Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney Introduces Wooden Key Cards to Reduce Plastic Usage
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney is the first hotel in the city to introduce wooden key cards for all guests.
As part of its plan to expand sustainable initiatives and reduce plastic usage, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney is the city’s first hotel to introduce wooden key cards, which will replace 52,000 plastic key cards that are thrown away each year. Made from wood and bamboo, the key cards are sourced from well-managed, plentiful, legally-harvested and sustainable hardwood forests; incorporate an RFID chip, laser-engraved logo and instructions; and are lightweight and durable.
Positioned in the dress circle of Sydney Harbour, the panoramic views of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge enhance the luxurious glamour of Sydney’s destination hotel.
The hotel is also offering Just Water in the lounge and rooms for Horizon Club guests, which will reduce the the use of plastic bottles by 360,000 per year. Just Water’s carton is 100% recyclable and made with 82% renewable packaging. The shoulder of the package is plant-based plastic, while the cap is made mostly from sugarcane and 54% paper from responsibly harvested trees that contribute to 74% less harmful emissions, compared to standard plastic bottles. The cartons are filled with 100% spring water with naturally occurring mineral and pH content from Cottonwood Springs, located at the base of Mount Warrenheip, Victoria.
“Shangri-La is an early adapter of emerging environmental initiatives that use more renewable resources and less paper, plastic and fossil fuels,” says Philippe Kronberg, General Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney. “I am delighted to report our guest feedback is entirely positive, with guests already posting on social media about our two new environmental initiatives that support an ethically greener world.”
For Horizon Club guests, Just Water is available in the lounge and rooms, and is 100% recyclable, made with 82% renewable packaging.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney has also introduced ORCA clean food waste recycling technology, which has diverted 39.73 tons of hotel food waste from landfill in the last six months, and avoided 34.96 tons of greenhouse gas, and 25.82 kg of methane gas. Its sustainable initiatives continue at the front desk with paperless check-in and check-out, and in back of house operations with DocuSign that replace internal paperwork.
For more information, visit Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney’s website and follow them on Instagram: @shangrilasydney
[Images courtesy of Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk