Environmentally conscious resorts in rural areas, with little to no recycling plants in the vicinity, find it difficult efficiently dispose of the solid waste from their properties. Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island is located on the largest but the least populated island per square mile in the Bahamas. Faced with the issue of too much waste and limited means to dispose of it in an environmentally conscious way, the hotel devised an innovative strategy to fulfill its mission to reuse, reduce and recycle.

When Small Hope Bay Lodge’s CEO, Jeffrey Birch, realized just how many empty wine bottles the resort was producing every week, he immediately sprang into action with a unique plan. He began turning old wine bottles into drinking glasses for the hotel bar. Not only did this reduce the amount of waste leaving the island, it also decreased inventory breakage of drinking glasses.

As the number of hotel properties increase in the Caribbean, recycling should become a priority for the industry. Especially in rural coastal areas, solid waste ends up in the ocean due to improper waste management. Finding creative ways to recycle your property’s waste will reduce your costs, preserve your beaches and ensure the overall prosperity of your community. If you are interested in developing a similar recycling project for your hotel, please contact Jeff at jeff@smallhope.com.