EcoGreenHotel

Our GREEN TEAM series is coming to a close soon. We’ve covered numerous topics on how to engage your employees in sustainability, now we’ll take a look at how leading companies are engaging their customers through different mediums and a quick idea on how you can create a green tool kit

Engage Customers to be Part of the Solution

Without customers, you can’t run a business. What would happen if you work together to achieve a goal? eBay realized the most powerful thing they could do as a company would be to invite their consumers into the equation. Many of their customers have green values—when they opened the eBay Green Team (ebay.com/greenteam), 40,000 people signed up over night. The Green Team, along with their corporate commitment to sustainability, has strengthened relationships with their customers and helped them achieve an authentic green identity in the marketplace.

Whether it’s a top down or bottom up approach, at one point or another you can’t avoid your guest’s needs. Start taking action by creating a Green Team at your hotel and explore creative ways you can engage your guests during their stay and away. Create a space for them to express themselves about your initiatives and allow them to make recommendations or participate in one way or another. Who knows, they might have some good ideas too.

As part of Intuit’s sustainability strategy, which reaches millions of small businesses with its software programs, have made a commitment to helping their customers be more sustainable. They developed Green Snapshot, a new free tool to help small businesses quickly and easily estimate a company’s carbon footprint and identify recommended actions to shrink it, saving customers money in the process.

Simple idea from Yahoo!. They make green relevant to its consumers through Yahoo! for Good, a campaign that offers tips and resources for going green, and Yahoo! Green, one of the most popular environmental sites on the Web. I’ve seen many hotels take this idea and incorporate it into their own green hotel initiative.

Use Art to Raise Awareness

Here are a few examples of how Yahoo! and eBay raised company awareness.

At Yahoo!, “Chuck the Cup” Day was held at four of their campuses to raise awareness about the environmental impact of using paper cups and highlight the things employees can do to create a more sustainable workplace. The project is the brainchild of Kai Haley, a Yahoo! Green Team member and the “Andy Goldsworthy “ of trash. She calculated how many paper cups are consumed every 15 minutes on Yahoo!’s main campus and created hexagon globes out of thrown away cups.

Along with providing incentives to encourage employees to bring their own mug, Yahoo! put the attention‐getting sculptures that Kai created on their main lawn, each of them representing the number of coffee cups (over 100) used in 15 minutes at their headquarters.

One of eBay’s local Green Teams was determined to phase bottled water out of their office. Prior to installing filters and chillers and removing water bottles from break rooms, they invited employees’ children to participate in a poster contest with the theme “what does water mean to you?” Winning posters were displayed around the office, along with facts and statistics to educate employees on the environmental impact of bottled water production and consumption. The team credits the poster campaign with increasing awareness and support for the project and allowing for a successful transition.

Create a Toolkit to Support and Guide Green Teams

To make it easier for your Green Team (or all your employees), consider cmpling a “Greening Toolkit.” For example, Deloitte’s green program toolkit includes 37 suggested best practices and greening projects, focused on energy consumption, paper consumption, daily product consumption, waste reduction, recycling and travel.

The program is monitored through a “Greening the Dot” Web site, which charts the number of toolkit projects that have been completed, kicking up competition between office locations. In the first six months, over half of the workforce engaged in the implementation of over a thousand greening projects across nearly 100 offices, and reducing energy, water, paper use and travel and increasing recycling.

In the end, they saved resources, reduced waste and realized savings. Everyone won! Being sustainable justmakes economical sense.

Next months newsletter will close this series with: Alighn Green Teams with Corporate Sustainability Goals. Don’t miss it!

By Susan Patel

I was watching clips of the Today Show a few days ago and found a segment titled “Green Your Routine,”which brought attention to green cleaning products. It got me thinking: why isn’t there a law or regulation requiring manufacturers to list ingredients? Not knowing what chemicals are in products can be dangerous. You don’t know what you’re using and how it could destroy our immune system, cause cancer, lung disease, and death – a health and safety nightmare!

Companies are shockingly allowed to use general terms for chemicals such as “fragrance”or “preservatives.” This wouldn’t make the cut with the Food & Drug Administration, but apparently products we touch and breatharen’t that important on the list. What we need is national regulation so that companies must disclose every ingredient in a product.

So, what are we to do? Warning labels are useful, first line of defense. But we need to start gradually creating a system that works for our well-being and us.We have to start somewhere, right? Why not with all of us – you!

At the frontline of the EcoGreenHotel Store, I’m on a mission to know exactly what we’re selling. One form of verification I’ve become familiar with is the Green Seal, a third-party certifier. Of course there is also EcoLogo, Environmental Choice and EPA’s Design for the Environment Program that test products for effectiveness, besides health and environmental considerations. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other since each is slightly different, however a certified product is better than none at all.

When hotels purchase products certified by Green Seal or any of the other eco-labels, they know that the products meet good standards and consumers aren’t completely on their own. Still, some green cleaning products are not certified. There are several reasons for this: the product might be new on the market, the company that produces it has chosen not to pay the fee the certifying agencies charge to evaluate it, or that they didn’t meet the criteria of that certifying organization.

When it comes to what we sell on EcoGreenHotel Store, we’ve made sure our green cleaning products are Green Seal certified. For example, the Proxi hydrogen peroxide multi-purpose cleaner, a versatile, environmentally friendly cleaning product formulated with an active ingredient that is safer than aggressive acids and bleaches. Added bonus, due to its high concentration (dilute 1oz per quart water to make 128 quarts), it’s actually saving you money too!

Aside for looking for a third-party certification, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) is another tool that helps hoteliers to make a well-informed decision. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) also has information about many toxic substances at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp.

Next time you’re purchasing your green cleaning products, make sure you know what chemicals are in the products you’ll be using at your green hotel.

We’ve looked backwards and forwards with our last two book recommendations. Now that we have the foundation set lets take a look at “now.” How to create a company that not only sustains, but surpasses the norm and is an all-around “good” steward – truly.

Seventh Generation’s Jeffrey Hollender and Bill Breen have co-authored a fun read. It serves as a blue print for creating a socially responsible business in this new age. This is Hollender’s push for more responsibility—of the ‘bigger’ kind. Whether you are an owner, leader, executive, general manager, junior employee or staff – this book will show you can green your practices and still make a profit.

Programs both by the government and more so by businesses have been created to bring about the social and environmental change needed in the world and the workplace. Is it really enough?

Using stories and principles from companies who are doing interesting and radical things (Linden Labs, Timberland, Etsy – to name a few), Hollender gives us ideas and methods for sustainable social responsibility. He makes a clear case for Community and Collaboration.

Two points to note are:

1. It’s a competitive advantage for your hotel to be seriously responsible (both as resources dwindle and traveler/guests demand more); and
2. “Sustainability” includes social initiatives. It starts with being green, supply chains and energy efficiency – but there is definitely more to it.

Whether you call it ‘People, Planet, Profit’ or ‘Tripple Bottom Line,’ Profits will follow when we make responsible decisions. We at EcoGreenHotel definitely believe and know the impact of that. This book will get your started, or take you further – either way, you win!

CFL bulbs or compact fluorescent light bulbs: Energy Savings

Commonly referred to as CFLs, compact fluorescent lamps or compact fluorescent light bulbs have become the basic necessity for a green hotel taking action in the modern green movement. These bulbs, which can replace incandescent, halogen and other electric lights, use 60 to 80 percent less energy than their incandescent counterparts. This makes CFLs an increasingly popular way to cut energy costs without making any radical changes like replacing lighting fixtures or rewiring which can get pretty expense in many cases.

Dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs

Aside from saving your “green” by using a fraction of the energy, compact fluorescent light bulbs have a much longer usable life than incandescent. Compared to incandescent bulbs that last about 1,000 hours, compact fluorescent light bulbs typically last between 6,000 to15,000 hours. Advancement in technology now has improved CFL bulb’s light quality and versatility by now emitting a more pleasant “soft white” light and functioning in dimmable and three-way fixtures. So what does this mean for the bottom line? Well, you can save upwards of $30 per bulb over its life and save 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gas emissions (times this by how many bulbs you have at your green hotel – and imagine the savings!!).

How do compact fluorescent light bulbs work?

Instead of a filament lit up with electrical energy, there are two main parts in a compact fluorescent light bulb: a gas-filled tub (also called bulb or burner) and the magnetic or electronic ballast; those with magnetic ballasts tend to flicker more, so electronic ballasts are being used more often. When you flip the switch, electrical energy, in the form of an electrical current from the ballast, flows through the gas, causing it to emit ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light then excites a phosphor coating on the inside of the tub, which then emits visible light. Amazing, isn’t it?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs and mercury

The mercury present in CFLs has been one of the most talked about issues related to compact fluorescent light bulbs. They contain only a small amount of mercury, however, because CFLs use so much less energy than their incandescent counterparts, compact fluorescent light bulbs are responsible for less mercury contamination than the incandescent bulbs they replaced, even though incandescents don’t contain any mercury.

More mercury comes from incandescents than from compact fluorescent light bulbs…how?

The highest source of mercy in America’s air and water results from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, at utilities that supply electricity; incandescents burn way more energy, so, on a macro level, require much more energy to be produced. When that energy comes from fossil fuels, like coal (which most of America’s energy does), it causes more mercury to be emitted. Additionally, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have made a voluntary commitment to cap the amount of mercury used in CFLs: “Under the voluntary commitment, effective April 15, 2007, NEMA members will cap the total mercury content in CFLs of less than 25 watts at 5 milligrams (mg) per unit. The total mercury content of CFLs that use 25 to 40 watts of electricity will be capped at 6 mg per unit.”

Safe mercury disposal from compact fluorescent light bulbs

Still, concerns exist about the mercury escaping from broken CFL bulbs, as safe disposal requires storing the bulbs unbroken until they can be processed. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published guidelines on how to clean up after CFL tub (remember, that’s the bulb) breakage and recommends that, in the absence of more specific local guidelines, CFLs be double-bagged in plastic bags before disposal. To property dispose of the spent bulbs, CFLs need to be recycled by somebody that knows what they’re doing; often, that’s with the retailer or manufacturer from whom the bulb was purchased. If those options aren’t available to you, click on over to EcoGreenHotelStore.com for pre-paid Waste Recycling Package kits that make it very easy for your green hotel to dispose CFLs.

Though the mercury is unlikely to harm you or your hotel guests, let’s be clear about this: do no, we repeat, DO NOT toss your CFLs in the trash. Putting them there greatly increases the chance of the mercury vapor escaping upon breakage, first exposing you and then the air and water around the landfill to the gas, which is bad news. So be careful with the bulbs, please.

Despite their issues with mercury, compact fluorescent light bulbs are still a great way to go greener with your hotel’s lighting needs; keep reading to learn why they’re the future (for now).

Compact fluorescent light bulbs: the future (for now)

Despite their issues with mercury, compact fluorescent light bulbs are still the way to go until LEDs become more common (that’s another article) and less expensive. Manufacturers are improving the quality of light and many more options for dimmable CFLs are becoming available; Environmental Defense and One Billion Bulbs both have lists of the dimmable bulbs.

More CFL bulbs at EcoGreenHotel

We’ve worn ourselves out keeping up with CFLs; evangelizing their use, watching them in the news, working to dispel the mercury myths and providing green hotel user tips is barely the tip of the iceberg. Check out Planet Green’s How to Green Your Lighting guide for more. Whatever you do, don’t be a dim bulb: go with CFLs now and the planet and bottom line will thank you later.

CFLs are just the start for a green hotel to become energy efficient. Click here to find out how you can assess your hotel’s energy efficiency. Maybe you’ve already done the CFL retrofit throughout your hotel and are now taking the initiative to truly go green. You can start with an Energy Efficiency Analysis by one of our EcoGreenHotel Experts. Click here to find out how you can “green” your bottom line.

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. – EcoGreenHotel, Inc announced today the official launch of it’s new online store www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com. EcoGreenHotel Store is a one-stop marketplace of over 1000 products and services for the green hospitality industry.

For the first time, the hospitality industry now has a reliable marketplace for their green supply needs. Through EcoGreenHotel Store, properties can purchase everything from environmentally sensitive amenities, earth-friendly cleaning supplies and sustainable furniture to biodegradable key cards and marketing services designed specifically for the green hotel industry.

Scott Parisi, President of EcoGreenHotel, states, “Over and over again, environmentally conscious hotel professionals have told us they wished they could simplify things and purchase their green supplies from one location…and so we set out to create the most comprehensive online source for environmentally friendly hospitality goods and services in the industry.”

EcoGreenHotel Store is a green marketplace that:

• Provides one-stop shopping
• Enables easy access to quality green products and services from numerous vendors
• Offers comparable and competitive pricing
• Offers environmentally preferable products that are not “greenwashing”
• Allows hotels to minimize costs associated with labor and time-intensive effort required for researching, identifying, testing and acquiring
• Allows hotels to reach guests who are concerned about their environmental impact
• Offers additional product search support for hotels seeking “hard-to-find” green alternatives and product reviews
• Contributes to the goal of “People, Planet, and Profits”

For the past year, Parisi has collaborated with veteran specialty suppliers including Pineapple Hospitality, DeBlauw Purchasing, T2 Site Amenities, and Ecotek to assemble cost-effective eco hotel products available on the web.  His vision for the store is simple:

“We want the EcoGreenHotel Store to be the go-to source for quality, affordable eco hotel products and services.”

A few benefits of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP):

• Reduce waste and utility costs
• Attract environmentally conscious customers
• Possible new revenue streams
• Improve image: brand and goodwill
• Responsive to employee and guests health and wellness needs
• Economically responsible hospitality supply buying
• Increase stakeholder value
• Minimize environmental footprint

The EcoGreenHotel Store’s virtual shelves are stocked with products and services from dozens of companies, including:

• Azul Conservation Products, home of cool tools designed to preserve precious water resources.
• Hanger Network, creator of the EcoHanger, the ultimate sustainable multi-tasker.
• Swisssol-USA Creative Body Care, maker of incredible natural body care products and dispenser systems.
• Hospitality v-Marketing, the place to go for multi-media content, photography, videography and graphic design for eco hotels.
• Luxur-Eco, wholesaler of lavish environmentally-conscious items for the hotel bed and bath.

EcoGreenHotel has partnered with Ray Burgur, President of Pineapple Hospitality, which is a superior distribution and marketing company dedicated to providing innovative products and services to the lodging industry. Pineapple is currently the largest supplier of eco amenities, cleaning products, and other merchandise being offered on the site.

“Pineapple has played a major role in identifying relationships with additional suppliers that will be offering products on the site,” Parisi said.  “And for advance planning and sourcing of FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) for renovations, PIP’s (product improvement plans) mandated by brands, and supplies for new-build hotels, services provided by DeBlauw will assist hotels of any size .So the EcoGreenHotel Store’s offerings cover the entire scope of the industry.”

EcoGreenHotelStore.com brings all of those products together in one place, making it easy for hotel owners and managers to make the right choices as we move toward a more sustainable AND more profitable future for the hospitality industry.

Parisi continues to seek sustainable products to add to the merchandise lineup at the EcoGreenHotel Store.  Potential vendors are asked to contact him immediately at sparisi@EcoGreenHotel.com.

About EcoGreenHotel

A valuable resource for hoteliers, EcoGreenHotel is dedicated to helping lodging facilities address environmental issues and implement environmentally sound initiatives.  The company’s online presence at www.EcoGreenHotel.com and www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com offers a marketplace for green products and services and provides a one-stop venue for green hospitality industry news, basic environmental overviews and other tools like green hotel checklists, project ideas, book lists, and valuable links designed to promote a more sustainable hospitality industry.

EcoGreenHotel’s consulting services guide owners, operators and developers through the journey of developing and/or maintaining a sustainable operation or project.

For more information about EcoGreenHotel, please visit www.EcoGreenHotel.com or send an email to info@EcoGreenHotel.com.

Smiley faces like these were a fad in the 1960’s. Photo by Aleksandra P

So I was taking a break from my eco hotel duties the other day and was flipping through cyber-space when I ran across this old article from 2007. In it, an analyst was cited predicting that the green trend was nothing more than a passing fad.

“The consumer is consumed with other things, and very rarely have they ever endorsed and embraced the green endeavors,” he said, apparently with a straight face. “It’s basically a card that a lot of people played while it was hot and trendy. And it got overplayed.”

Hot and trendy? Overplayed? Could the guy have been more wrong?

Generally speaking, the difference between a fad and a trend is time. A fad is fleeting, like pet rocks, smiley faces, parachute pants or leg warmers. It comes and goes relatively quickly (and usually, it’s a relief to see them go!) A trend, on the other hand, has staying power. A trend may start life as a fad, but somehow it manages to take hold and stick around. Think shabby chic home décor, or body art.

I believe that environmentalism goes beyond fad or trend. I think it is becoming a new way of life. And to live that new lifestyle, people are consuming accordingly.

Study after study has shown that offering environmentally sensitive options is a major selling point for consumers across every sector, including hospitality. Today’s consumer is more aware of and cares more about environmental issues than ever before… it’s now a proven fact.

And that awareness and concern impacts the purchasing choices all these consumers make, whether they’re purchasing appliances, cars, electronics, food – or a hotel room.

A study conducted by the National Marketing Institute shows that consumer awareness of the environmental impact of their choices went up significantly between 2004 and 2008. For example, 40% of consumers now say that they recognize the impact their appliances have on the environment. That’s up 12% from 2004. Around 43% understand the impact of their electricity usage on the environment (up 7%) and 41% comprehend the effect of their vehicle.

The study’s conclusion was that manufacturers, retailers and service providers should increase their green offerings even more, because the demand for innovative, sustainable alternatives is definitely out there, and it’s growing.

So the next time someone tells you that green is just a fad, or that it’s not worth the time it takes for your eco hotel to pursue or expand its green initiative, show them all the evidence to the contrary.

Then, squeeze into some bell bottoms, set out a few bean bag chairs, a fondue pot and a lava lamp, spin a few 45’s on the hi-fi and invite them over for a friendly game of Twister.

Maybe then they’ll be able to see the difference between a fad and a lifestyle!

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com