Over the years, we have seen the development of the hotel industry worldwide on a scale that has never been witnessed before. This came about as a result of exponential growth in the tourism sector earning all countries that are favorite tourist destinations billions of dollars.
The exponential growth in the tourism industry created the need for more hotels. Enterprising developers identified the need and responded with alacrity and within no time, magnificent hotels sprang up wherever there was a need for one thus meeting the increasing demand for hotels. All this was done without considering the implications of relentless development of the hotels to the environment thus the thoughtless development of the hotel industry increased the amount of stress on the environment.
The unregulated development of the hospitality industry has led to environmental degradation on a grand scale to the extent that the various stakeholders were forced to pause and rethink the implications of their myopic practices. It was not out of their own volition but because if no action was going to be taken, they would have to wind up their businesses and the natural resources that they relied on to run their businesses which were in short supply as a result of the unsustainable development practices that were being perpetrated by the developers (Green Hotels Association 2011).
Currently, ecotourism is tourism that is aligned with nature and environmentally focused is on the rise. Most tourists nowadays consider themselves to be eco-tourists. This represents a market that is gradually coming to the forefront in the tourism sector that is environmentally friendly.
Most hotels have come to the realization of how adversely their business practices impact the environment around them and action is being taken to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices go hand in hand with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. The term ‘green hotels’ refers to those hotels that have made environmentally friendly practices their priority through the efficient use of water, energy and materials while at the same time providing quality services to their customers.
The environmentally friendly practices consist of saving water by regulating the amount used, reducing the amount of energy used and reducing the amount of solid waste being produced by the hotels. By adopting practices that are environmentally friendly, hotels can realize numerous benefits which are; a decline in expenses and elevated proceeds. The benefits that have been mentioned along with many others are attributed to have made green hotels become popular leading to more hotels becoming greener.
The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which hotels can become greener by implementing practices that are environmentally friendly. The purpose of a hotel going green is to eliminate the adverse effects on the environment by reducing the use of natural resources to the bare minimum and adopting more eco-friendly practices that would allow for the waste one produces to be used as raw material by someone else.
We are going to start off by exploring how the reduction of the amount of waste that a hotel produces can go a long way towards reducing the operational cost of running a hotel, enhance efficiency in the provision of services and allow more resources to be available for utilization by a hotel.
It is recommended that hotels incorporate the strategy of keeping waste production to a minimal capacity in their plans of putting together policies that are in line with the green initiative. The term zero-waste in hotels does not literally mean the elimination of all by-products. It means the using of resources efficiently, the use of renewable sources of energy in a way that if there will be by products generated and as a result it can be used elsewhere as a raw material for processing other finished products.
The waste that has been produced can be separated into organic and non-organic waste. Organic by-products refer to those that can be safely assimilated into the natural system through the help of bacteria either in soil or into water. The process of breaking down organic waste for it to be assimilated into the natural system is referred to as decomposition. After decomposition has taken place, what is produced as a result comprises nutrients that are beneficial to the environment. Organic manure can be applied in gardens around the hotel and this reduces on the cost of purchasing fertilizer from the market to be applied on the hotel’s gardens.
Non-organic waste on the other hand can be recycled over and over thus increasing their value. The process of recycling can be made much easier by providing recycling bins both in public as well as private areas. This will enhance the efficiency with which waste is managed and in the long run, the amount of waste being produced by the hotel will reduce considerably.
The other area for consideration is energy efficiency. Accommodations for tourists are often associated with extremely high energy requirements often used for heating and cooling systems. However, there exist endless options for conserving energy. Some of the strategies used to promote the efficient use of energy include the designing of passive solar heating and cooling systems.
During the day, solar panels trap the energy being produced by the sun. This energy is subsequently used to heat up water, heat up different rooms when it is cold as well as different areas within the hotel when it has become unbearably cold.
Solar energy has been identified as a limitless source of energy in addition to it being a clean source of energy. Gas and oil are non-renewable sources of energy in addition to them emitting green house gases that pollute the atmosphere. For instance, the Sanga bay hotel in Sweden installed solar panels that were used to heat the pool and the sauna. This resulted in the reduced use of energy in addition to saving on money that would have paid for that energy.
The hotelier has to find ways of coming up with creative ways of rewarding hotel guests for their effort by adopting sustainable practices that are in sync with that of the hotel’s green initiative. Crown Plaza is an ideal exemplar since ‘among its services, for every guest who produces ten watts of electricity on the gym bicycle he/she is given a free meal.
The lobby area of the hotel together with the bar and restaurant area are supposed to be lit by daylight for as much as possible during the day thus, if a hotelier feels that it is necessary and he can afford it, he may opt for the installation of sky lights.
The provision of good insulation also comes in handy in the bid for cutting back on energy consumption. Good insulation significantly reduces the amount of heat escaping or entering a given area thereby rendering the cooling and heating systems useless.
Simple measures such as changing the thermostat settings can considerably reduce the amount of energy being used in a hotel. Using fluorescent bulbs instead of using incandescent light bulbs as simple as it may sound can lead to one saving a lot with respect to energy. Fluorescent bulbs last up to ten times longer than the incandescent light bulbs in addition to that, they use 75% less energy and the long run, and this translates to saving of energy on a grand scale.
Hoteliers are charged with the onus of ensuring that they raise the awareness of their staff with respect to the basics of conserving energy. There might be things that staff members due to ignorance that contributes to an increase in the consumption of energy.
Such eventualities can be avoided through the simple process of educating the hotel staff. Simple things such as turning down heating or air conditioning when rooms are unoccupied, closing drapes during summer months to keep out heat can go a long way in terms of conserving energy.
The use of sensors and timers in areas that are not frequently used such as rooms contribute to the saving of energy. Hotels all over the world have come up with ways that will ensure efficient use of energy. For instance, The Hyatt Regency International Hotel in New eland found out that their guests often left electric appliances, heating and cooling systems on whenever they were out of their rooms. The hotel developed a project that linked room occupancy with energy use.
Currently, when a guest leaves the room all appliances that use power shut down with the exception of the refrigerator, alarm clock and other essential appliances. This measure has led to the hotel saving on the consumption of energy (Environmental leader 2008).
The other area of concern when it comes to keeping in line with the green initiative is water conservation. Water efficient practices use improved technology that provide the same or even better services using less water. Hotels are supposed to address how water is being used with respect to both the technical and human side of the water management issues.
It has been predicted that by the year 2011, the water used in high luxury facilities rooms will increase to approximately 475 gallons per day. Such extravagant use of water will not only cost a hotel in terms of money, it will also impact the water supply of locals who reside close to the hotel. This goes to show that water consumption by hotels has far reaching effects that not only affect the hotel itself but also the community around it.
In most cases, water conservation can be a matter of purchasing proper systems and tools which if used efficiently will result in the reduction of the amount of water consumed and furthermore the operational cost with respect to water will go down as well.
Managers who are charged with the responsibility of running hotels should ensure that they purchase standardized equipment that is replaceable for the optimum performance in the long run. Factors to be considered when choosing water sources include; the benefits one is going to derive from it, how renewable the water source is and the potential impact to the environment. Thus, when potential hotel developers want to develop hotels, they should consider areas that have abundant supply of water. This way, the usage of water however much it is it will have minimal adverse effects on the surrounding environment.
Some of the measures that hotels can adopt in a bid to reduce the consumption of water include; the use of low-flow showerheads and faucets aerators. It is estimated that the payback period for their use can range between three to four years depending on the lifetime of the project.
In one documented case, the San Antonio based La Quinta Inn made an observation and found out that they used close to a billion gallons per year. The management of the Inn decided to install low-flow shower heads and aerating faucets in each room. One year after the installations, the management of the Inn was delighted to discover that they had saved 180,000 gallons of water during that year.
In many institutions, it is found out that urinals and toilets consume a great amount of water. The THC Rotoura Hotel in New Zealand had urinals that flushed automatically every nine minutes. Each flush consumed 10 liters of water adding up to 66 liters per hour regardless of whether or not it was being used.
The management of the hotel installed sensors that detected when someone was using the urinal that allowed flushing at a specified time after use. This resulted in the reduction of water consumption from 66 liters to 40 liters during the day and 20 in the evening.
In order to reduce consumption, hotels should consider using toilets that have low flush volumes. There are also systems available in the market that is able to separate solids from fluids allowing for the consumption of decreased amount of water while flushing.
Hoteliers can also switch to drought resistant plants that are native to that area. Instead of having lawns that will require constant watering, they should plant hardy grass that needs minimum water to thrive. By adopting such practices that may seem inconsequential on the surface, the hotel is going to considerably cut back on its consumption of water in the long run.
There are other measures that when implemented by hotels can considerably contribute to the reduction of water consumption and enhance the efforts of water conservation. Hotels should consider serving water on request only in restaurants. This might seem trivial but the annual saving figures are immense.
Hotels might also consider the option of comprehensive rain water harvesting system. It is considerably cheaper to install relative to the other forms of water conservation but has proven to be a foolproof way of water conservation. All one needs are storage tanks together with the gutters.
There is also the option of collecting waste water and treating it through in house ETP. After all this has been done, the same is recycled. The constant upgrading of water consumption equipment is necessary to ensuring optimal utilization of water resources.
Solid waste management in hotels has got many components. They comprise of paper, metals, plastic, aluminum and glass. The implementation of a solid waste reduction program in a hotel can result in significant cost savings on the part of the hotel in waste collection fees at the same time contributing to the creation of a hotel that is more environmentally friendly. Solid waste when left to accumulate over long periods of time hampers the environment. Heaps of garbage emit foul smells that contributes to the pollution of the environment not to mention the land fill fees that accumulate over time.
Most hotels are reluctant to develop and implement comprehensive policies that seek to address the issue of solid waste due to the lack of cooperation and coordination among management, employees and guests. This should not be the case though.
The management of the hotel is supposed to take the lead role in formulating and elaborating policies that are to inform their guests as well as the staff on how to proceed on the issue of solid waste management. The management should find ways of making its staff to see cost benefit as an incentive. They should also formulate a system of rewarding staff members who have shown an initiative towards the management of solid waste.
There are hotels that have successfully implemented solid waste reduction programs and are reaping the benefits of their initiative. One such hotel is the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel. The hotel implemented its recycling program in 1994. The hotel practices waste reducing measures such as purchasing of products whose contents can be recycled. In addition it provides environmental education to its employees. It also donates food to local food banks and is involved in the recycling of paper, aluminum and plastics.
The hotel has received accolades for its waste reducing efforts and it also mobilizes other hotels that are interested in the green initiative. New Orleans Intercontinental commenced a recycling program in a bid to curb the increase in waste being churned by the hotel. It enlisted the services of staff whose work was to exclusively separate materials that had been disposed as trash by the hotel.
The management was amazed to discover in excess of $1000 of hotel property retrieved from the trash. Items ranging from napkins, towels, spoons and all kinds of cutlery had found its way to the trash bins. This, if done for a little longer would save the hotel considerably. The Chicago Hyatt also had the same experience.
The disposing of garbage accounts for huge expenses for hotels a factor that can be greatly minimized by recycling of wasteful packaged goods. Hoteliers can request their suppliers to deliver products with as little wrappings as possible or better yet they can ask them to deliver products and come for the packaging at a later date.
Another important aspect of the solid waste reduction program is addressing the issue of food waste. Wasted food forms a large part of all the waste that hotels and lodgings produce. Over prepared food, under prepared food, left over plate scrapings cooking losses and packaging failures result to accumulation of food waste.
Spoiled food and leftovers can be composted. Many hotels have come to the realization that it is better to compost food compared to having it hauled by trucks to landfills. This is because composting is a better way of putting to good use organic materials such as food.
The developing of a food waste reduction program is the only way that can adequately address the issue of solid waste. It involves several steps. ThunderBird Hotel in Bloomington Minnesota embarked on a comprehensive food waste reduction program. The head chef was required to keep an eye on the food inventory, the amount of food per meal and the percentage of waste per every meal. This did not result into the reduction of food wastage entirely but it considerably reduced the quantity of food that went to waste.
The head chef did not stop at that but he went further and started to check the amount and type of food that would end up in the dustbin. After a while, the head chef could accurately tell which kind of foods were re-usable and came up with a plan on what adjustments were required when it came to the procedures of preparing food in order to reduce the quantity of food that went to waste (Howard 2008).
There are numerous other measures that when put in place can result in the general reduction in the use of either energy, water and the quantity of waste produced by the hotel. These practices comprise of discounts being offered to ecological institutions that intend to accommodate your hotel as well as hold seminars in it.
When replacing major mechanical equipment, it is advisable that one consults a specialist in that area. In most cases this gives individuals ideologies to either downsize or decrease the initial capital and expenses. Hotel developers should also consider using sustainable materials when they are in the process of constructing their hotels.
Material such as wood that are not renewable should ne given a wide berth. The forest cover as it is way below the recommended forest cover. It would be foolhardy for one to perpetrate the destruction of the forest cover instead of making an effort of trying to salvage whatever little that there is. It is not easy for a hotel or any other institution for that matter to alter its way of doing things and adopt new practices. It will take considerable effort and time on the part of any hotel’s management to discard old habits in favor of novel ones.
The management of any hotel that is interested in going green needs to exercise goodwill through raising awareness of its staff on the importance of adopting sustainable practices that are aligned with the green initiative. It is not going to be all smooth sailing in the light of the fact that it is natural for human beings to resist change.
Some of the hotel’s staff might resist the envisioned changes but this should not deter the management from carrying on with its plans given the prospect of deriving benefits as a result of implementing and adopting sustainable practices. The process of implementing policies that are in line with the green initiative does not necessarily need to be radical. A hotel can start gradually allowing everyone within the hotel to get the feel of the sustainable practices. Within no time, almost everyone will have gotten used to the now not so new practices and will be comfortable if more changes are made on the mode of operation.
A hotel can begin its green hotel process through the implementation of simple practices such as placing recycling bins around the hotel or asking its guests to turn off the lights after leaving the rooms. The said steps may appear to be simple but they will go a long way in making the difference and assisting in the development of a green hotel.
They are also less costly compared to other green approaches. A very vital fact in the quest to becoming a green hotel is the realization that while some steps may seem simple on the surface, none are inconsequential. They all contribute to the hotel becoming green.
Another consideration in the quest of a hotel becoming green is the installation of monitoring systems and standards for each area of the hotel. The systems are used for monitoring solid waste, water and energy areas. This is very important as it will give an indication of the areas that are consuming the most energy, water and generating most solid waste. The moment the cause of the problem has been identified, the problem is as good as solved. The management of the hotel will promptly take decisive actions in an effort to address the problematic issues.
The setting of goals and goals and targets are potent tools for monitoring ones progress with respect to water and energy use as well as the generation of solid waste. This will assist a great deal in the quest of the hotel to cut back on the operational costs and will save a lot as a result.
One might wonder why environmental conservation has become such an important issue in today’s world and why almost everyone is going to great lengths in the pursuit of environmental conservation practices. There are countless reasons as to why environmental conservation has become such a pertinent issue nowadays.
Every institution worth its salt has come to the realization that if they continue with the traditional unsustainable practices while going about their business, they might as well close shop because soon there will be no one to provide services to as a result of environmental degradation that will lead to the decimation of the whole of mankind.
We are living in an age where the battle for the salvaging the environment has become a priority for everybody. The world as it is experiencing a climate crisis that is the root of our socio-economic problems. Climate change is a reality that is here with us. It can be attributed to the unsustainable practices by human beings as they go on with their daily activities. Attention now has been shifted to finding ways of mitigating the environmental crisis that we find ourselves in. Some are of the opinion that it is a lost cause; damage has already been done and there is little that we can do to reverse the outcome.
On the other hand, there are those who strongly feel that we are not inextricably linked to the effects of climate change. They are of the opinion that something can be done to extricate ourselves out of the mess that we find ourselves in. It is mainly because of this that everyone is rooting for the cultivation of healthy environmental idealism rooted in reality for us to stop the degradation of the environment that contributes to climate change.
The going green initiative in the hotel industry was designed to reduce the rate at which the environment is being degraded to the barest minimum. This can be achieved through the development and implementation of codes of practice that will ensure sustainable production and protection of the environment.
Practices such as the use of renewable energy, cutting back on the consumption of water and energy together with the reduction of the quantity of solid waste that is produced by hotels will assist in the conservation of the environment.
Another cause of concern for the stakeholders in the hotel industry is the contraction of the global economy occasioned by unsustainable traditional practices that are being used in the day to day activities of mankind. The continued use of non-renewable energy sources leads to their depletion. When these sources of energy are in short supply, their prices will inevitably sky rocket as per the law of demand and supply. This will mean that in order for the daily activities of any hotel to run normally, they will have to part with more money to pay for the energy that they require.
This translates to an increase in the cost of production that will be borne by the hotel. The hotel will have no other choice other than passing it on to its customers making the prices of its goods and services expensive. Customers are always looking for a bargain so the hotelier will be sure to lose some of his customers who simply cannot afford the prices of that hotel. Indirectly, the use of non-renewable energy sources has contributed to the erosion of the buying power of the consumer.
Such is the scale of the effects of continually using unsustainable practices. The dependence on non-renewable sources of energy has to be reduced by hoteliers who want save on the cost of doing business. They will have also played their role in the much nobler cause of environmental conservation (Stipanuk 2006).
Consumers are expressing interests in associating themselves with institutions that are in support of the green initiative. Hoteliers therefore should consider aligning their practices in such a way that they become environmentally friendly, even if they do not get the gist of it, but for the sake of retaining their customers.
Finally, any hotelier who wants to be on the right side of history should take it upon themselves to mobilize the whole of the hospitality industry in a collective effort to adopt sustainable practices that will ensure the reduction of the carbon footprint and by extension conserve the environment for future generations.
References
Environmental leader (2008). Marriott, Hilton, Other Hotels Going Green. Environmental leader. Web.
Green Hotels Association (2011). Newsletter Lead Articles. Green Hotels Association. Web.
Howard, H. (2008). Starwood Is Going Green With a New Hotel Chain. The New York Times. Web.
Stipanuk, D. (2006). Hospitality facilities management and design (3 ed.). Lansing, Michigan: Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.