I have spoken to a lot of sustainability leaders over the years about their properties’ waste management successes. This week I will be featuring St. Julien Hotel & Spa on the Green Lodging News website—a 201-room, luxury property with one of the most impressive waste management success stories to tell. Be sure to watch for the article.
I spoke with James P. Farrell, the hotel’s Sustainability Coordinator, and he told me that in 2007 the Boulder, Colo. property disposed of almost 700,000 pounds of materials. Over the last decade that number has been axed to 400,000 pounds annually thanks to training, recycling, composting, careful purchasing and many different donation programs. A composting program alone has reduced compostable material to landfill from 33 tons a month to just 3.5 tons.
Unique to St. Julien Hotel & Spa, it employs a part-time waste diversion associate. It is that person’s job to explain the basis of waste diversion, do waste diversion refreshers, waste audits and spot checks. Training is critical to the program’s success and an on-property green team with representatives from each department meets quarterly to share ideas and monitor progress.
F&B Recycling Training Pays Off
When asked to provide an example of a training activity that has had impact, Farrell highlighted the work of associates in food and beverage areas who have been trained to separate recyclables, compostables and disposables. Training during periods of high traffic was key.
Associates are meticulous about recycling and composting and last year’s 78 percent waste diversion rate is proof. Glass, metal, paper and cardboard are recycled. Forty percent of the waste stream is compostable items. That material is taken by Eco-Cycle, a local nonprofit. Simple steps such as offering opt-in newspaper delivery and switching from disposable towels to linen towels in public restrooms have made a significant impact. It is quite unusual to switch from paper towels to linen but perhaps not for the St. Julien Hotel & Spa—a AAA Four-Diamond property.
Anything that can be donated is donated. “We replaced all pillows last year,” Farrell says.
“We donated them to a couple of nonprofits.”
In addition to donating discarded soaps and other hygiene amenities to Clean the World, the hotel now donates mini bar food, slippers, pillows, wine corks and guest service uniforms. Each item has a unique story after it leaves the hotel. When it replaced its ATM in 2015, the hotel found a local artist to use the ATM in a project. At the Boulder Shelter, residents are required to wear shoes for safety reasons. With St. Julien slippers every shelter resident has comfortable indoor footwear. In December 2015, St. Julien Hotel & Spa partnered with the Boulder Boost Project. Designed by a group of University of Colorado students, Boulder Boost uses the University’s resources, such as the career services office, to provide cover letter writing, resume building and interview coaching workshops to homeless and low income individuals. The hotel donated 40 of its guest service uniforms to Boulder Boost, providing participants with interview appropriate clothing.
St. Julien Hotel & Spa’s accomplishments in waste management are just one part of the property’s overall green story. Be sure to watch for my article for more details.
Green Lodging Trends Report Survey
The survey that is the basis for the second annual Green Lodging Trends Report has launched and will close on June 15. Click here to participate in the survey that focuses on green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. The Green Lodging Trends Report 2016, which summarizes the results of the first annual Green Lodging Survey, is available by clicking here.
How to Search on Our Website
Similar to other search engines you find online, a search using one word will produce articles with that word included. If you would like to search for something that is more than one word long—ozone laundry, for example—you will need to put quotation marks around the words or phrase. Ozone laundry would then be “ozone laundry” in the search.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2017?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2017. Many excellent spots are available on our new website, in the weekly e-mail newsletter, and Green Lodging Survey. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2017 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 9,510. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail editor@greenlodgingnews.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,747 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 847 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
