BY AIMEE WELCH

We’ve all seen the little signs in our hotel rooms urging us to reuse our towels and linens, for the sake of our planet—it’s become a ubiquitous practice in the industry, enabling hotels to save on water, labor, and energy costs, and score a few brownie points for being “green.” Outstanding.  Considering that the tourism industry as a whole contributes about 5 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is excessive in its water consumption and waste generation, and can threaten biodiversity and the survival, heritage and traditions of local cultures…it’s the least they can do, right?

Let’s give credit where credit is due—that towel and linen service is nothing to scoff at. It was one of the industry’s first environmentally based strategies associated also with a cost savings. According to the website Economically Sound, a 150-room hotel can conserve an estimated 72,000 gallons of water and 480 gallons of laundry soap every year using the program. While a lot of factors go into associating an exact cost savings with those numbers, Marriott International, Inc., reported savings between 11 and 17 percent in hot water and sewer costs at each of its hotels with its Linen Reuse Program—pure profit just for giving guests the opportunity to do something they already want to do.

But in an era when global warming and climate change threaten to change the world as we know it, the hotel industry is aiming much higher than linens. A combination of corporate social responsibility, environmental need, consumer demand and economic good sense are driving the industry’s key initiatives in sustainability. Hotels are learning that implementing sustainable practices is good for the environment and for the bottom line, and they’re finding some amazing ways to put their green foot forward.

Key initiatives

Big picture, conservation is a major initiative, but only one of many areas on the industry’s checklist of green goals. From standardizing metrics for measuring the industry’s carbon footprint and advocating for progressive environmental policies, to retrofitting buildings for increased efficiencies and educating travelers on the impact of their decisions on local communities—the industry is gettin’ busy, getting’ green.

One major advocate for the cause is the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), whose mission is to “maximize the sustainable growth potential of Travel & Tourism which ensures benefits for consumers, businesses, local people and the environment.” It’s a mission shared by hotel companies around the world, and while regulations and priorities may vary between countries, the ultimate goal is the same—“to balance profit on one hand with the planet and people on the other,” as stated on the WTTC website. It’s a delicate balance, but travel and tourism organizations globally are finding creative ways to meet the challenge. From the Four Seasons 10 Million Trees initiative, which currently has more than 35,000 employees in 34 countries working to achieve the company’s 50th anniversary commitment to plant 10 million trees around the world, to Guludo Beach Lodge in Mozambique, Africa, whose non-profit organization (Nema Foundation) works with local communities on a grassroots level to achieve UN Millennium Development Goals like malaria eradication, clean drinking water, primary healthcare and rural agriculture production—the hospitality industry has moved well beyond linens, and shows no signs of looking back.

One huge, sustainable step forward was the recent development of the Carbon Measurement Working Group, whose objective is to calculate and communicate carbon footprints for hotels using unified, standardized methodology and metrics, making it easier for consumers, developers and hoteliers to get an accurate representation of a property’s carbon footprint. Created by the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), the WTTC and 12 major hotel groups including Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the high-profile partnership further exemplifies the industry’s commitment to making positive changes. “The hotel industry recognizes its responsibility to mitigate its environmental impact. Indeed, many hotel chains globally have set carbon reduction targets. Through this initiative, the industry is furthering its commitments to corporate and individual consumers by helping them to understand their environmental footprint,” said David Scowsill, president and CEO of WTTC.

And according to a publication by Ernst & Young titled “Hospitality Going Green,” it’s only going to get greener. “With initiatives such as education programs, reforestation programs, eco-resorts, the implementation of energy-efficient practices, and the development of buildings that comply with government-defined standards, the ‘greening’ of the industry is a trend that is here to stay.”

Hotels + Green = Green

While being green exclusively for the sake of the environment would be admirable, making some green is an important (and necessary) consideration. Eva Aimable, policy and research manager at the WTTC, says the list of financial benefits linked to sustainable practices is long, including energy cost reduction methods for energy, water and waste (which directly improve the company’s bottom line); creating value to shareholders; employee retention and recruitment; and increased occupancy. “Communicating its responsible strategy can help a property attract customers in need of additional reasons to stay there. There is a growing trend today where customers are asking to stay at hotels which have established good sustainable practices. For example, customers are looking to recycle at home and when they travel,” said Aimable.

In addition to the major undertakings taken by some hotel companies to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems and local populations, and concurrently boost brand image, under-the-radar green initiatives are also going on, and are directly impacting hotel bottom lines. The Holiday Inn at World’s Fair Park in Knoxville, TN, reported saving approximately $290,000 a year by installing faucet aerators and low-flow toilets, and The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto saves over $197,000 a year through an energy conservation program to replace leaky steam traps and fix leaks. Simple changes like using local products and renewable energy sources – and yes, linen reuse programs – pay for themselves quickly.

A growing number of studies demonstrate that green hotels are profitable hotels and, in the wake of rising energy costs, government pressures, consumer expectations for more earth-friendly practices, an extremely competitive landscape, it’s only a matter of time before green moves from the exception to the rule.

Who says the desert can’t be green?

More than 30 hotels and resorts throughout Arizona use the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AzHLA) Certified Green Lodging logo to flaunt their green flair to consumers. And well they should—because it’s not easy to obtain green certification. The program provides a list of criteria for which hotels can earn “points” toward certification, 150 being the magic number. Small acts of greenness like cutting up office paper for notepads, recycling printer cartridges and using eco-friendly cleaning supplies earn small points, and big gestures like using solar panels or wind turbines for electricity will get you halfway there. And Kristin Jarnagin, the vice president of communications for AzHLA, says the program’s “Sense of Place” element, which requires lodgers to provide a unique Arizona experience for guests, ranging from the display of historic photographs to specialized spa treatments, is the only one of its kind.

From the Arizona Biltmore’s Historical Tours, to the Enchantment Resort’s innovative onsite water treatment center, many of our hometown hotels are doing us proud. They’re growing gardens onsite, offering green spa services, using exclusively organic linens, and pulling out many other creative stops to roll out the green carpet for guests. And that’s just the tip of the laundry basket. Check out our February issue to find out Arizona’s greenest of the green hotels!

Aimee Welch is a freelance writer, marketing consultant, and former advertising executive. She writes advertising copy, magazine and web articles for her company, 17,000 Feet; and for herself, she runs, snowboards, travels and hangs with her husband, two kids and four dogs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the Ohio State University.