Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - (Page 8) H&MM March 2009 | HotelWorldNetwork.com 8 Green Focus BY CARMEN BAKER “We are looking at all facets of our hotel operations for potential improvements.” BRIEFS Travel Green Wisconsin, a voluntary certification program that recognizes tourism businesses for eco-friendly practices, certified the historic Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee after the property earned more than double the required points. Developed by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the program is the nation’s first green travel program sponsored by a state tourism agency. The Missouri Hotel Lodging Assn. developed a green certification program in partnership with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The program will focus on energy and water conservation, waste minimization and recycling at hotels and lodging establishments in the state. Two Joie de Vivre properties were recognized for their eco-friendly achievements. The California Hotel & Lodging Assn. awarded the Hotel Carlton the 2008 Lodging Property Achievement Award for “Good Earthkeeping.” The city of Berkeley, Calif., also awarded the Hotel Durant the “Expanding Sustainability Award.” Hotel management company Crestline Hotels & Resorts launched a sustainability initiative that is scalable and inclusive across all of its branded and non-branded hotels. Called EarthPact, the program covers sustainable practices across multiple disciplines, including administration, operations and public relations, and includes an energy management plan. Compiled by Jennifer Kovacs, jkovacs@questex.com Take measured steps toward going green R esponding to the growing global search for strategies to protect the Earth’s natural resources, hotel companies around the world are implementing programs to promote environmental sustainability. At Carlson Hotels Worldwide, we also have launched creative initiatives to promote environmental change at our properties and among our guests. As we work to create our own programs, we are studying environmental initiatives and programs established at other organizations. As we reviewed programs at other companies, it became clear that some organizations that began with the best of intentions later became sidetracked and ultimately failed to create the desired impact. Learning from these examples, we have established metrics-driven goals for Carlson’s environmental sustainability initiatives, ensuring we will create a positive and measurable impact. Specifically, we are looking at basic infrastructure issues including the reduction, recycling and reuse of solid waste; reduction and ultimately elimination of the use of harmful chemicals in our processes; greater conservation of energy and water; and methods to improve indoor air quality. In accordance with these goals, we have launched several key programs. In late 2008, we conducted environmental audits at our Omaha, Neb., corporate office and at the Radisson Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia. We also are preparing to conduct an audit of one of Country Inns & Suites’ properties. These audits provide a comprehensive baseline of each property in terms of energy efficiency and carbon footprint, and they are part of a pilot program that will determine the strengths, weaknesses and needs at each facility. Next, managers at each property will review potential improvements and then determine the potential return on investment and feasibility of implementing environmental programs. Even if no action is immediately taken, we now have an extensive understanding of each property’s environmental impact and the opportunities we have to reduce each facility’s carbon footprint. We also surveyed hotel guests regarding their feelings about green hotel programs. We found that, overall, guests feel they are “very engaged” in environmental issues and expressed a high degree of willingness to do their part at home and while on the road. When it comes to their willingness to actually change behavior, guests said they want choices—for example, to have their linen or towels changed or not changed. As a result, we are looking at all facets of our hotel operations for potential improvements. We even have created a new green meeting guide to support our properties’ abilities to host green meetings. As an industry, we must continue to address these environmental concerns. At Carlson Hotels, we consider this an opportunity to lead, not follow, and will continue to seek workable strategies to manage our environmental impact. hmm@questex.com SHARE YOUR GREEN EXPERTISE: If you’re interested in contributing future Green Focus columns, please contact Jennifer Kovacs at jkovacs@questex.com. Carmen Baker is the VP of responsible business at Carlson Hotels Worldwide, leading the company’s initiatives in corporate responsibility including environmental sustainability, charitable giving and community relations. She can be reached at (763) 212-3012 or cbaker@carlson.com. Marriott thinks green for its supply chain Bethesda, Md.–As part of Marriott International’s fivepointed environmental strategy, the company is now aiming to green its $10-billion supply chain and reduce its global environmental footprint. The first step in the new program is replacing all of Marriott’s 24 million plastic key cards purchased annually with cards that are made of 50-percent recycled material. The move is estimated to save 66 tons of plastic from eventually ending up in a landfill. Also, as each property continues to go through existing supplies of items, like pillows and toilet paper, Marriott will replace them with green products, ideally through current vendors for the same or a lower price. For example, new pillows will be filled with a recycled polyester microfiber and toilet paper will be coreless, saving trees, water and packaging waste. Other paper products already found in properties, such as notepads on the desk or the folio that holds keycards, are made of recycled paper. Marriott rolled out additional supply chain efforts in 2008 by purchasing pens made from pre-consumer recycled plastic, low-VOC paint and roomMARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Marriott International is greening its supply chain with products like key cards and pillows that are made with recycled materials. ready towels. Key points in Marriott’s environmental strategy are protecting the Juma Rainforest Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon, reducing fuel and water consumption, using solar power at up to 40 hotels by 2017, creating green construction standards and achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and educating and inspiring employees and guests to support the environment. hmm@questex.com ONLINE EXTRA: For more ideas on how to green your hotel, visit www.HotelWorldNetwork.com, keyword “green.” http://www.HotelWorldNetwork.com http://www.HotelWorldNetwork.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 Contents News Perspective Green Focus Legally Speaking Franchise Law Sales Clinic Legal FAQ Trends & Stats Timeshare On Finance Management Companies Stuggle to Cut Costs While Keeping Guest Satisfaction Up Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart Hot Products Technology Marketplace Ad/Editorial Index Checking Out Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 (Page Cover1) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 (Page Cover2) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - News (Page 4) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - News (Page 5) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Perspective (Page 6) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Perspective (Page 7) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Green Focus (Page 8) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Green Focus (Page 9) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Legally Speaking (Page 10) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Legally Speaking (Page 11) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Franchise Law (Page 12) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Franchise Law (Page 13) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Sales Clinic (Page 14) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Sales Clinic (Page 15) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Legal FAQ (Page 16) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Legal FAQ (Page 17) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Trends & Stats (Page 18) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Trends & Stats (Page 19) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Timeshare (Page 20) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Timeshare (Page 21) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - On Finance (Page 22) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - On Finance (Page 23) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Management Companies Stuggle to Cut Costs While Keeping Guest Satisfaction Up (Page 24) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Management Companies Stuggle to Cut Costs While Keeping Guest Satisfaction Up (Page 25) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 26) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 27) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 28) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 29) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 30) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 31) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 32) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 33) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 34) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 35) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Top Third-Party Management Companies Chart (Page 36) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Hot Products (Page 37) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 38) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 39) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 40) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 41) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 42) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Technology (Page 43) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Marketplace (Page 44) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Marketplace (Page 45) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Marketplace (Page 46) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Marketplace (Page 47) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 48) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 49) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 50) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 51) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 52) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 53) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Checking Out (Page 54) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Checking Out (Page Cover3) Hotel & Motel Management - March 2009 - Checking Out (Page Cover4)
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