The Royal Cancun and other Real Resorts have innovative ways of helping the environment. — Photo courtesy of The Royal Cancun

Cancun and the Riviera Maya area are filled with amazingly beautiful scenery; from the turquoise Caribbean waters, the second-largest coral reef in the world, and crystal-clear cenotes (natural underground springs) to spectacular beaches and jungles filled with exotic birds and wildlife. These areas need to be protected, so they can be enjoyed by area residents and tourists for many years to come.

In an effort to protect the region's land, water, and coral reef, some resorts are making big changes in order to help the environment. Real Resorts, which has four hotels in Cancun and Playa del Carmen (The Royal Cancun, The Royal Playa del Carmen, Gran Porto Real Playa del Carmen, and Gran Caribe Real Cancun), has taken many steps towards going green.

In addition to using recycled water to water resort grounds and gardens and sorting through garbage to remove recyclable items, the hotels also use energy-saving light bulbs, put timers on lights so they will turn off when nobody is in the area, and have sensors installed in guest rooms that can determine whether or not guests are present. If no one is in the room, lights are turned off and the temperature is adjusted to reduce energy consumption.  

All of those practices are fantastic and they are certainly ground-breaking for Mexico, but what's even more fantastic is the fact that those steps are only the tip of the iceberg. The Royal Cancun has a water-filtration system that turns seawater into drinking water for the resort and three of the Real properties have their own electrical energy plants, which allow the hotels to use fewer of the city's power resources. And, finally, the pièce de résistance is the new eco-efficient microturbine that was recently installed at The Royal Playa del Carmen. The hotel is the first in the entire world to use this technology. The microturbine will provide electricity & hot water for the resort and it will be used for heating pools, operating air conditioners, and for laundering towels and linens.  

These innovative ideas and practices will not only save the hotel chain money, in the long run, but it will also help preserve the pristine beauty of Cancun and the Riviera Maya for future generations. If you're an ecotourist, definitely consider making one of these properties your staging point for an excursion in Cancun!