Resorts in Maldives celebrate World Environment Day

The subject of this year's World Environment Day, Ecosystem Restoration, is ideally aligned with eco-friendly Maldives resorts. Many, if not all, of the Maldives' resorts, pay special attention to the underwater habitat.

Soneva is undoubtedly the most environmentally conscious hospitality brand on the planet. Over 90% of the garbage generated by the resort operator is turned into revenue. Soneva Endeavours saved nearly half a million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in only one year. This is the same as removing 100,000 automobiles from the road for a year. To boost its conservation efforts, the resort operator will build the Maldives' first SCIE:NCE Centre later this year.

The center will serve as a regional focus for environmental education, research, and innovation.

The Ambassadors of the Environment program is being offered for the first time in the area at the Ritz-Carlton Maldives. The upscale resort enhances the experience for visitors of all ages by collaborating with the Ocean's Future Society. Through immersive and instructional programs, the resort reflects the principles of Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society.

Over 933,000,000 square meters of seagrass meadows have been conserved by Six Senses Laamu. Over 500 resident sea turtles and 135 resident manta rays have also been preserved at the resort. The Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) brings together some of the best brains in marine conservation to come up with creative solutions to the atoll's most pressing problems.

A reverse osmosis plant is on-site at Ayada Maldives to purify water for drinking and other uses. Guests can participate by adopting coral to be transplanted into the reef. Glass bottles are used to bottle the resort's own water. While heating water, the Quantum Eco Hot Water system uses less energy.

The Maldives' Four Seasons Resorts are the first in the country to employ marine scientists (since 2000) The first Marine Discovery Centres for protection and study were established by the two resorts. The Four Seasons Reefscapers project is the world's most successful artificial reef project, with the biggest mass of reefs in the Indian Ocean. In 2017, the Kuda Huraa Marine Savers are also working on the Sea Turtle Morpho Evolution Project.

LUX* South Ari Atoll has a Marine Biology Centre on the island to study and protect the local whale shark population. Ghost nets, which are lethal to aquatic life, are removed from the sea by resort workers. In addition, the resort developed an Energy Saving Solar project (the world's largest floating solar system).

The amount of single-use plastic waste discarded at Lily Beach Resort & Spa has already decreased. In 2016, the 5-star all-inclusive resort opened a water bottling factory to serve guests with glass bottled water. Paper straws are used instead of plastic straws, and energy-efficient appliances are used throughout the resort.