Hotels and global warming
I'm staying in a hotel for five nights this week. I purchased my TerraPass to cover the air travel, but now I am very aware of how much energy my stay in this hotel is using!
Some hotels have a policy whereby if you want to reuse your towels from one day to the next, you simply hang the towels up - if they actually need to be washed, leave them on the floor. This hotel doesn't have such a policy.
Overall, I was surprised at how little information I was able to find on this topic. I was hoping for articles about how much CO2 is released from all the towels & sheets that are washed at hotels around the world every day, but I didn't find anything.
I did find a website for a group called Sustainable Travel International that works with the hospitality industry to help facilities work on carbon-offsets through a "green tag" program (that is basically a system for buying offsets (tags) equivalent to the CO2 generated).
There is an article in Executive Travel magazine about Virgin Airlines and a couple of other notable efforts to cut CO2 from travel, but it's pretty short. A USA Today article from May that mentions one travel industry group that is going to work to cut travel-related emissions (from airlines, hotels, and cruises), but it didn't sound like they were doing anything yet. And, there is a great case study on the energy star website about Hilton Hotel's efforts which are pretty impressive.
Hilton's efforts are saving money, too. For instance: One hotel is saving almost $270,000 per year in energy costs after the installation of digital thermostats that monitor room occupancy and automatically adjust the temperature when occupants enter (or exit) a room. CFLs are standard, insulation has been tightened, and housekeeping staff have been educated about the things they can do to cut energy use.
Doubletree Hotel in Portland Oregon is doing a lot to "green" their operation, including the elimination of the shuttle to and from the airport, in favor of encouraging guests to use the City's light rail system instead! They are partnering with The Climate Trust on the effort. A website explains more.
Some hotels have a policy whereby if you want to reuse your towels from one day to the next, you simply hang the towels up - if they actually need to be washed, leave them on the floor. This hotel doesn't have such a policy.
Overall, I was surprised at how little information I was able to find on this topic. I was hoping for articles about how much CO2 is released from all the towels & sheets that are washed at hotels around the world every day, but I didn't find anything.
I did find a website for a group called Sustainable Travel International that works with the hospitality industry to help facilities work on carbon-offsets through a "green tag" program (that is basically a system for buying offsets (tags) equivalent to the CO2 generated).There is an article in Executive Travel magazine about Virgin Airlines and a couple of other notable efforts to cut CO2 from travel, but it's pretty short. A USA Today article from May that mentions one travel industry group that is going to work to cut travel-related emissions (from airlines, hotels, and cruises), but it didn't sound like they were doing anything yet. And, there is a great case study on the energy star website about Hilton Hotel's efforts which are pretty impressive.
Hilton's efforts are saving money, too. For instance: One hotel is saving almost $270,000 per year in energy costs after the installation of digital thermostats that monitor room occupancy and automatically adjust the temperature when occupants enter (or exit) a room. CFLs are standard, insulation has been tightened, and housekeeping staff have been educated about the things they can do to cut energy use.
Doubletree Hotel in Portland Oregon is doing a lot to "green" their operation, including the elimination of the shuttle to and from the airport, in favor of encouraging guests to use the City's light rail system instead! They are partnering with The Climate Trust on the effort. A website explains more.
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