Before writing an article on furniture refinishing last week, I had never thought about the volume of furniture that the lodging industry must send to landfills each year. Mario Insenga, principal, The Refinishing Touch, Alpharetta, Ga., helped me understand the problem. His company diverts a great deal of furniture from the waste stream by refinishing it. Lately, his company has been saving many of the industry’s armoires by converting them to useable pieces. The hefty armoires have become outdated because of the introduction of flat screen TVs.
When your guestroom, lobby, restaurant or meeting room furniture becomes outdated, what do you do with it? Have you tried the refinishing approach? Has it worked for you? Do you donate it to the local community? Or, is your first reaction to toss it and forget it? With the new year upon us, maybe it’s time to start thinking about your furniture as a long-term asset that either your property or someone in need can use. Here in Ohio, there are several agencies that accept and pick up used furniture. Before you give up on your beds, chairs, armoires, tables and other items, at least consider refinishing. If you cannot do that, try to find your furniture a new home. Everyone will benefit.
Thank You for Your Support
Because of the holiday season, Green Lodging News will not be published next week. It will return the first of the New Year. At this time, I would like to thank all of those who have helped get Green Lodging News up and running. First on the list are my Founding Sponsors—Sierra Environmental Technologies Inc., Green Suites International, and Queenaire Technologies. I would also like to thank all of the other companies that have purchased ads. You can find them throughout my website.
Thanks also go to Chartreuse Inc., the Lakewood, Ohio-based company that designed my website and newsletter. The many individuals who have contributed articles to Green Lodging News also deserve thanks. Without their expertise, this new publication would be strictly a Glenn Hasek production. Thank you to the many readers who have taken the time to write and offer story ideas. Keep those e-mails coming!
Looking Ahead Toward 2007
I am looking forward to continuing to grow Green Lodging News in the New Year. Since the end of the first month of publication, readership has more than doubled. In fact, Green Lodging News, which is considered a niche publication in the publishing world, now generates more Web activity than some of the mainstream publications that have been around for many years.
I do believe the lodging industry is doing a better job talking about the environment. It does, however, have a long way to go to become a sustainable part of the economy. With your help, this publication will help move the discussion forward. I intend to get to as many industry events as possible and will be marketing this publication throughout the country to spread the word about the green lodging movement.
There is no doubt that the time is now to green up your lodging operations. If environmental protection does not motivate you to make changes, at least do it for the health of your staff and guests, and for the bottom line. You will be glad you did.
Have a very healthy, prosperous and “green” New Year!
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by calling (440) 243-2055. I look forward to hearing from you.
