Ritz-Carlton green campaign takes root in Riyadh

A hundred employees from The Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh planted over 300 trees in the hotel’s surroundings as part of a new environmental campaign called Green Earth, Clean Earth. The project is part of a global initiative called Clean up the World with a dual purpose to preserve the natural environment and give back to the local community. Swanky hotels aren’t just about nice soap.

“We are constantly looking for ways to support our community, and the Green Earth, Clean Earth campaign is a great way to highlight our ongoing commitment to working together for a better environment,” said Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh General Manager Adel Al-Mahboob. “We are thrilled to see that so many of our ladies and gentlemen here at the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh took part in this initiative to actively support the community, proudly demonstrating the company’s long-term vision.” The Clean up the World campaign is held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

The hotel chain has a history of leadership in environmentally mindful practices. The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte (North Carolina, USA) was the first LEED Gold-certified hotel for the company, and for that city. It boasts a vegetated roof planted with 18,000 sedum plants to help reduce urban heat island effect. The green roof slows rain runoff and provides insulation, keeping the overall building cooler whilst also cooling the air around it through evapotranspiration. The chef’s garden and beehive colony also sit on that roof; organic honey, lavender, mint, other herbs and greens feature large on the hotel menu. (Seventy pounds of chemical-free raw honey is generated annually by the hives, depending upon foraging schedules, weather and nectar flow.)

Original article by Laurie Balbo

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Ritz-Carlton green campaign takes root in Riyadh