Green Pearls Hotels in Thailand Brave El Niño
El Niño means “the child” in Spanish, but the weather phenomenon that Thailand is currently fighting with is anything but cute. Large parts of the country are threatened by flooding, the metropolis Bangkok has to save as much water as possible. In addition, the rice production is at risk – many rice planters’ existence is at stake.
For our Green Pearls hotels in Thailand, who have water saving grounded in their sustainable concepts, the hotel business continues to run normally, despite of the change of nature conditions.
Here we reveal 3 approaches, how they brave against the threats of El Niño with elaborate measures for sustainable water usage.
3 approaches to sustainable water usage
1. Due to a reverse osmosis plant, Zeavola Resort n Koh Phi Phi is independent from all public systems and rain situations. Water is taken from their deep wells, cleaned and reverted back to their garden. The garden is only watered with recycled water.
Water consumption and storage capacity is reviewed everyday, to ensure that the resource is managed appropriately. As owner Florian states:
“It is our most important resource and we consciously manage it on a daily base!”
2. At The Tongsai Bay on Koh Samui, water is also received from an underground well and additionally provided by the water authority for the hotel business. The water-heating tank uses condensed water that comes from the air conditioner. Used water goes into a septic tank, is cleaned and finally used for watering plants of the resorts.
3. A full-cycle waste-water treatment system is a very important part of Pimalai Resorts’ water resource system on Krabi. Each guest is equipped with an individual septic tank, where the primary treated water then is passed on to containers for second treatment. The water equivalent is rechecked again before it is used in the garden and sprinkler system.
In order to extend the water from available artesian wells, two huge reservoirs retain natural rainwater and run-off from nearby mountain slopes. This water is filtered in two water treatment plants before being used in all accommodation and public facilities.
Guests are also called to action through cards in the rooms, where they are reminded to use water mindfully. The resort also offers a useful tip:
“Drink your scotch neat…. Drink wine…. not tea or coffee….”
Why conserve water?
Water is essential, but there is only a finite amount of fresh water, which is becoming more and more scarce. While the earth constantly recycles water though its own water cycle, humans use up fresh water faster than it can be replenished.
Also, the increasingly warming climate dries up lakes and rivers, weather phenomenons such as El Niño happen more frequently, while the demand of water for industrial use and expanding irrigation is rising, creating droughts such as those in Thailand.
The hotels of Green Pearls take responsibility for these changes and try to protect the natural resources of the earth for future generations with their sustainable approaches.
