LOS ANGELES, California: Green Globe congratulated Nuga Gama, located within the grounds of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, as Asia’s first CarbonNeutral venue. Cinnamon Grand’s General Manager Rohan Karr said: “Cinnamon Grand has always been aware of its environmental responsibility and has consistently implemented ‘green’ initiatives that impact on the larger environment and community within which it functions. By achieving the first CarbonNeutral venue accreditation in Asia, we are ideally positioned to give customers what they want in terms of being environmentally responsible and to meet event organisers’ and corporates’ requirements for a green and sustainable space in Sri Lanka.”
Nugu Gama (The Banyan Village) takes pride of place in the hotel’s commitment to environmental best business practice. Sri Lanka’s first village in the city recreates life in a traditional rural village that allows locals, foreign guests and school children the opportunity to immerse themselves in a sustainable lifestyle setting. The village includes a restaurant and a garden.
The Cinnamon Grand supports the continuance of authentic traditions by employing more than 35 craftsmen and artists from villages around the country to make traditional handicrafts for sale to guests. Sri Lankan culture can also be experienced through enjoying local cuisine and entertainment provided at Nugu Gama. To achieve the CarbonNeutral certification carbon emissions from Nuga Gama’s operations were systematically calculated by The Carbon Consulting Company in accordance with stringent guidelines set by the hotel’s partner The CarbonNeutral Company. Greenhouse gas emissions were then completely offset against carbon credits that amounted to the venue’s carbon emissions being quantified as ‘Net Zero’ or zero emissions.
Karr added: “As Colombo’s largest five star property, Cinnamon Grand prioritizes offering the best of luxury and indulgence to its guests, while taking proactive measures to mitigate negative impacts on the world around us, so that whatever we do and whatever we offer, doesn’t cost the Earth.” Cinnamon Grand has initiated its own e-waste awareness and recycling program aimed at staff. Digital TV guides have replaced paper guides and paper usage is monitored in all hotel departments with the aim of reducing paper wastage each quarter. Other recyclable materials such as plastic bottles, glass, paper and plastic are sold to an external recycling source with funds raised donated to charities.
To conserve energy usage, timers have been installed on lighting systems, and sensor-operated light systems are used in the basement and ground floor corridors. Also air conditioning is limited to certain areas of the hotel. And to reduce wastage, wastewater from restaurants and the cafeteria is reused in fishponds, cooking oil from kitchens is reused in boilers in place of furnace oil and newspapers are only delivered on request.
Cinnamon Grand strives to adopt an environmentally-sustainable approach that embraces its employees, business partners and supply chain. The hotel encourages staff to attend ongoing monthly green forums led by scientists and experts in environmental conservation and the hotel itself has its own Green Team dedicated to raise awareness of green strategies. Regular seminars and campaigns are held for suppliers with the intent to provide further education on sustainability initiatives. The Cinnamon Grand prides itself on its principles of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Its goal is to reduce its carbon footprint through its Green Agenda that focuses on waste management, energy and water management, conservation and community awareness. It does this through various green initiatives that support sustainable lifestyles and decision making which will minimize the hotel’s impact on the environment. The hotel plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% annually and aims to be the greenest five star hotel in Sri Lanka by 2015.
Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA, and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Green Globe is also a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Green Globe is a member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP).
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