Nowadays, “green” is everywhere. It is a social responsibility and it has become an integral part of our lives.
Protecting the planet shouldn’t just be a slogan people say or words you see. It is an action that should be taken. Switch off unnecessary lights, bring your own shopping bag and take public transportation are just a few of the “green” things you can do in your daily life. Now, let’s take green to a different level: in the form of a vacation.
Traveling can mean different things for people. Traveling can bring people closer together. For some, it is a great way to relax and relive stress; for others, it gives them the opportunity to get in touch with themselves.
Delicious food and breathtaking scenery are not the only elements that make for an unforgettable trip. A great hotel also plays an important role in a trip. When choosing a hotel to stay at, most people prefer to spend money on hotels that provide excellent service, amenities, convenience and comfort. All they have to bring aside from their luggage is a relaxed mood.
However, while you’re enjoying the convenience your hotel brings, have you ever thought about how much carbon dioxide and trash is generated in the process? According to online statistics, the amount of trash a traveler produces is 2-3 times more than that produced at home on average. When we travel, we opt for the most convenient options, because it’s easy to prioritize ease and comfort. But we’re forgetting about the environmental impact of it all.
As we see a shift towards sustainability happening worldwide, the hospitality industry have also started to pick up on this green trend. Promisedland Resort & Lagoon (Hualien) and Book Inn (Tainan) share their experience of going green and making a difference.
The significance of sustainability in the hospitality industry
“A hotel is not like a factory or a house, it is a public space where people gather,” General Manager of Promisedland Resort & Lagoon, Jerry Kang said. “The hospitality industry has been around for decades, meaning that we have been taking from the environment for years as well. Every year when guests visit and stay at our hotel and enjoy the services we provide, it always results in alarmingly high levels of energy and plastic waste consumption. The truth is, we can incorporate sustainability into our actions. If the hotel industry can pick up on this green trend, we can give back to the environment.”
“Book Inn wasn’t originally founded as an eco hotel,” Manager of Book Inn Emily Zhuang recalled. “It was the current environment and the rise of the sustainability trend that inspired us to not only offer guests a living space but also to give our environment the clean and healthy home it deserves. Located in an ancient area in Tainan, Book Inn uses furnishing made from old materials to preserve the vintage style of used items while giving them new life.”
Book Inn and Promisedland Resort & Lagoon uses eco-friendly amenities
Infusing green into hotels
Jerry: When Promisedland promotes eco-friendly practices, we think of ways to reuse things. Amenities create a huge amount of trash in the hotel industry. To solve this problem, we use O’right shampoo, conditioner and body wash contained in their Eco Dispenser, which is made from renewable plastic materials to reduce waste and offer guests a natural, eco-friendly bath experience.
That’s not all. Instead of bottled water in every room, Promisedland offers water filter pitchers. We also use harvested rainwater and reclaimed water to water our gardens and greenery. What’s more, recently we began working with nearby farms to provide fresh foods and reduce shipping carbon footprint.
To achieve more sustainability goals, Promisedland also encourages staff to take action and adjust their old habits and live a more sustainable lifestyle. That way, they can make more of a difference on every guest.
Promisedland Resort & Lagoon incorporates ecological education
Emily: You won’t find much disposable materials at Book Inn. We encourage our guests to bring their own toothbrush and toothpaste. Book Inn guests can enjoy our top quality selection of bedding, shampoo and body wash and personal care products. We believe that taking a guest-centric approach is the best way to attract happy customers and receive happy reviews.
I visited O’right Green Headquarters once, and found that I was on the same page as O’right in terms of sustainability, thus beginning our partnership with the green brand. After adding bath amenities by O’right, hotel guests can enjoy the green experience offered by O’right and Book Inn.
Book Inn is the perfect option for backpackers who are traveling to Tainan. We interact with them and share eco-friendly items such as recyclable toothbrush made from corn starch. It’s not just a marketing approach, but also a means of educating guests on their choices to benefit themselves and earth.
Book Inn uses old materials such as wood and metal to reflect the vintage style of Tainan
The beginning of a promising future
The environmental impact from staying in hotels is quite astounding, as most people used to think. Although it seems like small steps, the green actions of Promisedland Resort & Lagoon and Book Inn are the beginning of a promising future. Guests staying at the hotels can be brought closer to a sustainable lifestyle, igniting the power within them to make a difference.
