#GreenStaycation at Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands!

In this era of hashtags I definitely must incorporate some in my posts 😄 This is that post!

Last weekend I had an opportunity to stay at Ibis Styles Nairobi located in Westlands for a #staycation. Personally the cessation of movement in Nairobi and restricted travels due to the #Covid19 pandemic had me thinking of exciting ways to stay sane and safe but to have fun while at it. I definitely needed a breather! Ibis Styles Nairobi has been advertising it's #staycation deal and I felt I should explore it; so when I saw they were having a competition for #AfricaDay I jumped at the opportunity to participate. Guess what, I won the fabulous giveaway...

At the entrance of Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands

The hotel has recently re-opened its doors to the public in an #ALLsafe standard, after being inspected and approved by the Ministry of Health with the team actively and regularly disinfecting the area, ensuring social distance is observed, everyone is masked, constantly sanitizing and temperature checking before accessing the hotel. I have to mention that the menus are contactless, all you have to do is scan the barcode at Utamu restaurant and Kilele Nyama using your phone and voila you have it on your screen; this was a whole new experience for me! I was assured safety is paramount in their operations considering the new normal.

After checking in and while on the way to my 7th floor room, I saw the breath-taking view of Nairobi city. I also noticed an interesting greenery on the first floor of the hotel that had me curious... My room was clean, cozy, well-furnished with a welcoming ambience... just the perfect getaway!

I was particularly thrilled about the hotel's environmental consciousness and how the team is driven by the desire to be environmentally-friendly. I was fortunate to meet part of the rock-star team; Stuart, Joel and Athailus who took their time to explain the green initiatives the hotel has undertaken. Later on, Athailus guided me on a tour of the environmental initiatives that have been put in place (thank you!) For example, the hotel now uses a bio-diesel made from recycled plastics to generate steam which in turn is used operate two boilers to heat water for the 277 rooms. Other than the environmental advantages of using bio-diesel, it is a cost effective measure because the cost per litre is actually Ksh. 8 cheaper than diesel yet recent tests conducted showed that it is 87% effective! Additionally, the hotel uses energy-efficient lighting having installed only energy-saving bulbs in the entire premises! I was also familiarized with a plan soon to be initiated whereby the hotel will install solar panels to generate solar electricity which is projected to raise efficiency and bring down electricity costs significantly. Needless to say, this is a win on both energy and cost savings! For the air conditioners, the hotel has deployed a water-cooled chiller system and also uses an environmentally friendly refrigerant which does not have fluorocarbons. This specific refrigerant has an insignificant contribution towards ozone depletion, which is a major cause of climate change.

Another interesting initiative is a partnership with a local company that collects cooking oil and residue form the hotel's kitchen, which is then transformed into soaps and detergent and supplied back to the hotel whereby it is used for cleaning purposes, how cool is that?! Also, to reduce food waste, the hotel also encourages to take all you can eat but eat all you take! They are clearly demonstrating and walking the talk on reducing, re-using and recycling...

Well said at the staff cafeteria...

As an alternative source of water beside the Nairobi City Council source, the hotel has a borehole and a water treatment plant that performs reverse osmosis to reduce the iron content in the water, which is one of the most efficient water purification processes. It is also important to mention that Ibis Styles Nairobi has introduced a water-saving flush technique by installing dual water flush systems which have been adjusted to only use 6 litres of water per flush as compared to the standard 9 litres. Waste water and effluents are collected in a septic tank before being pumped out to the major water and sewerage line. 

It is impressive how the hotel has eliminated single-use plastic! For drinking water in the room and at the restaurants, I was offered glass bottled mineral water to quench my thirst and a paper straw for my cocktail. Cheers to #BeatPlasticPollution 😉

Bottled glass water.

Checking out fresh spices on the 1st floor!

Remember the greenery I was curious about on the first floor? Turns out it is spices, herbs and bamboo grown by the hotel on recycled tires and pots. I easily identified fresh lemon-grass and mint, which I was informed are used for cooking and garnishing. 

With plans to continue implementing Accor's Planet 21 initiative, Ibis Styles Nairobi aims to provide a positive hospitality experience that takes sustainability into account.

Experiencing the simple pleasure of star gazing at Kilele Nyama while downing my chilled blue lagoon cocktail, free from worries of curfew and any other cares, was just the peak! From delish meals (the mouth-watering chargrill meat platters are exceptional!) to splendid views, to comfort and appealing style, Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands gives you a #greenstaycation experience. 

Mine was an #ALLsafe ecstatic #staycation, I deserved it and so do you!

2020: The 'new normal'...

It has been a long while since I did a piece here, thanks to Covid-19 I am back... Not that I don't write anymore but I have been doing shorter posts / opinion pieces on Facebook and Twitter, which I find easier to manage now considering the nature of my work. That said, where are we now?
It is 2020 and most of us started the year with a bang, excited about the new decade! We had no idea that a few months down the line we would be living a 'new normal' where by our daily lives would be much different than we ever imagined. Targets set for 2020 have changed! I now understand more the fragility of economies, societies not forgetting ecosystems. I believe many of you including myself , are adopting flexible conditions and trying to stay relevant in our lanes. The Novel Coronavirus has dramatically exposed us to unprecedented times, many are devastated and discouraged!

Just like any other field, conservation has been adversely affected by the pandemic. There are several articles claiming that ecosystems are now thriving due to less human interference resulting from measures aimed at flattening the curve. As much as this may be true in some areas, I believe many conservation efforts have become slower or have halted in some regions. Truth is, conservation efforts mainly rely on support from various stakeholders, such as governments, institutions, corporates, individuals... and many other bodies. With the challenges that Corona has presented, majority of these stakeholders are directing their efforts towards fighting the coronavirus. Corporates that would ideally give towards conservation are now giving towards Corona, and it is understandable because with economies threatened and 'collapsing' the priorities are clear- fight the coronavirus!
However, as we channel our energies towards battling the pandemic, I highly advocate that we should not forget our fragile ecosystems, that have been struggling even before 'the rona'. Issues such as environmental degradation and climate change remain a global crisis and require our attention. These unprecedented times have also revealed unprecedented opportunity to take action. It is in this harsh period that many have realized the spirit of community and how inter-linkages are a necessity in restarting or in the continuity of initiatives. Under the pressure, vital conservation efforts globally are at risk and more than ever, cooperation is needed to tackle the challenges. It has been also said that attacks on nature contribute to health crisis and therefore as we work towards recovery, we should focus on environmental-friendly solutions and those that are sustainable.

Shoot me for this, but we have seen that more stakeholders can give towards broader initiatives including conservation. Corporates, individuals and development partners among others are in the front-line in contributing towards Corona. We appreciate all those going over and beyond for this, but can we channel that same energy towards our environment? We cannot be resilient without nature. With this mindset, we can take accountability for our actions, especially for businesses that underpin the environment. This is the kind of commitment that the environment requires!

Additionally, it is also evident that the digital transformation is crucial in maintaining continuity with operations being remotely managed. During this period, digital platforms have been widely accessed and applied to advance wildlife conservation especially through data flows which give more information for monitoring purposes to improve conservation activities. This promotes processes in fostering a relationship between the natural world and humans by exploring social dynamics between the two. Therefore, the digital leap is a great opportunity to improve engagement in nature conservation alongside practical approaches which are more interactive and both are vital for developing conservation-oriented management actions. This is a wake-up call for many of  us, as it is a glimpse of the future of work , digital tools are increasingly becoming a key competency and as conservationists we should adopt digital skills to improve and increase our efforts!

How will the post Covid-19 conservation world look like? I do not have any answers but for me the bottom-line is, as we frantically look into restarting the economy, let us also channel the same energy towards conservation! Conservation should not remain underrated.

I wish you all good health, stay safe!