The fun part of planning a holiday (well for me) is sourcing potential holiday spots. I use my own criteria to find the perfect spot that meets the holiday need and the budget of course. That’s easy enough, the accommodation apps make it easier by providing filters to narrow down your selection. There is one filter that is missing though, the eco-friendly filter. I want to pay an establishment knowing that money does not only go to profits but contributes to conserving the environment and the surrounding communities.
I have many stories I can share about how I was (and still am) that guest who checks out and when that “rate us” email comes, I pull out my notepad. Yes. I take notes. For example, I once stayed at a hotel in East London where a toilet flush lasted all of 10 seconds (yes, I had a timer). That make it to my review and told the hotel about the amount of water they are wasting. The next time I visited the hotel, they upgraded their toilets. I also realised that they stopped offering plastic water bottles, the water came in reusable glass bottles. I was so impressed, I wanted to work for that hotel group because I felt heard.
As consumers, we have the power to change the behaviour of organisations where we spend our money. I’m here to open your eyes to some of these issues, that can force the shift because it is way overdue.
What is Eco-Friendly Accommodation?
Simply put, accommodation establishments make it their business to decrease their impact on the environment. They would first have to study and understand their impacts. E.g., The amount of water and energy used and changing that. The waste produced and how it is managed and more importantly reduced. The closer to zero the better. Their goods and services supply chain must align with the bigger goal. As a guest, some of these efforts may be visible to you, but if you don’t see them – kindly ask about them. Maybe throw a judgemental eye if they say “Oh we don’t recycle” – better yet check out of there. Lol.
How to check if your potential accommodation is eco-friendly
This remains slightly tricky because we are not at a point where we demand this information and establishments don’t make it a selling point. Those who understand that calling themselves an eco-lodge or eco-hotel understand the weight that carries, and they would not just endorse themselves as such, they would have to be rated and graded by different bodies. The challenge is for the apartments and holiday homes we book to align themselves with eco practices. When that accommodation app does not explicitly state that they are eco-friendly/ or sustainable, then it would be hard to make that choice before you get to your destination. We also need to be careful of greenwashing (making claims (lying) that your product is green/eco-friendly, sustainable when it’s not).
How to become a Green Guest
When you book your accommodation – green or not, there are some things you can do to push the establishment in the eco-friendly direction. Start by asking questions about what they are doing about the environmental impacts and how they interact with their immediate community as a business. Bigger hotel groups would probably have a PR answer. Ask the receptionist or the waiter to see if the message is understood by all staff, and not just the sustainability manager.
I digress, back to being a green guest.
Water Usage
First, understand that South Africa is a water-scarce country and that we must change our behaviour around how we use or should I say “waste” water.
My number 1 rule is: Do not let the water run straight from the tap to drain for no reason. Close the tap while brushing your teeth. Don’t let a shower run for more than 30 seconds if you are NOT in it. Keep showers short. Lather yourself while the tap is off and rinse and get out. They say a shower should be at least 2 minutes – but I must admit, that’s short for me too. But I do close the tap while I lather.
- Filling up a tub just for Instagram shoots? Stop THAT!!!! You better use that water to bathe.
- There really is no need to change your bath towels daily. This sector consumes millions of litres and detergents to wash linen and towels daily. Do your bit to save the precious resource that is water.
- Be mindful of water restrictions in the area you visit and “do as the Romans do”.
- Ask the establishment about how they manage their water. Is grey water recycled and used for watering the garden? Etc.
Energy Consumption
Switch off lights and unplug your chargers when you leave the room. I am a big fan of hotels that use key cards for energy. Once you leave the room, all power goes off.
Waste Management
- The easiest waste management solution an establishment can implement is recycling. If you don’t see visible recycling, ask if they have any in place.
- Refuse plastic straws or disposable cutlery.
- Bring your own toiletries. Those small shampoos and conditioners contribute to plastic waste. It is better and greener if they provide the shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner in bigger reusable bottles. Just don’t take these home, please.
- The establishment should not offer water in plastic bottles. They should rather have reusable water glass bottles that they reuse.
- Ask the establishment where they source their food and how they handle food waste.
- Huge buffets are normally not a good idea, especially if they are still full by end of breakfast. One wonders what happens to all the leftovers. Food waste remains one of the biggest waste streams in South Africa. Next time, don’t get mad when you find food almost finished at the buffet (because you decided to sleep in). That’s good for the environment. Less food waste. Hopefully, the leftover food is donated to their local community.
Giving back to their community
Part of being a sustainable establishment is taking care of your immediate community by giving back. Either by:
- Employing staff from that community
- Supporting initiatives in that community, e.g., Sourcing vegetables, or creative arts and crafts from the locals.
- Giving back and supporting initiatives.
Next time you book a spot – be mindful and make your footprint lighter. Ask questions and make eco-friendly demands. Rate them less when you notice that some of these are missing and tell them why they scored a 6 instead of an 8.
