Bali hotels association: "green" for everyone

Antara News, Tuesday, May 25, 2010 00:30 WIB

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - The Bali Hotels Association (BHA),a group of over 100 star-rated hotels in Bali held an environment workshop at Kuta`s Hard Rock Hotel, as a part of series to provide a new concept of green for everyone.

"The workshop contributes to BHA`s endeavors to furthermore educate and train its employees as part of its social responsibility to provide a better and cleaner future for all local communities", Gareth Warne, BHA Director of Environment, and GM of Nusa Lembongan Resort & Sail Sensations Catamaran, said in Denpasar, Monday.

The workshop covered an unusually wide range of green subjects from solar water heating to biofuel production, from kitchen oil to consultancy on sustainable development.

During eight lectures over 100 participants had been informed of practical hands on solutions on saving energy, water management, recycling, carbon offset, and green corporate social responsibility programs.

The available choice of green technologies and solutions such as LED lighting run on just 20 percent of conventional energy consumption.

Also, biodegradable plastic products dissolving into virtually nothing after about one year amazed experts and laymen alike.

Certificates of appreciation were given out to 30 BHA hotels participating in EcoBali`s and Tetra Pak`s `Environmental Awareness and Recycling of Beverage Cartons Program`.

The very successful initiative is a major promoter of environmental good practice and education within Bali`s hotel industry.

An MoU signed between BHA, Tetra Pack Indonesia, and EcoBali is cementing future cooperation in the recycling and green education sector.

Presentations were given by Contained Energy, Caritas Switzerland, Plant a Tree Today (PATT), Little Tree, Eco-Leadership, Gadjah Tunggal Plastindo (OXO12), Tetra Pack Indonesia, as well as EcoBali. The event itself was sponsored by Gadjah Tunggal Plastindo and Tetra Pack Indonesia.

Another BHA workshop on energy and waste management is planned for the end of 2010.

The Bali Hotels Association is a professional organization star-rated hotels and resorts in Bali. Members include general managers from 100 hotels and resorts, representing 14,500 hotel rooms and 22,000 employees in Bali.