Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi Highlights Its Sustainability Initiatives In Honour of Earth Day
Monday 24th of April 2023
Last Saturday, the global community celebrated Earth Day 2023, a day dedicated to reflecting on planet Earth and taking environmental action to protect it. By commemorating Earth Day, it encourages individuals and organizations to drive conservation efforts and highlight important topics such as pollution, animals & plants and the natural environment.
Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi takes pride in being one of the most eco-friendly resorts in the Indian Ocean with its deeply rooted commitment to sustainable practices portrayed in the resort’s comprehensive and ever-expanding efforts and initiatives. Through this, the secret water island inspires and educates its guests, team members and local communities to reduce their environmental footprint and safeguard our beloved planet.
In honour of this year’s Earth Day, Fairmont Maldives shed light on its notable sustainability initiatives that are both energy-efficient and waste-reducing. Some of the intriguing best practices taking place at the resort include:
Water Desalination & Bottling Plant: Fairmont Maldives houses its own desalination plant, allowing it to bottle its own water. The water is packed in reusable glass bottles and is extended as a complimentary service for guests. As a result, the resort can substantially reduce plastic waste.
Reusable Fairmont Bottles: With the launch of reusable glass bottles, Fairmont Maldives have paved way for guests to remain hydrated while eliminating the need for single-use plastic on the island. Additionally, water dispensing machines are easily accessible throughout the resort, enabling guests to conveniently refill their reusable bottles as well.
Chef’s Garden & Compost System: An on-site gardening team successfully cultivates several ingredients on the island including lemongrass, aubergine, mint, chilli, curry leaves, onions, spinach, basil and sweet potatoes. Fruits such as bananas and pineapples are also freshly grown and harvested at the resort. A state-of-the-art compost machine is located at the resort which helps in the reduction of waste disposal. The food waste produced in operations is fed into the machine which converts it into organic compost for garden soil.
Guided Snorkelling Tours: The resident Marine Biology team will give guests a guided snorkelling tour around the world’s first-ever semi-submerged art gallery, The Coralarium. Named Maldives’ first coral restoration project to unfold in the form of an art installation, the project was designed by British eco-artist, Jason deCaires Taylor.
Turtle Ranger Programme & Sustainability Lab: The resort collaborated with the Olive Ridley Project to help collect ID data for research on sea turtles and their natural habitat via its Turtle Ranger Programme. Over at the Sustainability Lab, the team repurposes plastic waste into unique souvenirs, creative furniture and essential stationery for local schools.
Participation in Global Environmental Campaigns & Polestar Collaboration: At Fairmont Maldives, the resort commemorates various global environmental campaigns such as Earth Hour, Earth Day, Oceans Day, and Wildlife Day among others. Furthermore, it has also partnered with a design-focused electric car brand, Polestar to provide sustainable airport transfers for guests upon their arrival.
Solar Panels: With the installation of solar panels, Fairmont Maldives is able to significantly reduce its carbon emissions by relying on solar energy from the sun. Solar energy accounts for 15% of the property’s daily power requirements.
Marine Life Presentations: All guests staying at the resort can sit in for a marine life presentation as the team highlights interesting facts about various species like turtles, dolphins, manta rays, sharks and more. Similarly, the different sustainability practices will be spotlighted too in a fun and educational way.
Owing to its extended portfolio of sustainable measures and best practices, Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi is the first Fairmont property in the world to achieve the coveted Green Globe Certification for its various sustainability commitments.