Wooden key cards will replace plastic key cards at Shangri-La Hotel Sydney – where 52,000 plastic key cards are discarded annually.
“Shangri-La is an early adapter of emerging environmental initiatives that use more renewable resources and less paper, plastic and fossil fuels”, said General Manager Philippe Kronberg.
“I am delighted to report our guest feedback is entirely positive, with guests already posting on social media about our two new environmental initiatives that support an ethically greener world.”
The hotel is also introducing ‘Just Water’ into hotels rooms, which will reduce the use of plastic bottles by 360,000 per year.
The new key cards are made from wood and bamboo, sourced from well-managed, plentiful, legally harvested and sustainable hardwood forests, with a grown-to-removal ratio of 2.4 to 1. They will incorporate an RFID chip, laser-engraved logo and instructions, and are lightweight and durable.
Just Water’s carton is 100 per cent recyclable, made with 82 per cent renewable packaging and plant-based plastic in the shoulder and cap made mostly from sugarcane, and 54 per cent paper from responsibly harvested trees that contribute to 74 per cent less harmful emissions, compared to standard plastic bottles.
The cartons are filled with 100 per cent spring water with naturally occurring mineral and pH content from Cottonwood Springs, located at the base of Mount Warrenheip, Victoria.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney has also introduced ORCA clean food waste recycling technology, which has diverted 39.73 tonnes of hotel food waste from landfill in the last six months, and avoided 34.96 tonnes of greenhouse gas, and 25.82 kg of methane gas. The hotel has initiated paperless check-in and check-out, and DocuSign to replace internal paperwork.
