“The only footprint guests will leave is on the beach.” That’s the stance that the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach is taking on its operation’s environmental impact.
“Our guests choose Hawaiʻi for its incredible natural beauty, and we must take action to restore and protect our native ecosystem, ensuring our treasured islands will thrive in the future,” said Matthew Grauso, General Manager, ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. “‘Alohilani Resort is committed to a more sustainable future, and I believe the hard work, passion and dedication of our team to achieve carbon neutrality will inspire others to take similar action.”
So how is ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach making this dream a reality? By making an impressive commitment to obtaining a carbon neutral certification that will be verified by DEKRA—an international testing, inspection and certification organization, in accordance with PAS 2060, the only recognized international standard for carbon neutrality. But what does that all mean? For 2022, the resort will be carbon neutral for Scope 1, Scope 2 and a portion of Scope 3 emissions, which include all direct carbon emissions from sources such as propane, gasoline, diesel and refrigerants as well as the property’s electricity consumption.
Making the move to renewable energy was an important step for the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach—managed by premier hospitality investment and management company Highgate—which along with its Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (more on that later) looks to completely offset its carbon footprint. “Renewable energy utilization is a critical part of Highgate’s decarbonization strategy. Procuring renewable electricity was an essential move for ‘Alohilani to reduce their carbon emissions, given Hawaiʻi’s current heavy reliance on imported oil for electricity production,” said Marianne Balfe, Highgate’s Vice President of Sustainability. “We look forward to Hawaiʻi’s transition to a 100% renewable electric grid by 2045, per the state’s declaration.”
For the eco-conscious traveler, knowing that you won’t be adding to our current pollution problem is a huge plus. Moreover, staying at the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach also means you’ll be supporting its preexisting sustainability initiatives, like the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI). Guests can get firsthand experience with the hotel’s conservation efforts by paying a visit to the ʻAlohilani Legacy Forest, where they will learn about the importance of reforestation and plant their own indigenous tree. Not only is it a magical moment of giving back to the land on your vacation, but you can check up on your tree to see how it is doing, as each tree in the Hawaiian Legacy Forest is RFID geo-tagged and can be individually tracked throughout its lifetime by the tree sponsor.
“We are proud of ‘Alohilani Resort’s commitment to carbon neutral certification,” said Balfe. “At Highgate, we recognize the importance of Nature-based Solutions for climate stability. Given Hawaiʻi’s incredible loss of native forest cover, it is fitting that ‘Alohilani began their journey to carbon neutrality with an enduring reforestation partnership with the first U.S.-based carbon removal project to be approved by Gold Standard.”
Traveling is not easy on the environment. Planes, rental cars and really most forms of transit will produce emission. So seeing the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach’s initiatives and mission is like a breath of fresh air. All it takes is one hotel or resort to create awareness about an issue, like carbon emission, and while the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach is the first Hawaiʻi hotel committed to being carbon neutral, we’re sure they won’t be the last. One of the key pillars of the resort is “doing good for the community,” and that’s something we can all get behind.
For more information on ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach or to book a stay, visit www.alohilaniresort.com.
