Environmental Policy
A carbon-neutral hotel and an elegant, award-winning boutique hotel experience can co-exist.
At Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba we act on our environmental values. We believe that making progress on environmental issues comes first, for our very survival as a tourism destination and for the health and safety of our guests and associates. We develop working models that are replicable and provide examples to follow. Our model demonstrates:
- A hotel can provide a quality and luxurious guest experience and be green at the same time, and Environmental initiatives can be implemented in a manner that is practical, economic, and aesthetic.
- Actively caring for our environment is a core value at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort. We are committed to spreading the word about the importance of taking environmental actions, operating carbon neutral and about our initiatives.
Our activities are not yet common within the hotel community. By integrating the most advanced environmental technologies and certifications, we charted an aggressive environmental course.
Procedurally, we orchestrated a management and documentation structure and established environmental policy through the certification process of several environmental organizations, some specific to the hospitality industry:
- LEED Gold
- Green Globe Platinum
- Travelife Gold
- Certified Carbon Neutral
Some of the initiatives born from our certifications, as well as our own additional initiatives specific to our location and conditions, are not obvious at first glance.
- Hidden on the rooftops are the maximum amount of solar panels that provide significant amounts of the hotel’s electrical demand.
- Switching to greener, eco-friendly types of paper for its resort marketing materials, by which Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort has been able to save 82 trees, as well as reduce wastewater by 37,617 gallons, solid waste by 2,315 lb, and greenhouse gases by 7,936 lb.
- In process to switch all refrigeration equipment to utilize low GWP refrigerants like Hydrocarbon Refrigerant
- Ensuring we have the lowest per-occupied-room electricity usage of all hotels in Aruba. (Source: Central Bank of Aruba study by Deloitte)
- Reducing our carbon footprint by sourcing local suppliers and products made on Aruba.
- Solar panels heating water for guest rooms and the laundry. Backup heaters are heat pump heaters.
- Water reducers, which cut down water flow by 60% in all showers and faucets, and low-flow toilets.
- Sink and shower water is treated and reused in the gardens. No drop of fresh water is used for irrigation.
- Bulk purchasing and use of in-room dispensers delivering genuine Aruba Aloe freshly made shampoos, conditioners, and lotions instead of individual packages in plastic containers.
- Using biodegradable and environmentally friendly detergents
- Recycling and composting programs are standard. Garden waste is reused in our nature preserve.
- Products in the restaurant and spa are sourced from local organic or sustainable producers as much as available and possible.
Knowledge and budgets have limits to heed. But we hope our actions have provided worthy examples for others to try.
Even though much of what we have done remains hidden to the eye, our environmental commitments are reflected everywhere. The hotel has been designed to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) gold certification and to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the choices we’ve made and the values we stand by.
Our team has created a list of environmental initiatives to address every aspect of Bucuti & Tara life, most of which we were able to implement.
Community Involvement
- Bucuti & Tara subsidizes thousands of spay & neuter surgeries to reduce the problem with overpopulation and abandoned dogs and cats on the island through a foundation we have created called Stimami and Sterilizami.
- Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, a volunteer-run foundation that takes in sick and injured animals
- Turtugaruba, a local foundation that protects giant sea turtles
- Animal Rights Aruba, which aims to protect all fauna, flora, and marine life on and around the island of Aruba
- An active leader within the AHATA Environmental Committee
- Supported the introduction of a law which banned plastic bags on the island.
- Support Dog protection laws to reduce the problem of stray dogs.
- Recycling contest – artworks made of recycled materials - annually we sponsor a community contest
Carbon offset program including the services to guests of a Carbon Offset Concierge on staff who can assist in calculating and directing guests towards a 100% carbon neutral vacation
Updated September 2024
