Sustainability and tourism interconnected at Rio+20 Earth Summit 2012

Countries from around the world gathered at the Rio+20 Earth Summit 2012As a sustainable furniture asset management company with a strong focus in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, we’ve been reading and hearing a lot about the three pillars of sustainability and how to properly encourage and achieve sustainable development.

The three pillars of sustainability are social, environmental and economic – and many sustainability experts believe that all three pillars must be developed and strengthened simultaneously, as a whole, to combat the sustainability problem successfully.

The most recent Rio+20 Earth Summit, held June 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro, focused on two main themes: “a green economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development, and an institutional framework for sustainable development.” One of the Summit’s side events, ‘Tourism for a Sustainable Future’, discussed these themes in great detail and concluded that tourism can be a key contributor to the three pillars.

Maurice Strong, former Earth Summit Secretary-General, said: “[Tourism] has a real interest in protecting the environment and a huge potential for the green economy as its assets are the ones we need to preserve and enhance.”

This sentiment resonates with The Refinishing Touch team, as our primary goals focus around reducing tree harvesting, reducing landfill waste, and preserving our natural resources. Having worked with some of the world’s largest hotel brands, including Starwood, Hilton, and Marriott, we understand how tourism can not only promote local jobs and economic growth, but also encourage greater care and appreciation for local environments and natural resources.

We hope that tourism, as travelers become more environmentally-conscious, will continue to be a driving force in increased sustainable development and awareness.

For more information on the Rio+20 Earth Summit, go here. For more information on how furniture asset management can help your organization save money and the environment, visit our website at www.therefinishingtouch.com.