Home Publisher's Point of View Drought in California ‘Exceptional’ in Many Different Ways

Drought in California ‘Exceptional’ in Many Different Ways

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Eight months ago Governor Jerry Brown declared the drought in California a “State of Emergency” and asked Californians to reduce their daily water consumption by 20 percent. Six months later the California Hotel & Lodging Assn. debuted a “California Water Resources” page on its website to help hoteliers in California link to water conservation ideas and rebates and incentives that make it easier to invest in efficient fixtures and other water-conserving items. (One example: In San Diego County, the SoCal Water$mart Program provides commercial customers with $100 per toilet rebates for replacing select older, inefficient toilets with new 1.28 gpf toilets that can reduce water use by 20 percent.) The California Hotel & Lodging Assn. did a great job putting together its page.

This past week I posted an article about the drought and what several hoteliers in California are doing to address it. I spoke with Harry Hobbs, Area Director of Engineering, InterContinental Hotels of San Francisco, and he told me the InterContinental San Francisco is saving almost 1 million gallons of water a year by treating cooling tower water with a new system that does not use chemicals. David Zimmerman, General Manager, Courtyard Hotel Torrance Palos Verdes in Torrance, Calif., told me about the adjustments his property is making to its landscaping that will result in significant savings. The areas he showed me where native plants have replaced water-hungry flowers and turf look great.

Preparations are Paying Off

In addition to posting my article, I also added an article by Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co., Inc. In his article Klaus talks about how well California is handling its drought so far. It is not only because of the transition to more efficient fixtures over the years but also because of better management and storage of water by government agencies. To their credit, according to Bridget Boyd, Legislative & Communications Manager, California Hotel & Lodging Assn., lodging establishments throughout California have been conserving water for years. “Now they are trying to do even better,” she says.

All of that said, if the drought continues on, hoteliers can expect to face more mandatory restrictions. There are already some throughout California. As my article on the drought points out, the water available to Californians both above and below ground is disappearing quickly. The loss of groundwater in the Western United States has been so great that the ground actually rose there by one-sixth of an inch this year. The mountains of California rose three-fifths of an inch as the easing weight of the groundwater has caused the Earth’s crust to spring upward. Pretty amazing.

The drought is already shrinking lakes where tourists used to congregate. Just how bad is it going to get for the tourism industry in California? It will be interesting to see. Let’s all hope for some needed rain soon.  

If your property is located in California, what successes have you had in reducing water consumption? I would love to learn about them. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by phone at (813) 510-3868.

Mention Green Lodging News, Get Conference Discounts

If you have not yet registered for the Lodging Green & Sustainability Conference & Expo to be held October 28 to 30 at Aria Las Vegas, be sure to do so by contacting Alisha Allen at Lodging Magazine at (215) 321-9662, ext. 62, or by e-mail at aallen@lodgingmagazine.com. Mention Green Lodging News and receive $100 off of the $495 registration rate. Lodging Magazine is also offering a $195 student rate for their event.

If you have not yet registered for the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, click here and use promo code GLN2014 for complimentary admission.

Green Lodging News Adds HanitaTek Case Study to Website

Green Lodging News has added a HanitaTek case study to its Vendor Case Studies section. The case study details the installation of SolarZone OptiTune 22 solar control window film on the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. The hotel turned to Gexpro to manage the energy efficiency project. Solar Art Window Film, a premier window tinting company in Southern California, was contracted for the installation of the highly energy efficient window film for the guestrooms, covering over 40,000 square feet of glass. The Hanita team recommended installing SolarZone OptiTune 22, which would deliver a 70 percent reduction in solar heat gain and a 64 percent reduction in glare. With a relatively swift installation, the ameliorating effects of the OptiTune film on air-conditioning performance were soon felt, literally and figuratively. In fact, initial estimates showed annual energy savings from OptiTune would reach over $90,000 annually. Combined with the new lighting and electric upgrades, the film helped cut the hotel’s annual energy bill by half. To read the entire case study, click here. For more information on SolarZone OptiTune 22 and other Hanita products, call Robert Brookshire at (800) 660-5559, e-mail rbrookshire@hanitatek.com, or go to www.hanitaenergy.com.

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 2014/2015?

Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2014/2015. Many excellent spots are available on the website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2014 or 2015 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.

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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.

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