ECO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL, DINING, FASHION, BEAUTY & MORE
Earth Month serves as a reminder that everyone can do their part to preserve our planet by living more sustainably. Below is a summary of some eco-friendly travel, dining, apparel, beauty products and more.
Sustainable Travel
Plant Pals Program at Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort
Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, a boutique hotel channeling an elevated and vibrant atmosphere, just got a whole lot greener with the implementation of Kimpton Hotels’ Plant Pals Program, an initiative created to honor Earth Day by providing regionally sourced plants for guests to enjoy in their rooms. Kimpton Hotels worked with Brooklyn-based Black, queer and nonbinary plant influencer Plant Kween, who curated plant recommendations for six different Kimpton regions. Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale will source the regional flora recommended by Plant Kween to provide their guests with a plant-tastic experience.
100% Renewable Energy at The Gabriel South Beach
The Gabriel South Beach is part of Conscious Certified Hotels (CCH), an organization that focuses on environmental improvements to hotel operations and caters to purposeful travelers who seek out properties that support sustainable causes. Believing it can play a crucial role in supporting the community’s growth and development, the hotel gives 1% of every night’s profits to one of three charity partners vetted through social, health and environmental standards. Additionally, The Gabriel South Beach is powered by 100% renewable energy and is a zero single-use plastic property – exceeding the City of Miami Beach’s compliance requirements. On April 22, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon, the hotel is partnering with Clean This Beach Up to sponsor the organization’s Earth Day cleanup on the MacArthur Causeway and celebrate CTBU’s four-year anniversary.
Sustainable Hotels that Give Back: The Gabriel Miami
The Gabriel Miami is one of the first hotels to be part of Conscious Certified Hotels (CCH), an ESG platform created by CGI Merchant Group with a commitment to social, health and environmental consciousness. Located in Downtown Miami, The Gabriel Miami has also implemented Ecolab cleaning products, which have sustainable packaging; offers an electric vehicle (EV) charging station on-site; and supports sustainable transportation via its branded Gabriel bicycles, also available at its sister property, The Gabriel South Beach. A five-minute drive or 15-minute walk from the Brightline MiamiCentral station, the hotel encourages guests to arrive via Brightline if traveling from an area near one of its other South Florida stations.
Reef-Friendly Sunscreen Dispensers at The Marker Key West Harbor Resort
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort, the modern waterfront resort located on the Key West Historic Seaport, recently partnered with local nonprofit Reef Relief and sustainable sun care brand Raw Elements to install two public sunscreen dispensers on property to encourage the use of mineral sunblock. This initiative not only benefits skin health but also works toward preserving coral reefs and supporting ocean conservation. On June 1, 2023, the hotel will host a World Reef Day silent auction and event to support the national holiday created by Raw Elements in 2019. The hotel’s environmental, social and governance webpage highlights its commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.
Care-Free, Car-Free Vacay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort + Hotel Effie Sandestin
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is an ecotourism utopia. Upon arrival, guests can automatically reduce their carbon footprint. This is where the care-free, car-free motto comes to life. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a walkable, bike-friendly resort with everything in close proximity, from dining and activities to hotels and vacation rentals. It is a mecca for outdoor recreation with nature trails, kayaking, paddleboarding, tennis, golf, fishing, bonfires and more! At Hotel Effie Sandestin, guests can relax and recenter at Spa Lilliana, a luxury spa that only uses clean and sustainably made products such as Osea and Biologique Recherche. Hotel Effie guests have access to all Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort amenities.
Eco-Friendly Dining Experiences
Food@Science at Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Constellation Culinary Group understands the impact the food and beverage industry has on the environment and is committed to prioritizing sustainability measures, from the dishes and containers in which food is served to the management of food waste.
For example, at Food@Science at Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the team does not buy or sell single-use plastics in its operations; instead, it offers recyclable and renewable packaging. And, in partnership with Open Water, the restaurant offers aluminum canned water in lieu of plastic water bottles. The restaurant also practices food waste reduction through ordering practices, creative recipes and food donations to local organizations. The culinary team practices sustainable and local sourcing whenever possible to reduce travel and transportation. From a culinary perspective, Constellation’s chefs use in-season ingredients and adhere to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch guidelines.
Locally Sourced & Low-Impact Cuisine at J&J Fresh Kitchen
J&J Fresh Kitchen, a casual health-food hot spot in Boca Raton, brings a twist to farm-to-table cuisine by using 100% locally sourced ingredients, maintaining a low-impact kitchen and crafting its menu with the belief that wellness is not just good for personal health but also for the world. J&J Fresh Kitchen showcases Mother Nature’s offerings in their most delicious state, never degrading their quality by using artificial flavors or added sugars. Guests will find a menu bursting with familiar favorites made both sustainably and deliciously, like the restaurant’s own line of juices and smoothies made-to-order with only the freshest fruits and vegetables.
Sundays at The Rancho with Chef Niven Patel of Orno and Mamey at THesis Hotel
For years, Chef Niven Patel – five-time James Beard Award nominee and one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs of 2020” – has been growing organic produce for his critically acclaimed restaurants. Rancho Patel, his 2-acre farm in Homestead, is just a short drive from long-standing favorite Ghee Indian Kitchen and Coral Gables hidden gems Mamey and Orno. Once a month in the fall and spring, Chef Niven invites guests to attend Sundays at The Rancho, featuring intimate three-course, farm-to-table family-style meals that include cocktails and wine pairings – all set against the rustic natural backdrop of the farm.
Romantic Electric Boat Ride Along Las Olas
Voted “Best Asian Restaurant” by Fort Lauderdale Magazine in 2020 and 2021, Casa Sensei brilliantly blends traditional Latin American cuisine with Pan-Asian staples. Guests can reserve a private dinner cruise on one of Riverfront Gondola Tours’ eco-friendly, electric-powered boats that seat up to six people. The 90-minute gondola ride offers views of stunning waterfront homes, tropical foliage and South Florida wildlife, including manatees, peacocks, iguanas, exotic birds and other animals in their natural habitat – perfect for being surrounded by nature on Earth Day!
Sustainable Styles & Skin Care
Skin-Saving Solutions from Josh Rosebrook
Striving to elevate sustainability standards in the beauty industry, celebrity-adored skin and hair care entrepreneur Josh Rosebrook has devoted his life to creating products led by nature and science. From his hair care line to his body collection, all products are 100% eco-friendly, made with natural, organic, fair-trade ingredients that are cruelty-free, biodegradable, and consciously grown, harvested and produced. Rosebrook uses biomimetics to integrate ingredients that mimic or activate the skin’s natural functions to slow the aging process and support skin vitality. Embodying sustainability in all of the brand’s daily operations, Rosebrook also uses recycled materials, such as ocean waste plastic and glass, for packaging.
Green Tennis Apparel by Jgame
Founded by Jackie Meretsky, a former on-air network weather announcer turned entrepreneur, Jgame is a new eco-conscious tennis fashion brand that merges style with sustainability. The apparel is made from locally sourced fabric made from recycled plastic water bottles and is perfect for those who love tennis, care about reducing their carbon footprint, and want to look effortlessly chic on and off the court. All pieces are designed with functionality and comfort in mind, come in sustainable packaging and are ethically made in New York City. Each piece also goes through a rigorous process of wearing, washing and drying to test its longevity.
Responsible Luxury from Piper & Skye
Piper & Skye is a responsible luxury brand that creates sustainable, ethically made handbags, duffles, wallets and more using carefully sourced materials with a low carbon footprint. Its products are designed using the skins of invasive species that would otherwise be treated as waste products, such as the pirarucu fish from the Amazon and the American wild alligator. Consumers can indulge in luxury accessories while maintaining a clean conscience in helping the environment.
