Green Seal Certified!
Hygiene manager Ashwindra Naidu proudly holds FOR’s Green Seal Certificate
BY MONICA SALTER — Hearty congratulations to Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort (ORF), Waikiki Malia by Outrigger (OMH) and Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort (FOR) for earning the Green Seal Certification. The Green Seal Certified mark (left) is a universal symbol that shows that our products and services meet the highest benchmark of environmental leadership.
Back in April and as part of our global ESG platform and kickoff to Earth Day, we announced that we would move forward with Green Seal Certification at our seven owned and/or managed properties in Hawai‘i, as well as our resorts in Fiji and Mauritius. This came on the heels of Outrigger being recognized by Hawai‘i Green Business Program for exceptional environmental stewardship.
Outrigger was the first in the State of Hawai‘i to commit to earning the prestigious Green Seal sustainability certification for our properties as well as the first hospitality brand to pursue the certification outside of the United States.
Thank you to all who helped to achieve this recognition of meeting the highest standard of clean.
Castaway Introduces HOMEBIOGAS System
BY KOLINIO VULAONO — In our effort to promote sustainability on the island, Castaway Island, Fiji Resort has introduced a bioGas system to assist in firing up our stoves at our signature Asian Fusion restaurant – 1808. HOMEBIOGAS is a clean, renewable energy source that can be used to generate up to 4 hours of clean cooking gas and produce liquid fertilizer for the gardens.
The gas is produced from the vegetable off-cuts and kitchen food waste which are separated in the kitchen and fed into the bioGas system. As the organic matter breaks down, it produces biogas, which is mostly methane and carbon dioxide. BioGas digesters use methanogenic bacteria in an anaerobic environment to help process the waste.
General Manager Steven Andrews said he was proud that Castaway was able to introduce this bioGas system as it is in line with Outrigger Resorts & Hotels’ sustainable initiatives. The system was self-funded by our activities department and environment team. They conducted fundraising and had guests donate to the project.
We have been waiting for this system for nearly 2 years and now that we have set it up, we can’t wait to try it out and boast about it to our guests and fellow hosts.
Executive Chef Denis Chandra said, “The bioGas system is a great addition to our food story in Restaurant 1808. The system helps to supplement the LP Gas high-pressure stoves. We use them to cook our light menus and sauces that are on our Asian Fusion menu.”
HOMEBIOGAS has a positive environmental impact by eliminating the greenhouse gas emissions the kitchen waste items would create in landfills.
HOMEBIOGAS Quick Facts:
- HOMEBIOGAS is contributing to 13 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- HOMEBIOGAS systems are designed for a circular economy while the systems themselves are made out of 100% recyclable materials; the shelf life is 15 years. Food waste goes into the system to create energy which can cook food with cooking gas or grow food with bio-fertilizer.
- 124,891 trees were saved: According to the World Bank, the UN and FAO reports, between 2.4 and 3.5 million people worldwide do not have access to clean cooking energy and technology. These people use open fires and rely on wood-based fuel, including wood and charcoal for cooking.