Environmental education: tips on caring for the planet and our actions

26^th January is World Environment Education Day, which dates back to 1975 and the International Seminar on Environmental Education held in Belgrade. The event was attended by experts from more than 70 countries and served to lay the foundations for the principles of environmental education within the framework of United Nations programmes.

One of the results of this seminar was the Belgrade Charter, which reflects the key values of Environmental Education:

"To develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations and commitment to work individually and collectively towards solutions to current problems and the prevention of new ones."

At THB hotels we believe that it is essential to generate awareness of the importance of protecting and caring for our environment. For this reason, we have come up with 10 tips for environmental education that can easily be incorporated into our daily lives. Each individual action will impact significantly on environmental issues.

Environmental education must be centred on the responsible use of those natural resources that are in short supply, such as potable water, as well as encouraging recycling and correct waste management and reducing individuals’ contribution to pollution – all crucial measures for addressing climate change.

When it comes to caring for our planet, there are 10 things that everyone – children and adults – can do in their daily lives:

1. Save water, recognising that it is not an unlimited resource.
2. Use public transport more, and cycling or walking in order to reduce pollution levels.
3. Reuse and restore items before consuming new ones.
4. Recycle paper, plastic and glass, and also sort waste correctly.
5. Cut down on your use of plastic bags and opt for more sustainable alternatives.
6. Carry out manual crafts to make toys using recycled materials.
7. Treat plants and animals with respect, encouraging visits to farms and nature parks.
8. Turn off the lights in rooms that are not in use to save energy.
9. Only purchase essential items, avoiding unnecessary consumerism.
10. Opt for seasonal food produce to support the local economy and respect natural cycles.

Here at THB hotels, we apply all these tips on a daily basis.

1. We inform guests and employees of the importance of saving water and promote actions that will help us achieve this challenge.

In 2024, we set up our “Sustainable showers: 1 song, 1 shower” movement.  This is a Spotify play list with tracks that last around 4 minutes, during which an estimated 95 litres of water is used, the average daily consumption recommended by the WHO.

2. We collaborate with bicycle hire firms and even have garages offering this service at our hotels. We also work with scooter hire firms and encourage guests and employees to use public transport.

For several years now, our hotels on Lanzarote, the THB Flora, THB Royal and the THB Tropical Island, have provided our guests with a free bus shuttle service between the hotel and the beach.

3. We are aware of how the manufacture of the products we use impacts on the planet, regardless of the materials used. For this reason, in our corporate offices and our hotels, we promote a second useful life for all possible materials.

4. We provide recycling points in all our hotels. We know that the more information we offer and the simpler we make the process for users, the better the results we will obtain in this area.

5. For several years now, we have been working to gradually eliminate single-use plastics. This affects straws, individual amenities and bags, etc.

6. At our family hotels, the entertainment teams organise workshops designed to teach younger guests about the importance of reusing. This includes manual crafts and activities using recycled materials.

7. Did you know that the chairman of THB hotels, Francisco Miralles, is a plant and animal lover? The hotel gardens are one of his most cherished treasures, a sentiment that is shared by everyone in the THB hotels family.

8. Just as we communicate actions designed to save water, we also carry out measures to remind guests to turn off the lights and air conditioning in their rooms.

9. Training for employees to prevent the excessive purchase of products is something that we are making major efforts to ensure. Whether it’s food, textiles or stationery, etc., we have inventories and forecasts that help us to acquire only those products that are strictly necessary.

10. For us, consuming local produce is essential. We also prioritise working with local suppliers.