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Hotel Mocking Bird Hill Launches Carbon Offsetting Programme.

As part of its ongoing commitment to operating an environmentally friendly business, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is working towards becoming Jamaica’s first ‘climate neutral’ eco-boutique hotel not only enabling its international guests to offset their flight carbon emissions, but also responsibly offsetting its own carbon emissions, expanding its 13 year history of sustainable tourism practice to further reduce their environmental footprint

Port Antonio, Jamaica 04 May 2007

As part of its ongoing commitment to operating an environmentally friendly business, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is working towards becoming Jamaica’s first ‘climate neutral’ eco-boutique hotel not only enabling its international guests to offset their flight carbon emissions, but also responsibly offsetting its own carbon emissions, expanding its 13 year history of sustainable tourism practice to further reduce their environmental footprint.

Their approach is fourfold: firstly, by paying into an internationally accredited carbon offsetting programme (Sustainable Tourism Initiative My Climate); secondly by the continued improvement of their environmental working practices to reduce their carbon emissions; thirdly by seeking their guests’ involvement they help raise awareness and fourthly by contributing to a local programme which is trying to mitigate some of the environmental problems Jamaica faces.

Their website www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com, links to STI’s carbon calculator making it easier for guests to calculate the carbon emissions resulting from their trip which they can offset by contributing to a Jamaican environmental programme.

This contribution towards a Jamaican project is important. The Jamaica Conservation Development Trust is an NGO promoting sustainable resource management, helping to increase local awareness of environmental issues, training park rangers and developing community based tourism in the John Crow and Blue Mountains. The JCDT’s programme is particularly important as they plant in areas identified as high priority for rehabilitation using mainly native Jamaican forest trees, particularly those that are fast growing and have little value for lumber but which are excellent for biodiversity and includes the Hernandia catalpifolia - Water Mahoe, the tree that the endangered Giant Swallowtail Butterfly lays its eggs on and the only plant the caterpillars will eat.

The decision to make these contributions is not about easing conscience, but is part of the hotel’s strategy to operate in environmentally sound manner. The operators of Hotel Mocking Bird Hill are taking responsibility for the emissions generated through their business as well as those produced by their clients’ trips to Jamaica. This initiative is about investing up front to conserve for the future without sacrificing on the comforts associated with an eco-chic hotel.

STI has recently calculated the hotel’s emissions at 68.78 VERs (verified emission reductions, ton of CO2 equivalent) annually.

For information about Hotel Mocking Bird Hill’s environmental commitment

http://www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com/english/environment/sustainabletourism.php

Further information:

http://www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com

Contact: Shireen Aga

Email: shireen@hotelmockingbirdhill.com

Telephone: +1 876993734

Skype: mockingbirdees

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