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| Credit: AccorHotels |
Going green is made easier with so many greener options and alternatives around. There’s a market for sustainable and ethically-sourced products which are readily available to consumers. As for transportations, you could always ride a bicycle, hitch a ride or take the public transport to reduce carbon footprint. However, when it comes to travelling, it gets a little tricky. I am not too sure if aviation companies took the initiative to reduce or offset their carbon emissions but at least, I do know that some hotels like AccorHotels, a french multinational hotel group, is committed to providing a positive hospitality experience for the world through their Planet 21sustainable development programme. As an eco-conscious individual myself, I would try my best to support such corporations that promote sustainability and good social causes. Only then, they would be able to make a measurable positive impact on this earth and encourage more companies to follow suit.
So what Accor hotels have been doing to promote positive hospitality through Planet 21?
1) Reuse hotel towels
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At AccorHotels, customers are encouraged to reuse their towels and the savings made on the reduction of water and energy are used to fund their reforestation programme. Since 2009, Accor has planted 4 million trees! That’s about 2,400 football pitches, be precise.
2) Eco-design
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| Credit: www.novotel.com |
Novotel, a hotel brand under AccorHotels, offers eco-designed beds made from wood that is sourced from sustainably-managed forests (FSC certified). Even bedspreads and pillowcases were made from recycled bottles. They also offer eco-certified and fair trade soaps, shower gels and shampoos in their hotel rooms.
3) Healthy Sustainable Food
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| Credit: AccorHotels |
In its restaurants, AccorHotels offer healthy, balanced and high-quality food. Fresh produce is grown in their kitchen gardens. To date, over 500 vegetable gardens have already been planted worldwide, from Bangkok to Rome and Sao Paulo to Kinshasa. In Asia Pacific, 148 AccorHotels have already installed urban vegetable gardens. As a guest, you get to enjoy wholesome meals prepared using fresh ingredients which are also more nutritious for your body.
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| Credit: Mercure Bana Hills French Village |
Mercure Bana Hills French Village in Danang has gone one step further by launching a green cafe called Planet 21 café in Vietnam. They aim to involve their staff and guests to engage with the local communities and to educate them about sustainable practices such as recycling and waste management. It’s one of those green cafes which I really hope to visit some day!
4) Reduce Food Waste
AccorHotels are also using connected solutions to fight food waste in their kitchens and restaurants. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, for instance, has partnered with Winnow, a leader in technology that fights food waste, to install a connected solution that weighs food before it is put in the bin. After using the device, the 345-room hotel has reduced its food waste by 58%.
5) Carbon Neutral Buildings
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| Credit: AccorHotels |
In Asia Pacific, some of the AccorHotels are using air–conditioning with frictionless chillers that use magnetic bearing compressor technology. And 100% of their renovated or new buildings are low-carbon buildings.
The above are just some of the initiatives AccorHotels have taken to promote positive hospitality.
AccorHotels has more than 4,100 hotels, resorts and residences as well as in over 3,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. It is heartening to know that they are committed to sustainable development. There are now more green hotels for us eco-conscious travellers to choose from. As consumers, we also have a responsibility in keeping this planet a safer and healthy place for our future generations to live in.
