Three years ago I wrote about showerheads that filter out chlorine and why they are important for guests—especially those guests with any kind of chemical sensitivity or compromised immune system. (Click here for that article.) In a hot shower, chlorine gas is released from the water and is easily breathed in. The human body also absorbs chlorine through the skin, mouth, and eyes. A paper recently released by two departments within the University of Colorado suggests that there may be another hazard from taking a shower—notably, Mycobacterium avium, which is a relative of the organism that causes tuberculosis (see...

The CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, caused quite a stir recently when he suggested in a remark to “The New York Times” that he would not hire obese people if he lawfully could do so. He later apologized to Clinic staff and Cleveland area residents for comments that “were hurtful to our community.” In his comments related to health care reform, Cosgrove chose extreme words but I understand his concern about obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese—a rate that is double the...

The U.S. lodging industry has been waiting a while now for one of the numerous national green lodging certification programs to catch on in a big way. Green Seal has certainly gained momentum in the past year, with major commitments from the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, as well as from hotels in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas. Green Globe International has also made some headway, as well as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program. An announcement this week made by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), however, could catapult its Green Key Eco-Rating Program far ahead...

I have written a couple of articles now about toilets and I have to say that I will never think about them the same way again. This past week I spoke with several experts about dual flush toilets. It was definitely a worthwhile endeavor. I strongly encourage anyone looking into purchasing dual flush toilets to talk to as many vendors as you can. The toilets, which offer the option of two different flush modes—one for solid waste and one for liquid—are becoming much more common here in the United States. In fact, almost every day I receive a press...

I have not done much traveling for business so far this summer but late summer and autumn will be different with the coming conference and trade show season. While there is just one conference before the end of the year with a specific green lodging focus—the Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference in Orlando, Fla., December 9 to 11—several events will include at least one or more green sessions. From a trade show standpoint, the HD Boutique Exposition & Conference from September 14 to 15, the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City from November 8 to 10,...

About a year ago, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), based upon the recommendations of its Green Task Force, decided not to partner with a third party to offer its members a property certification program. Instead, the Task Force established a set of 11 Minimum Green Guidelines for any lodging property to follow to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts through reduced utility consumption, recycling programs, employee training, and supply chain management. The guidelines were officially launched last November. For those of you not familiar with the specific Guidelines, they range from forming an environmental committee to installing...

I have read about a lot of green marketing ideas in the last few years—giving guests who drive hybrids free or preferred parking is one of the most popular—but I have to say that what the Sheraton Seattle and Sheraton Kauai Resort started at the beginning of this year has got to be the best one yet. They launched a pilot program called “You Tidy, We Treat.” Now known as “Make a Green Choice,” it gives guests the option of not only opting out of towel and linen replacement but also all housekeeping for a day. Guests can choose to...

Three of the largest U.S.-based hotel companies—Hilton Hotels Corp., Wyndham Worldwide and Marriott International—are now walking their green talk at home in their headquarters offices. Hilton just relocated its headquarters from Beverly Hills, Calif., to a LEED Gold certified building in the Tysons Corner area of McLean, Va. Wyndham, which opened its new headquarters in a brand new building in Parsippany, N.J., earlier this year, is pursuing LEED for Commercial Interiors for the structure. Marriott International, which did not move into a new building this year, is pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance for its home offices...

Numerous cities in the United States have green lodging or tourism programs—initiatives that encourage conservation, networking and education. Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and Philadelphia come to mind. No city that I know of, however, has taken it upon itself to create its own green lodging certification program—until now. I recently learned that Chattanooga, Tenn., now has its own Green Lodging Program for hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging facilities. Participants must be members of the Greater Chattanooga Hospitality Assn. and are required to have a minimum number of environmental programs in place—optional linen service, compact fluorescents, a written plan...

With all of the attention given to green lodging over the past few years, few owners have had the courage to really “shout” about their environmental commitment in the actual brand name or property name. Yes, Starwood has its Element brand, but if you knew nothing about the brand to begin with, chances are you would not guess that it has strong green attributes. The same goes for NYLO, another eco-hip brand. Say “NYLO” to someone with limited industry knowledge and “green” just does not come to mind. For the owners of those brands, I suspect that is just...