(Seychelles News Agency) - Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa has started implementing its environmentally-friendly water project aimed at making Silhouette - Seychelles’ third largest island -- 75 percent free of plastic bottle this year.

The project involves filtering water from the source at Mont Dauban, the second-highest peak in Seychelles, instead of using bottled water. Using Vivreau – a table water bottling system – the water will be put in glass bottles to be used in the rooms and Café Dauban.

Guests staying at the resort also have the option of buying a stainless steel bottle for $19 which they can refill for free throughout their stay.

The water project is part of the resort’s efforts to preserve the fragile eco-system of Silhouette Island, a national park located 20 km northwest of Mahe, the main island.

The water will be put in glass bottles to be used in the rooms and Café Dauban.(Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

Having achieved several success stories related to protection and preservation of the island’s flora and fauna, the resort was last year rewarded with extra funding by Hilton’s Travel with a Purpose. The programme aims at preserving environments through the measurement, analysis and improvement of Hilton’s use of natural resources.

The general manager of the resort, Andre Borg, said in a statement: “I’m delighted that our team has been given the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful project.”

“The Travel with Purpose Action Grant will enable us to dedicate the time and resource needed to help preserve the environment and support community projects in Seychelles,” said Borg.

The press release added that one of the goals of Borg is to participate in the growth of the local economy.

“For this, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa and IFAD (International Fund for Agriculture Development) got associated and the resort will continue to grow ties with smallholder farmers and local fishermen,” the statement said.

Other initiatives include the cultivation of an organic garden, which at the moment provides the resort with 250 kg of its weekly vegetable consumption.

“We are making maximum use of our organic vegetables which now serve ... let’s say 5 percent of our requirement,” said Marie Rignace, the marketing manager of the hotel. 

The resort targets serving full organic meals in one of their restaurants – Portobello Restaurant - prepared with vegetables grown in the island’s organic garden. It plans to achieve this by the third quarter of the year as they are now in the process of cultivating tomato, pumpkin, spring onion, and lettuce among others.

To give the vegetables a boost, the sustainable-certified island uses compost derived from the resort’s organic waste.

Another recent project is the introduction and installation of solar panels to charge buggies to reduce the consumption of energy in Silhouette.