International guests checking into Ascott Makati have discovered yet another reason for choosing Ascott Makati – staying at the property allows them to do their part for the environment.

The serviced residence has introduced a series of eco-friendly initiatives ranging from a Green Meetings Package and Herb Garden to a monthly Earth Hour and green activities for children.

"Green is the new black at Ascott Makati. With growing awareness about climate change, we wish to join hands with our residents to do our part for the environment," said Ms Lew Yen Ping, General Manager of Ascott Makati.

Going green at meetings

On top of the usual facilities, residents who use the property's meeting rooms receive a Green Meetings Package consisting of notebooks made of recycled paper, and white boards (instead of flip charts).

In place of bottled water, residents are provided with water dispensers. Paper cups are replaced with personalised water goblets with name tags. To save energy, temperatures in the meeting rooms are kept at an optimum level and natural sunlight is favoured over artificial lighting. The meeting rooms are also equipped with trash bins for recyclable materials.

"Through these initiatives, our residents have become more conscious of the different ways they can conserve energy and resources," shared Ms Lew.

Growing a Herb Garden

Guests who wish to whip up a meal in the fully-equipped kitchen of their apartment need only visit Ascott Makati's Herb Garden to pick up ingredients to give their dishes that extra flavour. The garden grows different types of herbs such as mint, coriander, basil, pandan, lavender, and onion chives.

"Having their own Herb Garden is one of the ways we make our residents feel at home. At the same time, it helps to reduce wastage. With the garden, residents don't have to keep unnecessary stock in the kitchen. They can simply pick the herbs for their cooking needs," explained Ms Lew.

Joining the Green Movement

Residents have shown support for Ascott Makati's eco-friendly initiatives through their active participation. On every first Saturday of the month, the lights at Ascott Makati's public areas are turned off from 8 to 10 pm for the property's monthly Earth Hour initiative. Residents join in this movement by switching off the lights in their apartments. Another way in which residents reduce their carbon footprints is by purchasing Ascott Makati's range of green collectibles such as eco-bags for shopping trips and re-usable tumblers.

Ascott Makati is also determined to grow a new eco-conscious generation. To share the green message with the children of its residents, the property organises activities such as green drawing competitions and making festive decorations using recycled materials.

"Children are the future generation and promoting awareness among them early will go a long way in making a big difference to environmental protection," enthused Ms Lew.