Eskişehir’s primary meeting point, the OMM INN cafe, restaurant and hotel, has initiated a brand new sustainability programme called Stay in Harmony. In all its service areas, menu’s and rooms, the OMM INN, located in northwest Turkey, has implemented wide-ranging changes that squarely focus on nature and protecting the environment.

Global news headlines tend to focus on the change in weather patterns, with news of the planets diminishing resources frequently playing second fiddle. Did you know that since 1995, half of the coral in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has died, and the Amazon Rainforest could disappear altogether within most people’s lifetimes?

Add to this, there will likely be more plastic waste in the oceans than fish, and in just four years, half of the world’s people are expected to find difficulty in accessing freshwater. The continued destruction and pillaging of the planet is causing irreversible consequences for life on the planet.

Although much of the destruction already carried out is likely to be irreversible, there are changes that can help to minimise the future impact of humans and every change, no matter how small, is a step forward. One place aiming to do its part is the OMM INN, and they want to encourage guests to incorporate environmentally friendly changes into their lives. To help inspire them, they’ve created a new sustainability programme called “Stay in Harmony”.

Be a part of the change without compromising comfort and taste
The OMM INN is an extension of OMM (Odunpazarı Modern Museum shown below) in Eskişehir, which has attracted great interest from art lovers since the first day it opened. It is now going beyond offering a pleasant socialising space for museum visitors and hotel guests and wants to inspire visitors to introduce changes in their lives that will help the planet and its biodiversity.

OMM has already taken significant steps, including reducing its carbon footprint. They have integrated sustainable practices for waste disposal, introduced water and energy-saving measures, stopped using harmful cleaning chemicals, and replaced it with ozone technology and only use sustainable paper products in their cups, straws and packaging.

The OMM INN is also running a ‘Green Room’ programme where guests can opt-out of the housekeeping service and reuse their towels. In return for this, guests will earn discounts at the OMM INN Cafe.

OMM INN’s renewed menu is free of animal products
What you choose to eat has an impact on the welfare of the planet. According to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, it takes an average of 15,000 litres of water to produce just 1kg of meat, and livestock is one of the biggest causes of global warming.

Because of this, the OMM INN does not include animal products in its kitchen to reduce its carbon footprint and thus, support the fight against climate change. The renewed menu at the OMM INN’s cafe and restaurant is comprised entirely of plant-based options.

Don’t fret about there not being any meat on the menu, as the food prepared in the OMM INN’s kitchen are designed to appeal not only to vegans but to anyone who wants to try a plant-based diet. It’s not only the sustainable food on the menu that OMM INN has focused on. They also collect the organic waste produced in the cafe and restaurants and use it for composting and avoid single-use plastic products.

OMM Bakkal
Plant-based nutrition is increasingly being adopted by many worldwide. To help promote sustainable food, OMM INN has introduced OMM Bakkal, which offers plant-based cheeses, milk and meat alternatives, as well as gluten-free and organic products. It also has a decent selection of books on sustainable eating and cruelty-free cosmetics. OMM Bakkal is located in the courtyard of OMM INN and aims to make choosing cruelty-free, animal-friendly and sustainable products simple for all.

OMM Bakkal stocks a range of herbal powders and mixes, vegan chocolates, vegan milk, healthy snacks, meat substitutes, natural cleaning products, cruelty-free cosmetics made by reliable Turkish and foreign brands and much more.

Besides the vegan menu offered at the OMM Café and the elimination of plastic packaging materials in the OMM Shop, ecological measures have also been implemented throughout the museum and its office areas. These include the use of eco-certified cleaning products, introducing water and energy-saving measures, the accumulation of organic waste, and extra training to increase awareness throughout the OMM team.

The OMM INN and OMM are inviting everyone to be a part of the change by experiencing their nature-friendly accommodation and gastronomy experiences, and its “At the End of the Day” exhibition, which will continue until the 7th of November.

Read more travel features, reviews and guides here.