SAN
JOSE, CALIF.—At this year’s Hotelier Maldives GM Forum, Iain Milnes, President of Power Knot, explained why the proper disposal of waste
food is essential for hotels and resorts that are committed to sustainable
operations and a low carbon footprint. High-end tourist destinations, which are
often located on or near pristine ecological environments, are among the top
producers of food waste—statistics show that some resorts generate more than
3lbs (1.5kg) of food waste per meal.
The GM Forum—the only dedicated gathering for hotel managers in the Maldives—is
an annual gathering of general managers and hospitality industry stakeholders.
This year, presentations and panel discussions at the GM Forum were themed
around hotel safety and security, closing the skills gap in the hospitality
industry, and best practices for sustainable tourism.
Storing and disposing of food waste is a messy and expensive headache for food
service managers at luxury resorts, and traditional approaches to the disposal
of waste food can damage a resort’s brand reputation and run afoul of increasingly
stringent local regulations. During his presentation to GM Forum attendees,
Milnes outlined best practices for the disposal of waste food onsite that
support a resort’s triple bottom line corporate sustainability objectives of
people, planet, and profit.
Fast ROI on Waste Food Biodigester
“Resort managers and owners are especially concerned about reducing their
carbon footprint, and the proper disposal of food waste is one area where they
can make a big difference,” said Milnes. “A resort that sends 500 kilograms of
waste food per day to a landfill generates 750 tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent per year—and this does not factor in labor and transportation costs,
nor the unsightly presence and odor of food-waste bins near a kitchen. Onsite food-waste
processing is achievable with zero impact on kitchen operations and can pay for
itself within months.”
To reduce food waste in the Maldives, Power Knot is partnering with Dusit Thani
Maldives, a luxury resort on Mudhdoo Island in Baa Atoll. The resort has a firm
commitment to sustainable operations; it recently unveiled rooftop solar panels
on its main buildings and installed a Power Knot LFC
biodigester
for its waste food. These initiatives reduce the resort’s carbon footprint, set
a standard for sustainable tourism, and contribute toward the Maldives’ sustainable
development goals.
“Despite our unique vulnerabilities as a Small Island Developing State, we
constantly strive to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development
through innovative strategies and empowering people,” said Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister
of Environment and Energy, Republic of the Maldives. “Building resilience and
adapting to the impacts of climate change on our fragile environment depends on
the holistic engagement of all national stakeholders and global partners.”
