Royal Resorts® is always looking for ways to reduce its environmental footprint, by adopting solar power, switching to eco-friendly cleaning products, protecting sea turtles, supporting conservation in the Mexican Caribbean, and more. On World Environment Day, June 5, the call is to join forces around the world to reduce our reliance on plastics and we thought we would like to share some of the green initiatives at Royal Resorts.
Energy
Solar panels have been installed at The Royal Sands to generate electricity and heat 50 percent of the water used in the 340 villas, and at The Royal Haciendas and Grand Residences for energy. Royal Resorts also has a long-term contract with a company to supply it with energy from renewable sources. Energy-efficient technology such as LED lighting and LCD flat screen TVs is used at all the resorts.
Water conservation
The resorts have reverse osmosis plants to purify water to the strictest standards. Water saving devices are used to conserve water where possible. Resort guests are invited to do their bit to protect the planet and conserve water by not requesting a change of bed linens, towels and beach towels on a daily basis.
Recycling
There are recycling trash cans in public areas of the resorts and guests are encouraged to separate plastic, glass, aluminum and cardboard waste in their villas. Behind the scenes, paper, cardboard and office supplies. All waste suitable for recycling is collected and sold as “trash for cash” to raise money for the Royal Resorts Foundation’s charitable causes: conservation, education, physiotherapy for children, the fight against cancer and the team member emergency relief fund.
Even the cooking oil used in the resort kitchens is recycled to be disposed of by an external company.
Helping to reduce the plastic tide
The plastic tide threatens our oceans and wildlife and microplastics work their way up through the food chain with consequences for us all. To help reduce the use of plastics, plastic drinking straws that are harmful to marine life when discarded have been replaced with eco-friendly biodegradable straws for guests that request them. Water dispensers have also been installed in guest areas, restaurants and bars. At Grand Residences, pitchers of chilled water are served on the pool deck and throughout the resort. Bottled water is still available on request, but guests who would like to support this green initiative and help protect the planet, can bring an eco-friendly water flask or thermos and fill it up any time they need instead of buying single-use plastic bottles of water.
In the resort stores, plastic bags are no longer available but guests can purchase eco-friendly cloth bags.
Switching to eco-friendly products
In the pool and beach bars, reusable melamine plates and acrylic glasses have replaced non-biodegradable polystyrene cups and take-out containers. Around the resorts, where possible, cleaning products, polishes and varnishes used by the Housekeeping and Maintenance departments are substituted for environmentally friendly options.
Ozone purification technology keeps the water clean in the swimming pools at all resorts and has enabled Royal Resorts to reduce its chlorine consumption by 40 percent. By switching to colored beach and pool towels, less bleach is now used in the resort laundries.
Going paperless
Royal Resorts has a commitment to going paperless and many of its services are now available online, accessible through websites, the use of QR codes or the Royal Resorts app to reduce paper consumption and printing.
Sourcing regional products
Shop at Royal Market stores in the different resorts and you’ll see organic coffee from the mountains of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz, artisanal chocolate from Tabasco, dragon fruit preserves from central Quintana Roo, pure honey, spicy sauces, honey-based liqueurs, soaps and body lotions from the Yucatan, and more. By sourcing regional products, Royal Resorts is helping farmers and supporting sustainable development in Mayan communities.
Planting native species of plants
A stroll through the gardens at The Royal Haciendas gives you a glimpse of some of the native trees and shrubs planted on the grounds. They include the ceiba or silk kapok tree, the sacred tree of the ancient Maya, chaka, zapote or sapodilla and the cannonball tree, among others.
At Grand Residences, the mangrove forest is the green heart of the resort and is a haven for iguanas, herons, flycatchers and other birds. With neighboring resorts, it also ensures that water flows between the different areas of mangrove forest through a system of pipes that are also wildlife passes for species such as crocodiles.
Approximately 78 percent of all the plants in the resort gardens are native species found in the area’s wetlands, coastal forest and dunes. In the resort nursery, the gardeners propagate species such as mangroves, ciricote, sea grape, akits, chaka and chit palm.
Turtle guardians Since 1985, Royal Resorts has been protecting the sea turtles that emerge from the sea during the summer to lay their eggs on the beaches of Cancun. It was one of the first companies to sign up when municipal authorities subsequently launched a conservation campaign and now participates in the annual statewide turtle program coordinated by SEMARNAT, the Mexican Department of the Environment.
Record keeping began in 1998 and to date, Royal Resorts has protected more than 10,000 turtle nests and released over 1.2 million baby turtles.
Conservation
Royal Resorts is a longtime supporter of conservation in the Mexican Caribbean. Through an alliance with local NGO Amigos de Sian Ka’an, the Royal Resorts Foundation contributes to the protection of jungle, mangrove forest and wetland ecosystems and the rare creatures that inhabit them. Amigos de Sian Ka’an projects include the creation of wildlife corridors linking reserves so that species such as the jaguar and puma, deer, tapir and monkeys can move freely through the area to feed and breed; hydrological studies and collaboration in regional initiatives to safeguard the cenotes, underground rivers and precious aquifers of the Yucatan Peninsula; action against climate change; coral reef monitoring and fish population research, environmental education, sustainable development and community tourism.
Spreading the message and boosting environmental awareness
Royal Resorts team members are conscious of the need to save natural resources and they do what they can to implement additional eco-friendly policies in the workplace. They also help to spread the word about recycling and environmental protection in the wider community.
How you can help
Support initiatives such as recycling and energy and water conservation and reduction of single-use plastics during your stay. Fill your water bottle at the water dispensers in guest areas, take a bag with you when you go for a walk along the beach to pick up litter on the sand, wear a t-shirt when snorkeling instead of applying sun cream, use eco-friendly insect repellent or sun products, and purchase regional products such as organic coffee and honey to bolster sustainable development in Maya communities. By donating to the Royal Resorts Foundation, you can also contribute to the conservation of the Yucatan Peninsula’s natural wonders.
