Branson Plans Zero Carbon Resort, Launches Eco-Consulting Group

July 2, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Richard Branson plans to turn his Mosquito Island in the British Virgin Islands into the most environmentally-friendly resort in the world, The Associated Press reports.

Located off Virgin Gorda and within sight of Branson’s Necker Island, uninhabited Mosquito Island, as Branson envisions it, will have a beachfront restaurant and 20 villas powered by solar and wind.

Thermal airflows will eliminate the need for air conditioners and the restaurant’s food will come from an organic orchard and vehicles will run on biofuel.

The response from the government has been positive and the VI planning department is reviewing Branson’s plans that aim to be environmentally friendly in every aspect.

Branson also says he is launching an eco-consulting group called Virgin Green Owls that will advise governments and corporations in carbon neutral projects beginning in August.Branson is known for taking the lead in an elite circle of climate change activists. Following the British government’s criticism of British Airways last year, Branson’s Virgin Airlines introduced on-board carbon offsets for flights. With that, Virgin had brought buying offsets into the open and made it a public act, EnvironmentalLeader reported.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Make sustainability part of your strategy.

Get equipped at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

EGM Green would love to participate in this Eco-Friendly island. We are the only company to make Eco-friendly casino tables. http://www.egmgreen.com

Eric Hansel | July 3rd, 2008

The initiative comes from the right place. Track record, smarts in business, massive resources and a wealth of environmentally switched on folks. Face it, Richard Branson can accord the best. Plus, he’s motivated, and like many times, he’s first to make a real impact, either real or perceived. Leadership. Owls, has a ring to it and reminds me of the wise folks group in The Global Elders initiative, formed by Branson and Peter Gabriel. Nothing wrong with the currency of celebrity either. Branson’s got more substance than style (which is considerable), and he’s made global news again, so the awareness is certainly there. Sign me up.

Greg Tingle | July 3rd, 2008

I love to see energy-efficient projects like this. Branson is doing something for the spectacular Virgin Gorda that his critics can only talk about. They need to get busy and do it themselves! We are marketing eco-friendly homes in the Nation’s Oldest City, St. Augustine and getting a great response. These are hurricane ready, fire-resistant, mold and mildew resistant, termite resistant energy efficient structures with on-demand hot water, low-e windows and are gov’t rated by EPA certified inspectors. This is the wave of the future and I applaud Branson for his active participation.

Dirk Schroeder | September 4th, 2008

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/25/2009
11/24/2009
11/23/2009

Charts [ see all ]

Government Intervention Required to Drive “Green” Technology

62% of Firms Assign Environmental Team for Green Goals

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Jetset1 on Energy-Savings Claims Don’t Add Up for Microsoft’s Windows 7
"This article is wrong. If your PC is less than a few years old,..."

Iain on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"Now if only their food was healthy and nutritious."

Phil on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"After reading all the comments it seems obvious, to me, that the individuals populating..."

Marc Hudson on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"where will the stone be mined from- under what labor rights conditions? Will the..."

Clyde on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"This just shows all the Global Warming freaks out there are a bunch of criminals cut from..."

Car Rental Singapore on News Corp. Taps Hara for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Management
"Energy reduction is a good thing. We need to save the..."

Meme Mine on WWF, WRI Make Last-Minute Pitches on Climate Change
"To the voting public, what the scientists say is irrelevant anymore for if you read..."

Environmental Leader