EcoNomically Sound

The Leadership of Hotel Sustainability

2012-04-06T01:10:07Z

Ralph Waldo Emerson expresses, in his essay Self-Reliance, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Maybe. But, when it comes to hotel operations I feel inconsistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. In other words, inconsistent staff behavior is troublesome for guests, vendors and staff alike. Green initiatives, or sustainability programs, seem to be the most obvious outlet for inconsistent behavior. And that inconsistency hurts hotels.

Green Travel Fun in Ouray, Colorado

2011-02-21T18:23:49Z

One of the most beautiful places in the world to visit is remote Ouray, Colorado. Ouray is like a little piece of the Swiss Alps transplanted into southwestern Colorado. Full of local, independently owned businesses and numerous outdoor activities, Ouray is a great vacation destination.

Hamburg and Zwei Eichen B&B For A Greener Holiday

2011-02-03T17:41:39Z

Hamburg, Germany, the second largest city in Germany, offers "it all" for travelers, whether you are single, a couple, or a family. From museums to shopping to art galleries to historical sites and sightseeing, you will find something to fit your wants and needs, as far as visiting this vibrant city is concerned. Additionally, you can learn more about being eco-friendly with tours of the green initiatives Hamburg is known for. Before you begin planning your activities, however, you will first want to find an eco-friendly home base for your visiting.

Clean Air and Air Purifiers For Guest Relief?

2011-01-18T22:27:59Z

An air purifier is the last step in creating good indoor air quality. Avoiding scents and pollutants will keep allergies and asthma to a minimum, and guest happiness to a maximum. We can't always pinpoint where our allergy symptoms come from, but indoor allergies due to poor indoor air quality are on the rise. Create a clean, pure air, guestroom and be part of the allergy relief guests want.

Green Carpet Padding

2011-01-04T19:02:36Z

Carpet and carpet padding are omnipresent in the hospitality industry. Anywhere people put their feet, from hotel lobbies to guest rooms to convention centers and restaurants, there's carpet. Unfortunately, this industry contributes to a huge burden on our landfills and solid-waste disposal systems, as somewhere around 4 billion pounds of carpet and padding land there in the US alone.

How To Keep Your Sustainability Score

2010-12-03T13:00:00Z

This is the last article of a four-part article series that will explore how sustainable development can and will impact your operations--especially in light of evolving consumer trends, regulations and new technological developments on a national and global level. Written by Brita Moosman and Kit Cassingham.

The previous two parts of the Global Insights series on sustainable development as a profit partner dealt more with the implementation and identification of sustainable principles in rooms/facility management and in the areas of food and beverage, meetings and events. The goal of this final article is to establish a methodology to help you with the measurement of sustainable development at your organization, so that you can be one of the first out of the block when the down economy starts to revive. This will serve as a basis to report on your efforts as well as to become better and more profitable for all three areas: environmental, social and in economic value creation.

Sustainable F&B Operations Can Create Valuable Profit Partner

2010-11-29T13:00:00Z

This is the third article of a four-part article series that will explore how sustainable development can and will impact your operations--especially in light of evolving consumer trends, regulations and new technological developments on a national and global level. Written by Brita Moosman of Yeld for Profit. Reprinted with Brita's permission.

Traditionally, food-and-beverage operations have been labeled the "poor cousin" as a low-profit department of a hospitality operation. This largely is because of the amount of labor for food production in addition to the amount of goods and services needed to deliver the product.

Sustainable Investment and ROI

2010-11-22T13:00:00Z

This is the second article of a four-part article series that will explore how sustainable development can and will impact your operations--especially in light of evolving consumer trends, regulations and new technological developments on a national and global level. Written by Kit Cassingham.

Making use of basic business principles is smart business, and sustainable development relies on basic business principles. Furthermore, sustainable development requires communication of your intentions and attitudes, actions, successes and failures.

Sustainability Can Pump Profits

2010-11-15T13:00:00Z

This is the first article of a four-part article series that will explore how sustainable development can and will impact your operations -- especially in light of evolving consumer trends, regulations and new technological developments on a national and global level. Written by Brita Moosman and Kit Cassingham.

Sustainable hotel operations are responsible and profitable hotel operations. How so, you might wonder, since it is a common myth that sustainable also is more expensive? Responsible operations means you and your organization are doing what you can to make the bottom line better for all stakeholders -- making it profitable for all concerned.

Candles

2010-11-11T23:53:17Z

Avoiding scented candles, or perfumed candles, is one step you should take to improve the air quality at your hospitality venue. Switching from paraffin candles to environmentally friendly candles is another good step. Look for a candle company that helps you improve your sustainability.Nice white votive candles or tapers -- soy candles or palm oil candles -- are the touch to add to improve the ambiance of your property. It's the environmentally friendly step to take.

Bamboo Sheets - Again

2010-04-03T22:17:52Z

Organic, natural fiber bed sheets, made of bamboo feel great! They are soft, silky, durable, are anti-microbial, and breathe. Bamboo bed sheets and sheet sets typically come in a variety of sizes and colors. You can find cotton/bamboo blend fairly readily, but 100% bamboo sheets seem to be hard to come by. Until now....

Barry from SleepSoft.com asked me to give him an honest review of his bamboo sheets. It's been longer than the couple of months I indicated it would take to give him an honest review in exchange for a set of sheets, but that gives me longer to evaluate them. These are the first sheets I've been given, all other similar reviews have been on purchased sheets.

Baja's Wilderness Compound - Villa del Faro

2010-03-19T18:53:27Z

Those in search of a tranquil, tropical vacation escape that respects the natural world around it need look no further than Villa del Faro in Palo Escopita, Baja, Mexico. This beautiful wilderness compound sits on the blue waters of the Sea of Cortez, approximately 25 miles north of Jose del Cabo.

Traveling Green in Brooklyn, New York

2009-11-27T20:04:10Z

Honey's B&B is the place to stay if you're looking for an eco-friendly place to stay while visiting Brooklyn, NY. Home to numerous green businesses nearby, make this your home as you explore all the environmentally friendly options Brooklyn has to offer.

Brooklyn is quickly becoming one of the greenest areas of New York. You can easily find accommodations, eateries, attractions, parks and shopping venues that are helping to preserve the environment. With a great, environmentally friendly hotel to call home while you are visiting, Brooklyn is a great destination spot.

The Green, Big Island of Hawaii

2009-08-14T19:30:42Z

There are so many wonderful hotels in Hawaii, and lots of them are green as a way of helping preserve their paradise. You can find them located on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, where you can explore the island of Hawaii, or on the shores of Kauaii where you can easily snorkel or scuba dive. Hawaii's bounty includes lots of organic foods as well as eco tourism activities -- ways to explore that don't hurt the environment. But this article is about green travel on The Big Island.

The big island of Hawaii is a very popular destination for many travelers each year. Even though you are in paradise doesn't meant that you need to leave your green standards behind. There are many eco-friendly options for you to stay in, eat at, and enjoy on the Big Island. You only have to be willing to look for those green options for your travel.

Green Traveling In Denmark's Oldest Town

2009-08-04T19:27:35Z

Denmark's oldest town is an actively green community. From alternative energy sources to organic dining, you can have a wonderfully green vacation in Ribe, Denmark. Make >Danhostel Ribe your home as you explore the area.

The oldest city in Denmark is not stuck in the past. Ribe, Denmark may have the trappings of the eight century, but their attention to the environment brings them into the present and even the future.