Saving Energy At The Spier Hotel
Recently we celebrated Earth Hour, but Earth Hour is just once a year – what are we doing the rest of the time to reduce our carbon emissions, and what can you do to help?
How we’re making a difference
There are energy saver devices in each of Spier Hotel’s rooms. Certain electrical functions in each room only work when the key card has been inserted into this device. The light bulbs in each room are all energy-saving bulbs. The lighting at the hotel parking area has been converted to solar power and alternative energy sources. The appliances in our kitchen and elsewhere are switched off when not in use to ensure that as much as possible electricity is saved
How you can help
You can do your bit by making your stay at Spier Hotel “energy neutral”. From our latest carbon footprint audit, we worked out that the average energy-related emissions for each room are 20.83 kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per night. That’s why we ask for a donation of R5 per room per night to offset the energy consumed. You can do this by filling in the form in your room and bringing it to reception when you settle your bill. The donation will be used to buy and retire the equivalent amount of carbon-offset credits – issued directly to you.
Once your donation is made you will receive an electronic certificate. This is endorsed by a number of verification bodies such as the Verified Carbon Standard and Plan Vivo.
Spier, along with impactChoice – the environmental sustainability solutions provider we have parternered with – is a proud supporter of the Sofala Community Carbon Project. Administered by the Africa Carbon Livelihoods Trust, this project – in the buffer zone of the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique – supports forestry and agroforestry activities that enhance sustainable livelihoods, rehabilitate degraded forest, promote biodiversity and sequester carbon (which generate Verified Emission Reductions - VERs).
Once you’re back home, you can continue to reduce your own carbon emissions by using less electricity. Here are a few tips:
- Boil water in a kettle and not in a pot on the hob, and only fill a kettle with the amount of water you need.
- Make your toast in a toaster and not under the grill.
- In most homes lighting accounts for up to 20% of the electricity usage so use compact-fluorescent lights and turn off the lights when you are not in a room. Fit lower wattage bulbs where possible.
- Switch off appliances you're not using, rather than leaving them in standby mode.
We aim to reduce our carbon emissions by 30% from our 2007 levels by 2017.