FAIRMONT MAYAKOBA EARTH DAY
Every year, on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day around the world since 1970. when an environmental movement began with 20 million Americans protesting and taking the streets to fight for a healthy environment. Today we celebrate 51 years since this important date that encourages all countries and people to reflect on the care of the Earth and worry more about pollution, animals, plants, and the environment.
At Fairmont Mayakoba, we are deeply committed to sustainable value creation, and we play an active role in giving back to the planet and community.
- Ground Naturalization projects: We work together on reducing pesticide use by opting for organic or natural pest control- using other beneficial organisms to eliminate any pests that may damage the grounds. Additionally, we spray pesticides when needed as a restorative measure, not on an ongoing basis. Planting drought-tolerant or indigenous species: Because of the resort’s proximity to the mangroves, we grow only indigenous species.
- Water quality management: We conduct regular physical-chemical testing of the potable irrigation water and monthly microbiological wells that feed the irrigation lake. We limit irrigation water runoff into the canals throughout the property.
- Waste Management: We have a waste management program where every staff member is responsible for separating the recyclable, non-recyclable, and organic disposed materials on-property. We kindly invite you to join us in our preservation efforts and rid the planet of unnecessary waste.
We sell all of the Hotel’s recycled materials to local recycling facilities. We use all profits made from the Hotel’s efforts to fund further local environmentalist initiatives. 80% of our advertising is digital rather than print. We have a specially designated composting area to process all organic gardening materials. We implemented a “straw upon request policy” replacing plastic straws with a biodegradable alternative to minimize plastic waste.
- Wildlife habitat management: El Camaleon golf course includes many rocky areas, making great homes for native iguanas. El Camaleon has been Audubon certified since 2006 and has been re-certified every year. At Fairmont Mayakoba, we keep trees that have died but are still standing, as these make a perfect home for small animals and birds.
- Eco Meet: We offer guests the opportunity to minimize the ecological footprint of meetings, events, and leisure stays by reducing waste and conserving valuable resources. Linen and towel reuse program and in-room recycling.
A health and fitness program for the meeting, events, and leisure customers is available at our spa—plastic Free bottles. Paper, packaging, and garbage are a reality of our lives and any business. Fairmont has consistently cut these side effects of our operations. Bamboo stick swabs. The Hotel provides a particular bin in guestrooms to be used exclusively for the disposal of recyclable materials. Guests are encouraged to place all of the aluminum, plastic, paper, and cardboard materials in this bin. The cleaning products used in the Hotel are biodegradable and environmentally-friendly
Natural Resources Preservation: Each room’s bathroom has a low water consumption toilet and sinks that include an air regulator that reduces the water pressure to save water. The air conditioning systems in the Hotel’s rooms are programmed to turn off automatically when windows are opened. We control the air conditioning and lighting systems in the public areas through software that enables the Hotel to turn them on and off in specific areas, based on their schedules and needs. We clear the Hotel’s walkways with air pressure cleaning equipment rather than a water pressure cleaning. The Hotel’s sheet and towel program offers our guests the option to reuse these instead of washing them daily, thus saving at least 180 liters of water per day (65,000 liters per year)*. The Hotel uses a treatment plant at the Mayakoba condominium to process wastewater, which we use as a source of irrigation for its golf course and gardens at condominium public areas. Additionally, the property’s mangroves serve as a natural treatment plant.
- Flora and Fauna: In the beautiful gardens of Fairmont Mayakoba, you can find a great diversity of regional plants, as the property uses naturally growing vegetation off the Yucatan Peninsula jungle rather than flora from other areas.
This way, the Hotel helps maintain the balance of the region’s ecosystem. There are three different turtle species in the property’s Turtle Garden: Mojina, Jicoteca, and Mosquito. The Hotel’s staff cares for the animals and provides them with secure nesting sites.
Fairmont Mayakoba’s gardens boast drought-tolerant plants that are native to the area. The plants help save water, as they are highly adaptable to the weather conditions and do not require extensive irrigation or care. Fairmont Mayakoba’s gardens include fruit trees that grow naturally, without the need for any fertilizers or chemicals. Fairmont Mayakoba’s green areas have several signs to inform guests about the native flora and fauna.
Environmentally-friendly programs: We have organic and sustainable menus, waste-free meetings, and group eco-tourism activities. Sustainable menu options include organic vegetable products farmed by the local Mayan community, shade-grown organic coffee, and organic wines. Box lunch containers are made out of thermal material.
Local Partnerships: We partnered with Community Tours Sian Ka’an (CTSK), a local tourism organization from the nearby Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. CTSK is an award-winning tourism service alliance composed of three tour operators that conduct tours in designated areas and work closely with the Sian Ka’an park managers to ensure minimal environmental impact. More importantly, CTSK donates a percentage of its revenue directly to conservation efforts in reserve.
By participating in these local tours, our guests expand their knowledge of the Mayan people and their traditions Coral Reef Restoration Projects. Since May 2015, Fairmont Mayakoba has begun collaborating with the reef restoration program in partnership with Oceanus AC. Our Director of SPA leads the initiative. He coordinates a team of Fairmont Staff members in liaison between the resort, the NGO, and the local authorities in implementing the program.
For the implementation of this initiative, Oceanus installed three nurseries in the Puerto Morelos National Park. We obtained healthy fragments of the more significant colonies of coral which are transferred to the site of restoration of the Hotel. We fix the corals in bases that hold them until they reach the ideal size to be transplanted to the seabed, where they will naturally continue their growth.
We encourage our guests to participate through a snorkel tour to know the nurseries actively and better understand the process that we follow to preserve the corals. Our goal is to train and certify local coral reef restoration groups to recover from the current erosion and tach everyday eco-conscious practices. To learn more about the initiative, please visit Oceanus AC Planet 21 Initiative.
How can you celebrate and be part of it?
Doing small acts together will do big actions that will impact positively. Here we leave you some ideas and tips that you should embrace to improve the situation of our planet earth:
- Minimize your light and energy consumption. Not only will you be helping your economy, but you will give the planet a break. Disconnect all electrical appliances that you are not using, such as TV, lamps, etc. Change the incandescent bulbs in your home to low-energy bulbs.
- Another idea is to plant or sow something new in your home. Now that we will be in our houses, it is important to have green areas or plants that give our space life. Invite your friends to do the same!
- If you have children, teach them to appreciate and care for nature. Talk to them about the importance of biodiversity.
- Take advantage of this day to teach your children activities that are not technology-based and light consumption. Board games or even look up to the sky and find shapes in the clouds. It is time to go back to basics.
- Recycle and encourage your friends and neighbors to do so as well.
- Do not use plastic bags, and if you use them, then reuse them. Sometimes we use a plastic bag to carry something inside for a couple of minutes, but the bag will remain on our planet for hundreds of years. Thousands of animals will thank you.
- Whenever possible, avoid using transport that contaminates. It is better to use a bicycle or walk to go to nearby places.
- Make every day Earth Day. Nothing better than committing to taking care of your planet daily. Sometimes the small actions of a collective all are those that rise to a more significant change.
Visit earthday.org and learn more about how to contribute on Earth Day and create change like never before.
PACK WITH A PURPOSe IN MIND
We invite you to Pack for a Purpose by using the extra space left in your luggage. You can bring an item to donate to local community centers.
We are proud members of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination. If you save just a few kilos of space in your suitcase and take supplies for the projects we support in need, you’ll make a priceless impact in the lives of our local children and families.
Please click here to learn more.