Green Hotel Reservations
Make your hotel reservations at a green hotel. EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com, which just passed 3,000 listed green hotels, joined forces with RezHub in May 2008. You can now find more green hotels than ever in just one place and book your room with many of the green hotels you have found.
Make hotel reservations at green hotels using the new team: EnvironmentallyFriendylHotels.com and RezHub. Find your green hotel on "Environmentally Friendly Hotels" and book your room with RezHub, assuming the hotel is part of RezHub's program.
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Green Blackmail
In June 2007, San Francisco Mayer, Gavin Newsom, banned bottled water from being purchase by city departments. Water coolers were included in that ban, though given five months before that part of the ban went into effect. Also in the summer of 2007 Charlie Crist, Florida's Governor, directed that as of January 2008, green-designated hotels were the only hotels in Florida that could be used for government-sponsored conferences.
Green blackmail is becoming one way of getting people's attention about environmental issues. When taken far enough -- or too far -- it becomes environmental terrorism. Will you take environmental steps on your own, or will you wait until either green blackmail or government regulations force you?
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Environmentally-Correct Demolition and Reconstruction
Though reusing an existing building is more environmentally correct than building from scratch, not all old buildings work for their new purpose so tearing them down becomes a must. But that demolition doesn't have to be an environmental nightmare. Lots can be done to recycling the elements of the old building.
Sustainable development is an up-and-coming concept in the hospitality industry. It's been around for awhile now, but is getting more traction all the time. A shopping mall in Boulder, Colorado, is an interesting case study in the environmental issues of renovations. How much can building materials be recycled, reused and donated?
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Irritating Your Guests
As western cultures adopt more chemicals into society in the way of air fresheners, fire retardants, finishes for construction and furnishings, herbicides and pesticides, and cleaning products (for both buildings and people), humans are suffering the consequences. The biggest consequence is increased allergies and sensitivities to the chemicals around them. Those are irritating consequences.
The best way to quit irritating your guests is to remove as many chemicals as possible from your hospitality operations. Get rid of sodium lauryl sulfate, fabric softeners and air fresheners, and finishes with VOCs (volatile organic compounds). There are great alternatives available to you, so use them and have happier guests.
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Environmental Innovations vs the Space Program Innovations
The environment is a hot topic these days. My focus is on green hospitality -- hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, golf courses, and spas being examples. Through innovation, environmental problems can be resolved, money saved and jobs created. Environmental innovation leads to jobs of all kinds, even environmental jobs. Environmentally friendly hotels can lead the way in greening of the hospitality industry.
Recently I had dinner with several NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineers. The conversation bounced among topics like politics, space, sports, the environment, weather, and the internet. It was an invigorating conversation, or set of conversations.
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Green Hotels Branch Out Again
The Prince Albert II Of Monaco Foundation and The Fairmont Hotels have joined forces to take their respective sustainable plans further into Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Both organizations have strong environmental commitments and this alliance will strengthen both of their goals.
Environmentally friendly hotels have taken a huge step forward recently. When the Fairmont Hotels teamed up with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to take sustainable measures further into Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Green hotels and eco travelers can further this effort by doing more and asking more of others. Energy and water conservation, climate change and biodiversity are important issues we all need to face and work together on to make the world a better place.
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AHLA Surveying Hotels for Green Actions
I've heard that AHLA (American Hotel and Lodging Association) is working on a green hotel certification program. It seems to be making progress because I just read about their information gathering efforts. Not only are they surveying their 9,500-ish members, but also they are donating money to a green cause in exchange for the returned surveys. Their adopted green cause is the National Arbor Day Foundation, a worthy organization.
AH&LA is taking yet another step towards finalizing their environmentally friendly hotel certification program. Responding to their member survey not only earns money for the National Arbor Day Foundation but also provides valuable information for AHLA's green hotels program and gives the responding member hotel a marketing opportunity. That's turning green to gold!
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