Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fications that collectively make major savings in scarce resources - and you're invited to
participate. Solar water heaters provide instant hot water for showers in the afternoon and
evening, so taking showers at those times saves water that might otherwise be wasted by
running the tap while gas heaters warm up. Reforestation programs are helping prevent
erosion, and you can help by staying on marked mountain paths and supporting local
NGO reforestation initiatives. Organic gardens provide fresh ingredients for meals, redu-
cing the dependence on food transported over long distances - and ordering local, season-
al specialities provides positive reinforcement for local food sourcing. Morocco's Green
Key program also certifies hotels and guesthouses that institute a range of resource-con-
serving measures, from low-flow toilets to environmentally friendly cleaning products, al-
though it has received criticism from some quarters for granting certificates to hotels with
distinctly high-impact facilities like swimming pools.
Add these traditional, national and local resource-saving practices together, and Mo-
rocco is poised not only to make the switch to sustainable tourism, but to show Europe
how it's done.
