Inn At Laurel Point Puts Earth First

The team at Inn at Laurel Point is celebrating its status as BC’s first carbon-neutral hotel by launching a new Carbon-Neutral Events program to the roster of eco-friendly initiatives the waterfront hotel in downtown Victoria offers in honour of Earth Month.

As part of its 10-year vision to continue leading the charge towards a sustainable future, the hotel has teamed up with Victoria non-profit Synergy Enterprises to formulate its new Carbon-Neutral Events program that’s now available.

Inn at Laurel Point already offsets the carbon footprint for guests staying at the hotel, but this new package includes a toolkit that will enable Inn at Laurel Point to help event planners calculate their carbon footprint and offset travel and food related emissions. Event planners will then be provided with a certificate of authenticity to recognize their commitment to carbon neutrality.

A key part of carbon neutrality is working to minimize emissions. The new events program includes low-carbon menu options featuring plant-rich items, Vancouver-Island sourced products and plated meals rather than buffet-style options to avoid food waste. It will also recommend other like-minded businesses in the capital city like Eagle Wing Whale Watching and Harbour Air, both of which have already established their bona fides as carbon-neutral businesses.

Offsets will be directed toward providers that Inn at Laurel Point currently supports, such as The Great Bear Forest Carbon Project on Vancouver Island and The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Darkwoods Conservation Area in the West Kootenays.

Brooke Harris, Director of Sales and Marketing at Inn at Laurel Point, explained that: “We’ve had a long history of aiming to empower staff, guests and community stakeholders to take a more eco-friendly approach. This new program is part of a strategy to go beyond sustainability and do our part to restore balance to our environment, society and economy.”

Harris continued: “This is just another step that our team is taking to lessen the impact we all have on the environment, and we are excited to show our meeting planners how they can take the first step by opting for carbon-neutral events.”

Other innovations to minimize the hotel’s carbon footprint include:

• Net-zero air conditioning via hydrothermal technology
• Installing LED lights and low-flow fixtures to improve energy and water efficiency
• Spearheading the city’s Earth Day Power hour and beach cleanups
• Diverting unused bath products to Disaster Aid Canada’s ‘Soap for Hope’ program
• Turning worn sheets into bandages to provide first aid supplies for developing nations

The hotel is also investing in six additional electric-vehicle charging stations and has partnered with Nespresso to offer sustainable and fully recyclable coffee capsules for guests in all guestrooms.

Go to www.laurelpoint.com/sustainability for more.