My thoughts about a “green” hotel

I did have a discussion with a hotel owner who claims that his hotel is a ‘green’ (environmental friendly) hotel and he wants some advice on how to advertise this with the media and tour operators.

I need to mention that I am a true fan of any hotel owner who is focusing on sustainable tourism and environmental friendly concepts.

When asking him on what exactly he implemented to justify his claim that his resort is truly a ‘green’ hotel, the following was the answer:

• We separate wet and dry garbage
• We separate plastic and paper and sell the items
• We separate all glassware items

Surprisingly, the above was enough for this hotel owner to claim that his resort is environmental friendly.  I said to myself that maybe he could start with a proper waste-water system which he did not have!

It is a fact that most hotel owners and managers do very little or nothing at all to care for our fragile environment!  Some managers and owners claim that they do already their best and some of them actively advertise their hotels or resorts as a environmentally friendly business. The Media is even writing about those hotels positively when receiving any press release without any check on the facts.

My strong view is most hotels and resorts who claim to be ‘green’ are not environmental friendly at all!

Some, but very few, hotels do a good job in being considerate towards our fragile environment.  Those hotels work hard with solid hotel policies and procedures.

I strongly believe that owners and hotel developers must design and build their business with the objective to AVOID waste wherever possible once the place is operational.  I always wonder why so few people here in Thailand consider solar and wind energy.  Whenever our company mentioned these sources of energy, the first reaction is that owners worry about the high investment cost and some possible issue with the design of the resort.  Until recently, nobody, I repeat, nobody I ever talked with about this subject did actually run any figures, calculated the return on such an investment or did show any genuine concern about the environment.

1. It is a true challenge to advice people to implement environmental friendly systems and products; especially right now when the economy is not quite supportive.

Some of the advice I gave to this particular hotel owner:

• Separate all garbage for example paper, plastic, glass, iron, tin’s, used oil from deep-fryers etc. and sell those mentioned items
• Separate all empty batteries from garbage and dispose through proper channels.
• Sell pig-food to farmers
• Use some wet garbage to make compost and have your own garden for fresh herbs and others.
• Use biological safe chemicals at ALL areas of the business.
• Use hybrid cars as hotel vehicles.
• Inform your supplier that you prefer not to receive anything in plastic bags.
• Consider solar energy.
• Consider wind energy.
• Create “safe our environment” committee at the hotel and have the general manager to be responsible for it.  Moreover, solid SOP’s to be produced and implemented. This committee should have 2 main focuses as follows: How to AVOID waste and secondly on how to DISPOSE waste properly!
• Have an ‘in-house” green related campaign and have the “best idea’ awarded for all employees’ contributions – AND IMPLEMENT the best ideas!!
• Use only environmental safe pesticide.
• Ensure you have a proper waste-water system and ensure it is in top-condition at all times.  Use the recycled water in your garden!
• Consider hotel furniture with wood from ‘farmed’ trees only.
• Consider to use local (domestic) products as much as possible (from furniture to food…)
• Insulate walls, roofs and ceilings better to safe a fortune on electric bills when using your air-conditioners.
• Use recycled paper at all areas of the hotel and work towards a paper-less office environment.
• Last, but not least (there is much-much more what can and should be done….) Take leadership and educate at all times everyone inside and around your hotel.  Educate even kids in the local school, villagers and local authorities! – You will be rewarded!

Another interesting thing I want to mention is, that here in Thailand we already have some kind of recycling system where poor people collect trash, separate items and sell all to make a living! If owners or managers are not willing to have extra work to safe our planet, maybe you build an area where you keep all trash etc and give those people access to it. – Just a thought!

It is proven that guests are willing to pay a little more if they are convinced that the hotel or resort they are staying is TRULY environmental friendly! You may also save good money on PR and Advertising as the media will write about your business more often and in great detailed!