Mr. Schirmer

Eco-Friendly Practices

What You Should Know to be Eco Friendly

By Cary Tyler Schirmer, Chief Executive Officer, The Higgins Group

While we all enjoy a luxurious night in a hotel, we rarely think about how it might impact the environment. According to California's Waste Management Board, the average hotel purchases more products in one week than one hundred families typically do in a year. One room can produce up to 30 pounds of waste per day. With numbers like those, we're happy to see a trend of more hotels going green and implementing eco-friendly practices that can significantly reduce global pollution.

Environmentally-friendly hotels aren't just businesses that meet the government's regulations - they also apply their own practices to prevent pollution and conserve resources. Simply put, green businesses do as much as possible to decrease their consumption of natural resources, goods and energy. For some eco-friendly hotels, that starts while developing the property. The site is chosen with environmentally sensitive zones and erosion control in mind. In addition to using temperature-efficient building materials, some hotels even install solar panels to harness the sun's natural power to generate electricity and heat water.

What you can do

But for most hoteliers, going green doesn't mean you have to tear down your existing property and start from scratch. Here are a few tips that will help your hotel spare the environment, and spare your bottom line:

• Switch to energy efficient lighting and fixtures.
  The EPA's Energy Star program has opened the door to luxuriously-styled, decorative lighting fixtures that use 1/3 the energy consumed by standard fixtures. By using less energy, we release less green house gas emissions. Combine those fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs that use 2/3 less energy than regular incandescent bulbs and you have a lot of savings. These light bulbs, now available in both warm and cool spectrums, generate 70% less heat-a significant reduction in cooling costs.

• Install low-flow, water-conservative shower heads and aerators.
  "Low-flow shower head" used to mean standing under a few drips-not an option for luxury hotels. In the last several years, manufacturers have stifled critics by designing chic fixtures that control water flow effectively and comfortably. Instead of just blocking flow, modern shower heads focus the stream and increase the water force with air to create a more enjoyable, more pleasurable shower-experience. Not only do low-flow shower heads and aerators help conserve water, using water-efficient fixtures can also reduce water and sewer bills by 25-30%.

• Use non-toxic cleansers and paints.
  Every day, thousands of hotel rooms are cleaned with chemicals sprayed on toilets, sinks, mirrors and bath tubs which are then flushed down the drain and into our water supply. This impacts not only our drinking water, but also threatens the health of patrons and staff. To combat this high level of hidden pollution, scientists have developed plant-derived, non-toxic cleaning products and high-quality, water-based paints. Because many are natural, unprocessed substances, they are also cheaper than their traditional, synthetic counterparts.

• Provide organic, unbleached bedding and linens.
  Foam used in bedding and mattresses is made with petroleum products that release harmful toxins when created and destroyed. To cultivate the versatile fiber used in linens, cotton farmers rely heavily on fertilizers and pesticides. Conventional cotton farming practices alone produce more that 25% of all the pesticides in the US. Organic farmers use methods that promote sustainable farming to preserve the land, air and water for future generations. By purchasing organic linens and bedding, hoteliers show their customers that they care about quality and the environment.

Here are some quick hints to help you start implementing eco-conscious practices into your hotels:

• Try to buy wood furniture-like desks, chairs and headboards-made from recycled wood or wood from renewable forests. Also, keep in mind that compression board gets sprayed with formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals.

• Add recycling bins in common areas. Better yet, use 3-compartment waste bins in guests' rooms-glass/plastic, paper, and trash.

• Companies like Green Hotels Association offer towel-hangers that politely ask guests to reuse their towels. This can significantly decrease water-waste and costs associated with extra washing.

If you really want to go that eco-extra mile, try getting evaluated through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. You can also hire LEED certified architects or designers to help setup a road map to greening your hotel.

Those are just a few of the many ways that hotel executives can cut costs while helping protect the environment. It may take some time before businesses move towards greener practices, but hopefully we, as an industry, can show that small changes make a huge impact on ecology and preserve our natural resources for future generations.

Cary Schirmer is CEO of The Higgins Group.He is responsible for long-term planning and oversees operations for both Higgins Purchasing Group and Boxport. Mr. Schirmer forges partnerships with clients' teams to negotiate contracts, settle legal issues, streamline accounting systems and acquire relevant technologies. Mr. Schirmer is committed to educating clients on supply chain issues and the improvement of daily operations. He also works closely with his team to promote growth of THG within the industry. Mr. Schirmer is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara. Mr. Schirmer can be contacted at 415-772-1600 or cschirmer@higginspurchasing.com Extended Bio...

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