Vacay Vibes

This past February break my family and I visited Nevis.  It was quite a trip.  We flew into St. Kitts to the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport and then had to take a boat to Nevis.  The first thing that I noticed when I looked out the window as we were landing was just how beautiful these islands are.  The next thing that struck me was these large solar panels next to the airport.  They were hard to miss.  I could not imagine what they were.  Upon inquiring, I found out that it was a 1-megawatt solar powered energy grid which was constructed to provide power for the airport.  I was told that it should make the airport entirely reliant on green energy.  I could not believe it.  It seemed like such a small island, but it was so progressive.  I was also told that construction of the energy grid began in 2013 which shocked me even more.  That was over ten years ago before most companies, people and countries were doing all that much in terms of green actions.  I was really impressed.  Then as we drove through the island to get to the boat to take us to Nevis, there was a huge Sustainability sign.  I could not believe how these small islands were so advanced in terms of sustainable development.  Our driver also told us that the countries were committed to becoming 100% renewable energy driven by 2030.  I was amazed and in awe.  

When we got to our hotel, I continued to be amazed by all of the sustainable initiatives there.  The first sustainable item that I encountered was our eco-friendly wood room key card.  I was told that the wood key was created to eliminate the use of plastic room key cards.  I then looked up the benefits of a wood key card versus a plastic key card.  Upon searching the internet, I found that the wooden key card is a more environmentally friendly option because paper key cards have a larger carbon footprint.  They are created through an energy intensive paper production process and have an environmental impact due to the deforestation utilized to create paper.  Wooden keys are also more easily recyclable, and they are more durable than paper keys.  This was the first time that I had ever seen a wooden key card.  I have to say it was pretty cool.  

As I went through the suite, I found a note from housekeeping that as one of their environmental initiatives, linens and towels would be replaced every third day unless otherwise requested.  I also noticed that there were no plastic water bottles, cups or straws.  In fact, even when we went to the beach and the hotel restaurants, I did not see a single plastic straw or water bottle.  Also, the menus noted that all ingredients were locally sourced where possible.  Not only was the hotel trying to save the planet but also supporting local businesses.  One day I ventured to the hotel gift shop, and I found several environmentally friendly items.  I decided that I wanted to contribute to their commitment to sustainability so I chose to purchase a bracelet.  It was made from recovered ocean plastic and the sale proceeds go towards the removal of trash from the ocean and towards raising awareness about the impact of plastic pollution on marine life.  I felt like my small purchase was contributing to making a difference.  

I was so intrigued by all of the area’s initiatives that I decided to look into all that the hotel and the countries had been doing regarding the environment and sustainability.  Upon investigation, I found that St. Kitts and Nevis have been dedicated for years to creating a greener tomorrow and making sure that the islands remain unchanged by the effects of climate change. 

I also found out that our hotel had a number of environmental initiatives in addition to the ones that I noted above. In addition to the elimination of single use plastics, the hotel installed water conservations measures (such as low flush toilets in each room) and used electronic vehicles for transportation around the resort.  The hotel also donated organic food waste to local farmers for use as animal feed and compost so that it would not end up as landfill and donated used linens to a local hospital.  Additionally, the resort partners with sustainable suppliers for resort purchasing and products.    

I was so impressed by what this one resort located on some small island had done so far in terms of sustainability, that I decided to research the Four Seasons hotel chain as a whole and see what kind of sustainability programs they had in place.  When I went onto their website, I located an environmental, social and governance section.  It is called Four Seasons for Good.  Their Four Seasons for Good program is focused around the Planet (environmental impact) and People (social impact).  Their focus is also on contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.  

In order to achieve these goals, the Four Seasons has taken the following environmentally positive steps:

1. In the development and operation of their properties, they try to minimize the environmental footprint of initial construction and maximize the efficiency of the operations over time.  Additionally, all design and construction projects are required to have sustainability consultants on staff that focus on integrating sustainability into the facilities, building systems and landsape designs. 
   1. Their properties have a range of methods to enhance overall building performance, including capturing water runoff for irrigate use to recovering waste heat to reduce the energy needed for hot water.
   1. They procure low impact products and recycle resources ranging from cotton to food waste to reduce their carbon footprint.  
   1. In their purchasing, they seek to reduce waste, support responsible businesses, and promote sustainable food harvesting and production.  
   1. They have training on sustainable food and beverage practices. 
   1. Certain of their properties have electronic vehicle charging stations.
   1. Each property has a green team responsible for leading local sustainability initiatives. 
   1. They donate gently used items to local organizations. 
   1. They have Recycling programs. 
   1. They have partnered with Clean the World and have diverted tons of soap and plastic waste from landfills.  
   1. They also partner with other sustainability leaders within and outside of their industry to collectively drive high standards of sustainability.   

Below are a few examples of initiatives taken at certain Four Seasons resorts in achieving and implementing their sustainability initiatives.   

•  At the Four Seasons Marrekash, the hot water system was upgraded to harness the power of solar energy. Each building has on-site boilers powered by a hybrid solar and electric system. This design not only uses solar energy but also recovers waste heat from air conditioning units, significantly reducing electricity consumption. The electrical heating is only activated when solar energy and waste heat are insufficient to meet the building’s needs. If a building is unoccupied, the entire system can be temporarily turned off.
• At the Four Seasons Resort in Costa Rica, they are using advanced technology tools to pinpoint and reduce key sources of waste. In the first six months of use, the tools reduced costs by USD 46,000, reduced food waste by 50% by value and resulted in over 13,000 kilograms (28,660 pounds) of organic waste being diverted from landfills.

In summary, my vacation was absolutely amazing but one of the most interesting parts of it was the education that I got regarding the sustainability initiatives taken by these small countries as well as the resort that we were staying at.  It felt very good to see such positive actions taken by nations as well as a large corporate entity.  It gives me hope that with more and more public awareness, each person and entity can become a steward for the protection of the natural environment through conservation and the implementation of sustainable practices.