The Green Team is very excited to be writing about a wonderful new project AsHotel is working on, dedicating time and resources to restructuring the current economic model by designing for and implementing circularity practices in the tourism and agriculture industries.
Who are AsHotel?
As the name suggests, AsHotel are an association of hotel and extra hotel businesses and stakeholders that are dedicated to creating value for tour operators and toursits alike. They fully believe in a new sustainable tourism model that can benefit the economy, society and reduce harmful impacts to our environment. Their values include: innovation, honesty, professionalism, coherence and more.
We are thrilled to be working with them on their circularity project for the municipality of Adeje, this project called “Comunidades Turisticas Circulares” already includes 17 hotels with more being forecasted to join soon. This projects aims to make the tourism industry in Adeje a closed loop, for example hotels such as Mynd and Sholeo Lodges are moving towards having Km0 produce in their restaurants and giving their organic waste to farms such as Serviagroc so that it can be transformed into compost.
The focus of this pilot project is to recuperate the organic waste produced by hotels, this waste contains an inherent value, that, when turned into compost can help enrich the soil allowing for decreased water consumption both in hotel gardens and in farms. The focus is both to reduce waste overall but also to become better at sorting it, so that waste with value can be easily processed into compost at farms like Serviagroc, which have the authorisation and know-how to do so.
How does Circularity Impact Us?
Perhaps after a buffet breakfast at your hotel you have wondered what happens to that banana peel you left on your plate, it most cases it would simply be tossed into the rubbish bin. In the hotels subscribing to AsHotels circularity initiative your banana peel gets put aside with other organic waste, this waste is then given to a partner farm (such as Serviagroc) where it is processes and turned into compost. This compost is then used to fertilize the next generation of banana plants which will soon be in the breakfast buffet of your hotel, and thus the loop of circularity is closed.
Circularity is about closed loops, minimal to no waste is the basis of this doctrine so products and processes are designed from the start to ensure that each bit of waste formed can become the basis for the next step in the loop. The advatanges include lower complexity and less waste of course.
In this specific pilot project AsHotel is hoping to form a scalable and replicable project to be extened to other areas of Tenerife and the Canaries. The goal is to foster intelligent and sustainable tourism, to promote local businesses and to increase the value and nutrient level of canarian soil as well as to decrease CO2 emissions.
Ways to Support Circularity:
You can support this wonderful initiative by choosing to stay at one of AsHotel’s partners (such as Mynd Hotel), by visiting and supporting farms like Serviagroc tours of their banana farm! Which are on the ground turning waste into a product with new life and much more!
Our favorites
• No waste!
• Lack of obsolescence
• The transparency
• Supporting local businesses
• The benefits to the triple bottom line
Canary Green’s tips to enjoying sustainable tourism in Tenerife
Visiting Tenerife on holiday doesn’t give you free rein to leave your values and principles at home. We encourage travellers to seek out sustainable options and keep up with environmental practices while travelling. Our top tips for a relaxed and wholesome stay include:
- Consider green transport options. Are you able to take a ferry to the island instead of flying? While you are here is a car necessary? Investigate public transport links or choose green options such as electric cars, green-hydrogen cars or e-bikes.
- Choose destinations that value sustainability and choose green alternatives such as solar power, recycling and energy-efficient architecture. This extends to places that value workers’ rights and the impact on the local community.
- Bring your own water bottle with you and refill it instead of buying single-use plastic bottles.
- Make use of the recycling when out and about and don’t just throw your rubbish in the nearest bin.
- Take advantage of local knowledge and immerse yourself in the culture through campaigns such as #Ilovecanarias and #meatfreemondaycanarias.
- Most of all, have fun and enjoy your time in the Canary Islands.
If you are interested in AsHotels and their project, as well as supporting sustainable tourism in Tenerife, find more information here.
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Thank you
Thank you to everyone involved in this Canary Green project where our aim is to help promote sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands.
Do you want us to find you more sustainable choices? Please support us and donate today.
- John Beckley; Founder of Canary Green non profit
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