The Beekman Group’s Director, Wayne Beekman, said that “the Go Green project is aimed at mobilising ourselves, encouraging others and initiating a company- and district-wide recycling program with the aim of minimising the impact that we all have on the environment. We as a Group will always be mindful in pursuing environmentally friendly practices in whatever we do, and this not only benefits the environment, but also creates public awareness of the importance of nurturing a commitment to a sustainable, eco-friendly way of life.”
At Beekman House, the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast headquarters, mini recycling depots have been established on each floor, as well as a larger recycling depot in the basement. Other eco-friendly practices which have been implemented at the head office include geysers fitted with timing switches, the use of more energy efficient hydro boilers and LED lights, regular feedback on the quantities of recycled material collected the use of biodegradable detergents and cleaning products as well as recycled paper for everyday printing needs.
Most significantly, the Group in conjunction with Signland and The Fever, also built a public recycling depot in Port Shepstone and just recently have added an additional recycling depot in Shelly Beach, which has the facilities to sort waste and recyclable materials into separate glass, light bulbs, plastics, aluminium, batteries and paper banks. Local newspapers facilitate the active involvement of the general public.
Wayne Beekman said that “we are acutely aware of the impact that the day to day operations of holiday resorts can have on the local environment. In 2009, a number of eco-friendly ‘pilot projects’ were successfully tested at various resorts within the Beekman Group’s Managed Portfolio, and these are now being rolled across to our other resorts.” Such initiatives include solar-powered geysers (Sea and Sky- Uvongo), the use of geyser timers and covers (Cayley Lodge-Drakensberg, Boulder Bay-Ballito, The Aloes-South Coast), and the use of recycled plastic furniture (Royal Atlantic- Cape Town and Cayley Lodge-Drakensberg).
With environmentally friendly practices now commonplace at Beekman Group’s Port Shepstone headquarters and an ever-increasing number of their managed resorts, as well as having established a public recycling depot in Port Shepstone & Shelly Beach, the company is clearly committed to both raising awareness about the importance of eco-friendly living and making a real difference with a number of simple yet effective practices.