Want to choose a sustainable hotel for your next trip? Here are some tips

Sustainability has become an important part of the hospitality business with travelers getting increasingly conscious of their choices of places to stay. Solar, organic, sustainable, green and LEED certified are phrases used very commonly by hotels and homestays and it is easy to be lost in the options that promise to be really sustainable. What then are some factors that contribute towards sustainability that one can keep in mind when zeroing in on a place to stay? Varun Bajaj, an architect-turned-entrepreneur who has recently renovated his family home into a homestay while adopting an environmentally conscious and responsible approach, tells us.

Adaptive Reuse of Space

Renovating, restoring and converting an existing structure into a homestay or a hotel is a great way to keep carbon footprint low as compared to building a new one, from the get go. The embodied energy of an existing building (the energy that was spent putting the building together) is invisible but worth preserving and can reduce the need for new material drastically. Also, many older buildings with traditional architecture were built with materials and configurations that suited the local climate, which reduced their dependence on mechanical ventilation and artificial lighting, something that helps reduce the need for energy, and in turn fossil fuel consumption.

Employment of Local Resources

Our view of sustainability must broaden from environmental issues to social and cultural continuity as well. Hiring locally, having tie ups with local businesses and providing training to people who may not have a formal education - these are some ways for a property to support the local community and generate goodwill. At Amrit Bhawan, we have retained and retrained all our old staff and most of our new hires are from the Garhwal region with knowledge of the local food and culture. Upskilling them has been an important part of our approach.

Use of Local and Seasonal Produce

One can look for places that offer adaptations of local and regional cuisines. Smart menu planning combined with local sourcing of ingredients can achieve the dual purposes of less food waste as well as less packaging waste. If the property is growing its own herbs and vegetables on site, it is even better. This not only creates a more immersive cultural and culinary experience for the guest but also promotes consumption of indigenous varieties of crops and helps maintain biodiversity. Additionally places that employ locals in the kitchen can effectively use their expertise with the local cuisine and also bring employment and livelihood to the community.

Conscious Consumption

It is now common to see hotels asking guests to reuse the linen and towels, since it saves water and energy. Many smaller properties also adopt a more communicative approach with guests. For instance, amenities such as toothbrushes, hair dryers and combs, can be offered on request only. This not only makes one think twice about whether one really needs something, but is also more hygienic. The use of compost bins, jute bags, and biodegradable take-away cutlery are just some indicators of how sensitive a place is to waste. Providing filtered water in sterilized reusable bottles rather than mineral water in plastic bottles, while giving the guest an option to ask for the latter, significantly reducing single-use plastic. Many properties talk about these little interventions in their online communication.

Amrit Bhawan is a boutique homestay in Haridwar. It is housed in a 50 year old restored, art deco bungalow with a private garden and ghat by the Ganga and follows principles of conscious consumption, low waste and responsible practices.

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