Bali Hotels Cut Disposable Plastics By Over 20% in 2011

The Bali Hotels Association (BHA) has released the results of one of its key 2011 environmental initiatives.

The “Say No to Disposable Plastics” saw 30 BHA member hotels participate, with an average reduction of this type of plastic from May to November 2012 of 23%, exceeding the set goal of 20%.

The program encouraged member hotels to replace disposable plastics - which take hundreds of years to degrade - with biodegradable plastics and other environmentally friendly alternatives such as glass.

“This is great news,” said BHA Chairman, Jean-Charles LeCoz. “When we launched this program in April 2011, our aim was to see an overall reduction of 20%; the fact that we have exceeded this is testament to our members’ commitment to preserving Bali’s natural heritage both as a tourism destination and for its inhabitants.”

Plastic is one of the major toxic pollutants of our time, and it is estimated that Bali generates approximately 750,000 kilos of plastic garbage per day, almost 50% more than Jakarta.

For this reason, as part of the “Say No to Disposable Plastics” campaign, BHA has also encouraged its members to replace plastic bottles with reusable glass ones.

This year, BHA has announced as its key environmental initiative the “Clean and Sustainable Water” campaign. As the association reported in its internal environmental report earlier this year, Bali hotels have an obligation to lead the field in making water usage reduction a top priority.

“This is a matter of urgency for all stakeholders, but particularly hotels,” said Jean-Charles LeCoz. “With the indigenous population growing and arrivals growing too, we should ensure that we are not putting the island’s future at risk.”

The association is actively pushing a number of actions among its members, including tracking of water use to begin monitoring followed by a 5% reduction by June 2013, along with “best practice” ideas such as mulching and composting; watering gardens in the mornings and evenings instead of mid-day; using native plants that require less water rather than imported ones; reviewing cycling times for laundry; and utilizing low-consumption tap, shower and toilet features.

Consolidated Water, a company specializing in reduction and sustainability, has been signed up to produce high-quality fresh water from seawater by reverse osmosis, further reducing demands placed on groundwater sources.

See also: Premier Inn Hotels in UK Use Solar Power to Reduce Emissions and IHG Partners Clean the World to Recycle Hotel Soap and Amenities

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