On March 19, 2016 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Royal Resorts in Cancun and the Riviera Maya will be joining thousands of companies and millions of people around the world by switching off the lights for one hour in observance of Earth Hour. They are pledging their commitment to protecting the planet.
Earth Hour at Royal Resorts
Non-essential lights will be dimmed at Royal Resorts during Earth Hour and members and guests are invited to join in by turning off the lights in their villas. There are special Earth Hour events at The Royal Haciendas in the Riviera Maya and La Veranda Restaurant at The Royal Sands. All can participate in Earth Hour by thinking about what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint and the pace of climate change and protect our precious planet.
The Royal Haciendas Shares the Earth Hour Message
At The Royal Haciendas in the Riviera Maya, the lights will be dimmed at 8 p.m. and there will be a special Earth Hour event on the stage in Phase II.
The theme of The Royal Haciendas Earth Hour event is “I’m not afraid of the dark side” and “Join the Force to defend the planet” and Star Wars characters will take to the stage. A neon light show will follow and there will be time for a moment of meditation to take the Earth Hour pledge to protect the environment.
Commemorative t-shirts will be on sale during the evening with all proceeds going to the Royal Resorts Foundation conservation cause.
Earth Hour at the Royal Resorts in Cancun
In additional to the dimming of non-essential lights at the Royal Resorts in Cancun, La Veranda Restaurant at The Royal Sands is participating in Earth Hour. The lights will be turned off symbolically at 8 p.m. and diners will enjoy their meal by the light of candles, the moon and stars. There will be a Caribbean buffet, live piano music and a special Earth Hour cake for diners to enjoy.
Earth Hour at Grand Residences by Royal Resorts
Our latest luxury property to the south of Puerto Morelos, Grand Residences by Royal Resorts is also participating in Earth Hour. There will be a fire show in the pool area and a margarita special for guests who wish to sit outside, enjoying the gentle Caribbean breeze and gazing up at the stars.
Earth Hour Around the World
Millions of people around the world in 178 countries will be observing Earth Hour by switching off the lights and participating in a variety of ways ranging from candlelit vigils to dinners, processions, community events and petitions.
More than 350 iconic buildings including the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building and the Sydney Opera House will also dim their lights. This collective action is to shine a light on climate action and comes as records show that this February was the hottest on record in many parts of the world and evidence that global warming has accelerated.
The impact of climate change is being felt in many different ways around the world, from melting ice caps and rising sea levels to coral bleaching and ocean acidification, flooding, droughts and extreme weather events.
“The world is at a climate crossroads,” said Siddarth Das, Executive Director, Earth Hour Global. “While we are experiencing the impacts of climate change more than ever, we are also witnessing a new momentum in climate action transcending borders and generations. From living rooms to classrooms and conference rooms, people are demanding climate action. The climate deal in Paris was a step in the right direction and it is up to all of us to keep up the momentum and campaign for change. As UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, “climate change is a people problem. People cause climate change and people suffer from climate change. People can also solve climate change.” Source: Earth Hour www.earthhour.org
#EarthHour #ChangeClimateChange
Royal Resorts: Protecting the Environment
From recycling to sea turtle protection and support for regional conservation projects, Royal Resorts is committed to the role of environmental stewardship. It is always looking for ways to expand the green initiatives already in place at its resorts in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos. All the Royal Resorts properties are certified by the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative or MARTI as being resorts with eco-friendly policies and three of them (The Royal Cancun, The Royal Sands and The Royal Haciendas) also have the Mexico Tourism Board Distintivo S awarded to resorts for their sustainability programs.
Green programs already operating at Royal Resorts include recycling, using energy-efficient technology, saving water and substituting cleaning products for eco-friendly alternatives. There are solar panels on the roof at The Royal Sands in Cancun and all the resorts have energy-saving lights. Guests are invited to participate in the water saving program by not asking for the towels and bed linens to be changed on a daily basis.
Native species of trees and shrubs are planted in the gardens and plant and organic kitchen refuse is used to make compost. There are chef’s gardens at the resorts stocked with organic herbs, chilis and chaya, a Yucatecan plant which is more nutritious than spinach. The Royal Cancun also has a botanical garden for guests to enjoy and which features in several environmental awareness activities.
Other green programs range from beach cleaning and turtle protection to purchasing regional products and supporting conservation and sustainable development. The green philosophy extends throughout the company and employees attend workshops on recycling, water conservation and other environmental and sustainability-related topics.
The Royal Resorts Foundation supports a Regional Initiative to Protect the Mayan Jungle
In partnership with Amigos de Sian Ka’an, the Royal Resorts Foundation is helping to fund an initiative to protect the Mayan Jungle, its wildlife and underground rivers.
Through this program, 22 landowners in Ejido Juarez and 4 in El Eden, a private reserve in northern Quintana Roo are receiving environmental services payments in return for committing to preserve the forest on their land instead of clearing it. To date, 400 hectares of forest have been saved using this system. This helps protect rare animals and birds, captures carbon dioxide emissions and safeguards the underground rivers that are the only source of fresh water in the area.
The landowners involved recognize that it is essential to protect the jungle for future generations and their passion is helping to convince other ejidos to join the program.
El Eden Reserve lies in an area of cenotes, underground rivers and lagoons where water is abundant year-round, attracting wildlife. A patchwork of jungle and marshland microhabitats, it is a haven for the jaguar, puma, ocelot and other mammals such as the peccary, whitetail deer, spider monkey and anteater. Crocodiles inhabit the lagoons and the area is home to a host of forest and wetland birds.
The long-term goal is to expand this conservation initiative in the north and center of the state, linking larger areas of forest to the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve and creating natural wildlife corridors for endangered species like the jaguar.
For more information on the Royal Resorts Foundation and its conservation and community causes visit www.royalresortsfoundation.org
