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Waste Management And LG Provide Hotel Operators New Sustainability Option, Convenient D... - 0 views

  • The leading provider of flat-panel HDTVs to the lodging industry, LG Electronics USA, Inc., and the nation's leading recycler, Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), today announced the first recycling program for hotel operators to responsibly dispose of outdated television sets and computer monitors.
  • To support this growing trend, LG Electronics will now offer environmentally conscious hotel, motel and resort operators a convenient, cost-effective opportunity for recycling the obsolete hotel TVs.
  • "This program will encourage hotel operators to dispose of outdated electronics in an environmentally responsible manner," said Teddy Hwang, president, LG Electronics USA, which established its successful nationwide electronics-recycling program for consumers with Waste Management over a year ago
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  • The hotel TVs and computer monitors collected under this program will be processed in an environmentally responsible manner at one of four regionally designated Waste Management recycling facilities that are ISO 14001 and 9001 certified to protect the local environment in those communities along with the people handling this waste.
  • "As the lodging industry seeks to increase its environmentally conscious initiatives, the LG program gives hotel operators the opportunity to conveniently recycle electronic waste responsibly and economically," said Patrick DeRueda, president of WM Recycle America.
  • "By recycling used, unwanted, obsolete or damaged electronic equipment, useful materials such as glass, metals and plastics may be recovered for reuse in other products," he said.
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    This article caught my attention because it was not just the Waste Management service offering a new sustainable option for hotels, but an actual electronics provider as well, LG. It appears that since 2009, LG has been partnering with Waste Management, and helping hotels dispose of their old electronics, such as older LG tv models, in a much safer and environment friendly way. This gives hotels no excuse to not dispose, or recycle, electronics in a safer manner. I believe a partnership like this is a perfect demonstration of a social responsible company, who is aware and active of the damages their products can make toward the world. I hope more electronic companies start partnering up like this; as it brings awareness, and convenience to not just hotels, but many industries that use, and frequently update, electronic devices. 
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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
  • 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).
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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
  • 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
  • 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.
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The Human and Environmental Effects of E-Waste | PRB - 0 views

  • Informal recycling markets in China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines handle anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent of this e-waste, often shredding, burning, and dismantling the products in “backyards.”
  • Currently, an estimated 70 percent of e-waste handled in India is from other nations, but the UNEP estimates that between 2007 and 2020, domestic television e-waste will double, computer e-waste will increase five times, and cell phones 18 times.
  • The informal sector’s recycling practices magnify health risks.
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  • Guiyu is known as the largest e-waste recycling site in the world, and the city’s residents exhibit substantial digestive, neurological, respiratory, and bone problems. For example, 80 percent of Guiyu’s children experience respiratory ailments, and are especially at risk of lead poisoning.
  • The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal bans the exchange of hazardous waste, including e-waste, between developed and developing countries.
  • The United States is the largest generator of e-waste worldwide and the only industrialized nation not yet ratifying the Basel Convention.
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Surge in lockdown e-waste heading for landfill, experts fear - 1 views

  • may have caused a surge in electrical waste heading for landfill
  • Smaller electrical items such as electric toothbrushes and kitchen blenders are among the most likely goods to have ended up in rubbish bins rather than the recycling system.
  • Research suggests 60 per cent of people were de-cluttering during the lockdown, Mr Butler told the hearing —  and if all that waste was being recycled, HWRCs should be experiencing a surge in collections.
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  • estimates suggest collection levels are still around 50 per cent below normal levels for the time of year
  • Concern is growing over the treatment and disposal of lithium ion batteries
  • Unless processed and recycled safely, lithium batteries pose a serious fire risk
  • lot of these batteries are being put into household waste bins or thrown into skips at recycling sites. And they are not then treated with the caution that is needed
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    Through the lockdown there may have been an increase in the amount of e-waste thrown into the regular trash. About 60% of people are believed to have been their homes during quarantine. If e-waste was disposed of properly there should have been a surge at e-waste disposal sites, instead there are estimates that suggest collection levels are 50% lower than normal. This also poses a fire risk due to the lithium ion batteries found in most phones, laptops, and even electric toothbrushes.
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    According to the article, the biggest issues for recyclers during the lockdown will include the increasing quantity of small-sized daily appliances and Li-ion batteries discarded to the bin, rather than being handled professionally and properly, and the rising quantity of electronic bikes. Li-ion batteries are risky since they may cause a fire, yet the current situation is not very optimistic.
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Eco Tourism: Hotels Going Green - Cereplast - 0 views

  • Water-efficient practices can through technologies and proper systems can deliver equal or better service while saving water.
  • Cooling, lighting, water heating/cooking/refrigeration and ventilation account for 85% of total electric usage in hotels and motels. Reducing electricity consumption in theses equipment areas represents considerable energy and cost savings. There are many options for conserving energy: from good insulation to something as simple as changing thermostat settings can help reduce or eliminate the need for costly heating and cooling.
  • Solid waste in lodging include paper, food, plastic and various other components. Implementing a solid waste reduction program in a hotel can create significant cost savings and reduce land pollution.
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  • Lighting is the second largest energy expenditure in a hotel and is the easiest area for saving energy and money.  According to the Florida Power & Light Company, interior lighting accounts for 19% of electric usage in hotels and exterior lighting accounts for 4%
  • Thus, many hotels have realized a significant decrease in solid waste, energy and water consumption by making these small changes. It is not easy to be green in this sector, but the hotel industry now has a new environmental conscience.
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    This article discusses a couple of ways in which hotels are extending themselves to go green. Specifically the article lists three ways in which these hotels are initiating themselves into going green, which are through low water consumption Power saving, and solid waste disposal. The article also discusses energy efficient lighting.  Along with discussing these processes, the article explains that its not easy to be green in this sector, but the hotel industry now has a new environmental conscience. This being great for hotels. its one step in opening a new way to help get our environment back to where it needs to be and with there being such a large scale of hotels why not get them in the best order that we can get them. 
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    As the article states"The hotel industry has long been associated with excessive waste: using powerful chemicals for cleaning and wasting energy for maintenance rather than being environmentally friendly. Moreover and as result of tourism industry growth, the demand for resources from the hospitality sector has exponentially increased. However, the new popularity of Eco Tourism has encouraged hotels to adopt new green practices that allow them to reduce their negative impact on the environment" The hospitality industry can help improve the environmental problems we are going through at the moment by simply adding: low water consumption, power saving, energy-efficient lighting and solid waste disposal. Furthermore, the guest are starting to become more aware and loyal to brands that are making changes to become green and there is where eco tourism starts and its getting bigger. In the future, all hotels will have to follow the LEED requirements which makes them follow certain rules to help reduce energy and go green. This will help the hotel managers and industry save money and at the same time help the environment.
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Special Report: Smart machines | Nation's Restaurant News - 0 views

  • From heat-reclaiming dishwashers to so-called smart kitchens and voice-recognition technology, restaurateurs are looking for equipment that reduces waste, saves money, speeds operations, increases accuracy, eliminates guesswork and opens the door to new opportunities.

  • More restaurant operators across all segments are embracing the mission of reducing both waste and costs with the growing crop of energy-efficient equipment.
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    This is a great article that discusses the upcoming technology that restaurants are looking into (and starting to use). There are five trends when it comes to the industry's technology: Energy Reduction, "Smart Operations", Multiuse equipment, Custom Equipment, and Mobile Ordering. This article shows how technology can help on reducing waste, but even the technology itself is smarter and greener, using less energy and recycling the energy it has already used (reclaiming steam from a dishwasher to use in future washes-an example of energy efficient equipment ). Mobile ordering saves wait time for consumers and reduces waste from tickets/receipts being printed. "Smart" equipment is assisting in reducing food waste in kitchens. And Multiuse equipment is reducing energy use/costs. This article is a perfect example of how technology is helping to reduce waste and energy.
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E-Waste: A Burden on Human Health and our Ecosystem Alike | Biodiversity | RESET.org - 0 views

  • however electronics may also have more subtle and long-term repercussions for our greater ecosystem.
  • It is estimated that more than two thirds of heavy metals in landfills come from electronic waste.
  • The lack of monitoring and regulation by the government can mean that little-to-no safety precautions (such as wearing protective gear and air filtering) are taken to protect workers while they carry out their job.
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  • age of 40
    • krehman
       
      Seems to be such a young age to stop working by but the effects of such toxins can affect someone in this line of work this fast.
  • recyclers and dismantlers have recorded dangerously high levels of lead, mercury and chromium in their bodies.
  • All kinds of animals and organisms may be exposed to mercury, such as an earthworm or a little fish in a river. Larger animals which ingest these organisms, or graze on the plants which grow from contaminated soil are then contaminated as well – and up the food chain it goes.
    • krehman
       
      Even though not everyone is effected by these hazards first hand, through this process everyone will get some kind of toxins in their system.
  • 2007 study, it was estimated that e-waste could increase by 500 percent by 2020.
  • toxic chemicals that electronic waste contains do not organically break down and can, over time, seep into the environment around landfills, contaminating local groundwater or get absorbed into the atmosphere, thus seriously endangering the health of nearby communities and animal populations.
  • Research has shown that it is especially dangerous because of the process of bioaccumulation, referring to the uptake of a chemical in an organism over time, and biomagnification, when there is an increase in the concentration of a chemical in the food chain as a result of ingestion of other organisms, in eco-systems surrounding landfills.
  • 95 percent of e-waste in India is recycled via the non-formal sector which often entails child labour.
    • krehman
       
      Is the age of 40 limits based on children workers into adulthood or simply just adults working from maybe their early 20's?
  • might in turn indirectly contaminate humans in the future.
  • Now, more than ever, the proper treatment of e-waste needs to start taking place, so that not only human suffering is averted now and in the foreseeable future, but so that the long-term degradation of our environment, ecosystem and health is averted as well.
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    This article covers the effects e-waste has on not only the people working with these hazardous materials everyday, but what long term effects it could have on the environment. The article concentrates on the region India, and how the e-waste is currently effecting it. The limitations this kind of work is having on the people associated with this form of disposing everyday. How even children are infected with led and it is now in their bloodstreams. The article goes in deeper with predictions of contamination of animals and plants in near by areas and what could become of them. The article sums up, however, that at the the end of the day it will always come back to us and the whole world could be contaminated by these toxins. That there needs to be a solution soon to this problem or what seems to be just the begging can grow even further, and faster than we could ever want.
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How to Control the Problem Of E-Waste - 1 views

  • Of the 100 million tonnes of e-waste produced across Europe, only a quarter of medium-sized electronics are collected for reuse or salvage, whilst smaller appliances such as MP3 players are abandoned altogether.
  • One stipulation of the new regulations dictates that companies must have proof that their WEEE was given to a waste management company and afforded environmentally sound treatment and disposal.
    • gmuno014
       
      One of our class discussions was based on how can we as a nation regulate e-waste, and this is an example of how to regulate it. Stipulating rules and following through with them.
  • so it’s important to check whether the company complies with WEEE legislation and can provide details regarding their Waste Carriers License.
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  • OFFERS/Ex-IT is a reuse and recycling project that aids students, low income citizens and small start-up businesses by giving them access to cheap IT equipment. Another respected group is Computer Aid International, which distributes refurbished PCs all across the globe.
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    This article talks about some of the alternatives to control e-waste. We recently had a discussion in our course, and my argument was that we needed to educate or inform people of the issue. This article provides examples of all the trusted companies that handle e-waste correctly, and some of the regulations already in place, such as WEEE. The article reviews multiple ways of distributing and handling e-waste correctly. Some examples given are sending the items back to the manufacturers and if they don't accept them, they present the Waste Online website that provides information on trusted e-waste management companies. They also present ideas of donating old electronic devices to start up business and small communities that may be in need of them.
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11 Facts About E-Waste | DoSomething.org - 0 views

  • 11 Facts About E-Waste
  • 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed worldwide every year
  • Americans dump phones containing over $60 million in gold/silver every year.
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  • Only 12.5% of e-waste is currently recycled
  • Recycling 1 million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year
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    This arctic talk about 11 facts about E-waste. For example,Only 12.5% of e-waste is currently recycled.
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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.
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5 best recycling practices from around the world | BBVA - 1 views

  • one of the key strategies that countries need to embrace is the so-called “three Rs” approach: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, to ensure that waste generation and management is as sustainable as possible.
  • finding new uses to a large portion of the waste generated each year.
  • need to recycle
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  • Recycling yields two key advantages: First, it allows reusing substantial amounts of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or spoiling natural spaces; Second, it allows generating raw materials and avoid wasting materials and natural resources.
  • Several countries have managed to increase their recycling rates in recent years by investing in technology, and awareness campaigns and introducing policies aimed at encouraging citizens and businesses to recycle more and better.
  • generate enough electricity to power 250,000 households, and contribute to dramatically reduce waste and emissions.
  • Northern European countries are pioneers in the sustainable processing of urban and industrial waste.
  • Sweden’s become extremely successful at sorting and reusing waste, thanks to the firm commitment of its population, and everyone’s involvement in the process from their own households.
  • Neighbors are responsible for sorting, treating and segregating their household waste, and then complying with the strict and scheduled collection calendar.
  • One of the countries that have best understood the importance of the circular economy is Switzerland.
  • the country has become a pioneer in the recycling of organic waste, which is used to make compost.
  • one third of the food created in the world is spoiled or thrown away
  • also means a high cost in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The organic waste collected is used to produce biogas to fuel power plants, crop fertilizers and livestock feed.
  • recycling rate has increased from 5% to 64%, one of the highest in Europe and expects to keep improving to become one of the world’s leading nations in this field.
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    The article is about how United Nations set up a goal to foster sustainable and environmentally-responsible consumption and productions patterns. The key to reach this goal for the countries need to be focused on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The article specifically explain how Sweden, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea and Wales are implementing strategies to reach that goal.
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A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • “It’s pretty well known that if it gets into the landfill, it gets into the groundwater,” he said. “Its chemicals pollute.”
  • Mr. Reilly decided to take advantage of a new wave of laws in Maine and elsewhere that require television and computer manufacturers to recycle their products free of charge
  • Since 2004, 18 states and New York City have approved laws that make manufacturers responsible for recycling electronics, and similar statutes were introduced in 13 other states this year
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  • The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 99.1 million televisions sit unused in closets and basements across the country
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    Hey all, here is something interesting I found. It is an article that talks about E-waste and how it is being dealt with in the United States. Over the course of the last decade, many people have come to the realization that electronics, such as televisions and computers could be potentially harmful if not disposed of in the right way. States like Maine have implemented laws, where it is mandatory for people to recycle their products. The laws are intended to prevent a torrent of toxic waste and outdated electronic equipment. The article states, throughout the entire nation an average of 99.1 million televisions sit in people's closets and are unused. Places like Washington State have responded well to the problem. Over the course of a few years, Washington has dumped almost 15 million pounds of E-Waste. Other States Like New York and New Jersey, have banned throwing televisions in regular trash. It is mandatory to take them to a recycling station.
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    It's time to be green! LET'S RECYCLE!
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    Frank, I completely agree with your stance on recycling. It really is time for people to take responsibility and care about our planet. With the rapid rate at which technology is being updated, electronic waste will just continue to grow. I am glad that laws are being formed to cope with this tremendous issue. I agree with this statement from the article: '"We think it is unreasonable that an individual industry be designated as trash collector," Mr. Fannon said.' I agree with Fannon's view that local governments should help with recycling electronic waste. I agree because something definitely needs to be done, but the responsibility should not be placed on one group.
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Top 5 Tips to Streamline Your Hospitality Facilities Management - 0 views

  •  CMMS solutions can automatically track everything from guest room availability to preventative maintenance schedules for your property’s most valuable equipment. Automation frees up your facilities management staff to focus on even more parts of the guest experience.
  • Many of the best CMMS options on the market will include features such as: Asset and equipment management The ability for staff, or even guests, to electronically submit maintenance requests Generation of checklists for regular tasks such as housekeeping or pool maintenance A comprehensive dashboard for facilities managers and staff.
  • Energy Star, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary certification program for eco-friendly products, also offers an online tool to take the guesswork out of tracking your property’s carbon footprint.  Portfolio Manager can measure and track greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption for all kinds of properties, including hotels. The tool can be used to benchmark the performance for just one building or a portfolio of properties.
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  • Another eco-friendly way to streamline your facilities management operations and reduce energy costs is to connect the thermostats in guest rooms to the property management system that tracks guest reservations, check-ins/check-outs and housekeeping. When a guest checks out, the system will automatically set their room’s thermostat to “standby” status so you aren’t paying to unnecessarily heat or cool a vacant room.
  • Investing in a fast, reliable wireless network can mean fewer complaints from guests and less time your facilities management staff will have to spend responding.
  • One surefire way to streamline operations, lighten the load on staff – and the environment – is to reduce the amount of waste generated by your property.
  • Switching from offering paper copies of newspapers to digital access passes. Using refillable containers for toiletries and other products rather than offering small plastic bottles. Collecting and re-using materials leftover from conferences and events Donating food and beverage leftovers to local food pantries or shelters, or toiletries and linens to area shelters.
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    This article gives us a few tips about how to streamline the facilities management systems, to make the processes easier to track as well as reducing cost and waste. The first tip is to implement a computerized maintenance management system for the property. This CMMS would allow you to track preventetive maintenance schedules, which would alleviate excess labor on the staff. CMMS also allows the staff and even guests to submit maintenance requests electronically. Another tip is to adopt Energy Star's Portfolio Manager, which helps to track the property's performance and use of gas emissions, energy, and water. Third tip is to connect thermostats in guests room to the PMS. This would be able to not waste unnecessarily when rooms are vacant. Lastly, streamlining the property's waste management operations by producing less waste. Switching from paper copies to digital, using refillable containers, re-using leftover materials, and donating food and beverage leftovers to shelters should be adopted. Hotels these days need to be going green, and all of the above are ways in which we could start. This is a great article with helpful tips for hoteliers who are beginning.
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How technology can help hotels avoid food waste, safety risks | Hotel Management - 1 views

  • Hotels that invest in digital temperature sensors with good software can prevent spoilage, reduce food waste, decrease food safety breaches and ultimately save hotels significant money.
  • 1. Elevated safety checks.
  • 2. A more holistic view.
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  • 3. Consistency, scalability, and flexibility.
  • 4. More accurate temps.
  • 5. Streamlining processes.
  • 6. Reducing food waste.
  • Deploying mobile workflow apps and sensor technologies can dramatically improve hotel kitchens’ efficiency, safety, and profitability, while reducing food safety risks and preventing expensive food waste.
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    This article discusses the benefits to using new technologies to manage kitchens in hotels and/or restaurants. By using digital softwares, processes can be streamlined as information is shared more quickly across different departments and staff versus paper reports being misfiled or lost. This also ties into food sensors to better determine and manage food output and ensure not only a better quality being served to the public but less waste overall. Especially in the current climate, less food waste would not only help the bottom line but would be an added marketing tool to more eco-conscious patrons.
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    There are so many systems for revenue management and labor control for the F&B industry, but certainly based on my personal experience, the use technology for food temperature and cost control is an area that is still lagging behind. In most the hotels I have worked at, we still rely on monitoring the temperature of the fridges from the sensors and alarms installed in the fridges and although we use the Birchstreet system to order food and cost the recipes, the inventory and quality assurance of food once received is still done visually and with the "clipboard and paper" method which takes a lot of labor and inaccuracies. Very interesting article and reminder of where technology can come in handy. Thanks for sharing!
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E-waste - a toxic waste stream where valuable finite resources are lost - 0 views

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    This article continues the talk after the YouTube video about computer parts being sent to China. It talks in depth about E-waste and the effects on the health of communities. E-waste is effecting our environment negatively and something needs to be done. The article goes into talking about a circular economy is needed to help reduce the waste. We shouldn't be throwing away an iPhone every time a new one comes out. Those parts should be reusable or upgradable.
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5 ways tech can make your hotel more responsible | Green Hotelier - 0 views

  • Managing Director of EPOSability Robbie Francis says employing eco-friendly technology is a great way to show guests that you’re committed to making a difference.
  • Heating energy expenditure makes a big contribution to a hotel’s carbon footprint
  • reduce your energy consumption by up to 10%
    • npate083
       
      A building energy management system can reduce energy consumption by 10 percent.
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  • 600,000 tonnes of compostable food waste each yea
    • npate083
       
      Waste management technology like Lean, can help save on food waste by helping the managers understand how much needs to be ordered.
  • ask guests to consider the environment before requesting new towels each day
  • using 25 kW/h on average in comparison to a Windows-based system with on-site server that consumes 800 kW/h. That’s a 97% saving!
    • npate083
       
      iPad POS systems help save costs and the environment significantly. By using the iPad POS systems you are going paperless, reducing engineering visits and tracking waste.
  • Using technology doesn't just mean computers back of house or modern check-in systems, technology can help create a more efficient kitchen, laundry, bar, housekeeping service or HVAC, it's always worth looking around to see what new systems on the market could help reduce your water, carbon, waste or energy consumption and help make your hotel that little bit more environmentally responsible.
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    Going green is one thing to consider if a hotel wants to save money and conserve the environment. This article discusses 5 tech ways to make some green changes in your hotel. Some points were to change the lighting to energy saving lighting. Using sensor lighting saves you money and shows guests that you care to conserve. Laundry technology and asking guests to only give towels that are unwanted instead of changing towels everyday. A system monitoring the heat and cooling system can regulate temperatures reducing the cost of unnecessary use of the system.
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    Robbie Francis expresses the importance of helping the environment and helping your guests feel like they are a part of something bigger. Not only does becoming more green and eco-friendly help the environment, but it also allows for many of our wastes to decrease, electricity and water bills are just part of the issues that begin to decrease monetarily. When speaking about green computer technology this article incorporated how it is important to review what new systems are out to help reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately make ourselves just a "little bit more environmentally responsible!"
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    The article is about eco-friendly heating and energy, waste reduction technology, sustainable laundry, lighting technology, and iPad POS systems.
  •  
    Robbie Francis expresses the importance of helping the environment and helping your guests feel like they are a part of something bigger. Not only does becoming more green and eco-friendly help the environment, but it also allows for many of our wastes to decrease, electricity and water bills are just part of the issues that begin to decrease monetarily. When speaking about green computer technology this article incorporated how it is important to review what new systems are out to help reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately make ourselves just a "little bit more environmentally responsible!"
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    This article is about ways for hotels to use green tech to be more responsible.
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    "The latest innovative technology solutions can work to increase energy efficiency, cut down on material waste and even increase profits for your hotel". I remember while working in San Antonio Texas as a hotel AGM, the hotel had an agreement with the city water company for us to send them each week the readings of how much water we had used up to that point from last week, and they would give us rebates if our consumption wouldn't fluctuate certain parameters. We were being environmentally friendly, saving money by not overpaying and receiving rebates for our eco-responsibility.
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Hotel Sustainability: Top 3 Technologies to Implement in 2020 - Hospitality Net World P... - 2 views

  • PaaS models
  • solar PV systems
  • waste heat recovery
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  • Occupancy sensors
  • room automation
  • Utilities are 2nd highest cost of the hotel
  • a step back t
  • submetering
  • renewable energy
  • technology to reduce food waste
  • Digitize Building-Material Waste
  • Continuous performance monitoring
  • food waste management software
  • research and conservation
  • smart building resources and reducting emission technology
  • waste management
  • Solar Photovoltaic
  • Occupancy Sensors
  • Carbon Measurement Tools
  • work well and efficiently
  • base decisions on more than just capital costs and to realize that embracing sustainability
  • Smart Water Systems
  • better utilisation of your information technology
  • sensor tech
  • smart energy tech
  • social technology
  • low-cost high-resolution monitoring equipment
  • real-time reporting
  • (water and energy)
  • Building Management Systems
  • refrain from rushing to “get the job done regardless of the cost”
  • Food Waste Analysis Technology
  • digital thermostat
  • Renewable energy
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Big Data Analytics
  • Machine Learning
  • data collection
  • food waste
  • “paperless” experience for guests and staff
  • smart green mobility
  • closed-loop technologies
  • truely green energy systems
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    This article asks 21 hospitality experts what their top 3 technologies to implement in 2020 are. Recurring choices include: renewable energy, smart rooms, food waste management, water conservation, and data collection.
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Electronic Waste Recycling: A Global Problem in Need of Solutions - 0 views

  • Cellphones, computers, and other technological products contain a number of valuable materials that must be mined. Rare earths, gold, palladium, copper, and more all reside within our cell phones, TVs, and more.
  • These valuable materials are acquired through intensive mining operations. The recycling of such materials from our old gadgets would allow us to reuse these valuable materials, ultimately requiring less mining and conserving our finite resources. According to the EPA, the recycling of one million cell phones yields 35,000 lbs. of
  • The toxic components in e-waste not only pose risks to workers in developing nations, but they also pose risks to the environment; where e-waste is either improperly handled or disposed of, there is risk of soil and groundwater contamination.
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  • Many have pinpointed improved legislation, advancement in recycling technologies, increased education, and more convenient recycling programs for resolving the electronic waste crisis. Some companies have already jumped on the bandwagon toward finding improved recycling methods.
  • The Washington-based company behind Redbox and Coinstar has developed a line of ecoATM kiosks, where consumers can conveniently sell their old phones for cash on the spot where they already shop.
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    Electronic waste is a growing problem which affects our soil, groundwater, and more due to improper disposal. This problem was considered a conflicting issue in developing countries in the past; however, that no longer holds truth. Many nations and various companies have become more and more of this issue and try to tackle it by implementing legislations and recycling centers, which allow for proper e-waste disposal. The problem at hand can be dealt with, but a world-wide team effort is needed in order to combat this dilemma.
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Green IT | Green Hotelier - 2 views

  • Reducing energy, emissions and waste are concepts that have been around for many years, but one area that is often overlooked is information technology (IT).
  • it was estimated that 360 million computers were manufactured.
  • quiring over 10 times its weight in fossil fuels to make.
    • cleon087
       
      Computers waste a lot of energy and parts
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  • 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water.
  • consuming 15% of the total electricity used in offices
  • 50 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide, but only 13% was recycled. US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Reusing working computers is up to 20 times more energy-efficient than recycling them
  • hich utilises the naturally cool environment below ground to reduce power consumption, and increase energy efficiency.
  • o date, more than 28,761 IT assets have been recycled (waiting for latest stats), which equates to 629,408lbs of e-waste diverted from landfill.
    • cleon087
       
      I wonder where is the recycling actually taking pace
  • Big hotel companies have wised up to the costs involved in operating inefficient hardware and are driving system changes to cut wasteful expenditure.
  • nt. A data centre’s life expectancy is relatively long so it is imperative it is built to the highest standards in terms of efficiency as any excess energy use will lead to significant cost implications over the years.
  • most energy-efficient data centre possible.
  • Get the right equipment.
  • Only get the data storage capacity that is currently required and forecast for the lifespan. Many d
  • Don’t have servers or equipment that will not be used.
  • , such as water cooling.
  • Data centres last 30-odd years and you can’t go back in and fix them, so they need to be efficient. Over time, this saves money as they run efficiently. Servers have to be Energy Star-compliant or I won’t even talk to vendors.”
  • cloud computing
    • cleon087
       
      We discussed this in class about the benefits of it.
  • e. Once you know what’s using the power, focus on why and whether it’s possible to reduce consumption. Spotlight on Fairmont Hotels & Resorts - T
  • into account not only the initial outlay cost of hardware, but also the running costs.
    • cleon087
       
      It's not only important to know the start up cost but what it cost to maintain it.
  • e up to 30% more energy, making it significantly more expensive when looking at the total cost of running that appliance during its lifespan.
    • cleon087
       
      It doesn't seem obvious but getting something cheaper will cost heavy in the long term.
  • investigate options to upgrade with the latest energy-efficient components to extend appliances’ working life and efficiency
  • Green labels
  • allows a single user to access several physical devices on one terminal. A computing device dedicated to an individual member of staff or allocated for one software application is highly inefficient and expensive. Virtualisation consolidates resources, requiring less power and cooling.
  • is to reuse, not recycle
  • and flat screens often being replaced well before the end of their shelf life and ending up in landfill, it’s imperative that the most is made of these materials by reusing them productively.
    • cleon087
       
      Normally people just upgrade because something new came out instead of using it until it stops working.
  • Dumping e-waste on developing countries was until recently commonplace, and it has caused huge environmental problems and harm to human health in countries such as Ghana and China. But new legislation, including the EU WEEE Directive and the 2010 US Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, has stopped countries from being able to export e-waste.
  • dopted a scheme where the cost of recycling an electronic item is included in the purchase price. In Switzerland, they’ve been able to return all electronic waste to their place of purchase since 2005, and in the European Union, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan manufacturers must by law recycle 75% of the e-waste they produce.
  • Smaller, more efficient processors.
  • which have greater memory storage capacity while requiring less energy and space. They are due to be on the shelf in about three years.
  • pecialist data centre design.
  • all sizes are starting to view IT outsourcing as a viable option to gain flexibility and reduce short-term costs and increase transparency of cost structures and processes.
  • 6. Water cooling
  •  
    Green IT is an aspect of technology that many people do even consider when thinking about sustainability. According to Computer Aid International, "The production of a computer requires 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water. 80% of life-cycle energy use is accounted for before we even switch a PC on for the first time." This statistic alone should be enough for us to take action. Marriott has started taking action, however. They created an underground data center where the power consumption goes down and efficiency goes up. Cloud computing is also a massive help due to the fact that the physical software wont be on the desktop computers or laptops being operated so the power consumption will be lowered there as well.
  •  
    Green IT is an aspect of technology that many people do even consider when thinking about sustainability. According to Computer Aid International, "The production of a computer requires 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water. 80% of life-cycle energy use is accounted for before we even switch a PC on for the first time." This statistic alone should be enough for us to take action. Marriott has started taking action, however. They created an underground data center where the power consumption goes down and efficiency goes up. Cloud computing is also a massive help due to the fact that the physical software wont be on the desktop computers or laptops being operated so the power consumption will be lowered there as well.
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    This article focuses on the importance of having green IT in business. It shows example of other hotels that have already adopted green IT. Not only this but it offers tips for businesses that are looking to adopt green it. It highlights the issue of recycling computers instead of reusing it . They recommend to use the appliance until it doesn't work.
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Staying Green: Hotels Step Up Their Sustainability Initiatives: Scientific American - 0 views

  • but they can actually result in significant water, waste and cost reductions. The website Economically Sound reports that a 150-room hotel can conserve 72,000 gallons of water and 480 gallons of laundry soap every year by placing the cards in its guest rooms.
  • Another positive trend is the Four Seasons’ 10 Million Trees Initiative. The hotel chain is celebrating its 50th anniversary by planting 10 million trees across the 34 countries in which it operates with the hope that the effort will help combat deforestation and global warming and attract more customers concerned about the state of the planet.
  • Beyond what the major chains are doing, eco lodges run by or in partnership with native people or tribes have popped up all over the tropics and beyond;
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    this article is talking about the sustainability development in hotel industry. every year the waste of water and energy in washing machine is huge. this behavior violates the mind that builds a green industry. in the help of the Green Hotels Association the hotel companies make some measures to save the water and energy like putting a card which ask guests to consider not having sheets changed every day. it is simple word but really playing an important role in developing sustainable vision.
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    We all know that a lot of hotels leave little cards in the room claiming that they are environmental-friendly and initiate protection of the environment or reducing waste. They encourage customers reuse towels and linens, and so on. This article use Marriot and Four Seasons as examples to describe that this kind of behavior is indeed helpful. Water, waste and cost reduction is resulted. So hotels should keeping doing this and lead to green life-style and reduce waste.
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