green and environmentally friendly hotels

Oahu and the Hawaiian islands contain some of the world’s most precious natural resources, so it’s important to our boutique Hawaii hotel group that we offer Green hotel options. As we redesign many of our Waikiki hotels, we will be instituting eco-friendly policies and procedures. As a participant in Waikiki’s revitalization effort, we feel it’s necessary to minimize our impact on the environment with earth-friendly practices at our environmentally friendly hotels.

As part of Aqua’s ongoing commitment to green initiatives, Best Western Plus Coconut Waikiki Hotel is now the second Aqua property (the first was Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki) to install Green Key Switches in all of their guest rooms. The way these switches work is, the guest places their key card into the thermostat control unit while the room is occupied, when the guest leaves the room, the thermostat and other energy controls go into energy-saving mode.

Aqua Bamboo Waikiki receives Hawai‘i Green Business Award

On March 22, 2010, Aqua Bamboo Waikiki was among the nine hotels that were recognized for their efforts in environmentally friendly business practices and presented with a Hawaii Green Business Award by Lt. Gov. Aiona. The 92-room Aqua Bamboo Waikiki’s master plan had two main phases:

• Information, education, behavioral
  changes
• Green initiatives

The outcome of the sustainable and environmental practices at Aqua Bamboo Spa in the last three months of 2009 resulted in saving more than 15,771 gallons of water, diverting more than 7 cubic yards of waste from the landfill, averting more than 135 pounds of air pollution and saving more than 9,241 kilowatt-hours of energy.
Future projects include:

• Aerator replacements from 2.2 to a
  lower .7 or .5 GPM
• Solar power as the primary source of
  water heating
• Reconverting the elevator maintenance
  service back to its original
  manufacturer to ensure optimal
  performance with the building elevator system
• Installation of room occupancy sensors to enhance control of lighting and air conditioning

_{Source: Waikiki Wiki Wiki Wire, 3/25/10}

Hawaii Ecotourism Association Aqua is a member of the Hawaii Ecotourism Association, a non profit committed to protecting Hawaii’s unique natural environment and cultures. Its members include government agencies, educational institutions, environmental organizations and others.

“Green” Hotels Association Members of the “Green” Hotels Association are environmentally-friendly hotels that have programs to save water and save energy. The following Aqua properties are partner members dedicated to saving water and energy to help the environment: Aqua Bamboo Waikiki

Proud Sponsors of: Chris Jordan Expedition
In September 2009, Chris Jordan, world-renowned photographer, took an expedition to Midway Atoll to document the impact of plastic pollution. The team of photographers, filmmakers and artists met with native Hawaiian kupuna to learn more about the ancient North Hawaiian Archipelago from their perspective before departing to Midway.

Proud Sponsors of: Great Pacific Garbage Patch Documentary
Sepetember 15-18, 2009 Plastic Pacific documented the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that is now several times the size of Texas and has collected in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California. The effects of this plastic dump are affecting our environment and wildlife in insurmountable ways. Other supporters include pro surfers, the Mayor of Honolulu and Billabong.