Page 268 - The New Gold Standard

PRINCIPLE 5: LEA VE A LASTING FOOTPRINT

Cousteau’s team. These resources provide opportunities to
explore aspects of reefs and mangroves impossible to see
during a typical stay on Grand Cayman.

Each of the activities presented through the Ambassadors
of the Environment program is designed to create a deep ap-
preciation and respect for nature. Additionally, lessons are of-
fered to guests to enhance their understanding of how they can
live in a more environmentally responsible way upon returning
to their homes.

To date, most of the Ritz-Carlton environmental efforts oc-
cur outside the purview of the guest. These include such things
as retrofitting laundry areas to use the last rinse in the laundry
cycle as part of the next load’s first wash cycle and reducing wa-
ter consumption by recycling dishwater to irrigate golf courses.
However, Ritz-Carlton also takes proactive environmental meas-
ures in the development of new properties. An example is the
company’s decreasing dependency on chemical use in landscap-
ing and its investment in sustainable design for projects such as
Molasses Reef, which is located at the far west end of the Turks
and Caicos archipelago and has been uninhabited for almost a
hundred years. For the privilege of living within a small ecocon-
scious community, each owner will share in the responsibility of
living mindfully and sustainably, stewarding this natural treas-
ure for future generations. Karim Alibhai, founder of the Gen-
com Group, the Molasses Reef developer, cites, “While extra
care and cost were involved based on our ecological approach to
Molasses Reef, the guest will experience the richest of surround-
ings. We could have compromised the environment for things
like ease of access, but we held the environment and long-term
sustainability as an overarching consideration for the project.”
Similar design innovations can be found in the first-of-its-
kind project at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Paul Savarino,

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