A hundred employees from The Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh planted over 300 trees in the hotel’s surroundings as part of a new environmental campaign called Green Earth, Clean Earth. The project is part of a global initiative called Clean up the World with a dual purpose to preserve the natural environment and give back to the local community. Swanky hotels aren’t just about nice soap.
“We are constantly looking for ways to support our community, and the Green Earth, Clean Earth campaign is a great way to highlight our ongoing commitment to working together for a better environment,” said Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh General Manager Adel Al-Mahboob. “We are thrilled to see that so many of our ladies and gentlemen here at the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh took part in this initiative to actively support the community, proudly demonstrating the company’s long-term vision.” The Clean up the World campaign is held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
The hotel chain has a history of leadership in environmentally mindful practices. The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte (North Carolina, USA) was the first LEED Gold-certified hotel for the company, and for that city. It boasts a vegetated roof planted with 18,000 sedum plants to help reduce urban heat island effect. The green roof slows rain runoff and provides insulation, keeping the overall building cooler whilst also cooling the air around it through evapotranspiration. The chef’s garden and beehive colony also sit on that roof; organic honey, lavender, mint, other herbs and greens feature large on the hotel menu. (Seventy pounds of chemical-free raw honey is generated annually by the hives, depending upon foraging schedules, weather and nectar flow.)
The hotel doesn’t stop there. Employee uniforms are made of fabric derived from regenerated plastic bottles. There are Bike Valets who issue and maintain a fleet of Trek Bikes for complimentary use by guests. There’s a Level I and Level II-capable electric vehicle charging station and free parking for guests who drive electric and hybrid vehicles. A LEED-accredited employee oversees all the environmental practices throughout the facility. It’s unlikely there are many takers for free bikes in Riyadh, but many of the other green amenities could be replicated at every Ritz-Carlton location.
Through its Community Social Responsibility program, Community Footprints, the Ritz-Carlton focuses on three key areas — hunger and poverty relief, child well-being, and environmental responsibility. As part of the company’s commitment to the environment, there is a Ritz-Carlton environmental action conservation team at each hotel to manage on-site sustainability projects.
The hotel reports that their efforts are reducing use of natural resources, supporting the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s goal to cut energy and water consumption by 20 percent by 2020 (against a 2007 consumption baseline).
