Okanagan Green Hotel

Through conservation programs and employee training, our environmentally friendly actions are making a difference!

We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Every time we see the mountains, sparkling lakes, and dramatic desert of the South Okanagan, we’re reminded that our sustainable practices matter. At Watermark Beach Resort, we’re committed to managing an environmentally sustainable business. We recycle, compost and are continuously looking for ways to conserve the water and energy we use daily.

Here are just a few things you can do that will help make a difference

Watermark Beach Resort

AC & Heating

Make sure the windows/balcony doors are closed if the air/heating system is on. Or alternatively, shut off the air or heat if you prefer to have the windows open.
Watermark Beach Resort

Lighting

If you are in the room during the day, open the curtains to take advantage of natural light instead of turning on multiple light sources.
Watermark Beach Resort

Recycling

Recycling bins are available in our guest rooms and meeting rooms. Make full use of it by placing items such as newspapers, paper, plastics, cans and glass in it rather than in the garbage bin.
Watermark Beach Resort

Water Conservation

When brushing your teeth or washing/shaving your face shut the tap off or fill the sink to avoid leaving the water running. Keeping your showers short not only saves water but also saves energy (used to heat the water). A 10-minute shower can use up to 20 gallons/75 litres of water.
Watermark Beach Resort

Rules of Thumb

Make sure you turn off all lights and electronics when you leave the room. Turn the air conditioning/heating down or off and close the windows. During the hot summer months, close the blinds during the day to help keep the room cool. Make sure you have taken advantage of the linen/towel reuse program. Check that sink and tub faucets are tightly shut off to avoid water loss from dripping taps.
Watermark Beach Resort

Green Policy

Watermark Beach Resort is committed to a Green Program that reduces our impact on the environment and protects the planet for future generations. Our Green Program is founded upon three principles: Leadership, Neutrality, and Progression.

Watermark Beach Resort is a member of the EcoFund Certified program. This EcoFund Certified is a 3rd party program that holds Watermark Beach Resort accountable as we measure and reduce our carbon footprint. Instead of buying carbon offsets, we are actively working to cut down our use of energy, fuel, waste and water by investing in more efficient technologies and tracking our reductions. In support of this, we have added a $2+gst fee to each guest room night. Our eco funds will help our resort be as sustainable as we can possibly be before we become carbon neutral, by allowing us to invest in projects to reduce our footprint.

Leadership is the role we play for our internal and external guests as well as our business partners. For our team, we provide the training, tools, education and knowledge needed to complete their jobs with a focus on the environment. We also profile and support our community organisations that contribute to education, conservation and climate action as well as experiences in our environment for sustainable lasting understanding. For our external guests, we will educate them about our sustainability practices and provide them with options to contribute to our environmental policies. We choose our business partners based on similar environmental standards and ethics outlined in our policy.

Neutrality is our commitment to reduce our waste and pollution as well as our consumption of water and energy. This is achieved through the resorts many environmental initiatives. We actively seek every opportunity to reduce waste. While each idea may seem small on its own, the total impact can make a large difference.

Progression is our commitment to continually improve. With everything we are currently working on, we know that there are always other ways to reduce our carbon footprint. With this in mind, we are constantly seeking new ideas and new ways to become more eco-friendly. We also actively support organisations and our community initiatives to educate and take action for our water system, our land, air, light and our overall impact on the environment in which we live.

Current Initiatives

We’re always looking for new eco-friendly initiatives and practices to support our commitment to the environment.
Our current initiatives include:

  • Recycling Program

    We recycle as much of our waste as possible. Each of our suites contains a separate recycling bin for guests to use. In addition, all recyclables are separated in our waste disposal room. We have semi-weekly pickup of deposit items (bottles), and we donate those proceeds to the Canadian Special Olympics team.

  • Food & Beverage Program

    15 Park Bistro plays a large role in our environmental commitment. We design our menu with sustainability in mind. Whenever possible, we use local, organic fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood from our community partners.

    Our herb garden, located next to our restaurant patio, is a guest favorite and a beautiful supply of herbs for the meals and cocktails served in the Restaurant. A rain barrel was recently added as well to provide water for the garden.

    The commitment to buying local provides our team and our guests the opportunity to taste and support local entrepreneurs who are distillers, wineries, brewers, and artisan beverages. This commitment ensures we are reducing the transportation miles for our purchased products as well as supporting a strong local economy and our community.

  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

    Watermark Beach Resort is a leader in the electric vehicle initiative. We are working to ensure our partners are engaged in developing the electric vehicle highway Via 97 as well as the Sun Country Highway initiative. We currently have charging stations linking the South Okanagan to Weed, CA and the Lower Mainland in a circular route.

    Watermark provides three electric vehicle charging stations free of charge. They are located in our secure underground parking garage. Our team is working closely with the vehicle manufacturing companies to promote touring with Electric Vehicles.

  • Towel & Linen Reuse Programs

    We provide reuse cards in each of our suites. Guests can use these cards to request a change of bed linens. If the card is not presented, our housekeepers simply remake the bed. Guests can also hang up towels they wish to reuse. Towels left in the tub will be replaced. Giving guests control over when their towels and linens are laundered help them participate in our environmental programs.

  • And Beyond...

    Our efforts do not stop there. We have switched to eco-friendly cleaning products in our housekeeping department wherever possible. As items reach their end of life in our guest rooms, items still in good condition such as bedding, old kitchen items and other items in our guest rooms are donated to local charities and shelters so that they can avoid the landfill. Our recycling program is provided to support the South Okanagan Special Olympics. Our salt water pool is not only easier on your skin, but also on our carbon footprint!