Why hotels should go green

In some cases, however, new regulations may be passed to contend with a specific emergency. For example, in California, the population has been living with a severe drought for several years.

This drought eventually became so severe that the Governor added new permanent statewide water use restrictions this year and penalties for violators. The laws will phase in gradually. By , the indoor use limit becomes 55 gallons per day per person. By , it drops to By employing green technologies and methods, hoteliers can be better prepared for any new upcoming environmental restrictions that may come in the future.

Hotels in the U. What all these numbers amount to is that the hotel industry has an incredible opportunity to actually make a difference in the fight for water conservation without sacrificing profits or the quality of the guest experience. Topics: Sustainability Hotel Laundry. Xeros Technology Group. The aim is for them to tell all their friends about how fantastic your hotel is and our eBook can help with that.

Contact Us. Download Catalogue. Hotel Amenities. Sizing Advice Sizing Advice Truefit. Resources Download Catalogue Certificates Ebooks. Use phone calls for initial interviews instead of asking candidates to swing by — thus cutting down on fossil fuels — and use Skype or Facetime for face-to-face interviews. Instead of printing-out lengthy employee manuals or hiring forms, provide new employees with links to documentation in electronic format, or provide computer access on-site for those without home computers.

Steer new applicants to online employment portals rather than requesting hard copy resumes. This is the name of the game when it comes to a green corporate culture. Add electric vehicle charging stations for guests with electric or hybrid cars. Consider eBike and eScooter rental options to promote sustainable transportation be sure to provide helmets for guests. Provide group shuttles using hybrid or electric vehicles to public transit hubs to cut down on the number of low-occupancy car trips to and from your hotel.

Sustainability efforts in guest rooms have evolved beyond cards reminding guests to reuse towels, turn off the AC, or hit the light switch on the way out. Today, many hotels are taking the guesswork out with technology:. Smart showers limit the length of showers to a pre-set time, alerting users when their time is almost over. Room sensors automatically detect light levels, increasing and reducing the bulb brightness.

Thermostats with occupancy sensors adjust heating and AC temperatures. Utilizing Internet of Things IoT technology, these same room amenities can be connected to apps so guests can change settings remotely.

In addition to smart technology, make smart choices in furnishing guest rooms with natural fiber sheets and furniture made of sustainable materials. Stock the room with reusable coffee mugs and glasses rather than plasticware, paper, or styrofoam. In the bathroom, provide natural and organic free-trade soaps and shampoos from certified green manufacturers in biodegradable packaging.

Cut down on the number of trash receptacles at your event venue while increasing the amount of recycling options to force attendees to dispose of their waste thoughtfully. Make it easy for guests to recycle by clearly marking and positioning recyclable containers for paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles.

This cuts down on the use of straws, plastic serving-ware, and paper plates at your facility. Replace single portions of cereal, yogurt, and jam at your breakfast bar with glass containers to further minimize waste. Source from nearby growers and food providers. Menu selections should incorporate sustainable offerings, including vegetarian and vegan items that take fewer resources to produce than meat. Establish processes to compost waste, which can in turn support sustainable gardening practices.

When choosing which products to sell, or which manufacturers to use for branded apparel and gifts, look at green certified businesses.

Explore ethical clothing companies, fair trade accessories, and even ethical travel gear. In terms of hotel gift shop operations, monitoring occupancy levels at your hotel will help staff the shop properly, cutting down on staff transportation emissions. Sensor lights can automatically dim and brighten at different times of the day, and sensor thermostats can keep the shop comfortable.

For display cases, sensors on doors can brighten interiors when opened, and there are environmentally-friendly point of sale systems that cut down on electricity and paper for receipts. And by all means, ditch plastic bags for compostable bags or convenient reusable ones that can be returned to the desk or placed in drop boxes. Combat this by planting a rain garden and water detention ponds to collect drainage, in addition to using pervious pavement whenever possible.

Smart irrigation systems can cut down on unnecessary water use with timed watering. Who is it for? Why go green? What have others done? What can I do? Measure resource use — you need to know what you are using to be able to reduce it. Measure and monitor key resources such as electricity, gas, water, waste and any other key resources that you use. Action Plan — Plan what actions you will take to reduce your environmental impact, assigning completion dates and responsible staff members.

Where possible, have an independent expert review conducted of your site s to help you identify actions to be taken. Monitor and report progress — communicate with customers and staff, celebrate your successes and evaluate your performance to find areas of improvement for next year. Gain accreditation — show off all your hard work with an independent badge of approval.