Environmental Best Practices

Blue Skies & Green Initiatives

For the past sixty years, Jamaica Inn has maintained a standard of excellence in all its endeavors. It is with this same mindset that we came up with a long-term goal of reducing our CO2 emissions and becoming Carbon Neutral by the year 2025.

Green Globe certified since 2012, Jamaica Inn has established and sustained many eco-friendly initiatives that promote conservation and environmental awareness. These have now become the way of life at the Inn — “The Green Way!”

Discover more about our eco-initiatives and how you can help offset your impact when you vacation at our intimate beach resort.

Best Practices

  • The use of renewable energy
  • Installation of all LED bulbs in every area of the property
  • Composting
  • Recycling Waste and Grey Water
  • Establishing a Turtle Conservation Program
  • Tree Planting Initiatives
  • Certification by Green Globe
  • Use of Eco-Friendly chemicals in all departments
  • Eliminated use of Styrofoam products and other disposables on property
  • Implementing Departmental ‘Green Mandates’
  • Presenting the ever-popular ‘Energy Hog Award’ for delinquent departments
  • The quarterly ‘Most Environmentally Aware’ Award
  • Establishing a Green Committee – ‘The Green Transformers”
  • Celebrating ‘Earth Day’ with new and diverse initiatives every year

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Coral Planting

Since the 1970s, a combination of causes due to severe weather events, over fishing and sea urchin disease has led to an 85% reduction in coral coverage in the waters outside of Ocho Rios. In addition, there has been a decrease in the size and quantity of fish by 600%.

In 2016, fishermen turned to Jamaica Inn for help. After two years and lots of hard work, we are pleased to announce the White River Fish Sanctuary is now in operation, largely funded and facilitated by the Jamaica Inn Foundation.

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Electric Vehicle Charging Station

The Electric Vehicle (EV) revolution is here, and Jamaica Inn is undoubtedly a part of this international transformation as the first resort in Jamaica to house EV charging stations.

The emergence of the electric vehicle industry has allowed Jamaica to be more mindful of the harmful effects that some daily practices have on the environment. The most noticeable of course is the reliance on our very prevalent gas-guzzling vehicles that are major contributors to environmental pollutants.

Jamaicans and guests can now charge their electric vehicles while enjoying lunch or afternoon tea, or visiting The Ocean Spa.

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Orchid Care

All public areas and suites are supplied with exotic orchids which are refreshed weekly. In August 2017, the orchid greenhouse was installed, and training provided for three gardeners in the specialized care of orchids of different varieties.

We are now able to supply our needs from our own orchid nursery.

Recycling

In January 2018, Jamaica Inn leased a mini baler from the Jamaica Recycling Company to compact and bale all cardboard, tin, plastics and paper waste. The bales are sold back to the company by weight and are sent off for recycling.

Furthermore, to increase the volume of waste and promote operational sustainability, the hotel has recycle bins placed strategically throughout the property to separate plastics and cardboard items for recycling purposes.

This has cut the volume of waste sent to the landfill by approximately half, substantially reducing the quantity of harmful products that find their way to our rivers and sea.

Solar Energy

Renewable Energy Resource Management is another priority for Jamaica Inn. Solar panels were installed in 2014 and 2015 to offset some of the hotel’s electricity requirements and generate 45kwh of power per day.

Additionally, a new initiative funded by U.S.A.I.D. is currently investigating the addition of new panels to expand our reliance on solar energy as opposed to fossil fuels.

Composting

Five onsite compost pods produce fertilizer and mulch from kitchen scraps, seaweed, garden cuttings, dried leaves and other organic matter, for the property’s extensive lush gardens.

Grey Water

In October 2017, the culmination of a concerted effort to harness rain water run-off from buildings as well as tying in to the output of the hotel laundry’s waste water all came together. Extensive roof guttering and three 2,000-gallon tanks were installed alongside an existing underground water treatment tank, to harness and process grey water for the irrigation of the grounds. Piping the areas, installing and positioning sprinkler heads and establishing a timer-controlled system was the next phase.

Now, we have 90% coverage of all lawns and garden beds, fed by nitrate rich water. The byproduct of this exercise is major cost savings on water consumption and perennially lush, green acreages.