Seems like going “Green” is the flavor of the month in the press and for all businesses these days.

Global warming looks like being a health hazard. Hotels in particular are required to put their best foot forward, however many stop short of a measurable approach and seem happy to just have a green tinge.

Listed below are some easy things your property may not have tried. A great way to address your indirect emissions is to address your material suppliers. It could be good policy to ask your suppliers if they have programs in place to “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle products.

Using this type of approach can give a hotel significant cost savings. Restaurants could use the organic produce to also minimize the hotels carbon footprint.The Purchasing department might find that there are providers who use less packaging on or for their goods. Guest room, bathroom amenities can be of the biodegradable type to minimize the impact of wastes entering the environment through the rubbish dumps.

It’s a simple question and selection process with your suppliers. More direct actions for hotels are things like having the Guestroom drapes closed to help retain the heat or cool air regardless of the room being occupied or not.

Sure it’s up to the guest to do what they want when they occupy the room – rest of the time belongs to the hotel. Advertising has told us the heating and cooling costs lost through the windows is significant.  

For those hotels that have variable thermostats in every guestroom, it would be a beneficial in terms of energy used if Housekeeping were to adjust the dial to a predetermined standard setting after they have finished servicing the room. Instead of having one room running on 20 degrees Celsius and the next at 23 degrees Celsius

Imagine the energy wasted everyday when thermostats are all over the place; it’s like a silent killer. 

Do you have computers running 24 hours day because they’ve not been turned off in places like sales and marketing, housekeeping, finance, or admin departments? Have you seen the advances made in LED light technology in the last year or so? 5 times more efficient than halogen or incandescent globes.  Environmentally friendly because they are Mercury free unlike the fluorescent globes.

Lifetime on LED is significantly longer than any of the others out there meaning less replacement and maintenance costs. LEDs do not emit harmful infrared or ultraviolet radiation.Think they are not bright enough – think again, check them out.

Till next time Greg