I have always kind of wondered about the seriousness of the commitment of the leading online travel agencies (OTAs) in regard to promoting green lodging establishments. In the past when I have gone to their websites in an attempt to try to find the properties, I have been unsuccessful or at least had a difficult time in locating a link for more information. (Perhaps that is why the OTAs call their green sites “microsites”—so small nobody can find them.) To some degree the green hotel sections are still difficult to find, as I describe in the article written this...

In late November I wrote a column (click here) asking readers whether or not their properties’ AAA Diamond ratings had ever been affected negatively by their green initiatives. I received a number of responses—some said their green initiatives had not been impacted while others said their ratings had been affected. I was prompted to ask readers this question because I had heard a number of times from hoteliers, innkeepers and vendors that AAA inspectors sometimes had issues with what would be considered green products or programs. To clear up any confusion out there about what a property may or may...

Dryers are evil. Well, not quite, but they account for nearly 70 percent of all energy consumption in the laundry. You should do all you can to minimize the amount of time your towels and linens spend in them—not only to reduce energy consumption but to also prolong towel and linen life (and the life of duvets, robes, etc). Makers of washer-extractors agree. In conducting research for an article on washer-extractors (click here for article) I learned just how much suppliers have done to reduce required drying time—primarily through advanced controls technology and stronger mechanical spin power (G-force). Suppliers...

Happy new year! I hope that you had a relaxing holiday. I just returned from a week of vacation in Florida and it was great to see so many hotels doing so well. Here’s hoping that trend continues this year. The last couple of years certainly have not been easy for our industry, with an energy price spike followed by one of the worst recessions in U.S. history. For many the recession is far from over and that is why our industry’s experts are predicting only a modest recovery this year with better things to come in 2011 and...

If you are hesitant to purchase an environmentally advantageous product for all of your guestrooms, why not test it in just one guestroom? Better yet, place all of the green products you wish to test in that room and ask your guests what they think. That is what the Best Western Philadelphia Airport South at Widener University intends to do in January. Since the 60-room property opened a year ago, management, with student and staff support from Widener University, have been putting together what they call their Eco-Pro Room (short for Ecological Prototype). It includes items such as a shower...

When you shop at the grocery store, the products you buy include labels that detail ingredients and nutritional value. If you are building or renovating your lodging establishment, however, there is a good chance you will never know what chemicals are in the building materials that you buy. Why is it important to know? There is a long list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity and these are commonly found in building materials currently on the market. To make it easier for designers, architects and others to know which chemicals to avoid, Peter Syrett...

One way to reduce costs related to waste removal while keeping waste out of the local landfill is to give away items to those in need. In the lodging industry “waste” can include food, toiletries, partially used rolls of toilet paper, or even guestroom furnishings. Finding the right agency to donate items to can be a challenge. To save time and labor, it has got to be an organization willing to pick up the items. It has also got to be an organization that can be trusted—one that will actually deliver the items to those in need. What is...

The opening of CityCenter in Las Vegas and a soon-to-be released study that will appear in The American Journal of Industrial Medicine highlight the importance of safety in the workplace. As reported in the Las Vegas Sun, during the construction of CityCenter, which just saw its first three buildings open, six construction workers were killed. And, according to The American Journal of Industrial Medicine study, women—especially Hispanic women who work as housekeepers—were 50 percent more likely to be injured on the job than men and had an injury rate two-thirds higher than their white female counterparts. Throughout...

How far would you go to tell your company or property’s green story? Would you write and publish a book? That is exactly what Six Senses Resorts & Spas has done with its new “SLOW LIFE” book authored by Kate O’Brien. The book was officially introduced at an event earlier this month in New York City. I highly recommend checking out this new book that is printed on 100 percent recycled paper using soy-based inks. The words “SLOW” and “LIFE” are acronyms for “Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wholesome” and “Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences.” The book is packed with valuable information about the state of our planet...

Last week was one of the biggest weeks of the year for our industry with the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) in New York City. That event was followed by Greenbuild in Phoenix. I attended IH/M&RS but had to miss Greenbuild this year after attending in 2007 and 2008 in Chicago and Boston. As it turned out, I missed the biggest news announcement of the week: Marriott International announcing at Greenbuild that it will expand its green hotel portfolio by ten-fold over the next five years. (See article.) How will the company do that? It is rolling out...