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Subsidizing a product to get a long-term use commitment from a consumer base is nothing new; it existed before high tech hardware was made affordable by software or service agreements. Think about the razors you buy, assuming of course that you're not a fully bearded male. The initial cost of the razor isn't all that expensive, but replacing the razors for a month costs upwards of twice the razor itself. And if you've shopped for a printer lately, you know the same strategy applies here. The printer itself isn't the greatest expense over the life of the asset; the ink, which is required and usually specific to the device itself, is where you will spend the most money. The most well known form of subsidization, or at least most glaring, comes from the coupling of cell phones and cell service providers. An iPhone, for example, costs a lot more than most people actually pay for it. The new iPhone 5, the basic version with 16GB will run you $649. Not to mention the cost of new adapters, chargers, cases, etc. However, if you commit to (or renew) a two-year service contract with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint, the phone itself costs $199. How does this work? The same way the printers and printer ink work. The service providers (i.e. AT&T) subsidize the majority of the cost of the phone in order to lock customers into a contract that ends up costing much more in usage and data charges over the life of the contract. The idea is to make the cost of entry relatively cheap. Then, the cost the company loses at the initial purchase is recouped through purchases, or service charges, over the long term. Unscrupulous? Not really, although some would say so after receiving their phone bill. But that has more to do with not being aware of the stipulations of the contract you sign to get the cheaper phone at the outset. Although I personally find it annoying, I try to look at as something akin to amortizing the asset, and remember that, at least for me, a monthly fee

Green practice not only save companies money in the long run, but contribute to creating a healthier planet. Various industries are taking part in the implementation of green strategies to do so. As this article points out, universities are using green IT. The University of Pittsburgh is taking part in several of these. First by using Pitt Printing, which "effort reduces the likelihood of multiple print jobs, according to the university, and also stems the tide of students printing a document and not picking it up. By the university's estimation, this change in technique has saved upward of 100,000 sheets of paper that would have wound up discarded, making it 20 times less wasteful than full-service printing"." In addition the school has committed to using "read green" by reducing paper waste and committing to using electronic copies and using web conferences versus in person interviews for candidates and meetings. Small steps can make a big difference and IT is assisting in the green implementation.

I love how you brought up Universities. Its amazing how everything now is pretty much done online. Even professors like everything turned in via email or via blackboard. This saves so much on paper and ink for printers. I believe that one day there will barely or any use for printers and so forth due to the evolution of sustainability.

The Four Seasons Vancouver has conquered the highest rating for Eco-friendly hotels. This title and rating is only given to 30 hotels nationwide and is extremely competitive in nature. Any hotel has the ability to qualify and is evaluated in several aspects consisting of the following: operational areas, sustainable practices and community outreach efforts. The Four Seasons Vancouver has switched over to a unique heating system that is reducing gas emissions, installed newly efficient LED lighting that will last for up to 40 years, participates in an Eco-friendly laundry system for par linen, offers sustainable dining options and donates to local organizations. Along with public recognition, going green has perks that not only benefit the environment but the hotel as well. The Four Seasons Vancouver has taken many drastic initiatives that will be in place for years to come. This says a lot about this individual property and Four Seasons as a hotel brand. It's exciting to see the opportunity for more hotels to go Green and be the change that we all would like to see.

In today's society, being green is very important to many consumers but not all. The green conscious consumers have come to expect that the companies they do business with have the same beliefs. A companies green initiatives could be the deciding factor for some whether or not they frequent a business. Hospitality businesses must be aware of these green expectations from their consumers. They also must know how to communicate specifically to their green consumers explaining their specific green practices.. The article supports this when it states: "Green consumers are reasonably distinct in terms of identifiable characteristics and behavior patterns. Targeting specific marketing strategies to potential green consumers is likely to be more effective than directing these strategies to the entire population by assuming that all members of the population are potential green consumers," Unfortunately, it sometimes can be rather difficult to target green guests. It is much harder to identify these types of guests in comparison to non-green conscious guests. Also about 75% of green conscious guests aren't willing to really impact the comfort level of their stay to save the environment. Green guests may be green conscious but studies have shown they aren't really willing to give up the comforts such as daily housekeeping, high-pressure showers and fresh linens instead of reusing sheets during an extended visit. The article supports this when it states: "Although industry research has shown that a significant percentage of hotel guests would prefer to stay in a hotel that cares about the environment, guests are not always that predictable. Barber noted that a study by a major national hotel operation opposite findings: 75 percent of their guest respondents said they would not give up daily hotel room service activities." This is why green initiatives specifically targeted at green consumers are essential. The green consumer even though they may no

At the 2010 International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show (IHMRS) held in New York, Orion by VanCard cooped the green initiative for its in-room management system. This technology is very welcome as many hotels struggle with the astronomical cost of energy consumption, especially when they are experiencing low occupancy and rooms have to be maintained for longevity. How this system works is that though its wireless online locks, room temperature is controlled. This can also work for lights as well. Vacant rooms are set at a standard temperature, one a guest is checked in the front desk alerts the system and the room temp is adjusted for the arrival of the guest. Once the guest leaves the room the temperature is once again adjusted, This is a great initiative as, though many guest display social consciousness of energy conservation, they don't always have the habit and discipline to go along with this. So to have their movements tracked and adjust room temperature is great news for hoteliers. The only challenge or question I have regarding this system is if it has the capability to personalize room temperature setting. For example if my temperature preference is outside of the set zone, how can this be addressed. often times in hotels guest may asked about adjusting temp and are told that its a centralized system that cannot be adjusted. They in turn open windows and doors that is counter to this initiative. Nonetheless the cost saving that can be derived for this system is huge in terms of energy conservation and less negative impact of global warming.

This system really helps the hotels to save energy and costs. When I check-in in a hotel, the room temperature is top three things that I concern of a hotel. When I'm in the room, I like to adjust the temperature to a really low degree so that the room is cooled down really quickly.Then when I leave my room, I always forget to adjust it back. Therefore, there are a lot of energy being wasted before I come back to my room again. This system helps to control the room temperature and save energy and cut costs. There's one thing I need to mention is that this system must be maintained carefully and based on daily routine. Otherwise the repairing costs or even the replacing costs would be tremendous. The other good thing about the system also communicates with other in-room systems like the lock system which means they can be integrated and operated in the same online platform.

This is so true. This is defiantly a good system since it is difficult to control the habits of the guess. They are really not thinking about cost impact. I agree that maintenance of the system is critical.

Highlights: Several of the recycling initiatives are housed in the delivery area, where you can see the following not-so-glamorous but significant processes: -The collection of aluminum, plastic and glass for recycling. -Baling cardboard so it can be hauled and sold. -The collection of office paper to be sold for newspaper manufacturing. -The containment of waste cooking oil to be sold to make biodiesel fuel. My Descriptions: The author had a back-of-the-house tour of this hotel in the 140 acres of Palm Beach island, and she regard it eco-tourism. She found this hotel separate different trash in different box, and then sell this recycling materials to local supplies. One special thing in this hotel is that Native drought-tolerant vegetation has replaced more exotic flora. This hotel also has an organic and vegetable garden providing its restaurant with fresh organic produce.The reverse-osmosis plant and 1,100-foot-deep well treats unusable salt water to be used for irrigation of The Ocean Golf Course. It is really a concrete example of a hotel present its green initiatives. This idea can be widely used in hotel landscaping and purchasing.

This hotel is a green initiative hotel, the furniture in this hotel are all recyclable. The linen detergents are also green initiative and does not harm the human body. All the garden and plant life / ecosystem enviroment does not use any ddt. They also use recyclable oil in their kitchen. The flooring bricks in this hotel also keeps the temperature constant using less energy to produce efficiency. So as the dual pane glass windows, keeping the guest room cool. The shower heads, faucets, toilets are all low flow water, guest also has the choice of reusing their towel and linens. Hotel Valley Ho participates in the Clean the World program; all soap, shampoo, and other in-room amenities are collected, cleaned, and recycled for use in developing countries.

It's very good that they recycle the oil that is used in the kitchen and all the unwanted food is composed and planted in the herbal garden!

The nation's largest Army Reserve training post is "going green" . A new

When Room Key entered the pantheon of metasearch engines, initial reactions varied. While big chains were seemingly excited for this alternative to third-party search engines, independent hoteliers maintained a reserved skepticism, wondering what place, if any, there will be for them on the site. These independent owners are taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to Room Key's potential influence on independents and hotel search-engine landscape.

Good example of the wait and see method as discussed last week. Be interesting to see how this one plays out for Room-Key as well as the smaller independent chains...

It is examined that many large hotel chines in our industry work on supporting green initiatives. Clearly, they understand the benefits that would get from being somewhat green such as saving money and getting sometimes some facilities from governments. Although some large hotel chains have not done anything in terms of protecting environments, the others have successfully progressed at this environmental dimension. Amazingly, the green program in international hotel group, for example, is saving around $200 million every year. The Hilton Hotels, Ramada & Days Inn, and Hyatt Hotels are given as supporters of this initiative, and also the benefits that they get by implementing this environmental concept.

This has become not only in hotel industry but many other civil industries in my country which is Viet Nam and other Southeast Asia as well, since we are facing rapidly construction for last couple years; therefore, this has become not only a trend but a need to maintain the sustainable environment. Thank you for sharing this.

In today's society, going green is become more and more important. Especially in the hospitality industry, companies are looking for ways to save a dollar and be more energy efficient. Same thing goes for cruise lines. With so many tourists traveling by ship every year, it is important for these cruise corporations to follow regulations and set their own standards for upholding the law. So far the leader of the pack, Royal Caribbean, has qualified for certifications. They have their staff trained in the company's Environmental Management System. Holland America, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Costa are also following suit by implementing their own green initiatives. 

National Geographic designed a rigorous program to select the hotels they felt were aiming to satisfy guests while promoting the natural and cultural heritage of a region, as well as focusing on the environment.  This is a short article that briefly describes the selection process and lists the hotels that have "passed the test".  I found the three main questions posed by NatGeo to be very pertinent.  I am sure that as NatGeo launches the promotional campaign for the properties that made the list, others will want to join this select group. These other lodges and hotels will thus adjust their practices and policies, and essentially become greener and more focused on protecting and sustaining the environment. 

This article focuses on the electronic waste epidemic that is occurring all around the globe. Because so many people are clueless on the subject they have listed out the 10 basic things you should know on the subject. 1. Is everything that makes up electronic waste which is just about everything you use and everything in your home including fridges, washing machines, ect. 2. It explains where all of it goes, even though we think it may be getting disposed of properly about 80% is sent to developing nations. 3. It explains that this is extremely dangerous as it has harmful elements that can even cause death when not handled properly. 4. It has the potential to be used again or even made into new things like jewelry. 5. There are trust worthy places you can take your old electronics such as e-Stewards. 6. Ways to avoid giving your old electronics to the wrong person. 7. The reason this is happening is because there really isn't any laws to prevent it. 8. Thankfully now companies are starting to implement trade in programs. 9. China is truly suffering from this problem. 10. Shows just how little people know about E-waste.

This article introduces one of the big events about hospitality technology investment, MURTEC. MURTEC is the conference that technology-savvy restaurant companies, top executives, CEO, restaurant group, or independent operators gather to talk about technology initiatives, the limitation of existing hospitality technology and development. It is interesting that this type of event is held regularly for people who are interested in technology development, especially in hospitality industry. Good information about savvy technology will be introduced here and professionals can have chances to hear an explanation about new technology. Of course, the vendors also can experiment whether their technology will be successful or not based on attendees' response and competitors' products. Not only for this but networking can be established through the event. Sometimes though they have good products, their business cannot be successful if they fail to find proper buyers. Considering this issue, both vendors and buyers can have benefits via the event.

The article reports the state of Hawaii's hospitality and tourism industry is beginning to become more aware of how going green initiatives will effect the economy in a positive way. A management member of a consulting firm stated the efforts the hospitality and tourism industry need to be known to the community, guest and the staff of the hotels. He feels the research, figures and strategies need to be posted so everyone understands their role in the advancement of the states main industry's desire to become more sustainable. Hawaiian Airlines along with various hotels are reducing waste and sourcing more local items with in their outlets.

This article pointed out great ways that a hotel can be sustainable.In the pant or building itself, the materials that were used for construction can be recycled and locally sourced. In the rooms the fixtures and appliances can be eco-friendly such as water saving faucets and energy star stovetops. Smart Technology can also be used in the room to reduce the amount of energy in being used. Customers appreciate the sustainable practices done at the hotels and this is one of the reasons why managers have started implementing these initiatives.b

In regards to Module 2: Post a hospitality/tourism network, telecommunications, or green related article, I chose to post about a green related article and found an awesome article of "Eight Ways Hotels Are Helping To Protect The Environment." In honor of the past April 22's Earth Day, the article displayed the examples for some of the hotels in the United States that were committed to aid in preserving the environment for the hoteliers and guests alike to keep sustainability strong for the respective hospitality companies as well as travelers who are striving to travel with eco-friendly options. Located in Oahu, Hawaii, the Turtle Bay Resort is home to an on-property horse stable, tennis and golf courses, a 15 mile hiking/mountain biking trails, many health conscious classes such as fitness, wellness, and even a surf school. With its advantageous beach location, water adventures such as eco-kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming enable guests to view many of the natural resources, mammals, and endangered species that visit along the shores of the resort. With all of the above activities, it is crucial for this resort to take especially good care of the natural resources that benefit the resort by attracting guests. With that being said, the resort team members initiate beach cleanups every month for about 5 miles of the beach's shoreline. As well, back in 2009, the resort developed a Green Committee to plan and map out methods to reduce the resort's carbon footprint. Some examples of this was adding solar roof panels, convert 70% of the resort's lighting to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, initiated recycling for the entire resort, and changed cups utilized at the F&B outlets to environmental friendly options. Located in Leesburg, Virginia, The National Conference Center's food and beverage program partnered with local Virginia Farms to source their food from local farmers to enhance the consumer's yearning for the farm-to-table cuisine. For Earth Day, the company i

This article highlights how several large chain hotels have taken on the initiative to reduce/eliminate their resource and energy consumption to sustain their communities for tourism. The four main steps taken include: saving the coral reefs, energy and water conservation, preserving food and repurposing waste, and creating eco- minded communities. Hotels have taken on a number a projects such as creating underwater structures to preserve and enhance the coral reefs for guests experience, filtering water from the local river, starting a food waste program to turn left over food items into reusable water, and hosting seminars to discuss sustainability and clean ups to name a few.