In the United States, agricultural soil is lost 10 times faster than the natural replenishment rate. Business leaders must understand their environmental relationship because it provides insight into critical risks and opportunities. Companies like IBM, SAIC, Patagonia and Walmart are learning to consider and manage the risks and opportunities presented by their environmental relationship. Is your hotel ready to? READ MORE

The InterContinental San Francisco opened its doors in February 2008 to much excitement and anticipation. Since then, guests have enjoyed four-star accommodations throughout 550-rooms, fine dining, a luxury spa, top service and more. These services and standards are something our guests expect when they check in to our hotel so when we made the commitment to be an environmentally sustainable hotel destination, we took great steps to find a balance between the two. READ MORE

Many travelers are claiming that they have become more environmentally conscious when they travel and are seeking out hotels that have made commitments to protecting the environment. Hotels have followed this trend and are greening their operations in order to cater to these green travelers. What has been asked of many travelers is whether or not they are willing to pay a premium stay in such hotels. Some survey results indicate that they are; others say they are not, and still others want to pay less for a green hotel. If the results are so mixed, what is a green hotelier to do? READ MORE

As part of their decision making, guests, meeting planners and travel agents now inquire about a property's green efforts. They ask us upfront about recycling programs and energy saving initiatives, how we work with our clients to reduce food & beverage excess and waste, and how we will reduce the amount of paper that is often heavily used during meetings. READ MORE

The movement to improve the environmental performance and image of the travel and tourism industry in the last decade and a half has taken root and built the foundation of long term sustainability. Hotels of all sizes and customer class, and in all locations, have joined the "green revolution". A visit to the website of any globally recognized hotel brand or chain yields an abundance of information on that organization's efforts to make its properties and services more environmentally sustainable. From guest room towel reuse programs to energy efficient and water conserving devices to commitments toward sustainability initiatives at the local and global level, consumer awareness has finally caught up with the industry's leadership initiatives. READ MORE

Golf courses have always been recognized for their natural beauty and serenity. Players feel as if they are worlds away from reality - with the silence broken only by the swish of a club or the warbling of a native bird. While it is often criticized for its abundant use of land and natural resources, the golf industry is answering back with sound programs that assist courses in measuring environmental sustainability. READ MORE

Green Hotels = Energy and Waste Efficiency through Sustainability Management, an article by Scott Parisi of EcoGreenHotel, discusses the cutting edge methods of energy conservation for the hospitality industry. The current financial incentives for sustainability projects by the federal government make this ever more relevant. Conducting a utility audit is the first necessary step for a successful energy plan. The article highlights the three "energy hogs" all hotels face - HVAC, lighting, & hot water production - and their related "cures." Citing specific hotels' actions, Parisi shows how these solutions can yield strong ROIs and in sum net a 5-year positive cash flow sustainability plan. READ MORE

Memorabilia of our past is secured within our hearts and vaults, though the consequences of our economic activity will directly contribute to the behaviors and communities of generations forward. Read along with me as I listen, learn and begin to sew a thread of GREEN around the providers and processors of sustainability in hospitality. The brush and color does not determine the canvas, it is the thread that binds it all together to form patterns of culture in relationships of people and planet. Wisdom defines the learning and is shared as a common thread to each. READ MORE

Satisfying the sustainability-related demands of a hotel's corporate, government, and MICE clients and prospects is an entirely different proposition to satisfying the sustainability-related preferences of independent travelers, the so-called eco-consumers. Your current energy management practices and your current plans for improving these practices in both the short and the long term serve as a good indicator to yourself and to the outside world of how well sustainability is embedded at your hotel. To take maximum advantage of the coming sea-change on the sustainability front will require deep thought, shrewd business decision, and rigorous execution. But the rewards for success will be enormous. Energy management is merely the litmus test. READ MORE

There is an abundance of ways to make a difference in the communities we serve and in which we live and work. Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives differ from brand to brand and by property to property, each driven by a genuine desire to be of service. Truly effective CSR programs combine this dedication to service with an abundance of heart to create meaningful and effective programs that bring real value to stakeholders. Here are some guidelines on effective CSR initiatives that can help your hotel create programs that will work. READ MORE

We began the PanEarth program at Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle as a hotel-wide program that honors the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. The program was initiated last year as a conscious effort to place sustainable and environmentally friendly practices as a top priority. Through PanEarth and the hotel's valuable partnerships, guests can contribute to the local community and neutralize their carbon footprint during meetings, events and hotel stays. We believe it's a win-win situation for us all. READ MORE

Only a decade ago, the majority of UK hoteliers would have deemed anyone mad who had told them that operating a 'green' hotel was not only good practice, but also good business. Today, the reverse is true as successive governments, large corporations and an ever increasing number of paying customers and suppliers - driven by media and educational awareness - put pressure on the industry to act in an environmental, sustainable and socially responsible manner. For their part, hoteliers have realized that such adherence to good environmental, sustainable and socially responsible practice can provide excellent PR and marketing opportunities. However, a major challenge currently faced by environmentally enlightened hoteliers is how to achieve customer buy-in to their green policies, especially from those who are skeptical about the value of such practices. READ MORE