Hotel Mockingbird Hill is Jamaica’s leading environmentally friendly eco-boutique hotel; here we recognised the importance of ‘350’ and the International Climate Day on 24th October by tree-planting in Port Antonio, Jamaica. For those who maybe yet to realise the global significance of the number 350, today this is the most important number in the world; it’s what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Currently the number is 399 ppm – way over hence the reason for what is becoming catastrophic global warming.
35 trees were planted on the hotel’s property as our contribution to ensuring our carbon dioxide levels return to the maximum of 350 ppm. As part of the hotel’s commitment in promoting sustainable tourism without cost we will be contributing J$ 3,500 to the Jamaican Conservation & Development Trust tree-planting event at Hollywell in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. This amount is part raised by the hotel and by our guests who have enjoyed our Heavenly Honeymoon Package and Birding packages. To carry forward our belief that every Jamaican should enjoy a ‘green environment’ we will also be planting at the nearby Drapers All Age School.
As a business based in a ’developing country’ in the Caribbean, we have experienced how the island of Jamaica has suffered over the last 10 years by an increase in hurricane weather cycles. Thankfully to date Port Antonio has not suffered in the way so many other local people in Jamaica have in having to start their lives again, rebuilding family homes, small holdings and businesses. Re-starting your life in affect keeps the poor poor, and anyone with a sense of social justice should realise that this is the ugly fallout of fossil fuel based economies.
Hotel Mockingbird Hill believes the only way forward to counter and reduce this global problem is for all developed and developing countries to have a commitment to low carbon, sustainable economies, in contrast to the current slash & burn methods of keeping a few rich. We are holding our collective breath in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Conference and we hope by the end of it common sense will prevail and we will be able to let out a huge sigh of relief on a positive outcome.
Read more about Sustainable Tourism at Hotel Mockingbird Hill
