Green Haven - How to spend the night plastic-free in Hamburg

The Green Haven in Hamburg's district Wandsbek is a small Bed and Breakfast that specializes in being completely vegan but also puts great emphasis on being sustainable and as plastic-free as possible. It is also zero-waste and the owner, Christiane, even makes the hand soap and detergents herself in order to avoid buying small packages.

The owner, Christiane, has worked in the hospitality industry for years but could never identify with the throw-away mentality. So she decided to realize her ideals of sustainabilty with her own hotel. She is also the co-founder of the best-known zero waste shop in Hamburg, Stückgut.

Here are some insights.

Green Haven Hamburg - the cozy living room. Photo: Seas & Straws

Lots of space to come together and talk. Photo: Seas & Straws

Green Haven Hamburg - the kitchen. Photo: Seas & Straws

Homemade vegan breakfast. Photo: Seas & Straws

Green Haven's rooms - Natural Materials upcycled

You can feel that Christiane is intent on making her guests feel welcome and comfortable. Green Haven is cozy and familial. There are only 4 rooms and a trailer (which I slept in). All of them are furnished in the maritime style that's typical of Hamburg.

Many things in the rooms are upcycled and hand-made. In one, the bed is made of white painted wooden pallets. 

A pallet bed in the Captain's Suite. Photo: Seas & Straws

In another the bedside table is a beverage crate (of an organic beverage, not beer!). The couch pillows are covered with old burlap sacks and sailor's knots hang on the wall. Natural materials predominate. 

Upcycled bedside table. Photo courtesy of Green Haven

An upcycled burlap coffee sack. Photo courtesy of Green Haven

An upcycled chest made of wood and burlap. Photo: Seas & Straws

Another old burlap sack gets a second life. Photo: Seas & Straws

The comforters and pillows are vegan, that is without goose down. Christiane told me she had the choice between synthetic and natural materials, but ultimately opted for synthetic because it can be washed at a higher temperature (which is more hygienic for a hotel).

However, some pillows are made of recycled PET.

Green Haven's kitchen is vegan, organic and plastic-free

The kitchen is also plastic-free. Tea and coffee is bought in bulk and not in tea bags (which contain plastic).

Waste separation is very important. There are trash cans for recycling waste, paper, glass, organic waste and residual waste. The latter two are lined with old newspaper instead of plastic bags. 

Paper instead of plastic - organic garbage bins. Photo: Seas & Straws

Paper instead of plastic - glass bins. Photo: Seas & Straws

Did you know that the city of Hamburg gives out paper bags for free in order to keep people from using plastic bags? That includes bioplastic bags which, contrary to general belief, need just as long to degrade as normal plastic (find out more about bioplastics).

Paper garbage bags given out by the city of Hamburg. Photo: Seas & Straws

Detergents and cleaning agents are purchased in 5 liter canister or paper bags. Once the canister are empty, they are sent back to the supplier to be recycled or refilled.

Christiane even makes the hand soap herself. She buys organic soap flakes in large paper bags and boils them with water, sometimes adding nurturing or essential oils.

Ever heard of Agave as a substitute for plastic? The dish brush is made of wood and Agave fiber. The sponge is recycled.

Detergent in large paper bags. Photo: Seas & Straws

A dish brush made of wood and Agave fiber. Photo: Seas & Straws

The bathroom - plastic-free products for sale

There's not much to say about the bathroom. As it is a B&B, everyone brings their own bathroom utensils (preferably your plastic-free bathroom kit), so you won't find shower gel or shampoo in little plastic bottles. 

The bin is simply a large olive oil canister made of metal and obviously without an inner liner bag.

Both in the kitchen and in the bathroom, plastic-free products from the unpacked store are available for purchase.

• Hair Soap
• Shower Soap
• Toothbrushes made of bamboo
• Menstrual Cups
• Bamboo Q-tips
• Fruit and vegetable bags for shopping

Plastic-free products for sale. Photo: Seas & Straws

Plastic-free soap bars for sale. Photo: Seas & Straws

Bamboo Toothbrushes for sale. Photo: Seas & Straws

Plastic-free fruit and vegetable bags for sale. Photo: Seas & Straws

In addition, there's a notice informing how every single one can save plastic in their own bathroom.

Conclusion

Although her focus lies on being vegan, you can see how much effort Christiane has put into making her small B & B sustainable and eco-friendly. Every little detail has been given a lot of thought and every item has been researched carefully in order to find the one with the least environmental impact.

Green Haven is definitely worth a visit, not only for vegans but for everyone who is concerned with sustainability. It's a great example of what's possible if you try and I enjoyed my stay there very much.