Environmental Best Practices for Amaryllis Beach Resort
WATER
New faucets containing aerators have been installed in the guests rooms at the kitchen sink and face basin mixers.
Foot pedals have been installed at the kitchen sinks to reduce water waste.
Pools are only drained when absolutely necessary. One pool has a 90,000 gallon capacity.
We are replacing the old toilet tanks with either 1.6 gallon or 2.5 gallon tanks.
The volume of water in old toilets that have not been replaced is reduced by placing a filled pet bottle in the tank.
The water level in pools are low enough to reduce water loss due to splashing.
Water is collected from most roofs into a drainage system which leads into underground rainwater storage tanks. The water collected is used for irrigation on property. A timer is used to activate the sprinklers late at night and early in the morning to reduce evaporation and over watering. Back wash from the main pool is also channeled into this system.
A drip irrigation system for garden beds has also been installed.
Trigger nozzles are used on the hoses to reduce water flow and wastage.
Walkways and patios are generally swept, and not hosed off to reduce water use.
The introduction of the linen reuse programme has reduced water, chemical and energy use.
Since we started the initiatives water consumption has been reduced from 220 gallons per guest night to 133 gallons per guest night. This is a saving of 87 gallons per guest night. There has been a steady reduction since July 2000 to achieve this target. A similar hotel this size uses an average of 154 gallons per guest night.
ENERGY
Over 1000 compact fluorescent bulbs were installed in the gardens and guest rooms and replaced the incondescent 60 watt bulbs.
The garden and corridor lights are on photocells.
A new energy efficient 12 volt landscaping lighting system has been installed.
During the refurbishment in 2003 a new air cool scroll chiller central air-condtioning system was installed, which is more efficient than the older window units and uses less harmfull refrigeration gases.
A motion sensor control system replaced our older key card system and it not only enhances our security, but it regulates the AC units in each room. When guests are not in the room, we conserve energy, and the housekeeping staff double check to ensure that the systems are off. Sixty percent of the hotel energy cost is contributed to the use of air conditioning and refrigeration.
A solar heating system is used throughout the property thereby reducing the use of electrical heating.
A heat recovery from the new AC systems supplies hot water to all rooms in the newly erected buildings and laundry.
All existing doors (this includes entrance doors, patio doors and connecting doors) were replaced to ensure efficiency of the new AC system.
All existing louver windows were replaced with sash windows, which do not allow excessive warm air to enter the room when it is closed.
All rooms patio doors are double glazed and sealed.
All rooms have black out drapes, which further reduce the heating up of the rooms by the sunlight. There are also sheer drapes, which can be pulled during the day to lessen the impact of the sunlight, but still ensure adequate natural lighting of the room.
The open air design of the hotel's restaurant and bar ensure effective cooling thus reducing the use of air condition.
In the laundry we have introduced new washers with high spinning cycles which reduce the dryer time.
Our new environmental laundry system concept uses cleaner, environmental friendly technology OZONE to use less water and save energy and reduce chemical use.
We have more efficient cooling capacity in our kitchen freezers and fridges.
A new central storage was built with new energy efficient refrigeration units.
The ceiling fans in the restaurant and exhaust fans in the kitchen are turned on and off as needed by the staff.
SOLID WASTE
The composting of the garden foliage has reduced our solid waste considerably.
Most office paper is printed on both sides or used as note paper. It is then shredded and distributed to chicken farms.
Limited amenities are placed in guest rooms to reduce waste and costs.
Guest rooms are being equipped with soap and shampoo dispensers to help reduce packing and therefore solid waste that goes to the landfill.
Bulk purchasing is practiced to reduce packaging and cost.
Fewer promotional items are placed in the rooms.
Newspapers are collected from the front desk instead of delivering to all rooms since all guests do not read the local news.
Old towels and washcloths are used as cleaning cloths, and old sheets and blankets are given to local shelters.
Guest room trash can liners are replaced only when necessary instead of every day.
A voice mail system for guest rooms reduces paper use and ensures that guests receive their messages in a more timely manner.
Restaurant menus are durable and laminated to extend their lives, and restaurant specials are communicated verbally instead of adding paper inserts into the menus each day.
The restaurant stopped using paper napkins. They have been replaced with cloth napkins.
Straws are only served with blended beverages.
Plastic, glass and used vegetable oil are collected for recycling purposes.
All of the above measures have reduced solid waste that goes to the landfill by 40%.
CHEMICALS
The pools are maintained using ionisers which control the acidity and bacteria by letting out copper and silver into the water. The need for adding muriatic acid has been discontinued.
The amount of chlorine added to the pools has been reduced.
The use of chlorine bleach in the laundry has been reduced considerably by substituting its use with an oxygen bleach. Only tough stains are treated with the chlorine beach.
Less chemicals are used in the laundry by washing the bedspreads and rugs less often.
Linen is sorted before laundering, and soiled items are treated before placing in the machines.
Most laundry and kitchen chemicals are on dispensing systems to control the amount of each chemical used during the washing cycle. This reduces costs and packaging waste.
The new OZONE laundry system(refurbishment 2003) further reduces the amount of chemicals necessary.
We are mixing our own environmentally friendly cleaning products in the Housekeeping Department.
We have installed a SCALE Buster on our main water line, which keeps our pipes free of rust and lime built up, therefore protecting our equipment and eliminating the necessity of using chemicals for cleaning.
BUILDING GUEST AWARENESS
Guests are enlightened about our environmental policies through greening tips at the Manager's cocktail party at each property.
Information is placed on the "Green" board as well in the room directory.
A board is posted on the beach at Amaryllis Beach Resort advising guests about the does and don'ts for turtles.
Tours of our properties include a talk about our environmental practices.
ECOSYSTEMS
Low sodium pressure lights have been installed on the entire beach front, and the patio lamps are turned down during the nesting season to encourage the turtles to nest on the beach. Bright lights deter the turtles from nesting and cause hatching turtles to be oriented towards them instead of walking to the ocean.
Guests are discouraged from placing cigarette butts on the sand, and using plastic straws, which end up in the sea and affect the turtles.
