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haelidenton

Hotel Industry Embraces Green Revolution - 0 views

  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records."
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
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  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records."
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • the hotel's adoption of native gardening also gives guests a compelling reason to eat at the hotel and accounts for 15 percent of hotel guests' revenue stream.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • The green economic revolution is impacting the $90 billion U.S. hotel industry
  • According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records.
  • Cost-competitive advantage . Saving green by going green is where most of today's business focus is directed. In these recessionary times, going green can make the difference in being able to compete on price.
  • Green revenue growth . This is where the green economic revolution is heading, growing revenue by going green. This is a multi-trillion-dollar global opportunity for building or cementing customer loyalty as consumers focus increasingly upon sustainability and wellness.
  • Green entrepreneurship . In every economic revolution, there is opportunity for the entrepreneur as the traditional big players struggle to adopt their legacy systems and business practices. Customers are looking for businesses that offer fresh solutions that support their quest for "going green."
  • The green economic revolution is impacting the $90 billion U.S. hotel industry
  • Food grown in the hotel's native garden provides hotel guests with a healthy dining experience. In fact, the hotel's adoption of native gardening also gives guests a compelling reason to eat at the hotel and accounts for 15 percent of hotel guests' revenue stream. According to a recent report published by the Green Hotels Association, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records
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    The Hotel Industry and its vendors are acknowledging and taking a keen revenue advantage, because their customers are supporting a green environment focus. This green economic revolution has impacted the $90 billion dollar Hotel industry. The article describes a hotel in Austin Texas profoundly in regards to their property having the "largest solar system in the continental U.S.". The hotel goes as far as creating their motto, which gear guest towards a green environment focus; their motto states "Environmental consciousness in action." The hotel grows its own food and vegetables, in which they serve the guest with, and they also give some of their produce to local food banks. The hotel guest often brag about how well they slept in the night, this might be caused by the toxic free chemical environment they are in. The lodging have refrained from using chemical pesticides 20 years ago, which may have added to the result of guest sleeping well; stated the general manager. The Ritz-Carlton program "Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment program" was originally for the children that were staying on the Kapalua in Hawaii. The children enjoyed it so much, and their parents became very inquisitive; that the program emerged into the entire property focus. This program gives guest the opportunity to have involvement with the native forest; native nature walk and the hotel also harvest a native garden. This is almost the same idea as the hotel located in Austin Texas. There are many valid reasons for the reason why the Hotel Industry should be green conscious. The Green Hotels Association states that "Companies with proactive environmental strategies will make 4 percent higher investment, 9 higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental practices.". If I was a general manager, this would be one of my main concerns and focus. Going green is cost effective, but the ending
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    Getting green could enable the hotel be competitive on price and grow the revenue. There are already several hotels going green and receive positive feedback from their guests.
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    Going green is a great initiative within hotels. having worked with resorts implementing green initiatives, I would say one of the biggest challenge is changing the culture of employees to start doing things differently in order to maintain a sustainable program. Hotels in my experience that are successful employs environmental officers who educate and monitor various areas of the green initiatives. Going green can have huge capital investment in the initial stages but have huge gains especially in energy conservation in the long term. Our guests are also more socially conscious and will respond well to green hotels though they may not always practice conservation during their stays.
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    This article explains the green revolution pertaining to the hotel industry with an estimated $90 Billion. Consumers are becoming conscious of the Earth's finite resources, thus, the green revolution is coming about slowly but without a doubt making an impact in the way the economy works. This is allowing an opportunity for hotels to increase revenues and gain market share due to this niche on catering to such consumers with a green initiative lifestyle. For example, the Ritz Carlton- Kapalua Hawaii, is combing fun and green education to educate children of the unique local surrounds found within the region, encouraging to frequent business by the wonderful experience. As well, it is interesting to learn that companies engaged within the strategies focused on the environment are experiencing high growth regards return on investment, sales growth and operating income. In every spectrum of hotel building and operating, the green initiative is possible from construction and architectural planning to hotels free of chemicals and property-developed horticulture gardens. The full capacity of the green revolution has not been seen to its full potential only leaving to wonder the full extent of its possibilities.
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    This article talks about how the eco-friendly environment concept is helping the hotelier industry achieve higher revenues and market shares. This whole concept is an ample opportunity for hotels to compete, stay on business and raise awareness to consumers about green resources that can be used to save our planet. People show interest in collaborating with the going green concept and learn more, however businesses need to be more conscious about the environment. For example, The Habitat Suites in Austin Texas is using the largest solar system in the continent to provide power. It is also a toxic free chemical environment and reproduces in own its own fruits and vegetables gardening. Three main factors are impacting the green revolution's hotel industry; cost-competitive advantage, green revenue growth, and green entrepreneurship. Feel free to read more about the article to have a deeper understanding.
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    nowadays, more and more hotels attending to join the green army. one of the most important reason is this kind of hotel will have a better market. because of the education level of the guests, their invironmental awareness become stongly. so the guests want to do more to make a contribution the the environment protection. on the other hand, the customers all knows that even the price of the green hotel is higher, but it is more health and safe. it will make them feel better and have a good experience in the hotel. as we know, a good experience is the final goal of hotel. so, the green hotel must have a bright future.
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    The green economic revolution is impacting the $90 billion U.S. hotel industry. There is an opportunity to increase revenue and market share by "going green". Habitat Suites in Austin, Texas is a leader in this area. The hotel's motto is "Environmental consciousness in action." Habitat Suites has an environment that is free of chemicals, has the largest hotel solar system, and uses their own organic fruit and vegetable garden for food in the hotel. Due to this environmental consciousness, the customers are reacting positively. Commenting on how great they slept, due to the ecologically fresh rooms. Many hotel chains are jumping on the green revolution bandwagon. At the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in Hawaii, they started an environment program that was originally designed to provide fun for kids. But after positive feedback from the children, this has grown from just learning about local marine life to educational nature walks. These walks go through Maui's native forests and a garden that grows native foods and has community engagement in order to preserve their island's culture and environment. The food that is grown in the native garden is used in the hotel to provide guests with a healthy dining experience. Because of this, it has increased guests' reason to eat at the hotel and is 15 percent of the hotel guests' revenue stream. This environmentally friendly program increases the possibility of repeat business and attract new travelers who search for these types of experiences. A report published by the Green Hotels Association states, "Companies with proactive environmental strategies have a 4 percent higher return on investment, 9 percent higher sales growth and 17 percent higher operating income growth than companies with poor environmental track records." Even non-hotel-industry entrepreneurs are realizing business opportunities in the green vacation industry. Patricia Griffin, president of the Green Hotel Association, started the associatio
Jessica Schwec

FIFA and the environment - FIFA.com - 1 views

    • Jessica Schwec
       
      FIFA has been working progressively on green initiatives. The organization has increasingly focused on environmental management at the World Cup with the upmost attention being paid to the 2018/2022 Word Cups beginning with the bid process.
  • Issues such as global warming, environmental conservation and sustainable management are a concern for FIFA, not only in regards to FIFA World Cups™, but also in relation to FIFA as an organisation.
  • FIFA has encouraged and engaged with Local Organising Committees (LOC) in regard to environmental protection since 2005 when the German LOC launched the Green Goal environmental programme for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™.
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  • Inspired by Green Goal 2006 and by previous experiences with major international events in South Africa, the South African LOC developed a Green Goal programme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
  • The LOC for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™ launched the Green Goal 2011 programme in early 2010, building on the experiences from 2006 to expand the environmental project.
  • In assuring its commitment to the environment in the future, FIFA decided to include environmental protection in future bidding agreements, starting with the bidding process for the FIFA World Cups™ in 2018 and 2022. FIFA requested comprehensive information on the activities planned to avoid, reduce and offset the negative environmental impacts of hosting the FIFA World Cup™.
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    FIFA has paid noticeable attention to the environmental impact of the World Cup since the 2006 World Cup and green management has increased with every World Cup since with the biggest plans already staged for years 2018 and 2022. The Green Goal environmental program has been in effect since 2005 when FIFA partnered with Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) in order to champion green initiatives. This program has been adapted for every World Cup since. The program combines the resources of host cities, governmental departments, local environmentalists and international partners. Now, FIFA is implementing green initiatives into the bidding process for 2018 and 2022 by requesting information pertaining to the reduction and control of negative environmental impacts from bidders prior to making a decision on where to host the World Cup. In my opinion, FIFA has adequately worked towards environmental sustainability over the past ten years and has powerful plans to continue and improve green initiatives going forward. Previously, the indoctrination of the Green Goal program in 2005 laid the foundation for green goals and growth. Each subsequent World Cup has relied on a Green Goal program to set and measure environmental initiatives. Also, FIFA has already begun working on the Green Goal for 2018 and 2022 by requiring potential host destinations to incorporate environmental sustainability into the management structure of the mega-event. Management is required to set measurable objectives in six key areas: water, waste, energy, transportation, procurement and climate change. In addition, potential host destinations are required to plan and explain how they will incorporate stakeholders and the community via an Environmental Advisory Board. All of these aspects must be outlined in the bid submitted for consideration by FIFA and will be weighed heavily during the host location decision process.
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    FIFA's decision to use involved green standards as part of the bidding process for World Cups 2018 and 2022 is ingenious. The rigorous standards and expectations eliminate cities that are unwilling or unable to do the research and prep work required for the environmental concerns associated with such a large and prestigious event. However, these same circumstances caused increased competition between the remaining cities and come with some sort of financial cost. The increased competition between potential host cities and the associated higher costs pertaining to the implementation of green strategies may be seen as negatives to involved commercial/government entities and community conservatives. The following comparison explains how this may be so. Companies often design buildings with minimal closets despite having a large need for storage space. The philosophy behind this is "closets don't make money." On the contrary, entertainments space (i.e. Casinos), larger sales floors (i.e. Car Dealerships) and management offices are all spaces in which money is generate and therefore income is maximized by maximizing the "money-generating space" and minimizing spaces (i.e. closets) that do not do so. Similarly, green initiatives guarantee extra expenses and do not generate a significantly increased income. Some entities may view green initiatives as "closets." In conclusion, FIFA is a powerful force in the green initiative campaign. The organization has worked tirelessly the last 15 years to implement and improve environmental initiatives related to the World Cup. Despite the outside chance that a significant portion of the population will view green initiatives as costly non-necessities, I believe that FIFA's Green Goal program will be a success. It provides an expanding platform for each subsequent Word Cup by requiring environmental initiatives to be implemented at the management level and begin at the earliest point possible: bidding.
ashleyb102

Environmentally-friendly practices in hotels - 1 views

  • As an important component of the accommodation sector, hotel operations are characterised by a massive number of activities that collectively exert a significant impact on global resources (Kirk 1995:3)
  • he considerable environmental effects of hotels contribute to problems, many of which are international in scope, with the major one being climate change
  • According to estimations, an average hotel releases between 160 kg and 200 kg of CO2 per square metre of room floor area per year and the water consumption per guest per night is between 170 and 440 litres in the average five-star hotel. On average, hotels produce 1 kg of waste per guest per night
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  • With the negative impacts that hotels exert on the environment, greater pressure is placed on governments and role players in tourism to reinforce eco-friendlier enterprises and green consumption in hotels (Moreo 2008:1). This compels hotels to demonstrate responsible behaviour to become 'eco-friendly hotels' or 'green hotels', which refers to accommodation establishments that have made a commitment to implementing or following various ecologically-sound practices, such as saving water and energy as well as reducing solid waste
  • Because hotels exert a negative environmental impact, it is imperative that the management of hotels take action to mitigate their impact on the environment
  • Within the hotel sector, the areas of concern for the environment include pollution through solid and liquid waste, high energy consumption and the increasing release of greenhouse gases that cause changes in the atmosphere.
  • Consequently, practices such as recycling of waste, waste management, supplying clean air, energy and water conservation, environmental health, adopting a purchasing policy and environmental education are being considered in various hotels in mitigation of the negative impacts on the environment
  • Demands from governments or regulators require hotels to implement green practices (Kim & Choi 2013:159). Green practices are ways to use products and methods that would not negatively impact on the environment through pollution or by the depletion of natural resources (Smith & Perks 2010:3). These green practices include sustainable management of water, energy conservation, solid waste management, ensuring air quality, environmental purchasing, community awareness and maintenance of permits (see Table 1).
  • It is recommended that hotels implement and monitor the progress of the green initiatives in their establishments. The initiatives to be implemented may include any or some of the following:
  • • Water - Water may be saved by flushing toilets using a flushing system fed from rainwater harvesting. In addition, hotels can use low-flow shower heads and taps to reduce waste.
  • Energy - Occupancy sensors can be used in hotels so as to use energy in occupied rooms only. Also, hotels can use renewable energies such as solar power and wind energy.
  • Reuse of linen - Reuse of linens and towels save water, detergent and energy which reduces the release of greenhouse gases. Water saving information cards should be placed in rooms for guests to read.
  • Solid waste - Recycling is one way by which hotels can begin to participate in waste management. Composting at the establishment is also encouraged. • Air quality - Air filtration can be installed in hotels. In addition, the creation of smoking sections for guests to avoid involuntary exposure to second-hand smoke can also be helpful. • Installation of green roofs improves air quality, which includes the use of recycled material in the growing medium. • Environmental purchasing - Hotels should avoid procuring plastic-based packaging, which contributes to high levels of pollution and should rather use paper bags made from recycled products.
  • This research study determined the environmentally friendly practices adopted in 3- to 5-star-graded hotels in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
  • Against this background, this study was conducted to examine issues relating to environmentally-friendly practices of hotels in these two developing countries
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    This article takes a look at 3 to 5 star hotels in Zimbabwe and South Africa and their environmentally friendly practices. Research shows that the hotel industry has a huge impact on the environment and the use of natural resources. The hotel industry has been negatively impacting the environment by consuming large amount of energy and water, and by producing large amounts of waste. The government has been demanding that hotels implement green practices, these are methods and products that do not negatively impact the environment. The results from the data collected from these two countries showed that none of the hotels had a written green management policy. Even though some of the hotels insisted that there is a green management policy in effect, it was not written down. It is important for policies like this to be written so there is a clear understanding of what is expected.
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    It seems the main motivation to implement more eco-friendly practices would be legislation/regulation but I wonder how that would be received? Outside the hotel industry,. I wonder how much focus is generally given to environmental concerns? Interesting research.
natyangel

How IT Can Go Green | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 1 views

  • In the world of information technology (IT), the green movement is taking shape.
  • Technology is a tool to provide solutions, but regrettably, technology can also be a source of the problem due to factors like energy consumption and the environmental impacts when disposing of obsolete or broken technology (i.e., e-waste).
  • Like any business initiative, green IT projects will require strong commitment from an organization’s top management and investment in time and resources at all levels.
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  • The environmental focus is here to stay and must be embraced.
  • Clearly, hotels and resorts are in the business of making money, but they must do so in a conscientious manner
  • The focus on sustainability or "going green" is quickly becoming a major trend. But let’s face it, being environmentally conscious is the right thing to do, and it should be a business imperative for everyone. After all, a significant portion of the hospitality and tourism industries rely on the natural beauty and desirability of destinations: beach resorts, mountain ski lodges and canyon-land ranches
  • Deploying effective technology practices such as Energy Star compliance to power down computers automatically after periods of inactivity and server virtualization: This means having applications which share a common server rather than each application hosted on a separate server.
  • There are numerous opportunities for IT professionals to take leadership roles in helping their organizations to adopt sustainable practices.
  • Using IT responsibly and effectively to reduce energy, water and paper consumption: Energy management systems are effective at controlling guest comfort while saving energy consumption and costs.
  • Tackling e-waste and deploying recycling technologies to reduce environmental waste and impacts: Many electronic firms offer responsible recycling programs for used hardware. Technology can also be utilized to assist in the recycling process
  •  Digital marketing practices: Using digital media instead of print media is a great way to save money while reducing the impact on the environment. By tapping into social media, you can let guests be involved in green practices and spread the word virally about all the good the organization is doing
  • There is a growing environmentally conscious market, a profitable segment to tap
  • .    Educate employees and guests to improve awareness of environmental issues and green practices in your organization and the industry.
  •    Conduct an energy audit to see where and how energy is being consumed and to establish a baseline. Continue these audits on a regular basis.
  • Seek suggestions from employees and guests, and offer rewards for ideas that get implemented.
  • Celebrate and market key successes
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    This article emphasizes the positive and negative aspects of the hospitality industry adopting to sustainable practices. It recognizes that this industry is in the business of making money, while appoints the importance of doing so conscientiously, respecting the environment. It shows the steps that the organizations should take on its journey to action. I believe that sustainability should be a business imperative and not a lifestyle choice, as the sustained interest among consumers in tourism products and services are continuously increasing. That should be beneficial for the organization, positively affecting the operating revenue.
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    The articles describes, how technology helps a hospitality firm in conserving non renewable resources. It focuses on sustainability of hospitality industry. The article describes one interesting point, educate the employees and the guest, employees and guest are the pillars of any hotel. If they understand the concept of going green, it would be easy for the organization to conserve energy. use of E marketing by the hotels has reduced the use of paper, which mean many trees are being saved from getting cut. Use of recycle bins by the firms makes people aware of the waste which an be recycled should be disposed off separately. The use of tablets in the rooms is another way which the hospitality firms have adapted to go green, it not only saves paper but also gives a new amenity in the rooms.
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    The emphasis on sustainability and going green is everywhere, including hospitality and tourism industries. Within the scope of information technology, there are numerous opportunities to becoming greener and more sustainable both in the short and long term. First, using IT responsibly and effectively to reduce energy, water and paper consumption are advantageous and can also be seen as consumer driven. For instance, if a hotel offers a guest the convenience of controlling temperature through their smartphone or using their smartphone as the room key, not only is the hotel becoming greener but also the guest will appreciate these value added features. Instilling technology practices such as Energy Star compliance will lead to less consumption. Additionally, addressing the issue of e waste and creating recycling technologies to reduce environmental waste and impact adds on to the sustainable strategy. Lastly, with the growing environmentally conscious effort, creating marketing strategies to promote green practices improves the company's image, increases awareness on becoming more sustainable, and educates the public on becoming greener. It takes time, as employees need to be trained in order to become aware of environmental impacts (such as printing less paperwork and shutting off a printer when idle), track energy consumption, and instill these behaviors on a day to day basis. According to this article, it was noted that " for many guests, particularly Millennials, environmental stewardship is a key topic that resonates with them. It has become one of the decision-making criteria used to select companies in which they do business, including hotels and resorts". I believe that sustainability and the promotion of green practices is not a fleeting trend, but rather it is a change in mindset in which younger generations appreciate this adopted conscientious value.
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    The article discusses the many ways the IT world is finding new ways to be sustainable in the hospitality industry. Changing the way a hotel runs by introducing e-mails to guest and other companies to reduce the paper flow or allowing guest to do mobile check-ins can reduce a lot of paper waste. Also, having guest use their phones as key cards for their rooms can aid in avoiding wasting and needing to create key cards. By hotels having an energy saving system, they reduce electrical waste by having computers on low power consumption mode. One main thing the article mentioned that I personally see a lot of hotels doing is digital advertising. Instead of relying on paper advertisement, hotels rely heavily on ads on social medias, facebook, google, and third party vendors.
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    This article discusses the IT green movement that has been in action since the rise of technology and ways on how IT can go green. Some opportunities in the green IT movement include the following: - Using IT responsibly and effectively to reduce water, energy, and paper consumption. This gives IT teams to take advantage of a few technical enhancements within their hotels to provide key cards available on smart phones, email to reduce paper, and digital signage. - Deploying effective technology practices such as Energy Star compliance to shut down computers automatically after periods of inactivity and server virtualization. This would mean for everything to be on one common server, and companies can save money on computer hardware and power consumption. - Tackling e-waste and deploying recycling technologies to reduce environmental waste and impacts. This could be implementing by introducing a safe recycling system for used hardware. - Digital marketing practices. This could be like using digital media to save money or using social media to encourage guests about the green practices that the hotel is implementing. - Marketing strategies to report and promote green practices. This could be having the business properly use marketing strategies to target these environmentally conscious market and find ways to promote green practices to this market segment. These are all very effective ways for IT teams to go green within their hospitality businesses. These green IT projects will need approval from top management and investment in time and resources.
kteme001

Environmentally Friendly Computers and Monitors Hit the Market | GreenBiz - 1 views

  • Compared to traditional computer equipment, all EPEAT-registered computers have reduced levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury to better protect human health.
  • EPEAT products are identified as EPEAT-Bronze, EPEAT-Silver, or EPEAT-Gold depending on the number of optional environmental criteria incorporated in the product.
  • EPEAT also makes it possible for individual consumers to review environmental considerations before making their own purchases.
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  • The three-tiered EPEAT rating system includes 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria.
  • 100 representatives from environmental groups
  • “We recognize the potential human health impacts associated with the materials found in traditional computers. As a result, we are very pleased to be one of the first private sector companies to use the EPEAT green computer standard, in addition to other environmental criteria, in our computer purchasing practices.”
  • Having a consistent standard makes it easier for customers to evaluate the environmental features of the technology they purchase,
  • Dell is pleased to be one of the first manufacturers to register products with EPEAT.”
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, using very conservative assumptions, estimates that over the next five years, purchases of EPEAT registered computers will result in reductions of: More than 13 million pounds of Hazardous Waste More than 3 million pounds of Non-hazardous Waste More than 600,000 MWh of Energy - enough to power 6 million homes
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    This article talks about the efforts computer companies are making to reduce the negative environmental results of traditional technology equipment. There are more than 60 electronic devices from companies like Dell and HP that are becoming apart of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is a funded project called EPEAT that has the goal of identifying environmentally friendly computer equipment that still outputs the same level of performance for the customer. This new "green" certification system even provides a list online of the products that meet the standards. EPEAT allows customers to rank computer electronics by their environmental. There are 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria involved in the rankings. The optional criteria determines if the product is EPEAT Bronze, Silver, or Gold. These standards include having lower levels of lead, mercury and cadmium as well as being more energy efficient so they reduce emissions put into the atmosphere to help reduce the levels of greenhouse gases. These products are also more simple to upgrade and have recycled… businesses actually have to provide safe ways to recycle the products they sell when the customer can no longer use them. Manufacturers think having an even playing field for the customer to be able to view their products by environmental aspect is better and are proud to be apart of something so beneficial to the environment. The EPEAT program was expected to reduce 13 million pounds of hazardous waste and 3 million pounds of non hazardous waste.
marble_bird

Roche2016_Article_RecreationalDivingImpactsOnCor.pdf - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 07 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Recreational diving on coral reefs is an activity that has experienced rapidly growing levels of popularity and participation.
  • the potential role of dive impacts in contributing to coral reef damage is a concern at heavily dived locations. Management measures to address this issue increasingly include the introduction of programmes designed to encourage environmentally responsible practices within the dive industry.
  • Coral reefs are a threatened, but globally important ecosystem, providing key services to local communities such as coastal defence, sediment production, and fisheries benefits
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  • The role of dive supervision was assessed by recording dive guide interventions underwater, and how this was affected by dive group size.
  • Over recent decades, tourism activities benefiting from the pleasing aesthetics and biodiversity of coral reefs, primarily SCUBA diving and snorkelling, have experienced rapidly increasing numbers of participants globally
  • We found evidence that the ability of dive guides to intervene and correct diver behaviour in the event of a reef contact decreases with larger diver group sizes. Divers from operators with high levels of compliance with the Green Fins programme exhibited significantly lower reef contact rates than those from dive operators with low levels of compliance.
  • Damage to corals on dived reefs often occurs as a result of skeletal breakage, particularly in branching species (Guzner et al. 2010;H a s l e ra n dO t t 2008). Tissue abrasion can also result from diver contact (Hawkins et al. 1999), and a recent study reported a higher incidence of coral disease in areas heavily used for recreational diving
  • It is possible that other diver characteristics such as qualification level or dive experience may affect the ability to respond to dive briefings, although several studies have failed to find a correlation between divers’ reef contact rates and experience
  • Due to the difficulties of effectively addressing global stressors, an emerging recommendation is the focus of coral reef management on local scales (e.g. Anthony et al. 2014). A frequent challenge facing managers and policy makers at local levels relates to the maximisation of tourism benefits whilst simultaneously reducing its environmental impacts
  • Alternatively, previous experience and possible affinity and attachment to a specific dive site may influence how closely divers follow pre-dive briefings and affect their behaviour underwater, as suggested by place attachment theory
  • The methodologies which have been developed to minimise the environmental impact of SCUBA diving on coral reefs can be summarised as follows: (1) managing or restricting diver numbers, (2) regulating the locations in which SCUBA diving activities occur, (3) regulating the types of equipment used, and 4) implementing programmes which seek to manage the methods used by the dive industry in providing their services. Restricting diver numbers is based on the concept of a reef dive site’s ‘carrying capacity’; a level beyond which diving impacts become readily apparent.
  • Restriction of SCUBA diving equipment has focused on banning the use of accessories believed to increase reef contacts within marine protected areas such as gloves, muck sticks, or underwater cameras; however, such regulations are often unpopular within the SCUBA diving community
  • Governments and reef managers seek evidence that the effort expended in implementing programmes translates into measurable benefits; however, research into the effectiveness of such programmes at influencing diver behaviour and reducing diving impacts is limited.
  • In this study, we focused on dive operators participating in the Green Fins diving programme at three major dive locations within the Philippines.
  • Nonetheless, levels of dive supervision underwater would intuitively appear to be linked to rates of reef contact, and when examined, the willingness of dive guides to intervene in correcting diver behaviour underwater has been found to significantly reduce diver contact rates
  • Malapascua Island, Moalboal, and Puerto Galera.
  • divers may have been aware that a Green Fins compliance assessment was taking place, but they were unaware that diver contacts with the reef were being specifically recorded. Green Fins environmental assessments and diver observations were conducted simultaneously.
  • Dive guides and guest divers from 44 dive operators participating in the Green Fins programme were followed
  • Diver characteristics with potential to influence underwater behaviour were categorised as the following factors: diver qualification level (three levels), dive experience (five levels), and previous number of dives at site (three levels).
  • Divers were assigned a unique diver number, and then followed and observed underwater for the entire duration of their dive.
  • If the overall group was very large such that the dive guide could not be seen from the rear of the group, the pair immediately behind the dive guide was selected.
  • Compliance with the Green Fins approach was determined by utilising diver contact rates and dive guide intervention rates as at the dependent variables of interest, and by defining dive operators according to those who had received a high score (above the median score) versus those with a low score (below the median score) on the most recent conducted Green Fins assessment
  • The part of the body or item of equipment making contact with the reef was recorded as follows: hand, fin, knee, camera, muck stick (a handheld stainless steel or aluminium rod approximately 30 cm in length) and equipment (e.g. tank, submersible pressure gauges, octopus regulator), and multiple (parts of the body and equipment simultaneously). The time during the dive at which the contact occurred was also recorded.
  • If observable damage (i.e. breakage, obvious physical damage, or injury) occurred as a result of the contact this was recorded, together with the apparent awareness of the diver to the contact, regardless of damage caused.
  • Contacts made with a camera (77.7 %) accounted for the highest proportion of contacts which resulted in damage, followed by contacts made with the knee (43.3 %), multiple body and equipment parts (38.2 %), equipment (30.7 %), fins (29.8 %), hands (24.7 %), and muck sticks (23.5 %).
  • A total of 100 SCUBA divers were observed at three diving locations within the Philippines (Table 1). The majority (72 %) of these divers were male, and diving experience ranged from those completing diving training to those who were instructors elsewhere with experience of hundreds of dives.
  • Following dive completion, divers that had been observed underwater were asked to complete a survey to determine diver characteristics.
  • Most contacts were made with fins (45.5 %, n = 261); however, hands (19.5 %, n = 112) and dive equipment (15.9 %, n = 91) were also major contributors to the total number of contacts
  • Interventions were defined as an event in which the dive guide intervened in diver behaviour through signalling or demonstrating correct behaviour in order to minimise or prevent contact with the reef.
  • A total of 81 interventions were observed (in comparison to 573 reef contacts—see Fig. 4 for the distribution of contacts and interventions);
  • Camera systems were carried by 55 % of divers; camera-wielding divers accounted for 52.7 % of the total contacts made with the reef. Of divers who utilised a camera, 35 % carried a non-specialist compact type and 20 % carried an SLR type within a specialist underwater housing.
  • Mean (±SE) dive time was 49.3 ± 0.42 min. A total of 573 diver contacts with the reef were recorded during all assessed dives.
  • The difference in the frequency of interventions was statistically significant (ANOVA, f = 4.81, P = 0.03)
  • although a significant portion (36 %) appeared unaware of the contact they made with the reef.
  • In addition to overall contact levels, some studies have also quantified reef contacts either as the mean number of contacts per diver over the duration of a dive or the diver contact rate per minute of dive time. The mean contact rates of 5.7 contacts per dive, or 0.12 contacts per min, which we observed at dive sites in the Philippines are lower than those previously reported
  • All divers observed within the present study were diving with operators participating to various degrees in the Green Fins environmentally responsible diving programme.
  • Identifying factors and policy measures which influence SCUBA diver behaviour underwater can help coral reef managers determine where to most effectively focus effort and funding with respect to dive management. In this study, we found that 88 % of the divers observed made at least one contact with the reef at some point
  • Divers who are more conservation aware and who contact the reef less may preferentially choose to dive with environmentally ‘accredited’ dive operators; indeed, this assumption partially drives dive operator participation in such programmes.
  • Underwater interventions by dive guides have been suggested to be the most successful deterrent to diver contact with reefs (Barker and Roberts 2004). In this study, there was no significant difference in the intervention rates between dive centres of high and low Green Fins compliance. Therefore, we cannot attribute the observed difference in diver reef contact rates to differences in intervention rates between these two groups.
  • Studies examining the effect of carrying camera equipment on the frequency of diver contacts with the reef have produced conflicting results.
  • Additionally, the administration of a pre-dive briefing can influence diver contact rates underwater (Medio et al. 1997). The Green Fins programme incorporates the use of a pre-dive briefing that emphasises the importance of refraining from contacting the reef, which would be expected to result in lower diver contact rates.
  • A concern amongst representatives of the diving industry is the use of muck sticks to manipulate animals unnecessarily—pushing animals out of holes for better viewing, stressing animals to show customers their stress behaviour (e.g. an octopus changing colour), and physically breaking hard coral to be used in photographs.
  • When examining the part of the body or dive equipment which made contact with the reef, we found that the majority of contacts were made with fins, in agreement with Krieger and Chadwick (2013) and Rouphael and Inglis (1998).
  • It has previously been noted that dive guides customarily perform different roles at dive locations globally; at some locations, they act primarily to lead the dive group around the reef, whilst at others, pairing with and closely supervising individual divers throughout the course of a dive
  • this suggests that dive guides carry out the closest supervision during the initial phase of the dive and then switch to a ‘dive leader’ role at the front of a dive group.
  • This study provides evidence that the effective implementation of environmentally responsible practices, via programmes designed to reduce diving impacts, may translate to reduced diver reef contacts.
  • Many diver characteristics which might intuitively be expected to impact reef contact rates, such as level of qualification and overall experience, were not significant influencing factors in this study, and high versus low levels of Green Fins compliance did not influence the number of interventions made by dive guides underwater.
  • For continued economic benefit and conservation of Philippine reef dive locations, we recommend that management measures facilitate high levels of compliance with environmentally responsible diving programmes to reduce the impact of diving on coral reefs.
  •  
    This article discusses a study performed at various diving locations in the Philippines to determine whether or not measures taken by Green Fin diving guides were effective in reducing contact with coral reef systems. The study also recorded the average number of contacts with the reef during a dive, as well as the equipment or body part which came into contact with the reef most often, and which actions resulted in the most damage. The study finds that adherence to Green Fin standards or other policies may significantly impact diver behaviors and reduce the level of contact with sensitive coral reefs during SCUBA dives.
smend120

Green Computing, a contribution to save the environment | Lancaster University - 1 views

  • Going Green" is a rising trend establishing itself as the preferred way of doing things while saving the environment.
  • Green computing is the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. In broader terms, it is also defined as the study of designing, engineering, manufacturing, using and disposing of computing devices in a way that reduces their environmental impact.
  • Green Computing involves reducing the environmental impact of technology. That means using less energy, reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Green computing aims to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the Information Technology and Systems business and related industries
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  • Energy-efficiency and e-waste are two major techniques involved in green computing. Energy efficiency involves implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption. And e-waste is the proper disposal of electronic waste.
  • It is estimated that out of $250 billion per year spent on powering computers worldwide only about 15% of that power is spent computing, the rest is wasted idling (i.e. consumed by computers which are not in use but still turned ON).
  • A recent example is seen in Intel's 2030 strategy. Intel has been committed to continued progress on achieving net positive water use, 100% green power and zero waste to landfills across Intel's global manufacturing operations.
  • Because "one company can't solve climate change" according to Intel CEO Bob Swan, Intel is marking a new era of shared corporate responsibility and collaboration.
  • Green design: Designing energy-efficient computers, servers, printers, projectors and other digital devices.
  •  Green manufacturing: Minimising waste during the manufacturing of computers and other subsystems to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.
  •  Green use: Minimising the electricity consumption of computers and their peripheral devices and using them in an eco-friendly manner.
  • Green disposal: Repurposing existing equipment or appropriately disposing of, or recycling, unwanted electronic equipment.
  • Going Green" is a rising trend establishing itself as the preferred way of doing things while saving the environment
  • Green Computing, a contribution to save the environment
  • hat means
  • The world is facing challenges that we understand better each day as we collect and analyse more data, but they go unchecked without a collective response - from climate change to deep digital divides around the world to the current pandemic that has fundamentally changed all our lives. We can solve them, but only by working together.
  • G
  • T
  • using less energy, reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Green computing aims to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the Information Technology and Systems business and related industries. Energy-efficiency and e-waste are two major techniques involved in green computing. Energy efficiency involves implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption. And e-waste is the proper disposal of electronic waste.
  • If we think computers are non-polluting and consume very little energy, in fact the use of computer plays a big role in environment pollution. It is estimated that out of $250 billion per year spent on powering computers worldwide only about 15% of that power is spent computing, the rest is wasted idling
  • the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Energy Star program, a controlled labelling program to promote and recognise energy-efficiency. The Energy Star label has now certified more than 75 different product categories, homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants. The program has also resulted in the widespread adoption of sleep mode among electronics' consumers.
  • in 1992,
  • The IT industry is putting efforts in all its sectors to achieve Green Computing.
  • Equipment recycling, reduction of paper usage, virtualisation, cloud computing, power management, green manufacturing are the key initiatives towards Green Computing
  • one company can't solve climate change
  • reen Computing involves reducing the environmental impact of technology.
  • Designing energy-efficient computers, servers, printers, projectors and other digital devices.
  • Minimising waste during the manufacturing of computers and other subsystems to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.
  • Green Computing has an optimistic future for saving the environment with ample avenues for making it possible. Hope we move forward with the goal of efficient computing while making the earth greener.
  •  
    Green computing, commonly referred to as "green technology," is the study of creating, utilizing, and disposing of computing systems in a way that minimizes their impact on the environment. The ecologically friendly and ethical use of computers and their resources is known as "green computing." A growing trend that has established itself as the preferred method of doing things while preserving the environment is "Going Green." Green computing aims to lessen technology's negative effects on the environment. This entails conserving energy, cutting waste, and fostering sustainability. The goal of "green computing" is to lessen the carbon footprint left by the information technology and systems sector and allied businesses. Green computing mainly uses two methods: e-waste and energy efficiency. Reduced resource use as well as the use of energy-efficient servers, peripherals, and CPUs are all part of energy efficiency. And e-waste is how electronic garbage should be disposed of properly. Even while we may believe that computers are non-polluting and require relatively little energy, their use really contributes significantly to environmental pollution. Only 15% of the estimated $250 billion annually spent on powering computers globally is thought to be used for computation; the remaining energy is lost idling on inactive machines. Since energy consumption is the primary cause of CO2 emissions, any energy saved on computer hardware and computing will result in tons of CO2 emissions being avoided every year. The Energy Star program was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 as a controlled labeling initiative to promote and reward energy efficiency. More than 75 different product categories, as well as residences, office buildings, and industrial facilities, have already received the Energy Star badge. Consumers of devices have widely embraced sleep mode because of the campaign. The IT industry is working to implement Green Computing across a
mknig011

Importance of Sustainability in Hospitality | Dana Communications - 1 views

  • Over the past several decades, hoteliers have turned their focus to the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry as it relates to hotel development and operations, including the environmental, economic and social impact.
  • The hospitality sector has historically had a dramatic environmental impact through energy and water consumption, use of consumable and durable goods, and solid and hazardous waste creation.
  • Economically, myths include the ideas that green operation is more expensive and that guests are not interested in sustainability.
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  • Recent advances in technology related to renewable sources of energy (solar, geothermal, wind, etc.) have improved the economics of using these kinds of alternative energies at the property level.
  • As hoteliers begin to realize that they can provide an enhanced guest experience by integrating natural elements, there has been an evolution in “green thought” in the community inspired by multiple factors:
  • Cost is always a driving factor and reducing operating costs provides a compelling incentive for hoteliers
  • Our government has enacted a variety of economic incentives to encourage the development of environmental retrofits and the construction of “green” buildings.
  • Current environmental regulations targeted toward the hotel sector are largely focused on facility operations such as storm-water management, hazardous materials handling, and environmental health and safety.
  • A greater number of hoteliers understand that investments in environmental technology can have a direct positive impact on guest experience.
  • Adopting a sustainable corporate culture can provide a distinct advantage in terms of attracting and retaining talent.
  • Most major hotel brands have incorporated some level of sustainability platform into their brand definition. Several brands have been repositioned to cater to a younger generation of more environmentally and socially active customers.
  •  
    This article is about how technology can reduce the cost using sustainability. Although that some people believe that green operation is more expensive and that guests are not interested in hospitality. According to Cornell University for hospitality research, the reverse is true for both. Recent advances in technology related to renewable sources of energy are beneficial and have cut the costs for energy. Not only that investment in environmental technology reduce the costs but also has a positive impact in our guest experience.
  •  
    This article is about how technology can reduce the cost using sustainability. Although that some people believe that green operation is more expensive and that guests are not interested in hospitality. According to Cornell University for hospitality research, the reverse is true for both. Recent advances in technology related to renewable sources of energy are beneficial and have cut the costs for energy. Not only that investment in environmental technology reduce the costs but also has a positive impact in our guest experience.
  •  
    This article explains the various sustainability efforts of hoteliers in effort to limit their negative impact on the environment. Although, going green is beneficial to the world around us, hoteliers have also realized its benefits within the industry. One important factor has been its cost savings and economic incentives. Going green also enhances the brand image of hoteliers which in turn creates a market for a specific type of traveller, whom deems it necessary for a hotel to maintain sustainability efforts.
delaneyverger

E-Commerce: Convenience Built on a Mountain of Cardboard - The New York Times - 0 views

  • The environmental cost can include the additional cardboard — 35.4 million tons of containerboard were produced in 2014 in the United States, with e-commerce companies among the fastest-growing users — and the emissions from increasingly personalized freight services.
  • Dr. Sperling said that consumers shared as much responsibility for the environmental cost of the deliveries as the companies that provided the speedy services.
  • One recent study explored the environmental effect of Internet shopping in Newark, Del., and found that a rise in e-commerce in recent years by local residents corresponded to more trucks on the road and an increase in greenhouse emissions.
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  • Ardeshi Faghri, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Delaware, said the increase of various emissions — which he estimated at 20 percent from 2001 to 2011 — “could be due to a multitude of reasons, but we think that online shopping and more delivery trucks are really one of the primary reasons.
  • Other scholars say that, at least for now, online shopping appears to be complementing brick-and-mortar shopping, not replacing it.
  • “People who shop online also like to see and feel things,” said Cara Wang, an associate professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who studies transportation issues and has written a paper about habits of online shoppers. “And they have to return things.”
  • Amazon is aware of the cardboard issue. Since 2009, it has received 33 million comments, ratings and photographs about its packaging as part of its “packaging feedback program.” Amazon said it used that feedback to make sure that cardboard box size was consistent with the size of the product. It also works with manufacturers to send some products without additional cardboard packaging, said Craig Berman, a company spokesman.
  • Don Fullerton, a professor of finance and an expert in economics and the environment at the University of Illinois, said one possible solution would be to make the retailers responsible for taking back the boxes. That would create incentives for them to come up with solutions for less packaging.
  •  
    This article talks about one of the negative impacts of the current state of e-commerce: the detrimental impact on the environment. The article discusses how consumers have a need for their goods to be delivered quickly and conveniently. E-commerce ventures such as Amazon, Google Express, and Postmates provide customers with goods and services at the click of a button that can be delivered in as little as 10 minutes. However, these businesses have a heavy environmental cost, with an increasing use of cardboard being used in shipments and an increase in personalized freight services, which can lead to more greenhouse gas emissions. While some argue that these e-commerce services might lead to less consumers going out and shopping in physical stores, research shows that this is not the case, with consumers still going out and shopping even if they also shop online through these e-commerce businesses. Although much of the cardboard that is being used in these services is recyclable, recycling comes with its own downsides, as the process of taking things to the recycling centers uses a lot of water and energy. Overall, the new wave of e-commerce has spurred questions about its environmental impact.
anonymous

STX: Most Environmentally Friendly Large Cruise Vessel Ever Built » Ship & Bu... - 0 views

  • A new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ferry entering traffic between Finland and Sweden on January 15, 2013 will be the "most environmentally friendly large cruise vessel ever built," according to STX Europe
  •  
    The M/S Viking Grace was launched in January 2013 and is considered the most environmentally friendly large cruise vessel to have been built. The ship travels between Finland and Sweden as a cruise ferry. The ship is powered by a liquefied natural gas (LNG). The shipbuilder says all emissions into the sea have been eliminated and emissions into the air are now lower than any other cruise passenger ship. Besides the lower emission the M/S Viking Grace also has passenger space that minimizes environmental impact and a new machinery configuration, which saves energy. I think this is significant that the M/S Viking Grace has basically eliminated a good percentage of emissions. I believe the cruise industry, from both luxury liners to cruise ferries, has a considerable amount of work to do to become more environmentally friendly. The use of LNG to power a ship is important for other ferries and cruise lines to look at for the future. Cruise vacations are popular worldwide and saving the sea for future generations is incredibly important. Even though this is just one ship that sails in the Baltic Sea, I think the M/S Viking Grace can have a large positive impact on the region.
jackyreis

The Role of Green Technology in the Sustainability of Hotels Essay - Free Argumentative... - 2 views

  • Throughout the life of hotels— from building construction, operation, maintenance and evolution—the environmental issue is the wasteful consumption of vast amount of resources such as water and energy and accumulation of air, soil and water pollution in a built environment. The unique service function and operations of hotel result to a stronger ecological impact when compared to other buildings used for commercial purposes. (Bohdanowicz, Simanic & Martinac, 2004)
  • It is imperative for hotels to construct buildings, design their facilities, operate, and refurbish structures in a way that causes the least possible harm to the environment. (Straus & Gale, 2006)
  • Protection of the environment through eco-friendly practices by hotels involves a radical change in operations and a long-term impact, which makes this a sustainability-driven strategy
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  • The growing concern over sustainability in the business sector led to developments in innovative environment friendly processes and tools collectively called green technology
  • Green technology enables the eco-friendly practices of business firms.
  • The concept of sustainability emerged in the field of natural sciences in recognition of the scarcity of natural resources and the need to rationalize usage to secure sufficient resources for future generations (Kirk, 1995).
  • The concern of sustainability is ensuring the continuation of the well-being of people and protection of the environment from wasteful use or destructive activities.
  • The implementation of sustainability plans involves innovative methods and tools accessible to hotels and responsive to the multi-dimensional issues including impact of operations on the environment experienced by hotels. Green technology understood as eco-friendly tools and processes or environment friendly products support the successful implementation of sustainability plans in the hospitality industry.
  • 1.      Minimized pollution and rational energy and water consumption. 2.      Respect for culture and tradition. 3.      Community involvement in the hospitality economy. 4.     Consideration of quality instead of quantity in terms of the visitors to tourist destinations. 5.      Economic benefits redound to the community. (Robertson, 2007)
  • In relation to environmental sustainability, there are also considerations for inclusion into the sustainability plan of hotels to ensure that they meet environmental compliance (Butler, 2008)
  • However, even if sustainability planning is a tedious task, the expected outcomes are long-term and compelling because this determines the continuity or viability of hotels, firms whose future survival depends on sustainability (Butler, 2008).
  • 1.      Scale and distribution of operations in a given area. 2.      Hotel demand and means of alleviating the negative effects. 3.      Protection of key assets historic buildings, townscape or coastline. 4.     Contribution to other related areas such as economic development and cultural preservation. (Sharma, 2004)
  • Since the sustainability of hotels spans multidimensional aspects, the contribution of hotels to other areas such as employment or job creation also supports its sustainability.
  • Green technology received recognition as an aspect of human society and therefore part of sustainability. In a sustainability panel of representatives from the hospitality industry, sustainability as a strategy meant addressing today’s needs without adversely affecting tomorrow’s needs (Knowles, 2008).
  • Examples of product enhancement are energy saving appliances and fixtures such as fluorescent instead of incandescent lights or intelligent air conditioning systems that regulate room temperature depending on the presence of its occupant
  • The extent of reduction of waste varies since this could range from minimal to significant decrease in the volume of waste generated, capacity of landfills, and transportation needs. By benefiting the environment, economic benefits also accrue. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • dopting waste management processes and tools accrues financial, economic, and environmental benefits for hotels.
  • Key to these activities is the ability to harness the full functional value of materials and product components at the least possible additional processing cost for recovery and reuse. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • First is design of recycling or the cost-effective manner of recovering and reusing materials. The design provides support during the disposal stage to ensure low added cost for recovery. Second is design for disassembly encompassing the methods enabling the minimization of cost in segregating reusable materials. This leads to savings that accumulate when design interventions are made during the stages of material selection and assembly that already separates reusable materials
  • Third is toxics management comprised of the activities of controlling and eliminating toxic materials that are innate components of products such as cadmium or lead. Excessive levels of these toxic materials are hazards to health and the environment. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Environmental benefits include reduced accumulation of waste and lesser risk of soil, water and air contamination of toxic production. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Pollution prevention involves the elimination of processes in manufacturing that cause pollution. This requires change by redesigning the production process in a manner that prevents the accumulation of harmful by-products or the redesign of the finished products so there would be no use for processes that result in hazardous by-products. The prevention of pollution in production design exacts capital investments but the cost of redesign is deemed less when compared to the cumulative cost of controlling pollution, which would likely increase with new regulations imposing more active methods of pollution control. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Green technology as a process and a collection of tools addresses four objectives, which are a) waste reduction, b) materials management, c) pollution prevention, and d) product enhancement (Billatos & Basaly, 1997). There are processes and tools specifically targeting any one, some or all of these objectives so that the appropriate choice depends on the priority of hotels.
  • The technological development of product enhancement innovations is escalating and promise greater functions for business establishments. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Utilizing product enhancement technologies influence the sustainability of hotels in terms of savings on operating cost, lesser pollution and waste in the built environment, and value creation for environmental conscious customers (Yaw, 2005).
  • Overall, green technology supports the sustainability of hotels by decreasing a wide range of economic and non-economic costs to support the financial viability of hotels in the long-term and conserving the natural environment on which the hospitality industry depends for the continuity of business. By adopting green technology, hotels gain processes and tools it can use to secure its sustainability.
  • A range of energy saving technologies is available to the hotel industry. These technologies could make hotels green buildings by targeting various areas for energy saving.
  • One is electric heating pumps as alternatives to conventional electric boilers or condensing/non-condensing boilers requiring gas to run. The use of this green technology by a hotel in Hong Kong with a rooftop swimming pool showed a reduction in energy consumption by 26.5-32.5 MWh and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 kg. When computed over a ten-year period, using this technology would save the hotel HK$226,400 in energy cost savings. The hotel can earn back the cost of adopting this technology in two years. (Chan & Lam, 2003)
  • Building designs able to harness alternative sources of energy comprise green technologies that support the sustainability of hotels. Solar panels continue to gain function in energy saving for hotels (“Building in a green edge,” 2008) although the payback period is longer than expected, the energy saving potential extends to the long-term. The use of building designs that harness natural light such as skylight atriums that do not use artificial lighting during the day are also green alternatives for hotels (Kirby, 2009).
  • Another direction of green technology for the kitchen is the reuse of exhaust heat from the kitchen by harnessing the heat from the exhaust or condensing hot air to produce steam for use in cooking. This is a means of recycling energy. However, this involves the integration of the design in the structure of the kitchen or the building itself, which means greater investment. (Higgins, 2008) Nevertheless, further innovations in this technology could enhance practical value for hotels.
  • In other areas of hotels such as rooms and bathrooms, e-sensor systems and LED lights comprise green technology options. E-sensor systems apply to different systems such as lighting and air conditioning. The e-sensors have the capability to change automatically the lighting or air conditioning settings depending on the area of the room where there are people or temperature changes in the room. LED lights offer greater energy savings than fluorescent lights so this represents the third generation in lighting technology. (Kirby, 2008) Systems thinking in energy management comprise a promising green technology in saving on energy costs (Sobieski, 2008).These technologies are widely available and accessible to different hotels. The energy saving is experienced in the short term and the payback period is shorted. The problem with this is hotel guests tampering with the system leading to added cost for repairs. This means that awareness and information dissemination are important for the effectiveness of these technologies.
  • Another green technology for rooms is the biodegradable key cards. These have the same life span as the conventional key cards except that these are biodegradable or recyclable. (Gale, 2009) These require little cost with high environmental impact.
  • This involves the placement of water treatment plants that recycle water used in baths for flushing in toilets. (Edwards, 2004) These comprise viable and accessible water conservation practices that would contribute savings on the cost of water to rationalize the consumption of water as a scarce resource.
  • One is the conscious involvement of hotels in the protection of the environment since the nature of the business of the hospitality industry and the closely connected industries such as tourism heavily rely on the soundness of the natural and socio-cultural environment for business
  • The other is the investment in environment protection in a manner that secures economic and financial as well as a range of non-monetary benefits for hotels in the long-term (Vermillion, 2008).
  • Energy consumption is also a benchmark of the eco-friendliness of hotels
  • The water conserving technologies provide the process and tools for hotels to achieve this benchmark.
  • Waste and pollution management are also benchmarks of the ecological involvement of hotels.
  • Green technology takes the role as an enabling process and tool for hotels to become sustainable.
  • With hotels competing to maintain its customer base and pull customers to shift to the hotel’s services, green technology could become an enabler for hotels to become competitive.
  • Investing in green technology enables hotels to significantly cutback on operating cost. This enables hotels a wider profitability margin and room to offer promotional prices to attract more customers (Jones, 2002).
  • Green technology has taken a central role in the sustainability of hotels. The concept of sustainability of hotels involves the aspects of environmental protection and business viability.
  • The use of green technology also contributes to the viability of business firms in terms of financial standing and non-financial competencies in the long-term. Going green attracts the niche market of environment enthusiasts that contribute to sales. Using the range of green technologies available would also result in savings from operating costs in the long-term, which increases the profit of hotels and gives them flexibility to invest in marketing activities.
  • It is a sound strategy for hotels to consider green technology as a process and a collection of tools in support of sustainability goals.
anonymous

Choices for Going Green in the Hospitality Industry: How is the Hospitality Industry Go... - 2 views

  • The hospitality industry recognizes the importance of managing its properties in an environmentally responsible way.
  • The hospitality industry whose services span the management of large areas of land, real estate, energy and other resources, is no exception.
  • The industry is realizing that green practices contribute significantly to their bottom lines
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  • ecotourism as the fastest growing market in the hospitality industry. Adopting environmentally responsible practices has become imperative to promote properties as destinations for such clients. Another positive outcome is the healthier environments they generate
  • Certification: Managers of hotel properties, from bed and breakfast inns to large facilities are turning to certification as a means toward going green.
  • LEED focuses on improvements to buildings and structures to improve operations.
  • Their commitment to environmental conservation is viewed favorably by customers and the communities they operate in.
  • they incorporate many environmentally sustainable practices in their operations. The use of land, materials such as paint and carpets, furniture, fixtures and equipment, cleaning supplies and food, lend themselves to eco-friendly practices.
  • In addition to certification, some members of the hospitality industry are contributing to the greening effort by setting their own goals and priorities.
  • As customers become increasingly concerned with environmental conservation, technologies and practices will adapt to cater to such need. Environmental sustainability will be a key focus of these efforts.
  •  
    The hospitality industry is recognizing how imperative it is to run your hotel in a way where it will not only benefit you and your business but for the environment as well. Many hotels are making an effort to making an effort to become certified by means of having a going green business. In addition to certification, businesses in the hospitality industry are contributing to this go green effort by seeking specific goals and priorities. Hotels for example are focusing on how to save energy and water conservation, solid waste management, land use and indoor air quality. Changing basic hotel equipment such as toilets, solar heating, washing machines/dryers, refrigerators to "green products" can create a big difference in hotel energy costs and help save the environment as well. When a hotel owner applies for certification they are carefully inspected to verify compliance on how well the hotel manages their business efficiently by saving energy, water and disposing wastes properly for example. Even something so small as using the right cleaning supplies can have a positive impact on the environment. Not only does going green lower hotel costs but they also receive tax rebates, zoning permits and other incentives to persuade hotels to go green.
  •  
    In todays world, where ecoturism is the fastest growing market in the hospitality industry, hotel managers and owners realize the importance of running their properties in an environmentally responsible way. These initiatives usually translate in to greater customer recognition and loyalty. Some of the ways they achieve this is thru certifications, such as LEED which focuses on improvements to buildings and structures in order to maximize operations such as energy performance, conservation of water and other resources.
  •  
    In an effort to become more environmentally conscious, many hotels and resorts have taken major steps, from pre construction to customer requests, to reduce their "carbon footprint". These establishments understand the value of "going green" not just to increase their long term profits but also to cater to a growing demand for more environmentally friendly recreational outlets. Going green is more than just a fad. Therefore, it is imperative, to stakeholders, within the hospitality and tourism industry to make the necessary changes to maintain a competitive edge.
cmogu001

Google's Green Initiative: Environmentally Conscious Technology - 1 views

  • Progress depends on radical innovation
  • the company still released information detailing the progress of its environmentally-friendly initiatives.
  • an application plug-in that would help automobiles determine where you are going,
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  • This technology, called Prediction, maximizes fuel and power consumption, which effectively reduces carbon emissions
  • Google has made its environmentally-conscious initiatives well-known
  • French authorities have used Google’s mapping services to determine agricultural regions that should face water restrictions.
  • cutting down on the emissions of data farms or having goats roam Google’s campus to eliminate the need for fertilizer and lawn mowers, the company has always strived to cut down on greenhouse gases.
  • managing to half their data center energy use through practical thinking, using the excess energy to power office complexes, Google has effectively cut down on its environmental impact.
  • Google is now providing information to indigenous tribes on deforestation, giving them the ability to track and prevent the atrocity from taking place.
  • Google would be nowhere without its data centers.
  • Google’s long-term goal of running entirely on renewable energy is growing closer and closer.
  • Google is constantly searching for ways to ensure that it never consumes excessive gas.
  • Instead of trying to purge carbon from its systems, Google invests in “off-setting” its carbon emissions by investing in green initiatives that would not have the funding to survive otherwise.
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    This article expounds how Google is contributing to the future green advancements of the world by implementing them in their every day operations. Although developing next-generation consumer electronics is an extremely lucrative sector of technology, Google has shifted their thinking away from the immediate consumer electronics field, moving towards the development of green technology. The article further mentions Google's wide-range of environmentally-friendly initiatives which includes the development of an application plug-in that would help automobiles determine where the driver is going that in turn reduces energy use, incorporates renewable energy, and offsets carbon emissions. Also, despite the large amount of Google data centers, Google has managed to cut their energy use in half through practical thinking that included purchasing a wind farm in Iowa with plans of running entirely on renewable energy in the near future. The company also made it a point to cut down on greenhouse gases by having goats roam their Google campus to eliminate the need for fertilizer and lawn movers. In conclusion, by adopting unconventional techniques for effectively lowering its environmental impact, the company has become a model example for more companies to think outside of the box and focus on implementing green technology in an efficient and innovative manner.
Panpan Xie

How IT Can Go Green | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 2 views

  • In the world of information technology (IT), the green movement is taking shape. There are numerous opportunities for IT professionals to take leadership roles in helping their organizations to adopt sustainable practices. Technology is a tool to provide solutions, but regrettably, technology can also be a source of the problem due to factors like energy consumption and the environmental impacts when disposing of obsolete or broken technology (i.e., e-waste). Therefore, we will need to look at situations and technology usage via multiple lenses to try to assess the net impact to determine if the outcomes are truly desirable and positive versus negative. This often requires asking tough questions and looking for possible unintended consequences before decisions are being made
  • Like any business initiative, green IT projects will require strong commitment from an organization’s top management and investment in time and resources at all levels.
  • In order for tourism to prosper, we cannot afford to let our environment erode.
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    Green information technology(IT), referred to as green computing, is a term used to describe the application of automated resources in an efficient manner. Green IT originates with system manufacturers producing environmentally friendly products and encouraging users to adopt eco-friendly practices such as reducing paper usage through minimal printing, operating more efficiently with power management,and exercising proper recycling habits.As global information technology environmental standards continue to expand, it is highly likely that guidelines governing product life span, power consumption and recyclable resources will be in the forefront.
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    This article shares how IT is going green in several areas including hospitality. It speaks to digital marketing, e-waste, and appealing to employees to aid in using technology responsibly. The use of energy saving techniques and energy star products.
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    As our natural resources are being depleted rapidly and technology is changing faster than ever resulting in mountains of "e-waste", I believe the IT industry should focus a vast amount of their efforts in the area of sustainability or going green. In the hospitality and tourism industry maintaining natural resources and cutting down on the consumption of water, energy and paper is an IT issues that we can all support. The focus of this article was about revealing opportunities where IT can go green. Sustainability is good for the environment, the viability of the hospitality industry, the guests, and the bottom line. According to the article, IT leadership needs to take "a leadership role in helping their organization to adopt sustainable practices". Some of the areas where IT can look at going green are as follows (information taken directly from the article): * Using IT responsibly and effectively to reduce energy, water and paper consumption * Deploying effective technology practices such as Energy Star compliance to power down computers automatically after periods of inactivity and server virtualization * Tackling e-waste and deploying recycling technologies to reduce environmental waste and impacts * Digital marketing practices * Marketing strategies to report and promote green practices A commitment of time, money, and resources will be required from all levels of leadership in order for green IT projects to work. Companies have to educate their employees and guests to create awareness, implement practices such as energy audits, device shut downs to force people to use media, and give rewards to get the buy in. Even though the payback of green initiatives may take a long time, the upside is that you are being environmentally conscious and doing the right thing.
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    I highlighted in blue the sections I was most interested in, I found the passage about reducing faxing and photocopying to be most interesting. There is no reason to be so reliant upon these when you can send attachments through your smart phone. Hotels and other properties can unplug these machines to save money on the electric bill. There are otherways to be paperless, for example.The article I spoke of was about how hotels can limit the need to priint itemized bills and reciepts, all charges can be posted right to the mobile app on the smart phone. The mobile app on the smart phone will even unlock and lock your room doors and allow enterance to the spa and fitness center. There won't be a need for plastic room keys anymore either.
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    In hospitality industry, IT technology brings many benefits to us, but it is also a source of pollution when disposing of broken technology. There are many advantages of green IT movement such as reducing energy, water, paper, environmental waste and impacts, etc. Although it has many benefits, green IT projects need support from company's top leaders in both time and resources. The ROI of green IT is a little bit longer than other types of projects, but it has upside potential and intangible benefits. Green IT practices are not contrary with making money, so hoteliers should take measures to lead the organization on its journey to green action.
Allen Lok

The Value of Energy Efficiency to Your Guests and Your Bottom Line - 0 views

  • half of respondents said they would spend more money to stay at an eco-friendly accommodation. However, 60% of these same travelers said they rarely felt informed about whether hotels are actually eco-friendly.
  • With approximately 80% of hotel utility costs coming from electricity, natural gas, and steam consumption, implementing energy management strategies can directly impact your bottom line.
  • improving energy efficiency doesn’t necessarily require significant capital investments.
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  • As a first step, hoteliers should use Portfolio Manager, a free, web-based tool that allows you to measure and track your hotel’s energy consumption over time—all while controlling for changes in operating parameters and local weather.
  • achieve significant cost savings and recognition
  • ou can also promote your efforts to enhance your image and reputation to an increasingly environmentally conscious consumer base
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    With so much emphasis this week on the negative environmental impact of computers, I found an article that points hoteliers in a direction on how being green can improve your bottom line. The idea is quite simple; you implement energy or resource saving methods, you pay less utilities. Customers recognize that you are being eco-friendly and are more loyal to your brand. Over time your revenue goes up, there are less expenses and thus impacting your net profits in a positive manner. Then you get to repeat the whole process with newer technology again with the increased profits. Sounds easy right...? So what things should you implement? One idea was Portfolio Manager web tool that tracks all of your hotels energy consumption all while taking in consideration of operational and local weather factors. This is one piece of the solution of on going concerns of environmental destruction taking place industry wide. If everyone contributed in some small way, hopefully we can see a large impact.
Carolina Ferrer

Hyatt Unveils New 2020 Environmental Sustainability Strategy - 1 views

  • an aggressive set of environmental goals for the year 2020, all designed to strengthen Hyatt's collective ability to collaborate, inspire and further its commitment to environmental stewardship. Hyatt, which is already an industry leader for tracking comprehensive global energy and water data since 2006, is significantly expanding the scope of its existing sustainability initiatives and will continue to focus strongly on measuring and reporting progress.
  • The conservation efforts undertaken by Hyatt hotels around the world since formalizing our approach several years ago have had a real impact, resulting in major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and water and energy usage by property across our portfolio," said Brigitta Witt, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility for Hyatt. "With five years and significant momentum under our belt, we saw the opportunity to further our commitment to environmental stewardship in a manner that fundamentally touches every aspect of our business, from the way our hotels are built and operated, to the way we collaborate with our global supply chain, to the way we influence change through the passion and commitment of our colleagues around the world."
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    Hyatt Hotels Corporation has been in the green initiative game for over five years now. Hyatt plans to set higher goals to benefit the environment by 2020. They have set up three focus areas which are done by each sole property. Firstly, they have goals regarding the consumption of less water, less waste and opportunities to recycle. Additionally, corporate sets goals for individual properties to follow. Secondly, Hyatt wants to make sure that they are building environmentally conscious hotels that are efficient. They will start new construction in 2015 and continue with renovations. They hope for every property to reach LEED certification. Thirdly, Hyatt wants to innovate and inspire, they want to create awareness about environmental sustainability and the benefits to society it can have. Hyatt hopes to create waves in the hospitality industry and at the rate they are going they should be seeing success in the future. Hyatt is definitely going in the right direction when it comes to green initiatives. Setting goals and reporting deadlines will help Hyatt and there large number of properties reach the goals they have in place for a more sustainable future.
YONGHE FAN

Two Thousand Hotels and Growing: Green Key Global Reaches All 50 United States :: Hotel... - 0 views

  • Green Key Global announced today that with the registration of the Motel 6 Anchorage Midtown in Alaska, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program has now established its presence in all 50 United States.
  • the majority of travelers who indicate they use a hotel’s environmental program as a decision-making factor in where they stay
  • Green Key rankings are recognized by major travel services including CAA/AAA, Travelocity and Expedia.
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    This article is talking about the Green Key Global which is a company providing eco-rating program for hotels to keep sustainable development announced that this program has established in all 50 United States. The Green Key Eco-rating Program is a rating system intends to recognize lodging industries that are committed to improving their environmental performance. Hoteliers would be awarded a 1-5 Green Key rating based on the results of a comprehensive environmental self assessment and they could learn guidance on how to reduce environmental impacts and operating costs by reducing utility consumption, employee training, and supply chain management. This program is a win-win situation for both hotels and Green Key Global. Hotels are helping Green Key penetrate the U.S market and the Green Key is helping hotels win the business of environmentally conscious consumers because more and more consumers are treating the green part as a decision-making factor in where they stay. In my opinion, I love this program and I hope more hotels would participate in this program to reduce the increasing environmental impacts created by human and our business activities. And I believe green hotel would a trend for the future and one day it may be a regulation issued by government.
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    I was not aware that travel services/sites were recognizing rankings on green initiatives. Many consumers today are basing their choice in hotels on their environmental programs, it is great to hear that Green Key is now present in all 50 states!
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    Yes I also love this eco-rating program, which will improve environmental performance. It's a win-win situation as you mentioned in your summarize that both Green Key Global and hotels would get benefits. I did some research of the hospitality trend, and go green is definitely a big trend.
nathaliro

The Future of Technology in Hospitality is Green | Hospitality Technology - 2 views

  • the fact that millennials (those born roughly between 1982 and 1996), are going to be the largest generation in the country’s history (at 83.1 million).
  • Simple math tells us that the buying power at large is mainly in their hands.
  • According to Forbes, millennials consider social responsibility and environmental friendliness when making their purchases, so brands have to rise to these significant expectations millennials have when it comes to spending their money.
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  • he hospitality industry is also one known for producing exorbitant amounts of waste.
  • In order to make more green, here are some of the tactics within the headlines of late that are being used to keep up with the sustainable practices to woo this generation, and those others to come.
  • Thanks to technology, hotels have been making strides to becoming more environmentally friendly without breaking the bank.
    • Angelica Saez
       
      It is important to work with different companies to help you establish different ways technology to go green. There are different ways to help the technology to go green for your business.
  • For example, more LED lighting throughout their facilities with sensors can help keep costs down while reducing energy waste.
  • Through the use of an intelligent camera, smart scales and AI-based smart meter technology, Winnow Vision analyses ingredients during food preparation, as well as plates returned to the kitchen, to assess which food items are most wasted and in what quantities.
  • Cruises Also Taking a Stand with Tech
  • the cruise line is implementing technology to help reduce its ecological impact including clean LNG as fuel on its new ships, installing an Advanced Emission Purification system on most of its fleet, making progress with its program to eliminate single-use plastics, and is increasing its number of ships that are zero landfill capable
  • Hotels Continue to Innovate
  • According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) trend survey released earlier this year, supporting sustainable initiatives remains important to the lodging industry as a whole.
  • This tells us that hotels need to continue to innovate and the future of technology in hospitality has to be green, or those brands that do not adopt to these emerging standards face being left behind.
  • it’s hard to ignore the fact that the pace of technology is moving faster than ever before.
  • From the excess food that is thrown out each year, to the overuse of plastics, water and energy – there are many brands in hospitality that are taking the right steps to becoming more sustainable. After all, if they don’t get on the green bandwagon, they risk losing the largest generation of buyers in history.
    • Angelica Saez
       
      When your business goes green it is good for the environment and your business.
  • InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG®) announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations.
  • The technology group Wärtsilä also announced that it will supply and install an Auto Gasification solution for the ‘Regal Princess’, a Princess Cruises vessel. This technology will enable the safe disposal of waste from the ship through a self-fueling thermal decomposition unit, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will also lessen the requirement to offload waste at shore facilities.
  • In the case of the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel, a project with Quimera Energy Efficiency kicked off in 2016 and within a year 21% of electricity and 27.1% of gas consumption was saved. This translates in 500.000kg of CO2 emissions saved and was achieved using the methodology of Monitor & Save, including the Bopstem technology provided by Wisestate which is an IoT solution for HVAC control and automation, without suffering guest comfort.
  • St. Regis Atlanta integrated green tech into its 10th anniversary redesign (a trend that keeps popping up in headlines), leveraging services from Mode:Green to take advantage of the opportunity and make it a smart building system.
  • Another big announcement made by MSC Cruises shows its commitment to becoming the first major neutral cruise company in 2020. Starting on January 1, 2020, MSC Cruises will buy enough credits from companies that absorb carbon dioxide to offset all of the carbon emissions from its 17 ships throughout the year. MSC said that it is committed to reduce emissions as technology progresses with an ultimate target of zero emissions. The company intends to invest and work with shipyards and research institutes to achieve this goal. 
  • While Carnival Corporation, which holds the tag as the world’s largest leisure travel company, is partnering with leaders from the maritime and engineering industries to pilot the world's first fuel cell system designed to power large passenger vessels.
  • Linen and towel reuse programs are nearly universal among properties, and a majority of hotels across all segments have implemented a water savings program.
  • Consumers have way more transparency when making buying decisions and with the right information at their fingertips at all times, the hospitality industry is not immune to the imperative of creating a quality consumer experience.
  • This builds up a bank of data which in turn informs buying decisions, shapes menus and hones food preparation techniques.
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    This article emphasizes how imperative it is for hospitality businesses to stay on the cutting edge of technology as a part of their business design and strategy if they want to survive in today's competitive market and remain in it, in the near future. The author expresses that today's hospitality market is being driven by Millennials' "the largest generation in the country's history" who patronize businesses that are socially and environmentally responsible. Armed with this information to capture their targeted market, more and more hotels are now incorporating from inception within their physical blueprint infrastructure that is environmentally sustainable and cost-effective. As well as obtaining Green certifications and implementing sustainable software to reduce waste and minimize leakages. This concept has also been adopted by cruise ship operators to reduce environmental impact through the use of technology.
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    The current innovation trends of hospitality prove that this industry is steadily developing with more sustainable tactics.Hotels are implementing more energy saving products to reducing energy waste. Cruise corporations are partnering with industries to find solutions in powering vessels with cell technology rather than emission cruising.
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    -As technology advances consumers are being more transparent with their buying decisions. -Buying power lies on millennials who are roughly 83.1 million. -Millenials consider social responsibility and environmental friendliness when making their purchases. -Sustainable practices include censored lighting/temperature. -Cruise ships have installed a purification system to reduce its ecological impact, have decreased the use of single use plastics, and have increased the number of ships that are zero landfill capable. -Linen and towel reuse programs and water savings programs are nearly universal among properties.
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    This article introduces the different initiatives that the hospitality industry is taking with regard to technology in order to align with their target market or a large segment of their market. As being perceived, millennials are sought to be the largest generation in the country's history which leads companies to infer that they have a massive amount of buying power in their hands. Hospitality companies are now making strides to become more environmentally conscious. Some of these initiatives is incorporating LED lights throughout the facilities to reduce energy waste and cut down on costs. Another initiative is incorporating new systems in the guest rooms that enhance the stay while keeping it green like systems that adjust temperatures in the rooms, remotely powered shades, etc. Other companies are even using systems as a tool to help track, measure, and reduce food waste for more sustainable and effective restaurant/bar operations. It is no secret that technology is ever-evolving, and it will continue to develop as new features are discovered.
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    Article discusses millennials as the largest generation in U.S. history, and the speed at which technology progresses. In addition to paying attention to millennials' purchasing decisions, other industries must also meet their financial expectations. Many brands are taking steps to become more sustainable in the hospitality industry despite its reputation for producing massive amounts of waste.
Frances Mesa

Should Your Hotel be Considering an LEED Certification? | Hospitality Technology - 0 views

  • Today, guests around the world are extremely conscious about the kind of hotels they live and holiday in. They constantly need to be reassured that the hotel they are staying at is environmentally friendly and so, gone are the days when ‘environmental consciousness’ was just a fad
  • What is LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized Green Building Rating System and measures how efficiently a building or hotel property performs across a relevant set of metrics like energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, improved indoor environment quality as well as use of natural resources in construction and their impacts.
  • The LEED website says, LEED promotes a holistic approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health, namely, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
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  • LEED is the most widely recognized form of green building certification in the world, and for a hotel that wants to establish a prominent competitive advantage, it is a must.
  • An LEED certification has numerous advantages. Initially it may seem that the hotel needs to invest in putting in place compliance related technology and processes, but in the long run these solutions reduce hotels expenditure, be it through reduced energy consumption, water consumption, use of recycled products which are cost effective etc.
  • Hotels, from luxury, to chains to standalone properties are now exploring the option of an LEED certification. The advantage of this certification is that it is recognized by guests and the media, internationally and this allows a property to attract guests who are environmentally conscious. It also allows hotels to display their thought leadership and commitment to the environment while also reducing costs internally.
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    LEED certification for hotels. "You do not need to be a five start hotel or a large resort before considering an LEED certification. What you need is INITIATIVE!
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    In this article it talks about the new LEED certificate and what is it and why should hotel consider this certification. Government is starting to react to the environmental problems in the world and are starting to do something to reduce the carbon footprint. They are doing this by starting the LEED certificate for hotel buildings. Hotels right now have the option to stay as they are or to comply by the LEED certificate regulations, but in the future all the hotel buildings will have to comply with the regulations that the LEED certificate demands. Hotels are being pushed to change their ways in doing things from their regular way of electricity to their waste so they can help with our environment. the "LEED certificate is issued by the US Green Building Council, an independent, non-profit, third-party rating system." They have even created four levels of LEED certification: certificate, silver, gold and platinum. The LEED certification has various benefits some of them are: lower operation costs, increased property value and healthier and safer environments for occupants. Furthermore, some of the things hotels can do to be comply with the LEED regulations are: switching from evening to daytime office cleaning, installing motion sensors in all restrooms, telecom and electrical closets and adopting zero garbage or solid waste management.
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    I enjoyed this article. It would be very impressive to see all hotels complying with the LEED. It's not only about the amenities when your choosing where to stay, it's also about are they conscious of the environment. I definitely expect the five start hotel to be environmental friendly.
lalle044

Why Go Green? The Business Case For Sustainability - How To Increase Your Bottom Line B... - 1 views

  • Savvy businesses are aware that regulations do not have to be a negative restraint on their daily operations - in fact, they can offer opportunities to gain an advantage over competitors
  • In recent years however, environmental and social issues are emerging as a key risk issue for the lodging sector.
  • Companies that integrate the environment into their business decisions and reduce their environmental risk and potential liabilities are in a better position to secure investment and reduce their financial and reputational market exposure (Graci and Dodds, 2009).
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  • Whether driven by cost savings or a principled strategy, the hotel industry is recognizing the environment, the community and their human capital as a valuable resource to be protected.
  • Larger companies have been criticized as being the main culprit in releasing excess greenhouse emissions, climate change, environmental devastation, and unfair treatment of employees. Due to such criticisms and negative publicity, many businesses have increased the focus on corporate social responsibility
  • Pollution prevention such as waste discharge into waterways
  • The hotel industry has been pursuing green practices since the 1990s
  • There are many green practices that hotels can implement
  • Several studies have indicated that economic benefits can be gained in hotels through implementing environmental and social initiatives; many with little or no capita
  • Energy consumption
  • Recycling
  • Local products - save transportation costs.
  • The ultimate result of these actions is a win-win situation; to reduce hotel operational costs and harmful environmental impacts
  • For example, a hotel can reduce its energy consumption by 20-40% without adversely affecting performance
  • Over time, however, green practices in the hospitality industry will become a baseline requirement, particularly as the cost of non-renewable energy continues to rise, regulatory pressure increases, and consumers become more demanding.
  • Environmental programs have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose
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    I think that it is very important for hotel to go green. Many top hotels are the members of green hotels. That means go green is a trend. Go green could makes the hotel cost savings, competitive advantage, employee retention, customer loyalty, regulatory compliance, decrease risk and it's the right thing to do. When I went to New York, Key West and Boston, I found the hotels where I lived are all green hotels. They use retrofitting light bulbs instead of regular bulbs. But in China, green hotel is not popular. I think that it will be the trend in the future all over the world!
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