Global association of travel and tourism professionals, SKÅL International, has revealed a new project spearheaded by its Koh Samui branch, a sustainability website called Samui.Green.
Created by SKÅL Samui Executive Communication member Claudio Cerquetti, the focus of the website is the dispersion of information about sustainable best practices among the local travel and hospitality industry, and the wider community, and to bring all island-wide environmental initiatives under one umbrella.
Samui.Green is planned to function as an ever-evolving platform that fosters collaboration and drives positive change for Koh Samui, and highlight community projects such as the Trash Heroes initiative, which aims to mobilise locals and tourists alike in cleaning up beaches, streets and forests.
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Skål International launches Samui.Green
Samui.Green was unveiled to key stakeholders, industry members and media during the SKÅL Club Samui monthly networking dinner at Prana Resort Nandana Samui on Tuesday 30 April 2024.
Signature Media’s CEO and Group Editor Cathy Wagstaff was invited to attend the event, where the founder of decarbonisation solution company Bizsu, Brice Degeyter, was the special guest speaker, apprising attendees of the latest sustainability strategies across farming, transportation, business and energy conservation, many of which were informed by his previous work in Singapore.
Degeyter proposed local businesses integrate biophilic principles into their venues and building design to function more sustainably. Some of the key ideas of the evening included the consideration of vertical farming, green buildings and growing mushrooms from general food waste to increase independent food production and resiliency on the island; and the development of efficient solutions to mitigate Koh Samui’s large energy consumption.
Attendees also spoke of e-bikes and scooters as emission-reducing transport options for the island and turning coconut waste into a garden and compost aid.
Despite being a small island, Koh Samui uses a significant amount of energy on air conditioning in hotels, offices and entertainment venues due to the high rates of visitors. To mitigate the negative effects of this, Degeyter suggested passive cooling solutions for new constructions, such as double-sided solar panels, white roofs, and natural ventilation to save up to 35% of current energy usage on artificial air conditioning in businesses and hotels – which is estimated to be around 60% of the island’s overall consumption.
The website launches amid a hybrid environment where Koh Samui hospitality providers run the gamut of the sustainability spectrum, with some still supplying single-use plastic products while others adopt a waste-free concept. Cathy Wagstaff experienced one such property during her stay at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, which sets an example with its energy-saving systems, water-efficient landscaping techniques, recycling program and food waste composting initiative. Ethical principles are adapted across the hotel, which participates in the Coral Conservation Project led by its in-house marine biologist, and hosts a retail boutique of artisanal products from Thailand-based creators.
To ensure a smooth rollout of the new initiative, the organisation is proposing an increased delivery of Thai-language content around sustainable and eco-friendly business practices across the island, to ensure the benefits are enjoyed by the whole community.
