Travel With Intent
What is “sustainable tourism” and how can you give back when exploring local areas while traveling?
Through SCP’s Pristine Makai partnership with Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, your stay at SCP Hilo restores makai (seaside) habitat by removing 2.2 pounds of trash from local beaches on Hawai‘i. With your choice to travel with intent, you are consciously helping to make the world around us a better place. During your stay in Hilo and on your future travels, your individual choices and small steps towards sustainability really can make a difference! Mahalo for choosing to follow one or more of these sustainability tips from our teams:
Take the Hawai‘i Island Pono Pledge.
Buy local products, and support local agriculture, aquaculture and artisans. Look for “Made in Hawai‘i” labels, shop at local farmers markets, and choose local businesses over box stores. You can find a selection of local products, snacks and gifts at Provisions Market, located in the SCP Hilo Hotel lobby.
Opt out of single-use plastics (#choosetoreuse) and bring your own utensils, water bottles, coffee mugs, and to-go ware when you can or dine-in at local eateries if possible. Utilize our convenient water bottle refill stations located in the lobby and near the pool.
Select sustainable seafood (eat less, smaller fish), and eat less meat in general.
Hike, bike, rideshare, carpool, bus or walk versus driving where feasible to reduce your carbon emissions. Complimentary beach cruisers are available for you to borrow at the front desk during your stay!
Show respect to wildlife and island communities. Give native species some space (we recommend at least 15’ for viewing of sea turtles and 150’ or more for monk seals/dolphins). If you are altering animal behavior, you’re too close. Please don’t step on native plants like those growing in the SCP Hilo Hotel gardens.
Do not stand on or touch live coral. They are sensitive! Please find sandy areas and channels to enter / exit the sea or ask a lifeguard or local resident where it is safe to snorkel along the coastline.
Take shorter showers and opt out of housekeeping when not needed.
Protect our waters and aquatic wildlife by selecting a reef-safe sunscreen (physical blockers including titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide) and using protective clothing or trees for shade instead of chemical products for UV exposure. (FYI products made for babies are generally safer for us and wildlife!). Grab some locally-made Coco Aloha Surf sunscreen on your way out to adventure at Provisions Market.
Stay on the trail while hiking, and don’t drive your rental Jeeps to remote off-road locations (please respect our wild places and communities).
Ask the SCP Hilo Hotel team about collecting marine debris while you SUP (stand-up paddleboard) around Hilo Bay.
Learn more about Hawai‘i’s marine wildlife at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo (76 Kamehameha Ave.), the Hawai‘i Wildlife Discovery Center and Maui Ocean Center on Maui and the Waikiki Aquarium on O‘ahu, or check out the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund website from your room right now.
Offset your travel expenses with Carbon Buddy (or another offset company), and consider planting more trees, composting, or starting a garden where you live. Through SCP’s Every Stay Does Good program, each time you stay at an SCP Hotel you plant a tree in an unnaturally deforested area through One Tree Planted.
Tell your friends and family about staying at more eco-friendly venues like SCP Hilo Hotel when they are visiting!
Additional Sustainability Tips
Carry these conscious travel tips home with you:
Turn down the thermostat in the winter and up in the summer to reduce electric usage. And find out where your local power comes from (solar, wind, coal, incineration, etc.) and research if it is really “renewable”.
Consider biking to work, ridesharing, carpooling, public transport, or purchasing an electric vehicle, if possible.
Fly less and “zoom” more for work meetings / conferences.
Research plants that are native and others that are known to grow well in the region you live, and choose to plant these varieties instead to reduce your own water and fertilizer usage. Learn about organic gardening and mulching techniques.
Learn about volunteer opportunities in your community to support environmental and social justice causes near you!
Consider choosing vegetarian meals as often as you can. Experiment with new recipes featuring local, seasonal produce as the star.
Spend less time with screens and opt to spend time adventuring outdoors and connecting with friends and family.
Choose to stay at conscious and eco-friendly establishments like SCP Hotels when you travel. Learn more about the Every Stay Does Good program to see how your stay at SCP helps make the world around us a better place.
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