11 ways for your business or destination to be eco-friendly and sustainable
Ditch disposables and single-use – Purchase refillable and biodegradable bathroom amenities in bulk (and donate any unused single use amenities items to charities like Every Little Bit Helps. Ditch single use plastic bottles in the mini-bar and provide guests with a quality re-fillable drink bottle (with your logo on it) or encourage guests to bring their own. As much as your COVID safe plan allows, ditch any single serve or individually wrapped items.
Recycle – Provide recycling and compositing bins in guests room with clear labels on each bin and if the bin needs a liner, chose a compostable bin liner.
Research – every product you buy to make sure it aligns with your sustainability goals. Try composting tea-bags from Love Tea or delight your guests with a tea pot and real tea leaves, try re-fillable coffee pods or coffee percolators and ditch the single-use pods.
Switch out your loo paper and support to organizations like ‘Who gives a crap’ they have premium verities of eco-friendly loo paper and they give 50% of all profits to help build toilets all over the world.
Carbon offsetting programs and eco-transportation – Invest in a carbon off setting program for your business like ‘Green Fleet’
and encourage guests during online booking to do the same. Inform your guests of eco-friendly methods of getting around your destination like public transport, bicycle hire and provide walking maps and suggestions.
Community – Contribute to the local community and organize local beach cleanups or education programs. Something that your guests might also want to get involved with but with the primary intention to engage, interact and empower local community.
Reduce – Water use by installing low-flush (or compostable) loos and water savers on all taps and shower. Reduce electricity use by installing low energy light blubs, keeping heating and air-conditioning turned off when rooms are unoccupied and installing solar. Provide information to guests about the choices you have made and how they can minimize their electricity and water use during their stay.
Eco-friendly cleaning – chose eco-friendly cleaning products where possible and inline with your COVID safe cleaning plan.
Reuse towels and linen – save on water, detergent and transporting energy by encouraging guests to reuse their towels and linen during their stay. Have clear expectations and inform guests before and during their stay about the environmental benefits of this practice.
Buy locally sourced food.
Get eco-certification – getting eco-accredited with organisations like eco-tourism Australia can ensure you are meeting industry standards, create consumer confidence and open your business up to marketing, net working, and industry award opportunities.
Education – promote all of your eco-friendly initiatives on your website, marketing material, social media platforms and room compendiums. This makes sure that your guests are booking in with the right expectations of the experience you have on offer and explains and educates guests. Hopefully you’ll inspire all your guests to implement some of the same initiatives your establishment has in their own home and life style. Make sure to provide education to your staff so they understand the environmental and social benefits these changes will have and follow the same set of values and ethos as your business.
Not only will all these initiatives help your business become more eco-friendly and sustainable, it’ll likely also increase your bottom line with less waste, water and energy use.
If your business needs help or advice on implementing any of these strategies or applying for industry accreditations please contact us.
