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Bucuti Beach Resort Joins WaterSense H20tel Challenge!
By Ewald Biemans, Managing Director, Eagle Beach, Aruba, biemans@bucuti.com, 63 rms
As a leader in both innovation and environmental stewardship, Bucuti Beach Resort has taken the pledge to be a part of the WaterSense H2Otel Challenge. WaterSense is a US EPA program designed to help save water for future generations. Bucuti is the only resort outside of the US and North America that has taken this initiative at this time. The initial step of the program is �ACT." Assess water use and savings opportunities; Change products or processes to incorporate best management practices and Track results. Upon assessment, Bucuti will begin replacing existing products with WaterSense-labeled models. Simply replacing a showerhead could save an average of four gallons of water per shower.
�After years of maintaining our multiple environmental certifications, it was time for a new challenge. The H2Otel Challenge give us access to new and innovative products as well as case studies on what others are doing,� said Ewald Biemans, owner and managing director. �A high-quality guest experience and eco-friendly practices can co-exist and that is what our resort illustrates. We are passionate about protecting and preserving Aruba�s resources and look forward to implementing and developing initiatives that allow us to do so for years to come.�
The resort�s Green Team, led by Biemans, has set the benchmark in sustainable tourism, earning more than two dozen environmental awards and certifications, including the Highest Achievement Award as the top performing sustainable travel and tourism business in the Caribbean by Green Globe Certification. Additionally, the resort is the first in the Caribbean to be officially ISO 14001 and Green Globe certified. Bucuti is also in the process of pursuing LEED certification, which will be the fourth green certification the resort receives, adding to their long list of accolades.
One more interesting fact is that Aruba has no water in natural form. There are no rivers, no springs and as little as 9" of rain a year. Desalination provides the island's only source of drinking water, and the process requires burning huge amounts of extremely expensive imported oil. So water conservation gain is double�conserving oil, a natural resource, and conserving water. Water is a super precious resource in Aruba.
With an average rainfall of less than 20" a year, an average daytime temperature of 82�F. (27�C.), a location completely outside the hurricane belt, and the constant cooling influence of the trade winds, Aruba is one of the most temperate islands in the Caribbean. Today, the island is populated by 100,000 people and attracts more than 700,000 international visitors annually.
To learn more about GHA and how your property can be greener, jump to
Green Hotels Association!
or CALL 713/789-8889 TODAY!
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GREEN FACT!
One interesting fact is that Aruba has no water in natural form. There are no rivers, no springs and as little as 9" of rain a year.
greenhotels.com
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Unique Visitors |
Hits |
Jan |
8,223 |
378,113 |
Feb |
8,124 |
378,460 |
Mar |
9,904 |
451,836 |
Apr |
10,639 |
464,092 |
May |
9,848 |
416,078 |
Jun |
11,776 |
373,910 |
Jul |
N/A |
N/A |
Aug |
N/A |
N/A |
Sep |
N/A |
N/A |
TOTAL 2014 |
58,514 |
2,462,489 |
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