Eco tourism is increasingly gaining buzz as one of the hottest parts of ‘green-living.’ It sounds great  - enjoy the benefits of a vacation away from the busy working life, and do it in a way that respects the environment during your escape! While the word ‘eco-tourism’ might make you think of roughing it in the great outdoors, thanks to some innovative social entrepreneurs, it is now possible to enjoy palm trees, exotic surroundings, and room service without doing what most of us do on vacation: take a break from the real world, and the stress we might feel from trying save it.  There is a movement underway to help travelers and vacationers enjoy our world, in all its variety, without leaving behind a giant carbon footprint wherever we go.

On behalf of Rethos I had the chance to visit the Banyan Resort in Key West, Florida in April of 2008 and was very glad to escape an unusually cool Montreal spring. The Banyan Resort (www.thebanyanresort.com) proved that the benefits of staying at an eco-resort could be much more that just respecting the environment; it can be an amazing experience that a traditional stay simply can’t afford.

Nestled in downtown Key West, the resort is a series of historic houses dating back over 100 years, and surrounded by a lush green grove of local vegetation. The houses are tall with crisp, white boards; zigzag staircases climb their exteriors and carry guests to higher upper level rooms. Shaded by the surrounding Banyan trees, the series of houses almost feels like a village of luxury tree houses.

The resort has several unique floor plans to choose from including studio, loft, one bedroom and two bedroom suites.  The particular suite I stayed in was one of their loft floor plans.  The living area/kitchen/bath are immediately revealed as you enter. A spiral staircase leads to a bedroom loft where skylight windows frame lazy palms outside.

Inside the rooms, environmental common sense prevails. There are signs in the bathroom and bedroom asking guests to indicate whether towels and sheets need not be washed in order save water and energy consumption, and reminders to shut lights when leaving the room, as well as low-level settings are default on the refrigerators. But, as I learned, this was only the beginning of The Banyan’s eco-credibility.

When I had a chance to meet with the Assistant General Manager of The Banyan Resort, Julie Brown, and the General Manager, Julie Crane, I was able to better understand the full scope of the measures that the Banyan Resort had taken to ensure the Resort’s sustainability and earn the honor of being the first ‘Green Lodge’ on the Florida Keys.

‘The Julies,’ as the duo are often referred to in ‘green’ circles on the island, are two inspiring ladies with a clear passion for environmental protection and a proactive attitude that seems a bit out of place amongst the ‘easy does it’ attitude of Key West.

Before taking the steps to being a Green Resort, Julie and her colleagues at The Banyan Resort had already begun to implement environmentally aware initiatives, such and installing Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) throughout the compound. When the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys called an informational meeting for local community leaders on the possibilities of taking Key West ‘green,’ the Julies and others were the first to attend. Julie Brown says she was surprised by how easy it was to make some of the changes on a checklist for a hotel or resort to achieve a high degree of sustainability, that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) offered during the meeting.

One year later the Banyan Resort is now a model for others in the community looking to reduce their environmental impact. The more Julie Brown described the overhaul, and the more one looks, the remarkable initiatives below the surface begin to be revealed: black solar panels stretch across the roofs of the buildings which serve to heat the pool, compost is transferred from the pool-side bar to a composting unit in the back garden, this compost is then used as fertilizer for the glorious green vegetation integrated throughout the resort, and the list goes on…The landscaping crew even replaced the vegetation at the resort with local plants, in a practice known as xeriscaping.  The plants are accustomed to the Key West conditions and do not require as much watering as foreign plants.

The Banyans, with their amazing hanging roots, meanwhile keep watch over the greening efforts below!

Since The Banyan Resort had implemented these practices several years ago, they did not have savings statistics to share.  They have always strived to operate the most efficiently wherever possible as it just makes good business sense, the decreased impact on the environment is an added bonus.  However, since they received their green designation, their focus has shifted from cost savings measures to implementing measures that not only decrease costs but benefit the environment.  They make the conscious decision to purchase products made from recycled or sustainable materials that can again be recycled on the way out.  Examples of this are installing carpet made from recycled materials that are 100% recyclable on the way out and furnishings made from Bamboo.

Individual homeowners and other resort and bed and breakfast owners frequently contact The Banyan Resort to find out how they can follow in their footsteps and also earn a Green Resort certification. As the movement towards sustainability continues to gain momentum, the Julies and the team at the Banyan Resort are proud to be knowledge brokers and leaders in their community. They are now affiliated with a new initiative, Green Key West: A Coalition for Sustainability that was recently launched by Key West mayor Morgan McPherson and other organizations, including Love Your Island (loveyourisland.com). This initiative is an effort to pool the various efforts to protect the delicate natural ecosystem of Key West and other islands.

The Banyan Resort has received significant attention and press coverage for their pioneering efforts in eco-tourism, and the growing interest in eco-resorts. Eco-tourists interested in more information about the Banyan Resort’s commitment to the environment are directed to www.thebanyanresort.com where an engaging multi-media experience unfolds, offering more information on the resort, its history, and what guests can expect during their stay

A well deserved congratulations to the team at The Banyan Resort for protecting a small paradise for today’s travelers and future generations to enjoy.

The Banyan Resort

Address:
323 Whitehead Street
Key West, Florida 33040

Phone:
(305) 296-7786
Toll Free: (866) 371-9222
Fax: (305) 294-1107