“Green Roof Inn has a vision that extends beyond the commercial – linking business success with the wellbeing of the local community and its environment. To make profits with principles without undermining passion in the pursuit of professionalism. We want to be a resilient, determined, humanising advocate for Carriacou as a destination. We believe this is the future of tourism.”
We base our menu in the restaurant on local produce for freshness and quality and we avoid imports as far as possible to support the local economy and promote ecological sustainability
- No more plastic water bottles as we provide large water dispensers for guest convenience.
- No more single use soap as we provide refill pump hand soap in the rooms.
- Full range of Local Grenadian beers and soft drinks in recyclable bottles now in restaurant.
- Non recyclable wine bottles and jars collected and re-used by local juice and jam enterprise.
The Green Roof Inn Plan of Action for Sustainable Tourism
When adopting a plan of action for Green Roof Inn we have taken in regard the local
oportunities and limitations. It is centered around the four basic aims for sustainability: Sustainable management, socio-economic responsibility, cultural herritage and environment.
We have also put emphasis on the principles that are the most meaningful to us and that are the obvious way of change. To me the economicallimitations but great potential of Carriacou is the main chalange in the aim towards sustainable tourism.
The most important priority for Green Roof Inn to support the local market and economy in a sustainable way.
The motto is that as much as possible of a dollar spent at Green Roof Inn should remain and multiply within the local economy thus benefit the local, national and/or regional community with priority in that order.
With economic prosperity comes the means to deal with environmental issues and to afford to
make sustainable choices on the national policy making level as well as the day to day
life of people.
It is of ocourse of great importance to minimise the negative impact of on
the local environment created by Green Roof Inn and also to set a standard as being a role
model on sustainable tourism.
Plan of Action in details:
Fair Travel
Green Roof Inn recognises that it is only as good as its staff and that mutual respect, trust
and care is of great importance in a working relation. All employees shall feel that there
is room for growth and personal and professional development.
Salaries, breaks and holidays are in line with and above national union agreement. Breaks
are natural parts of the everyday work and yearly paid holidays are granted. Staff is
encouraged to join the local union. The local praxis of seasonal work in the tourism trade
does not suit our ethics, as our staff are all family providers Green Roof Inn employ full
time, all year round to secure the income of our employees. Green Roof Inn also applies a
gender awareness approach where in a female dominated workplace we have an ongoing
dialogue discussing gender issues and women empowerment. We also constantly try to
offer further training and education for our staff and share as much as possible the
knowledge of business that we have. Green Roof Inn is against all forms of
discrimination and tries to extend this stance to all its employees and beyond the walls of
the hotel. Environmental questions and options of choice in operation policy from
garbage reduction and recycling to supporting the local economy and refusing imports are
constantly under scrutiny at the Green Roof Inn thus furhtering all of our knowledge on
these issues in the day to day work.
Supporting the Local Market
With an aim that most of a dollar spent at the Green Roof Inn should remain, multiply
and benefit the local region we have adopted the following agenda.
We only use local produce in the restaurant as main ingredients.
This means beef, pork, fish, lobster, fruits, vegetables, drinks and most accessories.
Promoting local producers, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen this also leads to the
seasonal use of produce for quality and freshness.
Hotel equipment and maintainance products are also sought regionally.
Products needed but not produced locally we try to find regionally.
The few articles nessessary to import such as wines, coffee etc. we buy from local
merchants, no direct imports.
Although production is not regional, local/regional traders and transportations benefit,
promoting local employment and profits.
Fish and Seafood
Green Roof Inn supports the local fishing fleet and buys fish that is hook-fished, (no over
fishing by trawlers) and lobster when in season, September - May.
Meat Served in the Restaurant
Meat served in the restaurant at the Green Roof Inn comes from local animals. This
supports the local Carriacou farmers and also guarantees that the animals have had a free
and natural life wich would meet any criteria set for ecological farming. The animals are
slaughtered localy on their home farm so there are no stressfull transportations involved.
Drinks Served in the Restaurant
We try to stock only drinks sold in recycable bottles and cases. This also coinside with
the rule of local production as only the local/regional breweries would recycle their
bottles.
When no local choice, as with wine, coffee etc. it is important to choose the closest place
of origin of product. This minimise transportation and also support the regional economy.
Local merchants are used for imported articles to support local economy.
Garbage
Green Roof Inn strives to minimise the amount of garbage produced, and we also divide
biodegradables and nonrecycable solid waste.
To minimise wrapping and packaging, portion packs are excluded in favour for large
packs and paper wrapping prefered before metal, glass or plastic.
Refill and recycables prefered instead of disposables where ever possible.
All biodigradable waste from the kitchen is collected in a "pig bucket" that feed the
neighbours animals for meat production. The same meat is later purchased to be served in
the restaurant. - Full cycle.
Water Situation on Carriacou
Carriacou is an island lacking ground water. Our water supply comes from rainwater
collected off the roofs and stored in cisterns under the building to last through the dry
season. Running out of water leads to costly and poluting trucking of water.
Saving Water
Green Roof Inn was built around its toilets. To reduce the water consumption we have
special low flush toilets that requires no less than 45 degree angles on the waste pipes, the
design of Green Roof Inn was thus based on this precondition. The toilet waste pipes
originally went in to composting units for a completely closed waste system but are now,
because of failure, led in to conventional septics. All bathrooms have special water
saving shower heads.
Green Roof Inn has also devided its waste water system between the black water and the
grey water. The grey water is run through an infiltration in the ground and collected in
tanks for the use of wetting the garden which is specifically important during the dry
season.
Energy Savings and Solar Heating
As electricity is expensive and produced localy on the island with a diesel turbine, Green
Roof Inn features solar heated water which is a clean and renewable source of energy.
Because of the cost and polution of electricity production we also have chosen not to
have A/C units in any of the rooms. The house is designed so that there is a natural
airflow through the building and there are also fans in the rooms. All light bulbs in the
common areas are energy saving bulbs.
Support for Community Activity
Green Roof Inn regularly sponsor community based activities such as music and cultural
events. We are also members of the Historical Society of Carriacou that promotes the
knowledge of the history and cultural herritage of the island.
The Airline Traffic
The concept of tourism is partly contrary to sustainable development in a global
perspectve and contain a great environmental chalange as longhaul flights are part of the
product that we offer.
One way to counter the effects of the carbon footprint produced is for example planting
trees to become carbon neutral. How ever this can also be seen just as a stunt to justify
emmissions of carbon dioxid and green house gases. We believe that regionally, the
positive effects of sustainable development of the islands through tourism must be
considered to counter the negative impact of carbon emmissions and green house gases
caused by the flights that bring the tourists here. Sustainable development can be reached
through consious tourism developments in our region.
Tourism should be seen as a resourse and not a threat to the environment and the
sustainable development of the islands.
The Overall Perspective
In a small island as Carriacou we can not have the global perspective on sustainability but
have to appreciate the local conditions.
We put much emphasis on the importance of socio-economic development to create an
arena where ecological, environmental and climate change related issues can be adressed
and chalanged.
Economic development lays the grounds for education, awareness and ability to afford
environmental choices.
Green Roof Inn strive to minimise the negative impact on the environment of our
operations and continuously analyse and make all involved aware of the dilemmas
inherent and eventually chalange them. This together with advocating gender equality,
workers rights, encouraging education and training, sharing business know how, creating
employment and supporting society through local spending multiplier effects8 on
economic investments and daily spendings is our plan of action toward sustainable
development.
Future Aims and Chalanges
A plan of Action for Sustainable Tourism is a document as well as an ongoing process.
This process never ends and a business can always develop furhter even though the pace
of improvement may slow down as the obvious actions have been taken. There are
several goals we still have to achieve in the near future that are not in this plan of action.
One of the first ones is to apply for certification and through that process learn more of
what we can do. There is also a need to address the local Government, Board of Tourism
and the Grenada Hotel Association on the need for support to the industry for making
nesessary adjustments and asisstance in the certification process. The UNWTO clearly
recommends the development and support for national certifications of sustainable
tourism and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) is supposed to offer
assistance and provisions to stakeholders in the Caribbean region. We shall work
towards its realisation.