Embrace the Night – Dusit Thani Maldives Supports Earth Hour 2013

Dusit Thani Maldives

Demonstrating its commitment to protecting the environment, the recently-opened Dusit Thani Maldives announces its participation in Earth Hour, a global environmental awareness event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

On 23 March 2013, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. island time (GMT+6), the resort will switch off lights in majority of heart-of-house areas, such as staff residences, and dim lights in guest areas, restaurants and island pathways. Guests will be encouraged to participate by turning off the lights in their villas for one hour.

"As one of the leaders in sustainability in the Maldives and an environmentally-conscious resort, we are committed to engaging not just our guests but also our team members and the community in programs that help raise environmental awareness.” said Desmond Hatton, general manager of Dusit Thani Maldives. With this initiative, the resort estimates that one hour of shutting off lights can save up to 700 kilowatts, comparable to energy needed to provide power to all local village schools in the Baa Atoll for one month.

The resort has organised various activities aiming to inspire guests to share the resort’s responsibility of caring for nature. A staff tree planting activity will be open to guests, where 298 trees will be planted, one for member of the resort workforce. A back-of-house tour will be conducted by the chief engineer to demonstrate eco processes at the resort such as how seawater is desalinated, and how green energy solutions are utlised in heating showers and operating laundry machines. An Earth Hour cocktail at sundown will be held at Sand Bar before lights are turned off, giving guests an opportunity to interact with management and learn more about the resort’s eco-programs. A snorkelling excursion under the moonlight will be led by professional guides for a rare experience with night creatures of the sea.

In addition, other highlights include a special cocktail drink in honour of Earth Hour - the Mudhdhoo Mojito which uses fresh mint leaves grown and harvested right on the resort’s own garden. The Chef’s Garden provides the freshest selection of handpicked herbs and vegetables as supplements to the Chef’s culinary creations, helping to minimise the carbon footprint that results from importing products sourced globally. It also allows the resort to offer a complete gourmet experience together with the daily fresh catch from surrounding waters.

Participating in Earth Hour is but one aspect of Dusit Thani Maldives’ environmental efforts. The resort has implemented green initiatives from its development to ensure minimal impact to the environment and to operate in a sustainable and responsible manner. Some of these are through heat recovery systems in villa airconditioning units, solar panels in the staff residences and a water bottling facility, eliminating the need for 150,000 plastic bottles per year. Dusit Thani Maldives has achieved bronze certification and strives for silver certification on EarthCheck, the leading environmental benchmarking program.