Apply principles of the circular economy with green cleaning products

The Green Key member toolbox now shows a new tool for those interesting in new puzzle pieces to a circular economy strategy.

Green Key establishments now have access to a short assessment of carbon and plastic savings to be made by using green cleaning products. The calculator helps estimating the environmental footprint of the sites’ conventional cleaning products. Establishments can calculate how much plastic waste and crude oil products can be avoided by applying circular economy principles. This tool developed by Werner & Mertz and powered by Green Care Professional is now available in the “washing and cleaning” section of Green Key website’s toolbox.

Green Care products’ components provided by Werner & Metz are coming out of renewable sources. The packaging is also made out of 100% recycled plastic - a good way to save crude oil, plastic and CO2 emissions. These products received the European Ecolabel and Cradle-to-Cradle logo, a certification measuring the safety and sustainability of products made for circular economy.

Some of the Green Key establishments have already switched to Green Care Professional products. For instance, Wildlands adventure zoo at Emmen, Netherlands, opted for a complete green strategy. Their use of Green Care cleaning products in the past six months permitted the saving of 17kg of plastic and 177kg in CO2 emissions.

Furthermore, this CO2 neutral site replaced plastic cups by cups made out of bamboo, since the latter is available in large quantities. Wildlands saves millions of litres of drinking water thanks to its own water treatment plant and uses renewable energy from solar panels. Wildlands Nature and Education Fund purchased 23 hectares of tropical rain forest in Costa Rica in order to brainstorm regarding the development in and around the park. A “children’s council of advice” has been created to involve kids into this thinking process, proving that education has not been forgotten.

Molecaten’s camping and vacation parks are other examples of circular economy in green washing and cleaning. Five of the establishments received the Green Key award thanks to their significant reducing of CO2 emissions. It also rewards their solar panels, energy-saving lamps and timers for air-conditioning and heating. Their use of Green Care products is presented to the clients to emphasize the holistic green concept of the parks, as guests expect an ecologic management approach.

Green Key establishments using sustainable energy resources and green cleaning products contribute a lot to the development of a sustainable tourism industry!

Green Key guesthouse equipped with the latest green technology

Located in Snowdonia North Wales’ stunning landscape, this carbon neutral guest house is managed by one of the first people in the UK to put solar panels on the family home.

Since the beginning of this new business in 2006, the owners John and Celia placed sustainability at the heart of the project. Built in 1883, Bryn Elltyd now is equipped with some of the latest green technology thanks to the owner’s skills and experience as former aircraft engineer and technology teacher.

Bryn Elltyd Eco Guest House does not skimp on responsible practices to protect the natural environment. It is powered completely by renewable energy thanks to a computer run biomass boiler and two solar water heating arrays supplying the heating and electricity to the guest house. Moreover, this energy also powers three electric car charging points and a sauna. All this valuable heat is kept within the guesthouse thanks to external and internal insulation including sheep’s wool and two conservatories.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables are produced in an allotment where water comes from rainwater. Afterwards, 80% of the food and drinks are sourced from within 13 miles of the property. Guests cannot find more local free range eggs, sausages and bacon!

Bryn Elltyd is a central and ideal place for exploring Snowdonia and the rest of the North Wales. Consequently, its owners encourage visitors to use one of the many bike trails in the area to enjoy the Moelwyn mountains or the close hydro lake. This Green Key awarded establishment leaves nothing to chance!

Wales’ first contemporary art hotel ends up with Green Key

One of the finest hotels in Wales, the Twr y Felin Hotel, makes a difference on an environmental and sustainability level.

Situated in a restored and extended windmill, Twr y Felin strived to develop a sustainability policy since its opening in 2016. Located in Britain’s smallest city, the hotel provides a complete retreat for guests close to St David’s cathedral and world-class beaches. It also proposes several options to discover the surroundings of the city by bike.

Furthermore, this singular hotel is Wales’ first contemporary art hotel. During your stay, you can easily discover over 100 original artworks from Welsh, British and International artists inspired by the local area .  

This 2017-18 AA Hotel of the Year (Wales) combines art, welsh food and responsible practices. Its restaurant, Blas (“Taste” in Welsh), offers local and seasonal dishes. This practice reduces food miles since the ingredients come from the surrounding countryside and coast, permitting to reflect Welsh heart. Moreover, this two Rosette restaurant fits all dietary requirements such as vegetarian, dairy free and vegan diets.

We are delighted to be awarded the Green Key, which demonstrates our ethos of ensuring that our environmental footprint is as light as possible. We feel responsible for the impact we have on the world and are passionate about adopting initiatives that will reduce this.

– Group General Manager of Twr y Felin Hotel, Roch Castle and Penrhiw

The Twr y Felin adheres to Green Key strict criteria since it is promoting the reducing of water and energy, the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products and sustainably sourced food products. It is now a leading business in the field of environmental responsibility and has a strong desire to positively influence the direction of the tourism industry.

No doubt, this new Green Key establishment knows how to match the luxury and environmental protection.     

Morena Resort promotes alternatives to single-use plastic bottles

This summer, a water refill station has been introduced on Morena Resort, Curacao. An initiative to say goodbye to your no re-usable plastic bottles!

Morena Resort´s Water Refill Program is aligned with Morena´s desire to be recognized as an eco-resort. Indeed, this Green Key awarded establishment has been built with environmentally sustainable materials from regional fair-trade cooperatives and uses low environmental impact techniques such as solar water heater on its roofs. This new element available for the tourists is a reusable bottle called D-TAP. It has been introduced by D-Bottle, a brand promoting steel reusable bottles to reduce single-use of plastic.

Moreover, the guests have the possibility the (re)fill it at the Resort´s D-TAP water refill station or the others Curacao´s ones. A D-TAP phone App permits to find nearby Refill location. With Google maps, you can easily find clean water everywhere you go! Guests don´t have any excuses for not getting rid of their single-use plastic bottle.

Since 1,4 million tourists visit Curacao each year, having a refill station could be a great way to raise awareness about the single-use plastic´s dangers for the planet. For that, guests can purchase a special D-Bottle at the Resort´s reception, knowing that 5% of each D-TAP bottle bought will be donated to the Sea Turtle Conservation Curacao.

Over 1 million plastic bottle are purchased every minute worldwide and nearly 80% of these end up in our landfills and oceans. At this rate, the amount of single-use plastic ending up in our oceans will outweigh fish by 2050, unless we make a change.

- D-Bottle website

Macau’s first and only company reaching Green Key award

Melco Resorts & Entertainment is so far the only one company having a full Green Key awarded hotel portfolio in the Chinese town of Macau.

This summer, Altira Macau has been the latest Melco hotel being Green Key awarded. Thanks to that, the company’s five hotel properties in the city have now achieved the eco-label.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment manages to embrace a responsible development impulsing positive and sustainable changes. Through its “Above and Beyond” strategy, it aims to become one of the zero waste resorts and a circular economy leader by 2030.  This plan includes the reducing of greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable sourcing into its supply chain. For example last year, the company added sustainable sourcing guidelines for cotton, seafood and cleaning products.

“We are delighted that each of Melco’s five hotel properties in Macau have been honored with the esteemed Green Key standard, recognizing the Company’s strategic commitment to making our entertainment and luxury hospitality offerings sustainable, positive and rewarding for all those involved.”

– Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Melco Resorts & Entertainment

Moreover, the company contributes to the development of local talent by supporting personal and professional lifelong learning. As part of its “Above and Beyond” strategy, Melco sponsors learning programmes for local employees. Thanks to this sponsorship, 15 Melco employees graduated with bachelor degree last year. In total, a hundred employees benefitted from diploma programmes, the Back to School Education Program and the scholarships in 2018. Since its launched in 2010, it has offered 200 learning programmes per year.

A great initiative to shape a rising generation of hoteliers! At Melco, social and environmental issues go hand in hand.

Green Key family keeps going on in Serbia

The Hotel Zlatibor Mona, Serbia, is now part of the Green Key awarded establishments. It is the only one which received our certificate outside of the Serbian capital city, Belgrade.

As the first Serbian hotel brand, the Hotel Zlatibor Mona is a sustainable business which has succeeded in the implementation of sustainable practices that suit into Green Key criteria. This establishment focuses on social responsibility and awareness while developing eco-conscious practices to contribute to environmental protection. Since the renovation of the hotel in 2007, they never stopped acting to create an environmentally-friendly business.

"It is with great pleasure that I can say we received the “Green Key” certificate thanks to the dedication of our entire team and that all our employees have recognized the importance of the initiative and came on board of this global environmental movement."

- Ivan Vitorović, Chief Executive Officer of Mona Hotel Management

From the slow food concept of its restaurant to the use of environmentally friendly practices regarding water and energy, the Hotel Zlatibor Mona knows how to care of its guests while preserving the environment. Indeed, it contributes to the local communities’ development by the employment of locals and the offering of scholarship programs for students, providing the latter with a job after graduation.

Our national operator in Serbia highlighted the staff involved in informing the guests about the hotel´s sustainable methods. Everybody pays attention to the good understanding of the hotel´s way of thinking and course of conduct and never hesitate to explain them to the guests.

““We are very proud to be part of this positive initiative and we support this establishment in their way to become responsible to the environment and nature!” – Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development Beograd / Belgrade”

 What a great example of Green Key´s aims! Creating changes in the hospitality and tourism industry requires such behaviors mobilising staffs and guests at the same time.

Solar Hotel - a green, affordable and activist hotel

Solar Hotel is a two-star budget hotel in Paris (France) with full focus on being sustainable and inclusive

Since 2009, Solar Hotel has assessed its carbon footprint and worked towards obtaining a green certification. The hotel is a member of the ATD network (French activists for sustainable tourism) and has earned numerous awards for its environmental and social practices.

The many sustainability activities of Solar Hotel include:

• Hallways, lounges and rooms are all exclusively lit by LED or fluorescent compact bulbs

• Purchase of 100% renewable energy

• Collection of rainwater to water plants, the garden and to wash the sidewalk

• No unnecessary individual packaging for the breakfast and in the bathrooms

• Eco-labelled soap and shampoo are available in dispensers

• The breakfast served is 100% organic and with 90% of the products produced in France

• Food leftovers from breakfast is reused in the mechanical composter in the garden

• The second-hand furniture in the guest rooms is regularly renovated and repaired

• Bicycles are available to hotel guests

• Hotel management students regularly visit the hotel to increase awareness of environmental issues

• The hotel supports and promotes environmental NGOs, e.g. by hosting and organising meetings and conferences

Franck Laval, owner of Solar Hotel says:

“We have for several reasons, chosen to be the first green, affordable and activist hotel: Firstly, to prove that ecology means investing, not spending; secondly, to prove that sustainable development is not exclusively reserved to those who have access to extensive information; and thirdly, to spread the word to thousands of independent hotel managers”.

Green Key present at the UK´s leading hospitality event

This September, Green Key will be present at Hotel360, the UK´s leading hospitality event dealing with the improvement of the hospitality industry. To contribute to the future of this ever-evolving industry, Green Key will be part of the “Go Green Advice Hub”, a 2019 brand new feature where visitors will be looking for solutions to build a more sustainable business.

Over two days, on the 18th and 19th of September, experts will introduce visitors to the latest innovations and talk about the future of the industry at Hotel360. This hub for hospitality innovation will connect industry´s professionals to solutions and services to make their establishments part of the leading ones.

In the years to come, the hospitality industry will have to focus on sustainability and responsibility, that is why communication about innovations is key to spread sustainable practices in this sector. After providing them with an environmental management framework, these industry´s most successful names will have to turn this knowledge into practices. For that, Green Key will help furnishing tools to help them reduce their water, energy usage and CO2 emissions.

Moreover, the desire to create a sustainable tourism industry goes hand in hand with a growing generation of eco-conscious travelers. Staff and guests also have to be aware of each establishment’s initiatives for the environment, as for Green Key awarded establishments. Being eco-labelled is a token of quality and proves that the establishment is committed to reducing its environmental impact.

“The Green Key team are really excited to share with visitors to Hotel360 the simple but effective actions they can take to make their hotel more environmentally friendly and how to work towards the Green Key award.”

- Emma Whitlock, Green Key Development Manager at Keep Britain Tidy

Green Key is delighted to be part of the eco-experts who will help and advise establishments in their transition. The participation in Hotel360 aims at training environmental conscious hospitality leaders who will put the development of green and responsible establishments at the top of their projects.

You can already visit hotel360.co.uk to secure your free ticket and be sure to meet our Green Key eco-experts!

Put yourself into the shoes of a plastic bag

The Green Key awarded Kamp Kovačine raises children´s environmental consciousness with interactive theatre pieces. While learning about environmental issues such as plastic pollution or the protection of species, children can express their creativity and understand their key role in protecting the environment.

Last year, Kamp Kovačine´s Eco-Theatre was about plastics, micro plastics, clean or dirty beaches. The animators of the campsite were dressed like dolphins, flowers or birds who were threatened by a plastic bag. During the piece, children had the opportunity to save the species with the help of “decision cards” so that they could become conscious of their possibilities to repair and change the world. In reaction to this “life of a plastic bag” theatre piece, animators have seen sad and angry children wanting to save animators dressed like animals or plants. It helped the children identify with nature and perceive what it is actually going through with plastic pollution and climate change.

Changing people’s behavior about our environment is not simple. Thanks to this initiative inspired by psychology class, children start caring about what they are learning. These feelings will guide childrens´ behavior their entire life and will permit them being emotionally connected to ecology. Creating these memories now is helping them understanding that each action (or inaction) matters.

“We wanted them to feel that they are not just passive individuals to whom everything is just helplessly happening. We wanted them to feel they have to be active in order to repair, to change the world”, according to Kamp Kovačine´s quality manager, Tina Gams-Fučić

In addition to the theatre piece, the animators showed a documentary about plastic waste afterwards and invited the children and their parents to discuss the topic further. At the end, each child got a bag made of recycled material from Kamp Kovačine to start their new life as small environmental ambassadors. The Eco-Theatre was so successful that the campsite decided to repeat this activity in the following seasons.

 Kamp Kovačine´s Eco-Theatre plays a key role in involving guests in and raising their awareness about the campsite’s environmental policy. This Green Key and Blue Flag awarded establishment contributes to the prevention of climate change by educating children, showing them that they can and, most of all, have to be active for our environment. It also permits interactions between generations, as kids can talk about this theatre piece with their parents, family and friends.