The Environment Trend in Hotels is Changing for the Better

By Adriana Noton

The fact that the environmental trend has changed is no big surprise. What is a surprise is how long it has taken for some industries to catch on. Because of the nature of the hotel industry, waste is almost expected. That mindset is quickly changing and owners now realize that this decision will dramatically affect their bottom line.

Going back into the 70's and early 80's when recycling and many of the renewable energy sources first really started to catch steam, they were not the most profitable things to be involved in. Because of the research that has been done and the progress that has been made, the financial aspect of "going green" had changed for the better and hotels are finally seeing the light.

One of the biggest abusers of energy and water usage was the hotel industry. Just one 400 room hotel will probably use as much water in one or two days to do their laundry that a normal household would use in a year. This was because everything was stripped out of the room and washed every day whether it needed it or not. That style of thinking has dramatically changed within the last few years.

Anyone who checks into a hotel room today will see the many changes that have occurred since this environmental trend has taken place. Hotels now offer customers the choice to have their towels replaced and ask guests to ask for sheets to be changed. If even a small percentage of guests were to skip one day of sheets and towel service each week, the savings and environmental health would be incredible.

Energy is another area that hotels more than any industry were infamous for just throwing money down the tubes. Remember the slogan, "We'll leave the lights on for you?" It had energy waste written all over it. Just about every aspect of that attitude has changed and hotels now keep the lights off when room are not in use and have installed energy saving light bulbs in just about every room that is out there.

Hotel recycling has also come a long way. When you stop to think about the amount of plastic, cardboard and paper that is generated every day in the hotel industry, it is absolutely staggering. All of that used to go into once can and out the back door. Anyone traveling through a back lot today would probably see huge dumpsters that are set up for each type of trash. This alone is a huge step towards a better environmental trend.

While outside lighting for a hotel is a necessity, it is also a huge source of energy waste. Their parking lots are huge and many of them have pool or party areas that have to be lit up as well. By installing solar lights outside and using solar trees in the parking lot, the energy usage is dramatically decreased and a prime example is being set on how to run things "greener" and more efficiently.

It is about time that Corporate America stepped up and realized that they have a huge impact on the environment. Industries like the travel and hotels industry may not be burning coal, but they affect energy usage and waste more than many people are aware. The fact that the hotel industry is more aware of the environmental trend is a huge step in the right direction. - 33387

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