Ocean conservation advocacy organization Surfrider Foundation has launched a new Ocean Friendly Hotels program. The program is designed to recognize hotels that have eliminated unnecessary single-use plastic and to provide a framework for implementing practices that are better for ocean health.
This program will function similarly to the group’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program. Hotels that want to participate must have:
- No plastic beverage bottles or plastic bags are sold or used onsite.
- No expanded polystyrene is used anywhere onsite (aka Styrofoam).
- Cups, utensils, straws, condiments, and other accessory items in rooms are reusable or made from naturally occurring materials and are not packaged in plastic.
- Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion, etc.) are not packaged in small plastic bottles.
- Water refill stations are available for guests onsite.
- If applicable, restaurants or cafes onsite are Surfrider Ocean Friendly Restaurants.
- Proper solid waste recycling procedures are followed and bins are amply provided for guest use.
There are also optional criteria including energy efficiency efforts, water conservation efforts and minimization of outdoor light pollution.
Surfrider hopes to add 100 hotels in the next five years, which it said will eliminate an estimated 4,117,200 plastic water bottles and 6,175,800 mini toiletry bottles annually from landfills and polluting the ocean.
