from?"
  Information: find out how to make sustainability an essential aspect of every hosting, surfing and travelling experience
• "I have some ideas in theory, but how can I put something into practice?"
  Inspiration: read and surf the sustainable wave-letters and start your own project
• "I am alone with my plans. Where can I find other interested people?"
  Connection: join an international network of members and find out about or create a sustainable community

Do you want to know more? Find out about "Sustainable Couch presented on the road"

HOSTS ARE PEOPLE who welcome “strangers” into their homes, host them and put efforts into making these experiences comfortable, safe, interesting and enriching for both parts (host and surfer).

"Sustainable” hosts can do even more, particularly considering the ecological, social and economic aspects of sustainability. How?

• sharing objects and skills in order to improve the quality of the hospex experience while minimising its ecological impact
• supporting intercultural communication and human rights; fighting any form of racism and discrimination
• promoting an exchange and donation culture, based on generosity and not on money, for example with the Free Box

LIST OF SUGGESTIONS for enriching your hosting experiences with sustainable ideas

 

GUESTS ARE PEOPLE who receive hospitality by their hosts and are awareof the big credit of trust they are given. They try to make the surfing experiences comfortable, safe, interesting and enriching for both parts.

"Sustainable” guests can do even more, particularly by considering the ecological, social and economic aspects of sustainability. How?

• sharing objects and skills in order to improve the quality of the hospex experience while minimising its ecological impact
• supporting intercultural communication and human rights; fighting any form of racism and discrimination
• promoting an exchange and donation culture, based on generosity and not on money, for example with the Free Box
• finding the balance between flexibility and personal coherence

LIST OF SUGGESTIONS for enriching your surfing experience with sustainable ideas.

A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY is composed by a group of people who care a great deal for the place in which they live and who want to take action to make it more sustainable.

The members are active in the city where they live:

• they organise group meetings to discuss and share information about topics related to sustainability
• they take action locally, promoting activities with an impact on the ecological, social and economic situation
• they collaborate with other local hospex and/or sustainability groups

The big advantages for the members of a sustainable community are belonging to a group, being involved in a process of learning and teaching, and organising actively fun, interesting and fulfilling activities.

Do you want to start a community? These 5 steps should help you to do so!

TRAVELLING AND VISITING new places is something most of the people cannot imagine their lives without. Travelling is a fundamental source of experiences that enrich our lives.

Travelling has a deep influence on the environment and on people. There are many factors which play a role while travelling: the means of transportation, the destination, our behaviours, the length and the reason for the trip. Every trip leaves a certain footprint in the environment and in the places we visit. As a first step It is important to become aware of this fact.

How is it possible to combine our right and desire to travel with the need of not affecting the climate and having a sustainable impact on the local population? Let’s have a closer look at the concept of sustainable travelling.

WHY CREATE A PROFILE?
One essential part of the motto of Sustainable Couch is: get active. Only by taking action we can start changing things.

The first step is to create your profile to become a member. Your profile is a source of information for other members who want to get in touch with you or surf your couch. 

What members say about Sustainable Couch:

• "Sustainable Couch is the best way to combine the importance of living in a sustainable way with the fun of every hospex experience!" (Julia)
• "Sustainable Couch helped me understand that it is not necessary to be a sustainability expert to do something. Everybody can become active and start now!" (Jess)

View all members

"I WANT TO KNOW MORE": If these are your thoughts, then this section is for you. It is comprised of several parts which aim to offer information on a wide range of topics.

These resources will be updated regularly and adapted to needs which come up down the road. If you want to help us, or contribute with ideas/ information/links that fit in with this section, please let us know!

Press: articles on Sustainable Couch
Download center: all the reports can be downloaded here
Links: a commented list of links, divided by topics.
Contact: the Sustainable Couch team
F.A.Q: Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: Creative Commons License and other important information

A WAVE IS SOMETHING we all know.
Be it a radio wave, a sound wave or a water wave in the sea. It can travel vast distances, varying in shape and energy.

Here we also talk about waves. Sustainable wave-letters are monthly newsletters which include:

• regular updates: contain the most important news from Sustainable Couch worldwide.
• information waves: travel in different directions, spreading the word
• celebration waves: highlight small and big successes, best practices examples, positive, personal stories. These are shared and celebrated with the community.
• sustainable waves: can be changed, adapted, forwarded and used to take action.
• waves which belong to everybody: become stronger and stronger with the collaboration of all members of Sustainable Couch.

Archive Newsletters