Manish Kumar

Sustainability Director at Six Senses Vana

#BeatPlasticPollution: Six Senses Vana’s approach towards a Plastic-Free Retreat 

Once hailed as a revolutionary material, plastic has now become a global menace. It invades our oceans, contaminates our soil, and threatens countless species. We stand united on World Environment Day to #BeatPlasticPollution and forge a path to plastic-free future.

To combat this crisis, Six Senses Vana follows the 4R principles of proper waste management.

• Refuse: Six Senses Vana refuses to accept single-use plastic inside the retreat. 
• Reduce: We are constantly making conscious choices to reduceour plastic consumption by using alternative products such as glass water bottles, cloth bags, reusable utensils, and other items that aren’t a threat to the environment. We have established an in-house water bottling system since its inception in 2014, enabling us to eliminate almost 100k plastic bottles a year.
• Recycling: Six Senses Vana recyclesthe minimum amount of plastic waste that we produce in order to promote responsible waste management practices. In addition, Six Senses Vana is currently launching a series of campaigns in order to sensitise local communities on how to properly sort and recycle plastic waste. In this way, we will prevent it from ending up in landfills or polluting our environment.
• Reuse: Six Senses Vana is committed to innovation and always looks for alternatives to plastic in its products. We focus on sustainable purchasing and pioneer biodegradable materials, such as compostable and biodegradable garbage bags; using bamboo as display sheets; upcycling paper from waste papers; using orange peels for scrub-making; and many more innovative packaging solutions. By adopting these sustainable alternatives, we reduce our reliance on traditional plastic and mitigate its damaging effects on the environment.

 Following are just a few of the initiatives that we have in place:

• We provide our vendors with reusable containers to deliver milk to us
• Paper or fabric bags are used for gifting, retailing products, and medicines.
• Using reusable containers for vegetable transportation
• We refuse packaging or products made of single-use plastics
• Packaging for amenities is recyclable and reusable
• For uniform packaging, we use recyclable and biodegradable materials

Six Senses Vana is further focusing upon its second P i.e. Planet. Our engineering team is continuously improving sustainable ways to conserve energy and water in order to achieve maximum efficiency, while reducing carbon emissions by utilizing solar energy, heat machines, and energy-efficient chillers. This reduces approximately 750–850 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. We have a rainwater harvesting system in place and an efficient Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP), through which we recycle 100% of our grey water within the retreat.

A plastic-free world is gradually becoming a reality at Six Senses Vana by educating each stakeholder about the dangers of plastic pollution. This is an effort to motivate both guests and hosts as well as local communities to adopt eco-friendly habits and support initiatives that promote sustainable development.

This World Environment Day serves as a reminder that the fight against plastic pollution cannot be confined to one day; it requires ongoing commitment, and Six Senses Vana is firmly committed to this fight. It is only through the work we all do together that we will be able to shift societal norms, foster innovation, and build a future where plastic pollution is a thing of the past. To raise awareness of sustainable alternatives, let’s pledge today to refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle to make an impact. As a consequence, we will leave behind a legacy that will last for generations to come: a cleaner, healthier planet for the next generation. #BeatPlasticPollution

Tarun Singh

 Sales & Marketing

Mayfair Hotels & Resorts Ltd.

Mayfair Hotels and Resorts is fully committed to tackling plastic pollution through various initiatives. Our tagline “Stay with us, stay with nature” reflects our dedication to responsible practices and reducing plastic usage.

One of our significant steps is replacing plastic bottles with eco-friendly glass alternatives across our properties. By eliminating single-use plastic bottles, we greatly reduce plastic waste while ensuring guests can enjoy purified drinking water.

We have also made a switch from plastic bags to jute bags, promoting sustainable choices and discouraging single-use plastics. This initiative effectively reduces plastic waste and raises awareness among guests.

In addition, we have implemented robust recycling practices, providing strategically placed recycling bins for guests and staff to separate recyclable waste. This effort diverts materials such as paper, plastic, and glass from landfills and promotes recycling.

As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, we continuously explore innovative solutions. We evaluate alternatives for plastic items, including toiletries, packaging materials, and amenities, seeking sustainable options that uphold guest satisfaction.

Mayfair Hotels and Resorts remains dedicated to combatting plastic pollution and creating a greener future. Through these initiatives, we actively contribute to the #BeatPlasticPollution movement and protect our planet’s natural beauty. Together with guests, staff, and industry partners, we can make a significant impact in our fight against plastic pollution and build a sustainable future for generations to come.

Varun Sahani

VP, Operations, Kamat Hotels India Ltd

The Orchid Hotel Mumbai on the occasion of The World Environment Day shares its distinction as Asia’s first certified Ecotel Hotel, leading the way with a comprehensive range of sustainable initiatives aimed at protecting the environment. The hotel’s unwavering commitment to eco-friendly practices is deeply ingrained in its brand ethos, as it strives to give back to the environment at every opportunity.

A standout feature of The Orchid Hotel Mumbai is its steadfast ban on plastic, a material notorious for its adverse impact on the environment. Plastic water bottles are strictly prohibited within the premises. In place of plastic, the hotel provides esteemed guests with water in glass bottles, reflecting its dedication to minimizing the use of harmful materials.

The hotel’s dedication to sustainable practices extends to every aspect of its operations. Laundry bags provided in guest rooms are made from jute or cloth, reducing reliance on single-use plastics. The slippers in each room are crafted from recycled towels, offering a comfortable and environmentally conscious alternative to traditional plastic slippers. Furthermore, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai ensures that toothbrushes, combs, and writing tables in guest rooms are all made from recycled wood, eliminating the need for plastic materials. The water bottles used for the guests are made of glass and not of plastic.

Waste management is a top priority for The Orchid Hotel Mumbai, and the establishment follows a robust solid waste management system. The hotel features color-coded bins for waste segregation, making it easy for guests and staff to contribute to the efficient management of waste and promote recycling.

Taking innovation to new heights, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai employs a unique approach to repurposing plastic bottles. Upon procurement, plastic bottles are skillfully cut to transform them into planters. This not only prevents the reuse of cheap plastic containers, which can pose health risks to humans, but also eliminates the potential hazards to the environment when these bottles are improperly discarded.

With 372 rooms in its inventory, The Orchid Hotel Mumbai sets a shining example for the hospitality industry by demonstrating that luxury and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. By implementing stringent eco-friendly practices and continuously seeking innovative solutions, the hotel is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future.

 Payal Joshi, 

Executive Housekeeper at Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park

As one amongst Bengaluru’s largest hotel complex, our business operations are driven by Travel with Purpose which is Hilton’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy to drive responsible travel and tourism globally. This year’s World Environment Day theme focuses on Solutions to plastic pollution.

At the Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park and Convention Centre, we follow a zero single use plastic policy. Through our inhouse water bottling plant we generate close to 2500 bottles a day, doing away with plastic water bottles. All our rooms feature bulk bath amenities packed in eco-friendly material that has removed the need for small plastic bottles completely. Further, all our inhouse tea coffee trays feature mugs are made of reconstituted plant material (tea and coffee husks). In our meeting spaces, we have a framework in place that enables us to create mindful meeting experiences for guests; measure carbon impact of events and provide provision to offset them. We use treated recycled grey water for gardening and in water closets that help manage water resource usage . Further at present 96% of our total energy needs are met through renewable energy sources that help support our commitment to create mindful and responsible hospitality experiences for all.

This holistic approach not only ensures efficient utilisation of natural resources, but also measure and manage waste generation that directly contributes to efforts that help make hospitality sustainable and contribute to #BeatPlasticPollution.