Sustainable travel means making choices that lower your impact on the environment while still enjoying the trip. And nowadays, it’s no longer just a trend, with more than three-quarters of travellers wanting to travel in ways that are better for the planet.
Making eco-friendly choices can also enhance your trip. For business travellers, this can mean accommodations that are more flexible and commute-friendly than standard hotels. Friends and families benefit as well, enjoying home-like amenities such as in-suite laundry and kitchens.
One way to travel greener is by choosing furnished suites, like those offered by DelSuites across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), that let guests live sustainably without giving up convenience or comfort.
In this article, we’ll look at how furnished suites help you minimize your travel footprint, as well as practical ways to keep your stay sustainable.
The Environmental Impact of Traditional Hotel Stays
Traditional hotels are still a go-to for most travellers, but they come with a hidden cost to the environment. It’s estimated that hotels worldwide produce emissions equal to about 45.7 million homes.
These are the common culprits that contribute to a hotel’s environmental impact:
- Energy consumption: Hotels run 24/7, keeping lights on, heating or cooling rooms, and powering appliances. Large-scale laundry services and constant elevator use add even more energy demand.
- Water usage: Daily cleaning, showers, and pools consume huge amounts of water. Many hotels use more water per guest than a household would in a month.
- Waste generation: Single-use toiletries, packaging, and disposable items create significant waste. Food waste from buffets and room service also adds up.
- Resource usage: Hotels require constant restocking of linens, furniture, and amenities. Manufacturing and transporting these items further increase their impact on the environment.
Over time, these impacts accumulate, making hotels a major driver of emissions and resource use in the travel industry. Choosing alternatives that use fewer resources can help travellers reduce their footprint while still maintaining a comfortable and practical stay.
How Furnished Suites Contribute to Sustainable Travel
Furnished suites are fully equipped accommodations that are available for longer stays. They offer living spaces with a kitchen and dining room, bathrooms, laundry, and bedrooms.
While choosing a furnished suite might seem like a small decision, opting for accommodations that support sustainability is actually a meaningful one.
Here’s how furnished suites support a greener way to travel:
- Energy efficiency: Suites often include energy-saving appliances and smart thermostats. Guests control lighting, heating, and cooling, which reduces energy use compared with 24/7 hotel operations.
- Waste reduction: Furnished suites provide reusable kitchenware, linens, and toiletries. Guests can cook meals at home and avoid single-use items from restaurants or hotels.
- Water conservation: Longer stays mean fewer laundry cycles and less daily cleaning. Many suites include water-saving fixtures that lower overall water consumption.
- Extended stays: Longer bookings reduce the need for multiple trips to different hotels, cutting transportation emissions and resource use over time.
Business travellers see the benefits right away. Preparing meals and using in-suite laundry reduces both cost and environmental impact. Meanwhile, families save on single-use products and energy-intensive hotel services.
Even casual vacationers gain sustainability perks. Living in a furnished suite, often located in convenient locations, lets you live more like a local. You shop at nearby stores, support neighbourhood businesses, and move around the city like a resident, reducing your reliance on hotel amenities.
DelSuites: A Commitment to Sustainable Hospitality
DelSuites provides fully furnished accommodations across Toronto. Beyond comfort, we’ve always prioritized being environmentally responsible.
In 2017, DelSuites received the Best Green Progress Award from the Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA). This annual worldwide award recognizes one company that shows outstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and social performance. DelSuites was the first Canadian company to earn this honour.
Here’s how DelSuites minimizes environmental impact:
- Many of our properties use smart technologies and systems to lower electricity consumption.
- Low-flow fixtures and water-efficient systems reduce water use throughout guest stays.
- Recycling programs and reusable amenities help cut down waste.
- Longer bookings reduce travel frequency.
Sustainability is a continuous focus for DelSuites. One example is our recent addition, The Well, which is an urban development that combines high-end condos, retail, and office spaces in one vibrant community.
The Well has achieved LEED® Platinum Certification, the highest rating for green building practices. Smart energy solutions for cooling, high-efficiency heating, and efficient water management make this a sustainable choice for residents and guests alike.
Through conscious design and ongoing initiatives, DelSuites shows that eco-friendly practices can coexist with comfort, convenience, and a high-quality guest experience.
Simple Tips for Eco-Conscious Travel
Remember that sustainability starts with each of us.
Here are some tips to travel more sustainably:
- Choose eco-friendly accommodations: Look for furnished suites or properties with energy-efficient systems. Longer stays in one place reduce energy and resource use.
- Use public transport or walk: Skip taxis whenever possible. Buses, trains, and bikes lower emissions and let you see the city up close.
- Pack light: Carrying only what you need reduces fuel use in transportation and makes moving around easier.
- Reduce single-use items: Bring a reusable water bottle, utensils, and a shopping bag. Avoid disposable items that end up in landfills.
- Cook or eat locally: Using a suite’s kitchen or supporting local restaurants lowers packaging waste and benefits the community.
- Be mindful of your energy and water consumption: Turn off the lights, heating, and cooling when you leave your room. Try avoiding overly long showers when you can and combine laundry loads to save water and energy.
Even small adjustments like these can reduce your travel footprint and make your journey more responsible.
Choose DelSuites: Sustainable Stays Start Here
Sustainable travel doesn’t have to be complicated. Furnished suites offer practical solutions for travellers, helping you make small changes that collectively create a positive impact on the environment.
Planning a trip to Toronto? Make DelSuites your eco-friendly choice of stay. In addition to our award-winning environmentally conscious practices, DelSuites offers fully furnished apartments designed for comfort and convenience.
With suites available throughout the area, each apartment will place you in a strategic location surrounded by restaurants, shops, and local favourites. Kitchens, laundry facilities, and living spaces give you the freedom to live like a local while maintaining a greener lifestyle.
Contact us today and enjoy Toronto living with all the comforts of home and a focus on sustainability.