Sustainable Development

Cynics have argued that the term ‘sustainable development’ is an oxymoron, callously created by developers with no interest in sustaining the host nation’s social and environmental tranquility.

However, ‘sustainable development’ is not a euphuism as long as developers invest in the community and tourists visit sustainable resorts over less ethical ones. Tourists need to start asking themselves whether the resort they are visiting promotes both sustainable development and sustainable society.

Written by Richard Hywel Evans

The reality is that most developments do not commit enough time and money to ensuring they positively help the local environment and populace. Hopefully the birth of ‘responsible tourism’, whereby travellers demand a far greater knowledge of a resorts’ environmental policies and actions, is a course that will gradually help communities across the world.

To those of you reading this sitting in your Cabot resort can gain considerable assurance from the knowledge that Cabot are dedicated to the belief that they can make a difference.

Many people instinctively think excessive electricity usage is a major issue that adversely affects the local populace through the need to burn more local fossil fuels. Although extremely important, and easily measured, the benefits of positive social action in the community arguably have a bigger impact.

Employing an indigenous workforce is probably the best way to create a sustainable society.  This is the first way that profits from travel can be ploughed back into local communities.

This is what Cabot are doing at their flagship development in Cabot St Lucia where the motto: smaller developments for smaller groups have smaller footprints.

  • Building without damaging the environment

  • Sustainability Measures

  • We set out to limit the change to the topography, working with the inherited contours and rock features.

Water

Water pollution to the local environment is mitigated with a high quality treatment plant effectively delivering uncontaminated drinking quality levels of water back to the sea.

Rain water is collected when available and fresh water is created by reverse osmosis, which is created as a side benefit from the power generation for the island.

Where possible power is generated from the sun, with solar water heaters and photo voltaic panels. Back up generation is fuelled by both bio-diesel and the diluted incineration of local waste materials.

Responsible tourism’s mantra - Travel Global, Think Local

Cabot St Lucia also offer locally manufactured goods for sale which are produced from highly sustainable resources. When visitors wish to explore the island we organise small groups and use local guides.

And where possible local materials, including indigenous timbers and traditional thatched grass, have been used to manufacture the resorts.