Dominica’s Hotels Chip in to Green Efforts

Strengthening Dominica’s status as a world leader in environmental preservation, the islands hotels, attractions and other businesses follow various eco-friendly practices to help keep Dominica pristine.

Calibishie Cove employs green design elements and operational strategies to ensure the least possible impact on the land. All of the property’s water is heated solely by the sun.

In addition, Calibishie Cove was built to make the best use of the natural breezes and sun angles of its location to stay cool even without air conditioning. Fruits, vegetables and herbs are all grown on the property and the soaps they provide to their guests are locally made from 100 percent natural ingredients.

Sea Cliff Cottages encourages guests to recycle their garbage, drink tap water instead of purchasing bottled water and turn off their fans and lights when they are not in their rooms. The property also uses solar energy for their hot water and some of their electricity.

Calibishie Lodges asks their guests to drink tap water versus purchasing bottled water. The property also produces hot water with solar panels for the kitchen and showers. The exterior of the buildings were constructed using materials from nature, such as stones out of the ocean and rivers, and bamboo for the railings on the terraces.

Crescent Moon Cabins prepares fresh local meals from their own produce, keeps milking goats and egg-laying chickens and cultivates local fruit trees and flowers on its property. Crescent Moon Cabins also processes their own coffee, cocoa and essential oils on the property and all of their cabins are built with local materials.

Jungle Bay Resort & Spa was designed and built to have minimal impact on its natural surroundings. The resort supplies over 80 percent of its own food by keeping chickens and growing vegetables along with most of their starches, fruits, and honey on its property.

Cottages are perched on stilts facing the Atlantic Ocean to take advantage of the natural sunlight and ocean breezes, which eliminates the need for air conditioning and reduces the amount of electricity used. Guests who purchase the Jungle Spa Adventure Package receive a complimentary reusable water bottle that can be filled with fresh Dominica spring water provided at water stations around the resort.

From May 1 through 8, Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge will host the International EcoFest 2009. This event is a celebration of the contributions Dominica has made towards preserving the planet. During EcoFest, anyone can learn about the latest renewable energy technology and see how local crafts and traditions are being integrated into tourism.

The Tamarind Tree Hotel & Restaurant encourages their guests to save water and electricity and to take their used batteries back home with them upon departure. Rainwater is used to flush the toilets and irrigate the garden, and all of the property’s water is heated with solar energy. In addition, all waste is separated and recycled.

Zandoli Inn is a small, eco-friendly property that has a simple but successful composting system resulting in plenty of mulching soil for small gardens, plants and trees. The property also encourages guests to drink tap water from their local water system, which is monitored daily. All hot water is produced by a solar panel on their roof.

Fort Young Hotel uses a 1,200-gallon, single unit, active solar water heating system to supply the entire hotel with hot water. The water heating process begins with sunlight heating the absorber surface on a solar collector panel. The solar energy is then converted into heat, which heats the water circulating through the collector. This process replaces the normal gas or fuel powered system, which automatically dispels concerns for carbon emissions and environmental degradation.

Cottages DAuchamps recycles empty tissue boxes and similar cardboard containers and provides them to the Make it & Take it program, which submits all materials to primary schools in Dominica. All recyclables donated to the program are used for crafts and school supplies. The property also encourages guests to drink tap water versus purchasing bottled water.

Source: CaribbeanNewsDigital