27 Aug 5 small steps to reduce our ecological footprint

In recent years, you may have adopted a reusable bottle to replace the countless plastic bottles thrown away every day, or started using metal or bamboo straws to save the turtles ; with the state of the environment becoming increasingly alarming, we all want to do our part by reducing, reusing and recycling what is within our power to do. This is why, at the Manoir d’Auteuil, we take the situation seriously by changing our habits one by one for the better of the environment.
Our team works to update its practices daily, and here are 5 small actions that we are implementing in order to reduce the ecological footprint of the hotel while having a sustainable practice.

Vermicomposting
At the Manoir restaurant, we serve delicious breakfasts with generous portions of fresh fruits everyday. For the past few months, the kitchen team has been busy putting aside all the fruit scraps and leftover plates to feed the compost worms kept in a worm farm. The red earthworms then take care of transforming the organic matter into a rich, odorless fertilizer that can be used to fertilize our many flower boxes in the summertime.

Using pasta instead of plastic stirrers
As with plastic straws, single-use coffee stirrers get thrown away after just minutes to seconds of use. So, without removing them completely, we decided to change the plastic… for fettuccine! Pasta breaks down much faster than petroleum products, and a coffee fettuccine stick makes for a great snack when you’re craving a quick bite (wink).

Water cans
Reusable bottles are becoming more common and used, but we understand that some people aren’t used to carrying one with them yet, or may not be comfortable drinking tap water when traveling. Bottles are the most popular way to remedy the inconvenience of bringing your own reusable solution,  and unfortunately plastic is recycled less and less in Quebec. This is one of the reasons why we now only offer Onibi water in aluminum cans, a material that can be recycled and transformed almost infinitely! Of course, we encourage all of you to fill your water bottle as much as needed too.  On a side note, the tap water in Quebec is of very high quality so we certainly recommend this option (plus it costs less!)

On-demand room service only
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the cleaning service during the stays of our guests is only done on request. Although we are slowly returning to a pre-pandemic pace and clients are becoming more comfortable with the daily housekeeping service regarding COVID risks, we are continuing this practice, leaving room for our guests to choose if they want housekeeping service daily, on certain days or not at all. This practice certainly has an ecological benefit, because it represents less water used for the unnecessary washing of sheets and towels, as well as less water and products used for cleaning the rooms.

Unused in-house amenities donated to Maison Dauphine
The small bottles of soap and lotion put in each room are often found very little used when guests leave the hotel, and these represent very large losses of great quality products when they are thrown away. At Manoir d’Auteuil, we are committed to collecting these unused products and periodically donating them to the Maison Dauphine organization in Quebec City.  This worthwhile organization works tirelessly to assist young adults and teens that are living on the streets of Old Quebec in finding a path foreword that is free of substance abuse, with assistance for mental health needs and getting a roof over their heads.