Cut your carbon footprint without cutting back on luxury at The Green House Hotel
The well-documented rise of plastic in our oceans means that today some of the most picturesque beaches in the world are being swamped with plastic, to the point where 37% of people want to do a beach clean on their holidays. Honeymooners are also being put off the extensive air miles it takes simply to get from A to B with one couple noting that their dream honeymoon to Los Angeles required two plane journeys and a 270-mile car journey.
Research from leading holiday organising platform Booking.com predicts that this year many couples will look for sustainable experiences while accommodation providers in main resorts will make it their mission to reduce plastic use. Movements like this mean people are beginning to consider the carbon footprint of some of the world’s most sought-after honeymoon destinations and alternative options which are either closer to home or have less of an environmental impact.
Count on Me, a Dorset-based organisation committed to cutting carbon, has worked out the carbon footprint of different honeymoon destinations by inputting variables like air miles, honeymoon length, excursions and food consumed. A honeymoon in Thailand, with a stop in Bangkok and internal flights to different destinations, could equate to using a huge 65.5 tonnes of carbon; shocking when the average carbon footprint of one person for one year is 14 tonnes. Destinations like Thailand require several plane journeys and transport throughout the city centres, meaning fossil fuel use is extremely high. A honeymoon to the USA, with long-haul flights and car rental can also use over 15 tonnes in just two short weeks.
If these figures do not sit well on your green conscious there is another option; you can choose a ‘green’ UK honeymoon which needn’t compromise on luxury, style or quality, and as they increase in popularity, more and more options are now available. Kirsty and Richard Gibson from Surrey got married at The Green House Hotel in May 2015 before returning to the eco-boutique Bournemouth hotel for a mini-moon in April this year.
The Green House Hotel is entirely self-sufficient and carbon neutral generating its own electricity on site and producing energy from solar panels.
Kirsty said that the hotel goes to great efforts to be as eco-friendly as possible. “The hotel reduces plastic use and filters all the water they serve guests rather than bringing in bottled water. They also use reclaimed furniture made from trees which have fallen in storms.”
Kirsty and Richard’s honeymoon at The Green House Hotel used only 0.5 tonnes of carbon which, when compared to a Thailand trip or the average carbon footprint of one person, is an astounding difference. Speaking of the hotel’s local produce, Kirsty said: “We love that the hotel is so eco-conscious, and all the food is ethically sourced and supports local suppliers.”
General Manager of the Green House Hotel, Olivia O’Sullivan, said: “Back when we opened in 2010, we had a vision to create the most sustainable and eco-friendly hotel in the UK. The values and ethos of the hotel reflect my own personal values, and as a team we consider the ethical value of everything we do. “It’s so important to consider your environmental impact when travelling and what better time to do it than when planning your honeymoon which marks the beginning of a new chapter?”
For more information about The Green House Hotel visit www.thegreenhousehotel.co.uk
