In July last year, Conde Nast Traveler published an interesting article called ‘The Eco-anatomy of a Resort –- How to lay on the luxury without putting local resources under stress.’ In this column we explore the experience of a hotel that seems to be doing everything right.
Indonesian-owned Alila Hotels and Resorts is an industry leader in the growing trend toward eco-friendly holiday accommodation. Named by Agoda.com as one of the top ten Green Hotels in Asia, Alila has regularly received Bali’s internationally recognized Tri Hita Karana Award as well as the first Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award. Both Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis attained Green Globe Certification in 2007.
“Alila’s holistic environmental vision ‘Environs’ aims to link natural conservation, community and commerce in one integrated cycle,” explains Amanda Pummer, General Manager of Alila Ubud and the dynamo behind the chain’s green mission. “Alila’s green initiatives extend beyond the operational aspects of the resorts to create a positive impact on the community economically, socially and culturally.”
Amanda joined the Bali Hotel Association (BHA) as General Manager of Alila Manggis in Candidasa in 2002. Already aware of the trend toward responsible tourism, she challenged BHA members to find out where their garbage was going. That was the first step in an ongoing crusade for environmental sustainability that keeps Alila at the top of all things green.
Her role as the first Executive for the Environment on the BHA Board of Directors was a crash course in environmental sustainability in the hotel industry. She convinced the Association in 2004 that Green Globe certification would be good for business, and six hotels expressed interest. Green Globe is world’s toughest environmental benchmarking, certification and improvement system for the international travel and tourism industry. Certification takes at least 18 months to achieve, involving extensive staff training and infrastructure adaptation.
The Melia hotels in Nusa Dua were the first to bring Green Globe certification to Bali five years ago. Alila’s two hotels, the Amandari, Legian, Conrad and Chedi Club and five others are are now certified, with ten more hotels working toward certification. “Green Globe certification is a very rigorous undertaking,” Amanda states. “It’s hard to earn, but it pays for itself in a year.”
Alila Ubud achieved Green Globe Best Practice results in solid waste recycling with its on-site organic composting and by recycling 80% of its water. Alila Manggis excelled in the reduction of water and electricity consumption as well as community contribution by employing 85% of its staff from within a 20 km radius.
Part of the process is to have in international consultant train a Green Team in each hotel. After one year, that Team trains a new Green Team, ensuring that all the staff receives training. The learning curve is a steep one, but Green Globe assesses each situation and sets measurable targets for improvement.
When she learned that Indonesia’s paper industry was responsible for much of the country’s forest degradation, Amanda decided to use recycled paper. There was no recycled paper of the appropriate grade in Indonesia, so she contacted a friend in Jakarta, the publisher of Equinox. When he became aware of the ethical issues, he arranged for the first shipment of 100% post-consumer paper to ever arrive in Indonesia. “Of course, the carbon footprint of bringing paper from Denmark was not too good, so we started a program of planting trees in Kalimantan for each container we brought in.” The new paper was expensive, so consumption was reduced by printing and photocopying on both sides, which cut consumption by 28%. Future goals are to cut the use of paper by 50% and use all recycled paper for the balance. The best solution, of course, would be to have recycled office paper made in Indonesia.
Energy use was reduced by educating the staff to turn off the power to each unit when the guests checked out. Amenities are presented in ceramic containers. Guests are invited to explore the area on bicycles. Alila Ubud is crafting tours introducing Indonesia’s traditional textiles, especially those made in Bali. Alila Manggis works closely with local dive operators to build programs and raise awareness of protecting the coral reefs, not only for guests but for the local community. More green initiatives… Alila chefs use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The natural soaps and toiletries in each room are locally produced, helping support the 100 families that make them. Each guest receives a free, locally made beach bag and freshly ironed laundry is returned to the room neatly folded in a basket instead of a plastic bag. Alila is actively involved in community outreach programs providing sustainable nutrition and educational opportunities, with partners such as the East Bali Poverty Project.
No wastewater is discharged from either of the Alila properties. When the cost of a conventional grey water system was too high for the budget at Alila Ubud, management and staff put on their Wellington boots, picked up shovels and dug a huge fish pond into which all treated grey water now flows. The hardware was affordable too -- bamboo poles and a small pump.
Alila’s environmental efforts have not gone unnoticed. Both resorts were the first hotels in Indonesia to win the Sustainable Tourism Award at the Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards in 2006. “The Award had never been given to a luxury resort before,” Amanda points out. “Wild Asia was more accustomed to finding eco-awareness programs in small hotels.”
Both properties are also serial winners of the Tri Hita Karana (THK) Tourism Award, internationally recognized by the world Tourism Organization as a leader in environmentally friendly tourism standards. The award recognizes tourism enterprises that are environmentally friendly, socially acceptable and which support practices based on the spiritual life of the Balinese. “Green Globe certification is more long term and technical, The Tri Hita Karana is more spiritually based. The assessors talk to the staff, the local priest and the banjar about the impact the hotel is having on the community.” The Alila Ubud won the THK Emerald Award after five years of the Gold Award, a distinction shared only by the Ritz Carlton.
The handful of hotels in Bali that are taking these steps set a significant example for the industry. With tourists increasingly selecting their holiday accommodation with environmental sustainability in mind, it’s just good business to do the right thing.
