Banyan Tree Krabi is working toward reducing its carbon footprint on southern Thailand’s marine environment. Guests of the resort will now receive a tote bag created by local artisans using waste washed up on local beaches. The project, “Souvenirs from the Sea,” comes from a local vendor who picks up debris from the shores of Krabi every morning, and selects items to be modified into eco-friendly souvenirs. “There’s a fine difference between recycling and upcycling,” says Thepsuda Loyjiw, sustainability manager at the hotel. “Recycling is when we save materials such as glass and plastic for general reuse; while upcycling is the art of taking waste products and reinventing them as something else.”
Additional sustainability efforts from Banyan Tree Krabi include an Earth Day beach clean-up with guests as volunteers, and the introduction of forest bathing, a nature-based educational tour for guests, including children, to help raise awareness about environmental conservation and protecting local flora and fauna.