GREEN JOBS WRITING

ASSIGNMENT
Raissa Hoffman
12.02.2010: 2:40
Environmental Science
 In June I will be graduating with my BA in hospitality. From here

on out my main goal is to open up my own boutique hotel. As the

hospitality industry grows rapidly we are finally beginning to realize

what an impact we are having on our environment and are slowly, day

by day, looking at ways to better our industry in this regard. In doing

so, not only will we be reducing waste but also lowering costs, so

whether your reasoning is moral or economical, this issue needs to be

dealt with head on:

Hotels in the United States spend close to $4 billion in energy costs per
year according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The
EPA estimates that reducing energy consumption an average of 10%
across the hospitality industry would save $285 million annually. The
average hotel guest uses 218 gallons of water a day according to the
California Integrated Waste Management Board. Studies estimate that
the hospitality industry can reduce water usage by 20-30% without
compromising guest satisfaction through the use of water saving
programs and devices. The average solid waste output every year in
the United States is over 200 million tons... Green buildings can
potentially lower solid waste output by 70% using an effective waste
management system according to green building research. (green)

As other industries look to reduce their negative impacts on

the environment, hotels have struggled to do the same without it

having an adverse effect on the guest experience. But through

massive brainstorming we have broken into a world of new ideas on

how to drastically reduce our harmful impact, without taking away

from a guest’s experience. As seen in the generations of today we,

the populations as a whole, have moved towards “greener

lifestyles” and many travelers look to stay somewhere that shares

the same feelings towards waste management and sustainability.

There are several good reasons why minimizing waste should

be an important priority for hotels including the following: To protect

our environment and ease the pressure on our natural resources,

reduce purchasing and disposal costs, meet customers’

expectations that the hotel is caring for the environment in a

practical manner and to contribute to a cleaner and more pleasant

hotel environment for guests and staff. By focusing in on each

sector of the hotel we are able to break down where implementation

of sustainability can come into play. Starting with the construction

of the hotel onto: Planning, purchasing, delivery, storage, kitchens,

bars, housekeeping, offices, these are just a few… In order to make

this work a strategic plan must be put into place along with aspects

such as: teamwork, communication, management commitment and

management of supplier relations.

The following are implementations that I would integrate into

my own hotels sustainable strategy. Implementation of cardboard

and paper recycling programs in all office, housekeeping and back

of house areas. Reusing partially used toilet rolls from guest rooms

in staff toilets. Putting up rewash towel signs. Switch to compact

fluorescent light bulbs in guestrooms, lobbies, and hallways. Use

sensors and/or timers for areas that are infrequently used. Sending

plastic chemical containers (which the hotel’s recycling service

would not collect) back to chemical companies for reuse. Replacing

plastic cups at water coolers with paper cups, which can be

recycled. Recycling cooking oil. Purchasing of rechargeable AA

batteries. Developing guidelines for suppliers to reduce packaging

waste. Purchase office paper and supplies containing recycled

content. Use e-mail for distribution of meeting minutes and nightly

reports. Limit the number of computers with printer access, so

documents are only printed when necessary. Implement paper

recycling in offices, and if space permits give each desk-based staff

member their own small recycling bin. Recycle printer cartridges by

returning to supplier. Reuse scrap paper and copy paper boxes.

Reuse office supplies folders, paper clips, rubber bands. Create an

incentive program to encourage your staff to participate in and

improve upon environmentally-friendly practices.

We are seeing incorporation of these standards in many hotels

and some have found some very surprising outcomes:

The New Orleans Intercontinental started a recycling program and

hired staff to separate the materials. Management was absolutely
astonished to find that these employees were pulling $1,000 a MONTH
of hotel property out of the waste stream—napkins, towels, spoons,
etc.—all of which had clearly been discarded prior to recycling. A
Chicago Hyatt reduced their waste hauling by 80%! They had the same
experience as the New Orleans hotel, except their staff was pulling
$3,000 to $10,000 a month of hotel property out of the waste stream.
(lib)

Below I have also looked into Hotels that are in our area.
Please see chart and info below taken from:

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/about_the_city/green_chicago/Green_H
otels.html

The Chicago Green Hotels Initiative

recognizes its Green Seal certified
hotels
To date, 14 Chicago hotels have been certified by Green Seal, a
Washington, D.C.- based non-profit agency whose environmental
standards are recognized nationwide as credible, transparent and
increasingly relevant in fostering positive business practices and
improving overall quality of life. Chicago currently has more Green Seal
certified hotels than any other city in the U.S.

Green Seal certified hotels adhere to stringent standards of energy

efficiency, water conservation, recycling and waste reduction, and
environmentally-conscious practices, like using bio-degradable and
Earth-friendly cleaning products and providing optional linen/towel
reuse programs for guests.

Green Seal Silver Certified Hotels

Hotel Allegro

Hotel Burnham

Hotel Monaco

Intercontinental Chicago
The Talbott Hotel

Green Seal Bronze Certified Hotels

Essex Inn

Four Seasons
Hilton Chicago
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago
Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Tower
Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park
The Silversmith Hotel & Suites

The Sofitel Chicago Water Tower

To conclude, I truly feel as though it is very important for the

hospitality managers of our generation to uphold the highest of

standards in regards to the affect that we are having daily on the

environment and in every effort begin the greener hospitality industry

of our generation. We will reap the benefits in many ways and it is my

hope that other hospitality students, whom will one day be managers,

also take all of these issues into consideration.

REFERENCES
http://green-hotel-news.com/2010/07/energy-efficiency-analysis-program-for-hotels-
unveiled/

www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

http://lib.wmrc.uiuc.edu/p2rx-wiki/index.php/Green_lodging

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/about_the_city/green_chicago/Green_Hotels.ht
ml