The 'no-use' of single-use plastics

Punish B Sharma, Vice President – Operations, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, talks about the viability of hotels getting rid of single-use plastic and combating with pricing issues.

Almost every hotel brand these days is getting rid of single-use plastics. How viable is that?

Many hotels are moving away from single-use plastics and adopting biodegradable products. The hotel industry has been proactive in driving change by complying with regulatory norms and acquiring eco-friendly measures. Collective efforts of industry will significantly reduce single-use plastic.

Did Fern always had sustainable materials across its properties unlike other hotels?

The Fern is very conscientious about environment and is rooted in environmentally sensitive basics. The Fern delivers much more luxury with elegance and personalised service, and all the contemporary facilities packaged together with minimal impact on the environment

Listed below are few of the practices used in operations: HANGERS- The hangers used in guest rooms are made from rubber wood.

Our key markets include China, India, Europe and the Middle East”

AMENITIES- Keeping in mind our environment theme, we use herbal products which are manufactured under an Ayurvedic license; these products are not tested on animals and do not contain any animal fat.

LAUNDRY– We have reusable cloth laundry bags instead of the standard paper or plastic bags as in other hotels, in which the guests could send the clothes for laundering and the same will be delivered in reusable cane baskets wrapped in muslin cloth.

SLIPPERS- Even the stylish slippers in rooms are hand crafted from jute for your comfort. We have also invested in water treatment and bottling plants at our premises to reduce the plastic bottles from rooms and restaurant.

Is keeping a hotel plastic free costlier? If yes, what are the other ways where you are bringing the cost down?

I won’t say it’s costlier. It does not hit the cost factor if well-planned and streamlined. Yet, to bring the cost down we follow set operating process like bulk purchasing, instead of buying 1 or 2 kg material wrapped in plastic bags we acquire 5 kg material in returnable cloth bag. Vendors are from the vicinity which cuts down the transportation cost.

When it comes to environment, how is Fern Hotels & Resorts standing out?

The Fern is constantly concerned about environment, sustainability and is known as a champion of green policies. We always look for ways to implement new ideas and to stay at the forefront of environmental stewardship. Sustainability is not merely a philosophy, but a way of life.