Green Teams

Sep 24

A hybrid structure is evolving where a “corporate green team” is created to bring staff from all departments together to help implement and support strategic sustainability initiatives. They also act as a cross-functional umbrella group to screen ideas, identify resources, provide support and help link green team activities with corporate sustainability objectives.

Click here to access a basic outline of getting started and effective ideas:
Best Green Practices & Green Teams

Green Team Series

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Making the Business Case

Part 3: Getting Started, Emerging Trends and Best Practices

Part 4: Get Senior Management Involved and Engage Employees

Part 5: Engage Customers to be Part of the Solution

Part 6: Align Green Teams with Corporate Sustainability Goals

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Green Hotel Products, Sustainable Hotels

Smart Landscaping Can Reduce Hotel Water Costs

Jun 14

Smart Landscape Watering Systems Reduce Hotel Water Costs while Maintaining a Beautiful and Healthy Landscape

Smart-LandscapingSummer is here and most green hotels have geared up to make sure their lawn and landscape stays green and beautiful for the enjoyment of guests and improved occupancy rates. As you start switching on those irrigation systems, now is a good time to think about controlling utility costs and being environmentally friendly.

Over watering of lawns and landscapes is the most common cause of water waste. It not only runs up the utility bills, but also can cause other problems including:

  • Plant diseases such as root rot
  • Run-off from your lawn and landscape, which may contribute to the pollution of streams and lakes (because lawn care chemicals go along with it)
  • More frequent mowing and pruning from rapid plant growth
  • Excessive “green waste,” which has become a costly waste disposal problem for cities and counties

How can a hotel use water efficiently with an irrigation system?

Recent innovative technologies can now help green hotel operators reduce wasted water and decrease utility expenses. A weather based watering technology, SmartLine, has proven to be an economical choice for green hotels of any size.

How Does it Work?Smart-Landscaping

Stated simply, it’s like a thermostat for the landscape.  The Weathermatic SmartLine System replaces the existing sprinkler timers that operate like the old egg timer.  The SmartLine System uses weather readings from a small, on-property weather station to automatically calculate precise run times for the plants in each zone. It uses the sprinkler precipitation rates, soil type, and slope to apply water in run and soak cycles at a rate the soil can accept.  This technology also eliminates the need to have lawn maintenance crews manually adjusting controllers to match the ever-changing weather conditions.

Real Dollar and Water Savings

With over 200,000 installations in 80 countries, SmartLine water savings range from 20 to over 60% and wasteful irrigation runoff is virtually eliminated.  This high efficiency system results in a return on investment of typically 12 months or less.

Real Dollar and Water Savings

You Only Know What You Measure

Another helpful feature is the SmartLine Water Management Service that includes access to monthly reporting detailing site-specific water savings and performance compared to water usage goals considering the actual weather conditions. This could come in very handy not only as a monitoring device, but to verify the entire irrigation system is working properly.

For more information, visit EcoGreenHotel Store or email us at info@EcoGreenHotel.com.

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Green Hotel Products, Sustainable Hotels

Great Quality, Great Pricing, Greener Amenities

Jun 10

For a limited time only, Pineapple Hospitality is offering discounts of 50% or more on all Save Your World hotel guest amenities.

Saint Charles, Missouri — June 9, 2010 — For the past four years, Save Your World, in conjunction with Conservation International, has been incredibly successful in raising funds to save more than 200,000 acres of Guyana rainforest — some of the most pristine on Earth — through the sale of its “Earth Friendly” hotel amenity products. During this time, Pineapple Hospitality, the premier distributor of “Green” Hotel Products and Marketing Programs for the Hospitality Industry, has been a lead distributor of the Save Your World amenities and a key contributor to the conservation efforts.

Due to this success, Save Your World has decided to discontinue the manufacture and selling of personal care and hotel amenity products, and to provide its full attention to the development of the Save Your World Foundation, the only non-profit devoted entirely to supporting on-the-ground conservation agreements in developing countries.

As Save Your World exits the amenities market, it provides an unprecedented opportunity. Pineapple Hospitality has purchased more than $100,000 worth of Save Your World inventory and now is offering it to customers at incredible savings.

Discounts start at 50 percent or more on all Save Your World soaps, shampoos, conditioners and body lotions. Supplies are limited. The EcoGreenHotelStore.com (a Pineapple Partner) will be the only place to buy this product in quantities of less than 25 cases. Orders of 25+ cases can be placed directly through Pineapple Hospitality (www.PineappleHospitality.net). Additional volume discounts may be available.

Keep Reading…

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Green Hotel Products

Green… The Color of Compassion

Mar 15

Ronald McDonald Houses are nominally-priced lodging facilities specially designed to accommodate the families of seriously ill children who have traveled far from home to receive lifesaving medical treatment. No family is ever turned away from a Ronald McDonald House because they can’t afford to pay.

The facilities offer these families a safe, comfortable home-away-from-home that allows them to stay close to their hospitalized child. The houses have kitchens, dining areas, play areas and laundry facilities in addition to guestrooms. There are also common areas where the families can come together to offer compassionate support to one another.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is a great non-profit that helps millions of families each year from all around the world.

That’s why I was so excited to hear about a newly-constructed, LEED-certified 65,000 square foot Ronald McDonald House in San Diego that is scheduled to open this spring. The 47-room house, located near Rady Children’s Hospital, will have photo voltaic solar panels, energy efficient electrical and mechanical systems, lighting and fixtures, among other things. Several guestrooms have been equipped with HEPA filtration systems to accommodate higher-risk patients.

I think a lot of people mistakenly assume that the McDonalds Corporation pays for all these houses. It doesn’t. The company helps start houses and provides ongoing technical support and oversight, but it’s up to each individual community to raise the funds necessary to keep the doors of their neighborhood Ronald McDonald House open.

The San Diego Ronald McDonald House launched a $15 million capital campaign to build its new green house, but more is desperately needed. EcoGreenHotelhas made a donation to support this eco- and family-friendly facility – how about you? Visit www.rmhcsd.org to find out how you, too, can support “The House That Love Built.”

Or gather your green hotel staff and offer to volunteer at your local Ronald McDonald House. To locate the house nearest you, visit www.rmhc.org.

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Uncategorized

EcoGreenHotel encourages Hotels and Resorts to Participate in Earth Hour 2009 to “Support Hospitality Sustainability”

Feb 25

EcoGreenHotel encourages the hospitality industry to participate in Earth Hour 2009, at 8.30pm on Saturday the 28th of March. There are several areas within a hotel or resort that lights and power can be minimized or eliminated for one hour. For more information on Earth Hour and to sign up to be counted as a participating hotel or resort please visit www.earthhour.org.
The hospitality industry can make a huge impact in environmental awareness by implementing green initiatives into their everyday business and Earth Hour is an excellent launch of an ongoing environmentally friendly program for your property.
The following steps should be taken to properly plan for a safe and successful Earth Hour:
• Promote associate involvement by creating a “Green Hotel Team” with a “Green Leader” from your management team and at least one associate from each department.
• The “Green Hotel Team” should meet weekly starting the week of March 2nd 2009 to come up with a list of lights, equipment and machinery that can be powered down for one hour on March 28th without jeopardizing the security or safety of your guests or associates.
• Involve the sales and marketing department to create an event around the night and promote to the local community through reaching out to your top accounts and possibly a press release.
• Earth Hour falls on a Saturday evening which may allow your restaurant to create a promotion around the event to bring in local clientele.
• Properly staff your property the night of the event to insure safety and security.

Send an email to info@EcoGreenHotel.com about your initiatives for Earth Hour and you will be included on www.EcoGreenHotel.com as well as included in further press releases supporting Earth Hour.

For tips and tools for energy reduction to support Earth Hour visit www.EcoGreenHotel.com.

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Sustainable Hotels

Tip of the week

Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds.
Eco Green Hotel Products
Brighter Planet's 350 Challenge