4 Women Who Are Doing Their Bit To Save Our Planet

This Earth Day, we’re having a conservation with four women who are doing their bit to save our planet – one ecofriendly gesture at a time

- Natalya Molok

THE ECO-REALTOR:
CHARMAINE WEE
34, director of operations at 8M Collective

The hospitality industry is responsible for about one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this is set to grow as demand for travel increases. Many hotels are taking measures to reduce their environmental footprint. That includes the 8M Collective group in Singapore that owns Wanderlust Hotel, Ann Siang House, Base Residences and KeSa House.

“Architectural preservation and transformation [are] at the heart of our business; all our hotels are set in beautiful heritage buildings that we breathe new life into,” explains Charmaine, who oversees operations within the real estate company.

“Unlike traditional developers, we don’t [demolish]. Instead, we preserve, which is inherently more sustainable. Our mission is to reintegrate historical gems back into the cosmopolitan cityscape and conscientiously design them for a modern traveller’s needs. And of course, this includes day-to-day environmental efforts.”

Charmaine adds that it’s their day-to-day efforts that actually help the business stay competitive, attract more travellers and save on operational costs.

“Being environmentally friendly is no longer a trend, it’s a daily pursuit, and we do what we can every day at the ground level,” she says.

“That means cutting down on paper usage across all our properties, considering better ways to be more energy-efficient, reducing our plastic consumption with filtered water stations and refillable dispensers in our rooms, and delivering a select-service model that encourages guests to only use what they really need.”

I’m a crazy, green Asian because…