Volume #5
Supporting Local Businesses | Debunking booking.com’s Travel Sustainable Badge (Part 3: Energy & Greenhouse Gas)**
This week’s read time: 9 minutes (Bit of a long one, sorry not sorry?)
In this volume, we’ll explore:
Why supporting local businesses enriches your travel experience.
Debunking booking.com’s Travel Sustainable Badge (Part 3: Energy & Greenhouse Gas)**.
If you missed previous newsletters, you can look them up here.
👉🏼 Support Local Businesses
Supporting local businesses can come in many shapes and forms, it could as simple as choosing to dine at a locally-owned restaurant to supporting community-based initiatives and social enterprises.
What’s in it for travellers?
Deeper Cultural Connection: Supporting local businesses allows you to connect more intimately with the culture and local community, it gives you a chance to experience the “local way of life”.
Unique Products & Experiences: Local businesses often offer products and experiences unique to the destination, giving you the opportunity to discover one-of-a-kind items and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Discovering Hidden Gem: These businesses are often situated in less touristy areas, meaning you are more likely to explore 'off-the-beaten-path' locations. Your experience does not get any more authentic than visiting an area where you are the only tourists surrounded by locals.
What’s in it for Planet, People & Economy?
🌏 Reduced Environmental Impact: Local businesses often have smaller supply chains and produce goods and services on a smaller scale, resulting in lower carbon footprints and reduced environmental impact.
👥 Community Well-being: Supporting these businesses contributes to the overall well-being of the local community. This directly improves living standards, provides better infrastructure, and enhances social services funded by these economic activities.
💼 Wealth Redistribution: Supporting local businesses helps redistribute wealth within a local community. Profits stay within the community, circulating through the local economy and benefiting a broader spectrum of residents who may not be directly involved in tourism.
**Disclaimer: On March 25, 2024, Booking.com decided to remove their Travel Sustainable Badge programme altogether. You can read about their explanation here.
Although the programme is no longer in place, and we considered creating new content for this week's newsletter, we ultimately decided against it as we believe the content below still holds educational value for travellers and tourism businesses.
👉🏼 Debunking booking.com’s Travel Sustainable Badge (Part 3: Energy & Greenhouse Gas)
P.S. This week’s a long one
In 2021, Booking.com rolled out a Travel Sustainable filter and badge to help travellers identify accommodations that are taking extra steps to make their guests' stays more sustainable.
We're here to unravel the mysteries behind every badge and icon, revealing how each one plays its part in the whole sustainability scene.
Why you should care!
These accommodations can sometimes be much more than just a bed for the night; they can elevate your travel experience to a positive and meaningful journey.
Now, you might be wondering, "What does food waste have to do with my travel experience? Why should I care about double-glazed windows in my accommodation?" Well, trust us, each of these actions significantly contributes to your comfort and overall satisfaction.
Supporting businesses with sustainable practices also encourages the broader travel industry to adopt similar measures. This, in turn, contributes to a positive shift toward more responsible and sustainable tourism on a global scale. So, your children and your children’s children will still have the opportunity to see our beautiful planet as we know it.
Piqued your interest? Good! Read on, and we promise you won’t be disappointed.
We are not here to make you feel guilty about your choices; we are simply providing you with the facts to enable you to make your own decisions about the way you want to explore the world.
Booking.com has broken them down into 5 categories: Waste, Water, Energy & Greenhouse Gas, Destination & Community and Nature.
In case you have missed our debunk about Waste 🗑️ & Water🚰.
Today we’ll look into the meanings behind Energy & Greenhouse Gas! 🔋💨
👉Fun Fact👈
Did you know: The technology currently available is sufficient to completely decarbonise the hotel industry? However the adoption of these technologies has been slow due to financial, economic and political challenges across destinations around the world.
Now, back to Booking.com, under Energy & Greenhouse Gas! 🔋💨, you have the following categories:
LED lighting makes up for at least 80% of the accommodation's guest and public room lighting
All windows at the accommodation are double-glazed
Vegetarian menu options are offered
Vegan menu options are offered
Key card or motion-controlled electricity
The accommodation's electricity is 100% renewable
The property makes efforts to reduce their food wastage (has a food waste policy in place that includes education, food waste prevention, reduction, recycling, and disposal)
At least 80% of food is sourced from the accommodation's local region
1. LED lighting makes up for at least 80% of the accommodation's guest and public room lighting
We understand you are probably now well aware that energy is still primarily supplied through fossil fuels. And in case you didn’t know, aside from the inevitable depletion of fossil fuel reserves, they also generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accelerating global warming.
Considering the barriers mentioned in the fun fact above, preventing the complete decarbonisation of the hotel industry, the best current solution for hotels is to maximize energy efficiency.
LED lights are highly energy-efficient compared to traditional bulbs, using approximately 75% less energy.
👉🏼 Now, as a traveler, you might say, 'It's the accommodation's responsibility to ensure there are LED lights; it does nothing for me.' On the contrary, choosing accommodations with LED lights also benefits you!
If you find yourself in tropical locations or spending the summer in European accommodations without air conditioning, LED lights emit very little heat compared to traditional bulbs (where 80% of the energy is lost as heat). While it might not make a world of difference, it could certainly mean a slightly cooler room for you.
👉🏼 Dear hoteliers, if you haven't caught up with the news, switching to LED lights can cut energy use by up to 70%, and they last up to three times longer than traditional bulbs, meaning fewer replacements and potentially more cost savings. I can almost see your eyes lighting up with all these cost-cutting measures 🤩
2. All windows at the accommodation are double-glazed
In case you were wondering, no, it’s not for soundproofing purposes.
Double-glazed windows are recommended in accommodations because they are an energy-efficient feature that helps conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Traditional single-pane windows allow more heat to escape and double-glazed windows significantly reduce heat loss by up to 50%, meaning less energy is needed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. They can cut energy usage for heating and cooling by up to 40%.
With these windows in place, the building's temperature can be better regulated altogether, resulting in energy savings.
👉🏼 Now, as a traveler, you might say, 'It is also the accommodation's responsibility to ensure there are double-glazed windows; it does nothing for me.' Once again, on the contrary, choosing an accommodation with double-glazed windows benefit you too!
If you find yourself in cold weather, these windows help keep the warmth inside, and during hot weather, they prevent excessive heat from entering. We’ll let you decide if being hot or being cold is more uncomfortable.
Double-glazed windows also help reduce condensation. Condensation can lead to issues like mold growth in accommodations. We definitely paid a premium on our holidays to be sleeping in potentially mold-infested rooms 🤭.
3. Vegetarian & Vegan menu options are offered
Offering a vegetarian and vegan menu is not only about being inclusive of people’s dietary requirements; it also helps decrease energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
👉Fun Fact👈
According to a study, a global shift toward plant-based diets could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70%.
By offering a vegetarian & vegan menu, accommodations are helping to:
Reduce Energy Intensity in Food Production: Animal agriculture tends to have a higher energy intensity compared to plant-based agriculture. By offering vegetarian and vegan menu options, the overall energy demand for food production can be reduced.
Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Livestock farming, especially cattle, is a significant source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide. Less meat on the menu = less methane for the atmosphere.
Reduced Land and Water Usage: Plant-based diets typically require less land and water compared to animal-based diets. Livestock farming, including grazing and feed production, often requires substantial land and water resources. Shifting toward plant-based options can help conserve these resources, contributing to overall environmental sustainability.
Energy Efficiency in Food Processing: Meat and dairy processing can be energy-intensive. Plant-based foods, especially minimally processed ones, often require less energy for manufacturing and distribution.
By incorporating vegetarian and vegan options, the overall energy efficiency of the hotel's food supply chain can be further improved.
👉🏼 What’s in it for you as travelers? The last time we checked, the doctor advised for a balanced diet. Also, you may think vegan and vegetarian options are often dull boring and tasteless, try it next time and we promise you will be pleasantly surprised.
We're not trying to guilt anyone for not having a plant-based diet; once again, it's about stating facts and letting you choose what you feel comfortable with. Just because you consume meat, it doesn't mean you don't care about our planet.
4. Key card or motion-controlled electricity
We're sure you've stayed in enough accommodations to understand why hotels implement key card controls for electricity, and this probably needs no further explanation.
Switching to key card systems and power controls can help hotels cut in-room electricity use by up to 30%, significantly reducing the accommodation's overall energy consumption. Less energy consumption = less fossil fuels = less greenhouse gas emissions.
5. The accommodation's electricity is 100% renewable
We don’t know about you, but whenever we choose to stay in a 100% renewable energy-operated accommodation, we can’t help but be in awe and look at such places with admiration.
It’s as if we've suddenly stepped into the future where nothing is powered by fossil fuels anymore, adding a certain level of adventure and satisfaction to the overall travel experience.
We might sound a little lame here, but it honestly is a pretty darn cool experience 😎
Check out this very cool eco-design explanation diagram from Mana Earthly Paradise. We love it and live for this! Image source: Mana Earthly Paradise.
The thought of being part of a sustainable solution adds an extra layer of fulfillment to our travel experience, making each stay not just a temporary escape but a positive contribution to a more environmentally conscious world.
Accommodations that make an effort to switch to renewable energy are actually future-proofing themselves; they are the visionaries in the industry.
They understand that fossil fuel is scarce, and making the switch to renewable energy sources will dramatically reduce their operational emissions and lead to long-term cost savings.
Plus, they would much rather depend on the sun gods than on the government’s regulated electricity pricing. Smart, right? Hehe.
6. The property makes efforts to reduce their food wastage
For this point, please refer back to our discussion on Waste 🗑️. We don’t want to bore you again with the importance ;)
7. At least 80% of food is sourced from the accommodation's local region
There are several important reasons why accommodations should source their food from the local region.
👉🏼 What's in it for you as a traveler? A more authentic local experience, of course:
Local sourcing encourages the use of seasonal and fresh produce. This not only enhances the flavor and quality of the food served but also promotes a healthier and more diverse menu.
Local sourcing allows accommodations to incorporate regional flavors and culinary traditions into their menus, providing you with an opportunity to experience and appreciate the local culture through food.
When accommodations establish relationships with local farmers and suppliers, the accommodations will then have the opportunity to learn about regional food traditions and create a unique and authentic culinary experience for you. And No, just because the owner of the accommodation is local, it doesn’t necessarily mean they know it all.
👉🏼 What's in it for the good of our planet?
Environmental Impact: Transporting food over long distances contributes to carbon emissions and increases the overall environmental footprint. Local sourcing reduces the need for extensive transportation, resulting in lower carbon emissions. The next time you see Australian beef on the menu, think about how far you are currently located from Australia.
Supporting Local Economies: Purchasing food locally supports regional farmers and businesses. This, in turn, helps strengthen the local economy, fostering a sense of community and sustainability.
By prioritising local food sourcing, accommodations contribute to sustainable practices while positively impacting the environment, local economies, and your overall guest experience.
If you are looking for as authentic a local experience as you can get, then keeping an eye out for this could make a world of difference to your stay.
Phew, that was a long one today, we hope we didn’t bore you with the details 🤓
Don’t miss out on Part 4, where we debunk one of our favourite topics: Destination & Community 🌏👯
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P.S. We want to clarify that we have no affiliation with booking.com or any direct connections to the company.