Recycling instead of discarding – how hotels use food waste
“Food Waste” is all food that is discarded on the way from production to consumption. Last week we gave you some insights into what restaurants and hotels do to reduce it (here, you find this post). But what happens to the food that is still left over? These Green Pearls® hotels show some clever ways to recycle food waste.
A natural cycle: cooking with biogas
In order to handle food waste in a sustainable way, the Reethi Beach Resort on the Maldives employs a biogas plant. The gas that is produced from about half of all leftovers is used for cooking; the residual sludge and water are utilized as fertilizer and for irrigations. This concept has proved to be successful: three more plants are planned to be employed at the recently opened Reethi Faru Resort, so that soon all of the food waste will be processed.
Fertile ground for growing new food
The hotels run by CGH Earth use biogas plants to recycle leftovers as well, but they also transform them into compost for their herbal and vegetable gardens. Spice Village employs a vermicomposting system – and in this way processes 150 to 250 kg of cooked food, meat and vegetable scraps every day.
A vegetable garden in spite of sandy ground
At Gili Lankanfushi compost is even an indispensable basis for growing herbs and vegetables in its own garden. For, without it some sorts would not be able to grow on the sandy ground that is typical for the Maldives. Have you already heard of the Rocket Composter? It lives up to its name and transforms leftovers into compost within only 14 days – at Gili Lankanfushi about 90 percent of all kitchen waste.
Biodiesel made from vegetable oil
The Inkaterra hotels focus on creating awareness for local products and preventing wastage this way. For example, at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba you have the opportunity to participate in the harvest on ist own organic farm. And during numerous tours of the surrounding area you learn about the value and cultivation of local products – as well as how to reduce the carbon footprint by using biodiesel. This biodiesel is made of burnt vegetable oil in a plant at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.
Beauty products and cleaning agent
The Tongsai Bay on Koh Samui demonstrates the variety of processing procedures. Coffee grounds are used as a natural peeling that leaves the skin perfectly smooth. And did you know that you can make cleaning agent from fermented pineapple peels? At The Tongsai Bay other fruit and vegetable scraps, fish bones or drinking straws made of lemongrass are fermented as well and used as fertilizer in its own organic garden. And some of the leftovers are given to a pig farm and a rescue station for cats and dogs on Koh Samui.
