Hoteliers fight against climate change
The weather is going crazy, we are missing the different seasons. People around the world begin to realize that climate change is real.
More and more people understand that we need to act. The tourism industry has a special responsibility, which hoteliers of Green Pearls® face with different initatives and projects to take the wind out of climate change’s sails a bit.
We asked four selected hoteliers from Germany, Peru and the Maldives how they try to combat climate change.
1) Climate protection on a small and large scale
While the general manager of Creativhotel Luise in Erlangen already had given a lot of thought to climate change, a lecture on tilting elements opened his eyes. The direct impacts onto Europe from instable regions in the climate system are proven and noticeable. Since then, Ben Förtsch knows even better what is necessary for climate protection.
“Whatever possible must be done, in order to stop the melting of the polar ice caps and the destruction of the rainforest and not accelerate it”,
says the young hotel head, who’s Creativhotel was certified as the first climate-positive hotel by Klimaschutz Unternehmen e.V..
For him, it is important that sustainability is seen as a whole, both in business as well as in private life: “Climate change starts on a small scale for me. When one lives, acts and transports sustainably, then one can convince other people and achieve a lot!”
2) Sensitize and educate the descendants
Since 1975, sustainability is a core part of Inkaterra, a hotel group in Peru. Their holistic approach thereby not only values local cultures and traditions, as well as eco-friendly initiatives, but especially emphasizes a conscious education and scientific research.
Through a dedicated advanced education of young people, Inkaterra hopes that the belief to protect the environment is carried on.
Since their founding, Inkaterra has educated more than 4000 locals, while regular workshops and conferences bring attention to climate protection and climate change.
As Peru’s first climate-neutral tourism enterprise, Inkaterra weakens the effects of deforestation in the Amazon by protecting 15000 acres of untouched rainforest, for example. One acre forest collects 200 tons carbon.
3) Continuous work for long-lasting change
“Climate change is an ongoing threat, which we all need to take seriously and its effects cannot be predicted yet.” is the credo of Reethi Beach Resorts on the Maldives. Even though the possibilities are limited due to the location, their goal is to reduce the carbon footprint as much as possible.
Thereby, the sustainable paradise has a reverse osmosis plant as well as a heat exchange system that supplies the whole island with warm water, without any additional energy input.
A continuous development is necessary in the fight against climate change:
“We cannot stop searching for new sustainable ways to operates we all carry the responsibility to consciously deal with the environment.“
4) For the children and the future
For Michael Stober it is crystal clear that climate change is the largest challenge that mankind has to face:
“Not only as a person, but especially as a father, I experience our ‘future’ every day and I am fully aware of its meaning.”
Mr. Stober sees society as a part of the whole picture and thereby consciously decided on an eco-friendly philosophy for Landgut Stober.
A wood chip furnace, electricity production through a photovoltaic system, an edible hotel carpet and electro-smog reduced rooms are only a few examples, how the estate right outside Berlin is shaped by the love for people and respect towards nature.
