Category: Reviews & Links
Green To Gold, for the Hospitality Industry
I could say it all began in 1992 with the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, but that'd be like saying Al Gore invented the internet. But, as Al helped focus and forward the nascent internet so the Earth Summit helped focus on environmental issues and forward their cause. Daniel Esty and Andrew S Winston review in Green to Gold what works, show environmental issues are real and pressing, and illustrate that the potential rewards are great as they blaze a trail for managers and executives toward a healthier planet and stronger businesses in their book. This article summarizes their work with the hospitality industry in mind.
The hospitality industry is behind the Green Wave; it's not doing enough to develop a sustainable or environmentally sound business approach. In Green to Gold, by Daniel W Esty and Andrew S Winston, you can discover what your business can do to develop an environmental culture and green program. Become a WaveRider in the hospitality industry.
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National Geographic Traveler's "Stay List"
It was a long time coming, but National Geographic Traveler (NGT) published its list of 150 hotels you'll love to stay in. The author picked the brains of a wide range of people to find the great places to stay that are green, embrace authenticity and give back to their communities. The list has been published in the April 2008 issue.
If you are looking for a hotel that has a sense of place and is green, or at least has eco-awareness, find the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveller and browse their list of 150 hotels in which you'll love to stay.
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Green Meetings Abound!
Green meetings and conferences that will discuss environmentally friendly hotel issues and problems are being held across the U.S. Here are just a few for the first quarter of 2008. Whether you are an executive of a hotel or a conference planner, in hospitality management or investing, or pursuing a LEED green building or just going green because you want to, there are meetings for you that will further your cause.
It's not an uncommon question for me to hear. And probably not uncommon for you to ask. Is the environmental movement making progress, are hotels getting greener?
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The Top 10 Environmental Issues Facing the Hospitality Industry in 2007
This article is reprinted from Green Lodging News with permission from the author Glenn Hasek
12/30/2006
Environmental issues plague the hospitality industry. To start reducing the problem, water conservation, recycling and energy conservation are good programs to adopt and act on. Reducing the use of harmful chemicals and the use of off-gassing furnishings and finishes would be other good steps to take. There is lots that can be done, so start now with even one green action, and start the year off right.
At the recent International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) Annual Conference in Miami, ISHC members participated in a series of roundtable discussions to identify their Top Ten Issues in the Hospitality Industry for 2007. From one to 10, their list included the following: labor and skills shortages; construction costs; technology and keeping up with it; changing demographics and their impact on travel trends; future of hotel profits; branding; distribution revolution; travel restrictions; global emerging markets; and capital availability.
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Las Vegas "Green Rooms"
This article is reprinted from "Question of the Day" by permission of The Las Vegas Advisor at www.lasvegasadvisor.com
Question:
Do any Las Vegas hotels offer "green rooms" -- i.e., guest rooms that accommodate people with allergies to perfume, deodorizer, etc?
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Bamboo Sheets
If you are looking for organic, natural fiber bed sheets, consider bamboo. It's durable, soft, silky, and breathes. You can buy bamboo bed sheets and sheet sets in a variety of sizes, ranging from king-size to twin, and a few muted colors. And more stores are carrying them, both online and in their stores. Bamboo sheets wash well. They feel great. And because they breathe, sleep is restful and comfortable. Treat your guests and yourself like royalty by buying 100 p.rcent bamboo fiber sheets.
While attending a bed and breakfast conference recently, I visited Inn Style in the vendor section to investigate what they had in the way of organic cotton sheets. Instead, I found organic bamboo sheets. The sheets I found are 100 percent bamboo fiber sheets, not a bamboo/cotton blend.
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Who Supports the Idea of Sustainable Hotels?
Hotels and all hospitality properties need to pay attention to the growth of tourism. Being a green hotel and a sustainable tourism property or destination are the wave of the future and the path to success.
"Buildings should be both an expression of the landscape and of the people who inhabit them", according to the new publication entitled "Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Construction". Beautifully put, I think. This publication is sponsored by the International Business Leaders Forum (ILBF) and Conservation International. It is geared toward those involved in planning or developing hotels.
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Book Review: "Cradle to Cradle"
by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
The focus of the book is to change our approach to manufacturing (and subsequent consumer attitudes) from the present cradle-to-grave approach to that of cradle-to-cradle. The authors tear apart the present concepts of reduce/reuse/recycle and then builds a new paradigm environmental soundness. They address why being "less bad" is no good and we need to develop new ways of thinking.
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Choosing Between Two Evils
Have you ever had to choose between two evils when trying to do good? Sometimes, environmental action is just that - choosing between two evils, such as "to recycle" or "not to recycle", or to "conserve" or "not to conserve".
Recycling massive amounts of waste reduces the quality of each resulting generation of recycled product, and in some cases makes it easier to introduce toxins from the waste into the environment. Not recycling adds to the growing landfill problem, excuse the pun, and often introduces toxins into the environment. The reality is that the best way to decrease environmental impacts is not to recycle or move waste around but to produce and dispose of less.
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Hunting For Your Camping Kit
Camping seems so environmentally correct. After hunting for your camping kit, you gather your propane camping stove, camping sleeping bags, and other dependable camping equipment, and head out the door. It's a great way to be in touch with nature. Its style is environmentally sound because of the conservation aspects; hot water, showers and toilets, lights, TVs, and laundry are all minimal, if non-existent. However, if the campers aren't aware and careful, camping can be environmentally damaging.
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"Best Green Hotels" Is Now Available
Have you struggled with finding a green hotel? Either you can't find a source of sustainable hotels or you can't tell what environmental action they have taken? We have experienced that too and wanted to find a solution. Best Green Hotels is our solution to the problem. Well, at least a start to the solution.
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Holiday Inn Express, Dalhart, Texas
I chose the Holiday Inn Express in Dalhart, Texas, in February 2005, because it was in the town I was stopping for the night and had free wireless internet. The hotel doesn't promote itself as a green hotel, but took some excellent steps in that direction.
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Hilton Budapest
I chose the Hilton Budapest because I was attending a conference there in October 2000. It's location on Castle Hill near the Fisherman�s Bastion was top notch, providing Danube River views for many of the guestrooms. The hotel doesn't promote itself as a green hotel but it did adopt several green practices.
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The Doral Tesoro Hotel, Ft Worth, Texas
I chose the Doral Tesoro Hotel for a conference is February 2005 because it had a high speed internet connection, was a green hotel by practice, and with it's golf course had a park-like setting. It was a quiet location, but very remote from dining, shopping, and other businesses unless that business is at the raceway across the road. The hotel doesn't promote itself as a green hotel but is taking measures toward that end.
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The Magnolia Hotel, Dallas
I chose The Magnolia Hotel in Dallas, Texas, for its downtown location, a few blocks from a class I was taking. It was situated near dining, businesses, shopping, and one of the city's convention centers. They don't promote themselves as a green hotel but seem to be slowly working in green business practices.
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Hilton Pittsburgh Towers
I chose the Hilton Pittsburgh for a conference in October 2004 because it was a Green Seal certified property and in a park-like setting in town. The park-like setting was a beautiful location at the point where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers meet to create the Ohio River. It is adjacent to the river walk and walking distance to many good restaurants, shopping, mass transit, and is close to the rest of the city and to universities.
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Green Action
There are lots of ways for you to learn more and get involved with various aspects of "Green Hospitality". This page of links is designed as a springboard for your green action. Join an association, buy and serve sustainable food (grown, raised or caught with environmental preservation in mind), learn how to develop and track the success of your green plan.
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Greening The Hospitality Industry
For years I have searched for ways to blend my environmental conservation education with my hospitality career. The Greening the Hospitality Industry conference in Warrenton, Virginia, at the Arlie Conference Center on February 3 & 4, 2004, gave me that with the perspective, breadth and depth I'd been seeking.
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