When BYOB means zero waste

THE hotel’s refilling station encourages patrons to bring their own bottles. Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB). This was Eco Hotel Philippines’ message when it launched its first Zero-Waste Store at Spaces by Eco Hotel in Makati City on 9 August. The hotel’s refilling station encourages patrons to bring their own bottles to purchase Eco Hotel’s signature shampoo, conditioner, bath gel and lotion.

The hotel hopes to influence its guests to embrace environment-friendly initiatives and promote a package-free lifestyle.

Eco Hotel PR manager Aym Bagatsing shared that their zero-waste store is a result of a collective effort of the hotel, their guests and followers on social media.

“We asked our followers on Facebook, ‘If we are to sell our amenities, would you like to buy it?’ And they said yes. So here we are, opening our first zero-waste store. We are very passionate about it because as a green hotel, the number one thing that we would like to reduce is plastic, particularly single-use plastic items,” Bagatsing said.

Individuals who embrace zero-waste and nearly zero-waste lifestyle attended the launch to support Eco Hotel’s BYOB campaign.

The establishment is fervent in its advocacy to minimize its impact on the environment while imparting sustainability practices to staff and guests. The hotel group is serious in implementing ecotourism principles and the management ensures that they execute eco-friendly processes in their daily operations.

Eco Hotel believes that each one can be a part of the mission to protect the environment. While the hotel acknowledges it is challenging to achieve a zero-waste lifestyle and fully eliminate trash, Eco Hotel believes that each one can be a part of the mission to protect the environment. In addition to its current practices of using upcycled materials for its room furniture and glass bottles for bathroom amenities to discourage using single-use plastic items, the hotel also supports eliminating unnecessary packaging.

With this initiative of refilling for bathroom essentials (P99/200 grams), the hotel hopes to influence its guests to embrace environment-friendly initiatives and promote a package-free lifestyle. Eco Hotel encourages all its guests and visitors to bring their own empty containers. The hotel also sells reusable bottles at P25 each for those who would need them, especially for gift ideas.

Its “homemade” bathroom essentials have a shelf life of 12 months, which can be prolonged if they are not mixed with water or exposed to sunlight.

After launching its first zero-waste store at Spaces by Eco Hotel in Makati City, it will also have refilling stations in its other properties. For now, it is only open on weekends at Spaces, and Cabins by Eco Hotel and Containers by Eco Hotel in Tagaytay. “But if we see potentials, we could open every day,” said Millie Manahan, partner and marketing manager. “However, we have Eco Weekend Market every third weekend of the month in Containers, Tagaytay.”

The hotel will also launch an online store in October.

FERVENT in its advocacy, Eco Hotel finds it important to reiterate the relevance of zero-waste in our consumerist economy today. “Eco Hotel finds it important to reiterate the relevance of zero-waste in our consumerist economy of today,” Manahan said.

“As mindful consumers, we must find a way to combat the linear economy. With our BYOB launch, we are hoping to start a small chain of change, starting with our guests, their friends, our families and the company. We hope you join us by taking this step to be package-free!”

For more information, visit www.ecohotels.com.ph, Facebook.com/ecohotelph or follow their IG @ecohotelph.