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February 17, 2008
Green Key
Giving your guest a key to their room used to be the best way for them to have security and safety for their stay, but now most door keys found at hotels look like credit cards and are electronic. Access for guests is important and can now be done without hurting the environment. Consider a green key of either recyclable paperboard, corn plastic or recycled plastic.
Plastic door keys (polyvinyl chloride keycards) have become ubiquitous in the lodging industry. Some become part of the marketing program for a hotel while others are nondescript. Some are reused, some become part of a keycard collection of travelers, most are thrown away, while a few are recycled.
Security isn't as much of an issue with a keycard as a door key, so safety and access are good selling points for adopting this kind of room access. But if you are touting yourself as a green hotel and being environmentally active, it's time to walk your talk with one more change -- a recyclable keycard.
You can find green keycards made from recyclable paperboard or corn plastic (PLA), as well as recycled plastic. The advantage of the paperboard keycard is that it doesn't look like plastic so makes a stronger green statement. Additionally, PLA requires special treatment to recycle so isn't a great answer yet. And plastic cards, even recycled plastic, still rely on petroleum and offgas.
Green Key offers the recyclable paperboard keycard. Signature Card offers the two versions of plastic cards. Any step you take to be greener is good. Steps that show how green you are seem better to me.
If you have a keycard system in place already, why not try the Green Key product? If you don't have a keycard system in place yet, what a great time to think about increasing your security and environmental action with one step -- buy a keycard system and use Green Key cards for your marketing and guestroom keys.
Posted by Kit
