A Term Paper Submitted, As Part of the

Course, Practicum II
On Green Hospitality

Department of Hotel Management

Submitted To: Sahle Teklie

Submitted by: Endalew Habtamu

Eyerusalem Berta
Abel Teshome
Section: B

JANUARY, 2018
 TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract........................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction................................................................................. 4
2. Objectives...................................................................................5
3. What Is Sustainable Development in Relation with Green
Hospitality....................................................................................... 5
4. Historical Background of Green Hospitality Industry.......................6
5. Green Concept in Hospitality Industry...........................................7
5.1....................................................Why Is Sustainable Hospitality Important?
7
5.2...............................................................Characteristics of Green Hospitality
8
5.3..................................Practice of Green Hospitality Management at present:
9
6. How The Green Hospitality Management Is Evaluated?...................9
7. Green Marketing in Hospitality Industry.......................................10
7.1............................................................................Green Marketing processes
10
8. SWOT Analysis...........................................................................11
9. Factors contributing for Green Hospitality...................................13
9.1....................Reduced operating and maintenance costs through increased
efficiency of listed factors...........................................................................13
9.2..........................................................Enhanced environmental stewardship-
13
9.3..........................................................Competitive advantage / differentiator
13
9.4................Contribution and support the local community, strengthening of
community connections..............................................................................14
9.5.........................................................Efficient Human resource Management
14
10................Role of Consumer Behavior to Promote Green Hospitality:
14
11.................................................................................... Green Hotel
15
11.1 Commitment to Environmental Practices..............................................15
11.2 Recycling and Reuse.............................................................................16
11.3 Energy Efficiency and Conservation......................................................16
11.4 Lighting.................................................................................................17
11.5 Water Efficiency and Conservation........................................................17
11.6 Landscape.............................................................................................17
11.7 Pest Management..................................................................................18
11.8 Hazardous and Toxic Substances...........................................................18
11.9 Transportation.......................................................................................19
11.10 Purchasing.............................................................................................19
12.......................................................Characteristics of Green Hotels
19

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 12.1 Advantages of Green Hospitality Practices............................................20
12.2 Disadvantages of Green hospitality practise.........................................21
13......................Waste Management Strategies in Hospitality Industry
22
14.......................................................................... Green Certification
26
15....................................................................................Conclusion:
27
15.1 Recommendation..................................................................................27
16..................................................................................... References
28
17........................................................................................ Appendix
29

i. Abstract

Hospitality industry is recognized as one of the world`s largest industries

and continues to expand at a rapid rate (UNWTO 2006). Today, ‘Green’ or
‘Sustainable’ hotel becomes a buzz world in the Hotel industry. Hotel
industry in recent past has come up with various sustainable development
measures. These measures are from conserving water, waste
management, and energy saving to creating green room. The industry has
integrated its business with Sustainable development approach in various
functions such as Operations, supply Chain and procurement. These
sustainable approaches has benefited industry in terms of cost and brand.
As Sustainable development deals with the ability of achieving continuous
economic prosperity while protecting the natural resources of the planet
and providing a high quality of life for its people and future generations.
Green hospitality, as an emerging approach will be considered as
sustainable when it can be carried out in a repetitive basis without
creating negative environmental effects and not imposing high costs to
the industry.

This term paper have a General Objective of analyzing and report the
importance of the way towards green hospitality, it`s advantages and
disadvantages. Besides that, will have specific objectives of identify
significant and priority measures for green hospitality, enabling their
implementation and ensuring sustainability over time; to promote rational
and eco-efficient use of resources and to give hotels the opportunity to make
the first steps towards an integrated environmental management system.

In recent years, an understanding of the concept of sustainability in relation

with green hospitality has been established that consists of three dimensions:
the protection of the natural environment, the maintenance of economic
vitality, and observance of specific social considerations. It must not be

3
overseen that the concept of sustainable development is directly connected
to the desire to meet the essential needs consumers of green hospitality.

The green hospitality industry is exposed to a variety of programs leading to

green certification based on a recognized commitment to ecological
responsibility. Certifications are important to encourage and accelerate global
adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through
the implementation of universally accepted tools and effective performance
criteria.
Although current economic crisis are putting pressure on all investments
and development decisions, in the long run investment in sustainable
hospitality development will undoubtedly take hold. As that happen a clear
advantage will emerge for those meet both the environmental
expectations of guests and the best practices of operational efficiency in
function and design. Green program can provide a competitive advantage
as long as green activities are still voluntary in the market. Overtime,
green practices will become baseline requirement to do business in the
hospitality industry, particularly as the cost of the renewable energy
continues to increase. Thus the hotels or lodges who are adopting green
practices will have the strongest opportunity of achieving a “sustainable”
competitive advantage.

1. Introduction

Hospitality industry is recognized as one of the world`s largest industries and

continues to expand at a rapid rate (UNWTO 2006). Today, ‘Green’ or
‘Sustainable’ hotel becomes a buzz world in the Hotel industry. Hotel industry
in recent past has come up with various sustainable development measures.
These measures are from conserving water, waste management, and energy
saving to creating green room. The industry has integrated its business with
Sustainable development approach in various functions such as Operations,
supply Chain and procurement. These sustainable approaches has benefited
industry in terms of cost and brand.

An environmentally friendly approach in business in general and in the

hospitality industry in particular is fashionable, notable and often cost
effective. Through implementation of the three Rs–reduce, reuse and recycle–
firms are able to conserve energy consumption, minimize inventory waste,
and be thrifty, all in the spirit of being eco-conscious. Over the past several
years, specific efforts in the hospitality industry have provided the basis for
some firms gaining a competitive advantage through enhanced imaging

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based on green initiatives. Aspects of the hospitality industry are being
impacted by this movement as evidenced by Web sites and directories
promoting green travel destinations, green hotels, green eateries, green
meeting facilities, green convention centers, as well as green suppliers. In
fact, each of these industry segments presents an opportunity for domestic
and international certification and award recognition.

It is difficult to argue against a healthier environment and workspace;

hospitality industries have renewed interest in building materials, interior
decorating schemes, and waste management strategies, but have not given
much thought to the area of information technology. What does being green
mean? Although the term has become a popular descriptor, there is no
standard definition for green beyond its attachment to an eco-friendly
business. Given the many building industry guidelines and the proprietary
systems some hotel companies self-developed, being green can range from
encouraging guests to reuse towels, to waste recycling, to using wind
electricity, to cooking with organic foods, to reducing carbon emissions, to
installing rooftop solar panels. Compliance with various benchmarks can
result in applying a green label.

Green hospitality appears to be increasingly considered as a requirement on

investing in environmentally friendly buildings, equipment, processes and
techniques. Through, adopting an environmental checklist that must be
adhered to by company-operated properties and franchised locations alike.
Some governments already have a policy guideline that requires
environmental performance data to be filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency for hospitality industries. Similarly, international organizations, such
as, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) values
environmental performance when choosing hotels to host its meetings.

Against this background, this term paper will find out how Green hospitality
important in today’s hospitality industry. Besides, the green attitude of
customers is reflected in this paper, greater spread of eco- tourism and more
green hospitality options as hospitality is all about creating experience for
people. With the growth of green hospitality as one of the practices to attract
green travelers. The term paper also assesses, how green hospitality,
influences the bottom lines of the hotels as well as Ethiopia’s image as a
global destination in the near future.

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2. Objectives

2.1 General Objective

To analyze and report the importance of Green hospitality
2.2 Specific Objective
- To identify significant and priority measures for hotels, enabling their
implementation and ensuring sustainability over time.
- To promote rational and eco-efficient use of resources
- To give hotels the opportunity to make the first steps towards an
integrated environmental management system

3. What Is Sustainable Development in Relation with Green

Hospitality

Sustainable development deals with the ability of achieving continuous

economic prosperity while protecting the natural resources of the planet
and providing a high quality of life for its people and future generations. A
process will be considered sustainable when it can be carried out in a
repetitive basis without creating negative environmental effects and not
imposing high costs.

According to the Brundtland report 1987 “development that meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable Development recognizes
the interdependence of environmental, social and economic systems and
promotes equality and justice through people empowerment and a sense
of global citizenship. Whilst we cannot be sure what the future may bring,
a preferable future is a more sustainable one”. (World Commission on
Environment and Development, 1987, p. 8; UN, 1992, p. 43), Sustainable
development also explained by a concept of Triple bottom line which was
introduced by John Elkington. (Cannibals with forks: Economic prosperity,
Social equity and Environmental protection).

“In its broadest sense, the triple bottom line captures the spectrum of
values that organizations must embrace -economic, environmental and
social. In practical terms, triple bottom line accounting means expanding
the traditional company reporting framework to take into account not just
financial outcomes but also environmental and social performance –
economic prosperity, social equity and environmental protection”.

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In recent years, an understanding of the concept of sustainability in
relation with green hospitality has been established that consists of three
dimensions: the protection of the natural environment, the maintenance of
economic vitality, and observance of specific social considerations. It must
not be overseen that the concept of sustainable development is directly
connected to the desire to meet the essential needs consumers of green
hospitality. It is explicitly and unmistakably stated that not only inter-
generational but also intra-generational justice is part of the concept of
sustainable development (Busch, 2001; Vornholz, 1998).

4. Historical Background of Green Hospitality Industry

David Jerome of IHG, were the first hotel chain to introduce a set of 'green'
guidelines for hospitality industry in hotels in 1991. This could be the
world's first ever 100 per cent ecologically-friendly hotel and its 'green'
credentials will set the benchmark for hoteliers, around the world. The
solar powered 'Innovation Hotel' - which is the brainchild of the Inter-
Continental Hotels Group - outlines the latest technology in energy and
water conservation and recycling.

More and more hotels are billing themselves as "eco- friendly," or "green"
in response to a growing consumer desire to make more ethical purchasing
decisions. Hotels across the globe are going green. They are adopting
environmental friendly practices to be carbon positive, water positive,
among other things.
Among the common terminologies to express green in the sector is such
as ‘Eco hotel’, it is a term used to describe a hotel or accommodation that
has made important environmental improvements to its structure in order
to minimize its impact on the environment. The basic definition of a green
hotel is an environmentally-responsible lodging that follows the practices
of green living. These hotels have to be certified green by an independent
third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally, these hotels
were mostly presented as Eco Lodges because of their location, often in
jungles, and their design inspired by the use of traditional building
methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas.

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5. Green Concept in Hospitality Industry

Green Hospitality across the globe are becoming an emerging approach. They
are adopting environmental friendly practices to be carbon positive, water
positive, among other things. ‘Eco hotel’ is a term used to describe a hotel or
accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to its
structure in order to minimize its impact on the environment. The basic
definition of a green hotel is an environmentally-responsible lodging that
follows the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified green
by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in.
Traditionally, these hotels were mostly presented as Eco Lodges because of
their location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use of
traditional building methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas.
Today, the term has developed to include properties in less “natural” locations
that have invested in improving their “green” credentials.

5.1 Why Is Sustainable Hospitality Important?

The hospitality sector has a significant impact on the environment through

energy and water consumption, use of consumable products, and solid and
hazardous waste generation. These impacts create costs for hospitality
service providers in decreased revenues, increased operating costs, and
employee costs. Adopting sustainable hospitality programs can provide a
significant competitive advantage to businesses in the hospitality sector.
1Why sustainable development is important for Hospitality industry?

According to The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) research, hospitality
industry generates economic activity worldwide representing over ten per
cent of total global GDP (in 2002) With 4.5 per cent growth forecast per
annum for the next ten years. The hospitality industry is not only one of the
world’s largest, but one of the fastest growing industries. Together with the
airline industry the hospitality sector is a major component of Travel &
Tourism and one could consider it its standard bearer as hotels are more
visible than Tour Operators or other T&T related companies.

There are hotels virtually in every destination, in developed as well as in

under-developed areas, together with communication access and other vital
needs, hotels have taken part in the infrastructural development of any
region. It also plays important role over economic development of the people.
International Hotels & Restaurants Association (IH&RA) estimates that the

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hotel and restaurant industry represents 300 000 hotels and 8 million
restaurants, 60 million jobs and a global revenue of more than 950 billion USD
annually (2005).

The hospitality industry is a major consumer of resources and products.

Consumption includes land, furnishings and fixtures, cleaning supplies, food,
and construction materials (wood, paint, carpet), and equipment (furnaces,
air conditioners, computers, elevators). Then there is the daily consumption
of power and water. With this massive ongoing use of products and resources
there is a need for environmental action to preserve the environment and
conserve resources for future generations. The above stated data
demonstrates the impact of hospitality industry may have over the
development of global economy, the social responsibility it has to maintain,
and the important role it plays regarding the global environment.
5.2 Characteristics of Green Hospitality

Today, the term has developed to include properties in less “natural” locations
that have invested in improving their “green” credentials.

'Green' features of the industry:

- Solar panels on the roof to heat water

- A rainwater harvesting system to supply water to toilets
- A roof garden rich in shrubbery to provide extra insulation
- Wind power to generate electricity for the hotel
- Recycled glass windows
- Furniture and fittings made entirely from recycled materials
- Household waste for providing heat and power
- Dependence on the natural environment
- Ecological sustainability
- Proven contribution to conservation
- Provision of environmental training programs
- Incorporation of cultural considerations
- Provision of an economic return to the local community
Environment-Friendly Hospitality industry
- Dependence on the natural environment;
- Ecological sustainability;
- Proven contribution to conservation;
- Provision of environmental training programs;
- Incorporation of cultural considerations;

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- Provision of an economic return to the local community
- Is the future trend.
- Is increasing governmental regulation
- Comprises of greater proportion of “green” demanding guests
- Ensures sustainable profit: Good business in the long term.
5.3 Practice of Green Hospitality Management at present:

According to David Kirk, mentioned about five policies in the hospitality

industry, such as, recycling bottles and cans, saving on heating, installation of
low-level lighting etc and those offering hospitality services undertaken these
policies got benefitted. Planet, we can summarize some of the strategies
which can be adopted or will be implemented very soon:

6. How The Green Hospitality Management Is Evaluated?

Environmental Management system. Standards regarding the sustainable

hospitality management performance are now being developed to address
climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. To evaluate the performance
of green hospitality Environmental Management System, listed certificates
and rewards are presently been introduced. The following are some of the
international organizations working on evaluating hospitality industry
- U.S. EPA’s Energy Star for Hospitality Label: The Energy Star
program for members of the hospitality industry helps facility managers
compare the energy efficiency of their buildings with similar facilities,
provides “guidelines for superior energy management built on the
practices of industry leaders,” and helps managers find resources for
making cost-effective improvements.
- Green Seal’s Certification for Lodging Properties: Green Seal has
been certifying hotels for 11 years. Over that period, they have
modified their system frequently to meet the needs and unique
circumstances of the hotel industry. They focus on hotel operations,
rather than building structure. Green Seal has set standards for lodging
facilities, but they allow a range of solutions for many of those
standards. Certification lasts for one year. To remain certified, facilities
must be re-audited annually.
- The Ethibel Sustainability Index: It is combination of financial and
social profit.The Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) provides a
comprehensive perspective on the financial performance of the world's

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 leading companies in terms of sustainability for institutional investors,
asset managers, banks and retail investors.
- ISO 14001: It is a standard for environmental management systems to
be implemented in any business, regardless of size, location or income.
The aim of the standard is to reduce the environmental footprint of a
business and to decrease the pollution and waste a business produces.
- LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; a set of
standards for environmentally sustainable construction developed by
the US Green Building Council in 1998.

7. Green Marketing in Hospitality Industry

Green, environmental and eco-marketing in the hospitality industry, are part
of the new marketing approaches which do not just refocus, adjust or
enhance existing marketing thinking and practice, but seek to challenge
those approaches and provide a substantially different perspective. Several
studies have indicated that economic benefits through such type of marketing
can be gained in hotels through implementing environmental and social
initiatives; many with little or no capital. In addition to cost benefits, there are
also benefits to choosing an environmentally sustainable strategy. These
include:

- Gaining competitive advantage by being a leader in the sector;

- Customer loyalty;
- Employee retention;
- Awards and recognition;
- Regulatory compliance;
- Risk management;
- Increased brand value.
In general Green marketing should fulfill the following objectives:
- Improved environmental quality
- Customer satisfaction

7.1 Green Marketing processes

A model of a green marketing-mix should follow the following 4P’s:
- Product: A producer should offer ecological products which not
only must not contaminate the environment but should protect it
and even liquidate existing environmental damages.

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 - Price: Prices for such products may be a little higher than
conventional alternatives. But target groups like for example
LOHAS are willing to pay extra for green products.
- Place: A distribution logistics is of crucial importance; main focus
is on ecological packaging. Marketing local and seasonal products
e.g. vegetables from regional farms is easier to be marketed
“green” than products imported.
- Promotion: A communication with the market should put stress
on environmental aspects, for example that the company
possesses a CP certificate or is ISO 14000 certified. This may be
publicized to improve a firm’s image. Furthermore, the fact that a
company spends expenditures on environmental protection
should be advertised. Third, sponsoring the natural environment
is also very important. And last but not least, ecological products
will probably require special sales promotions
The 4 P's are also transformed into the 4 C's. The four C's – customer
solutions, customer cost, communication and convenience are taking the
point of view of the customer (not the producer).
- Customer solutions: These solutions go beyond selling physical
products and present solutions to customer's problems. They imply
knowing customers and their needs well and offering products and
services that satisfy customer needs and that take into account social
as well as environmental aspects.
- Customer Cost: Customer Cost does not only include the financial
price a buyer has to pay for a product or a service, it also considers the
psychological, social and environmental costs of obtaining, using and
disposing of a product.
- Communication: “Green” communication goes beyond promotion,
which is a form of persuasion and a one-way communication from seller
to buyer. Communication is a process of interactive dialogue within
which it is essential to build trust and credibility.
- Convenience: Means that customers want to use products and
services that meet their needs and that are easy and convenient to
access and use
Consumers, particularly those in the higher income, higher education
demographic, continue to be concerned and cognizant about the
environmental impact of their own behavior as well as that of the businesses
they patronize. This represents an opportunity for those engaged in the
hospitality industry, in green practices to use these aspects of their
operations to draw in valuable customers. It also acts a spur to those

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businesses that do not execute- or have suspended due to cost- sustainability
initiatives.

Positioning a hospitality industry as environmentally conscious or green

requires a marketer to identify and publicize individual aspects of the
business’s operation. Simply announcing that an enterprise is ‘green’ is not
enough; consumers are receptive to details about the supply chain, specific
practices and those green solutions that most affect them as guests, and
which ones can mitigate whatever effect the consumers themselves are
having on the environment as patrons. For instance In hotels, where green
initiatives can sometimes rankle guests (water conservation efforts that entail
reducing linen changes come to mind), taking a cue from restaurants and
focusing on the supply chain and local sourcing might be an effective way to
communicate environmental priorities.

8. SWOT Analysis
Strength
-Landscape is done with minimum concrete structures.
-Less water consumption.
-Less electricity consumption.
-Less AC load.
-Improvement in ground water level through rain water harvesting.
-The above factors help in reducing the cost and consequently
improve the bottom line.
- Greater emphasis on usage of natural eco-friendly materials.
Opportunities
- Attract a large number of customers to opt for green properties
- Larger employment opportunities to local people
- More deserted areas will become green
- Use of alternate energy sources will lead to sustainable and
responsible tourism
CHALLENGES
- Ignorance and indifference.
- Lack of information and awareness on environmental issue.
- Lack of motivation.
- Not much incentive from government to assist in going green.
- Most environmental-friendly products are imported, thus high cost
and more effort
- Many new green technology not yet introduced very well in the
country

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 - Effort not well appreciated by certain guests.
- Achieve international recognition.
- Hotel is not designed right from the beginning.
- Architect & engineers not knowledgeable in green/eco planning
and design.

Hospitality industry businesses should be prepared in advance following the

SWOT analysis, to deal with these challenges with green hospitality practices.
Currently, it seems clear that consumers are willing to pay a premium to
enjoy the fruits of such practices, there is little excuse not to engage in them;
in fact, it is advantageous to promote them and publicize them.

This term paper concentrates on the management of existing hospitality

operations in a manner which is sensitive to the principles of sound green
management. The correct measures of sustainable development regarding
hospitality business issue is the most prioritized issue than any time
nowadays. Businesses are more concern about keeping itself “Green”.
Thus hospitality businesses are innovating various method to achieve
sustainable development.

9. Factors contributing for Green Hospitality

9.1 Reduced operating and maintenance costs through increased
efficiency of listed factors
- Water conservation – water conversation indicates to the
limited use of water and establishing water treatment plant.
Installing low-flow showerheads and sink aerators. Switching to
low-flow toilets or install toilet-tank fill diverters.
- Energy management – By introducing solar panel for
electricity produce, using water current to produce electricity
and limited use of carbon fuel. Switch to compact fluorescent
light bulbs in guestrooms, lobbies, and hallways. Use sensors
and/or timers for areas that are infrequently used. Replacing
electric package terminal air conditioner (PTAC) units with
more efficient heat pumps or other geothermal technologies.
- Enhanced solid waste management – produce as less solid
waste as possible. Provide guestroom recycler baskets for
newspaper, white paper, glass, aluminum, cardboard, and
plastic. Providing reusable items such as cloth napkins, glass
cups, ceramic dishes, etc. with all food and beverage services.

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 - Recycling – enhancing the production of recyclable products
and building awareness to re-use products. Provide recycling
bins both in public areas (i.e., poolside), in the kitchen, and in
the back office (including one at each desk) to make recycling
as easy as possible
9.2 Enhanced environmental stewardship-

It can be achieved through creating processes and procedures for taking of

the environment while conducting day to day business. Buying organic, fair
trade, cruelty-free guest amenity products whenever possible. Buying food
and guest amenities in bulk (i.e., use refillable hair and skin care
dispensers). Use of nontoxic or least toxic cleaners, sanitizers, paints,
pesticides, etc. throughout the hotel.

9.3 Competitive advantage / differentiator

By creating awareness among the environment friendly people about the

sustainable development practices they adopted, the hotels may
differentiate themselves from their competitors and generate for profits for
the stakeholders. Some hotels are also arranging meetings and seminars
to raise funds or create awareness for the sustainable development of the
environment. Offering discounted rates to sustainable living/environmental
organizations that would like stay at and/or hold meetings in the hotel. By
preferring accommodations owned, built and staffed by local people,
promote locally made handicrafts and traditional products.

9.4 Contribution and support the local community, strengthening

of community connections

Encouraging local suppliers of agricultural foods, dairy products may

establish a healthy connection with the local population. Hotels are more
interested in buying products from their neighborhood rather than
outsource it from somewhere else and take the delivery by airlines or
ships. Donating leftover food to a local nonprofit organization. Reducing
financial leakage and support local economies by buying food and
resources locally develop long-term partnerships with local operators,
businesses and suppliers.

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 9.5 Efficient Human resource Management

Creating incentive programs to encourage staffs to participate in and

improve upon environmentally-friendly practices. Training and hiring local
staff and contracting with local businesses, promote management
opportunities for women. Educating staff to avoid negative environmental
and cultural impacts and create incentive schemes to promote sustainable
behavior.

10. Role of Consumer Behavior to Promote Green

Hospitality:
Consumers can play a vital role in the transformation towards green
hospitality. As the hospitality businesses are significantly rely on the
consumers, it is very important to observe the behavior pattern of the
consumers towards green hospitality. Consumers often seek for luxury
commodities while they are accepting the hospitality of the hotels and
lodges. These demands mostly depend upon the availability of time and
money. The over-consumption of resources by consumers and hospitality
infrastructure (e.g. the excessive use of water, firewood or food) is
incompatible with sustainable development. While the hospitality
industries are willing to improve their products and services to achieve
sustainable development, there is a conflict between the industry's pursuit
of economic gains and social and environmental responsibility. The
industry lacks information on the requirements of sustainable tourism and
on how to integrate economic forces with environmental and social
requirements. (UNCSD NGO Steering Committee, 1999)

However, in some situations consumers are not willing to pay more for the
extra environmental benefits, presently it has changed more to a positive
scenario. Over the last decade, the movement towards green hospitality
has swept across the globe; and the practices protection programs being
implemented are as diverse as the different geographies. Rising energy
costs, government pressure, consumer expectations and the competitive
landscape are 3 core reasons for which hotel companies are making green
hospitality a top priority.
Responsible consumer behavior can be achieved by promoting responsible
and sustainable patterns of behavior, at the various levels and by
encouraging best practices. There are different types of instruments and
remedial measures available:
- Legal measures (rules, regulations, and sanctions);

16
 - Promotion of and (financial) support for best practice;
- Hospitality self-monitoring/codes of conduct;
- Building awareness about the sustainable hospitality
management among the consumers.

11. Green Hotel

Green hotel can be defined as, a hotel or accommodation that has made
important environmental improvements to its structure in order to
minimize its impact on the environment. The basic definition of a green
hotel is an environmentally responsible lodging establishment that follows
the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified green by an
independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally,
these hotels were mostly presented as Eco Lodges because of their
location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use of traditional
building methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas.

Green hotel refers to using cleaning methods and products with

environmentally friendly ingredients designed to preserve human health
and environmental quality. Green housekeeping techniques and products
avoid the use of chemically reactive and toxic cleaning products which
contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic
compounds causing respiratory and dermatological problems. These are
easy-to-use lists of green practices that will help you learn about what
makes a hotel green, and also help hotels assess their environmental
commitment and performance.

11.1 Commitment to Environmental Practices

- Hotel forms an Environmental Committee that is responsible

for developing an Environmental Green Plan for energy, water,
and solid waste use.
- Hotel forms a Green Team that is responsible for ensuring that
all the environmental practices, in which the hotel is
participating, are being performed timely and correctly. A
Green Team is usually comprised of individuals from each area
of the hotel, namely: Housekeeping, Engineering, Kitchen,
Front Office, Maintenance, and Upper Management.
- Hotel manages their environmental performance by monitoring
the electric, gas, water, and waste usage information on a
monthly and annual basis.

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 - Hotel’s environmental efforts are visibly communicated to the
guests, staff, shareholders, vendors, and to the public.

11.2 Recycling and Reuse

- Recycling receptacles clearly marked for aluminum, glass,

plastic, mixed paper, cardboard, newspaper, and toner
cartridges.
- Receptacles are located in the following areas:
office/administrative area, lobby/registration, and guest rooms.
- Do not deliver newspapers to each occupied room unless
requested.
- Have the newspapers located in the lobby and available to
whomever.
- Make two-sided printing and copying standard practice in the
hospitality business.
- Keep a stack of previously used paper near printers; use it for
drafts, scratch paper or internal memos.
- Reduce unwanted mail by calling senders requesting removal
from lists.
- Use electronic files rather than paper ones.
- Select products shipped with less packaging and/or easily
recyclable packaging.
- Switch to bulk-dispensed amenities. This helps to eliminate
hundreds of pounds of plastic containers and packaging daily
from individual shower bottles and soap.
- Donate used amenity bottles and containers to charity or local
shelters.
- Offer optional linen and towel reuse programs to multiple night
guests.
- Recycle and/or compost food and landscape waste; set up
green waste and composting service with local garbage
company.
- Use biodegradable key cards—100% biodegradable product
will completely decompose in a landfill or compost within 18
months.

11.3 Energy Efficiency and Conservation

- Install occupancy (motion) sensors or timers in low traffic
areas.
- Use energy-efficient light bulbs, such as compact florescent
lights (CFL).

18
 Install energy efficient equipment; use electrical equipment
with energy saving features, such as Energy Star.
- Use renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and
geothermal power when possible.
- Install programmable thermostat.
- Perform regular maintenance on HVAC equipment.
- Evaluate insulation in ceilings and as insulation, as needed.
- Install energy efficient, double-pane windows or use natural
light from the sun to reduce energy consumption throughout
the day.
- Add window film to windows to reduce energy loss and solar
heat emissions through windows.
- Install ceiling fans to promote air circulation and reduce the
need for air conditioning.

11.4 Lighting
- Install programmable sensors/timers for lighting in low traffic
areas.
- Use occupancy sensors to detect the presence or absence of
people.
- Create reminder cards for guests and staff to turn off lights
when leaving a room.
- Clean light fixtures and diffusers regularly for optimal light
output.
- Use only natural lighting during daytime hours.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs,
such as compact florescent lights (CFL).
- Use dimmer controls in meeting rooms.
- Improve exit sign energy efficiency. Use light-emitting diode
(LED)
- Exit signs.

11.5 Water Efficiency and Conservation

- Implement an optional linen and towel reuse program for
guests.
- Regularly check for leaks and repairs.
- Clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers are filled to
recommend capacity for each cycle.
- Use the coolest water temperature for washers, dryers and
dishwashers.

19
11.6 Landscape
- Test irrigation system to ensure proper operation and watering
schedule. Adjust sprinklers for proper coverage to optimize
space and avoid runoff onto paved surfaces.
- Install a drip irrigation system which uses low volume
irrigation.
- Adjust sprinkler times and/or durations according to season;
water during non-daylight hours to limit evaporation.
- Landscape with drought resistant plants; plant California-
friendly and native plants.
- Group plants with similar water requirements together on the
same irrigation line, and separate plants with different water
requirements on separate irrigation lines.
- Landscape the overall compound with trees and plants that
tolerate the climate, soil and water availability.
- Specify that sidewalks, drives, and parking lots are swept
rather than watered.
- Use organic fertilizers and soil amendments.

11.7 Pest Management

- Implement a green integrated-pest management (IPM)

program that allows less reliance on chemical treatments.
- Use organic insecticides and biocides or IPM techniques for the
interior and exterior of the hotel property.
- Monitor pests and identify them accurately so that appropriate
control decisions can be made.
- Use organic cleaners in drains to eliminate the grease and
grime that some flies and insects use as a food source and
breeding area.
- Pick weeds by hand rather than using herbicides (weed killers).
- Use traps, containerized baits, gels and/or barriers for ants and
cockroaches.

11.8 Hazardous and Toxic Substances

Store all chemical products in their original containers with tight
fitting lids. Store in a secure location away from ignition sources and
food storage areas.
- Use the least toxic cleaning products and substances as
possible.
- Use recycled content or low volatile organic compound (VOC)
paint products.

20
 - Use products that are lead free, biodegradable, have low
toxicity, low VOC, mercury free, recyclable, less hazardous,
and durable.
- Use less-toxic graffiti removers.
- Purchase laundry detergent with little or no phosphates.
- Print materials with soy or other low VOC inks.
- Utilize a household hazardous waste drop off site for materials
that cannot be thrown in the trash or poured down the drain,
such as aerosol cans, electronics, paint, batteries, toner
cartridges, chemicals, and compact florescent lights.
- Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable alkaline
battery.
11.9 Transportation
- Provide a secure location for staff to store bicycles.
- Provide ridesharing information on carpooling, vanpooling,
bicycling, walking and public mass transportation.
- Encourage alternative modes of transportation via incentives.
- Offer telecommuting opportunities or flexible work schedules.
- Perform local errands on bike or foot.
- Provide hotel commuter van or shuttle service to and from
airports.
- Provide preferential parking for alternative modes of
transportation.

11.10 Purchasing
- Create an environmental purchasing policy; train employees
on the environmental purchasing policy and procedures.
- Purchase recycled content products, such as office paper,
envelopes, post-it notes, paper towels, toilet paper,
remanufactured toner cartridges, carpet, construction
materials and much more.
- Purchase used equipment.
- Purchase Energy Star appliances wherever possible.
- Inform vendors/suppliers that you prefer eco-friendly products.
- Preferences are given to environmentally responsible suppliers.
- Purchase durable goods of sufficient quality to allow reuse,
refinishing and/or upholstering.
- Purchase preferences are given to reusable, minimal, or
recyclable packaging and shipping pallets.
- Purchase supplies, products, and condiments in bulk.
- Purchase local, organic, and environmentally-friendly food from
vendors.

21
12. Characteristics of Green Hotels

Green hotels follow strict green guidelines to ensure that their guests are
staying in a safe, non-toxic and energy-efficient accommodation. Here are
some basic characteristics of a green hotel:
- Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent
- 100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses
- Non-smoking environment
- Renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy
- Bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to
reduce waste
- Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins
- Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these
slightly used items to reduce water consumption)
- Energy-efficient lighting
- On-site transportation with green vehicles
- Serve organic and local-grown food
- Non-disposable dishes
- Offers a fresh-air exchange system
- Grey-water recycling; this is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry
water for garden and landscaping
- Newspaper recycling program

12.1 Advantages of Green Hospitality Practices

Certain practices help make a hotel green, and also helping hotels assess
their environmental commitment and performance. Such as, Commitment
to Environmental Practices, Recycling and Reuse, Energy Efficiency and
Conservation, Lighting, Water Efficiency and Conservation, Landscape,
Pest Management, Hazardous and Toxic Substances, Transportation, and
Purchasing

Green Building in the hospitality industry is one of the practices, which

follows the concept of constructing buildings using processes which are
environmentally and economically responsible throughout a building's life
cycle right from the construction to the maintenance and later on its
demolition as well. Green buildings in hospitality inductry results in
efficient usage of energy, water and resources. It creates an environment
that keeps in mind the inhabitant’s health are designed in such a way
which helps in reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

22
There are various economic as well as environmental advantages of a
green building:
- Green building process helps in increasing the life of the
building
- Demolition and construction wastes are minimized
- Incorporate water and energy efficient technologies
- Indoor air quality is better
- Include renewable energy as a source of energy in the building
besides the conventional energy
- Ensure sustainable profit: Good business in the long term. $
and cents!
- Other Benefits include,
- Gaining competitive advantage by being a leader in the sector;
- Customer loyalty;
- Employee retention;
- Awards and recognition;
- Regulatory compliance;
- Risk management;
- Increased brand value.

12.2 Disadvantages of Green hospitality practise

Conversion Expense: It can be costly for a corporation to go green

initially. For example, the switch to solar power will create the need to
install solar panels at business facilities. The cost reductions in energy
savings gained by going green are not always enough to offset the initial
upfront conversion costs.

Costlier Products; in some cases, the switch to using green materials

can lead to more expensive products for consumers. According to Jon
Kaplan, owner of Greenworks Cabinetry, a Florida company that
manufactures eco-friendly furniture products, he must get many of his
building materials from the West Coast and even Asia, which leads to
higher prices for the consumer.

Lack of Support; there can be an “entrenched bias” against companies

that want to go green, as evidenced by some laws and regulations,
according to Andrew Georgiadis, a South Florida green development
expert. Georgiadis points to the fact that as of April 2010, fewer than 50

23
South Florida businesses have been able to obtain Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design certification, a system that verifies performance
regarding the implementation of energy-saving measures.

Going Paperless; for some companies, a common method of going green

is to minimize or even eliminate the use of paper. This can pose some
disadvantages. For example, if employees lose or experience the theft of
laptop computers, sensitive information that would normally be kept in a
locked paper file could fall into the wrong hands. If companies don’t
properly back up their computer files, a system crash could prove
disastrous.

Customer Backlash; companies may intentionally or unintentionally

make false claims regarding the environmental friendliness of their
products, a process known as “green washing.” If consumers become
aware that a company is engaging in green washing, the company may
suffer harm to its credibil

13. Waste Management Strategies in Hospitality Industry

Reducing & reusing are the first two steps to decreasing overall waste
generated in the hospitality industry. Material reduction and reuse efforts
focus on actions that staff can take to reduce their department or
individual waste generation while at work.

Recommended waste reduction activities:

- Review all documents that regularly get printed (daily, weekly,
quarterly, and annually) and evaluate whether a printed copy is
absolutely necessary. If printed versions are not needed, make sure
an electronic copy is made available to all appropriate staff. By
eliminating needless printing, the hotel will decrease its paper
purchasing costs.
- Make the most use of printing and writing paper before tossing it in
the recycling bin. Set all printers and copiers to photocopy double-
sided as the default and use single-sided printed pages for printing
draft copies or as scrap paper. This effort will also save a tremendous
amount of money on paper purchases.
- Reduce the amount of disposable beverage cups in the trash by
providing staff with a ceramic mug or by asking each staff person to
bring in a reusable mug and/or bottle to use at work. By eliminating

24
 this waste, the hotel saves valuable space in compactors and
dumpsters and saves money on disposal costs.
- Offer unwanted linens and furniture to local non-profits. This will
allow the hotel to save money on disposal costs, create a tax benefit,
as well as support the work of local organizations.
- Use a Materials Exchange to get rid of unwanted items that the local
non-profits can’t use. Materials Exchanges are Websites on which
unwanted reusable items can be posted. Items posted on Exchanges
are offered at a reduced price or for free.
- Donate unserved food to a local food bank. The foodbank will provide
the hotel with guidelines for packing and storing the food
donations.1

Recycling is the next step to take in reducing a hotel’s trash. When

developing a new, or improving an existing, recycling program it is
important to know how much of the trash is recyclable. This information
will help in making decisions on the number and size of recycling collection
containers, the recycling dumpster size, as well as the frequency in which
the dumpster will need to be emptied. It will also be helpful in assessing
what size the trash dumpster will need to be once the recycling program is
implemented. It may be possible to reduce the trash dumpster size or the
frequency of the pick-ups by the hauler once the recycling program is
established, which will also reduce trash disposal costs.

Step 1
- Assess the Amount of Recyclables in the Trash. The results of an
assessment will provide management with the volume of recyclables
being generated at the hotel. The assessment may be done in two
ways—a visual assessment or a waste sort.
- Visual Assessment - A visual assessment includes looking in trash
receptacles throughout the hotel and making a subjective decision
about how much of the trash is recyclable. This type of assessment
can be done by walking around the hotel and peeking in trash bins or
by collecting the hotel’s trash from one day and looking in trash bags
(labeled with the department from which it was generated) prior to
being put in the dumpster. It is important to take note of where the
trash was generated so decisions about how to implement the
recycling program will be tailored for each department.
- Waste Sort – A sort involves collecting all the trash from the hotel for
one day, labeling the trash bags with the department from which

25
 they were generated, dumping out each bag, sifting through the
trash, separating the items in piles of recyclables and trash,
weighing each pile, and documenting the results. This process is the
most effective method for obtaining the most accurate figures about
the type, volume, and weight of recyclables in the hotel’s waste
stream.

Step 2
- Target Specific Materials for Recycling. Based on the visual
assessment or waste sort, it will be obvious which recyclable
materials are generated the most and from what departments in the
hotel. By focusing on the most common recyclables in the trash, the
hotel will be able to substantially reduce its waste disposal fees.
- Common Recyclables Found in Hotel Trash
- Paper Products (i.e., cardboard, printing and writing paper, copy
paper, brochures, newspapers, envelopes, shredded paper) - Paper is
heavy and contributes significantly to the weight of trash. By
eliminating it from the hotel’s waste stream, trash disposal costs will
drop noticeably.
- Bottles and Cans – Single-use beverage containers are pervasive in
our society and add to the convenience of travelling. Although
relatively light-weight, the sheer volume of containers takes up
valuable dumpster space. By recycling the containers, hotels can
reduce the frequency of hauler trash pick-ups, which will result in
cost-savings.
- Food Waste – For hotels with kitchens and restaurants, food waste is
another significant contributor to high disposal costs. Food is heavy
and takes up a lot of room in dumpsters. It is also the source of many
odor issues in the trash. To eliminate this material from its waste
stream, hotels can implement a food waste collection program for
composting. More information about food waste collection programs
is below.

Step 3
- Before a hotel can implement a recycling program, it must find a
hauler that handles recyclables. Often times, this may be as easy as
contacting the hotel’s existing trash hauler and renegotiating its
service contract. If the trash hauler does not provide recycling
services, companies.

26
Step 4
- Purchase Recycling Bins. To make recycling easy for guests and staff,
recycling bins should be consistent in color and just as visible and
accessible as trash bins throughout the hotel. This will convey the
message to guests and staff that recycling is important at the hotel.
Recycling bins are easily purchased via the Internet and by asking
the hotel’s existing suppliers.
- Number of Recycling Bins & Placement Throughout the Hotel - To get
the greatest participation in the recycling program, place a recycling
bin at each point of waste generation. Recycling bins should be
placed close to garbage bins and clearly marked for recycling.
Guests and staff should not have to look for the recycling bins.

Following are suggested bin placements:

- In each guest room,
- At each staff desk,
- At the front desk,
- At each staff and public use printer and copier,
- In staff lounges,
- In the lobby and breakfast area,
- Outside the exit doors (front and back of building),
- In the pool and exercise rooms,
- In the business center,
- Near each vending machine, and
- A separate container or bag on the cleaning staff’s carts.

Step 5
- Collect Food Waste for Composting. Diverting food waste for
composting is a great waste diversion activity for hotels and can
result in significant savings in trash disposal costs. The key is to
come up with a plan for collecting the waste that will work with staff,
communicate the plan clearly to staff, monitor the plan
implementation, and identify an appropriate hauler that takes food
waste.
- Identifying a Food Waste Hauler – The first step to finding a hauler
that takes food waste to a composting facility is to talk with the
hotel’s trash hauler and ask if they also haul food waste. If they
don’t, haulers that do may be found by searching in the local phone
book or the Internet under trash haulers.

27
 - Once a hauler is identified and the food waste collection contract is
negotiated, management can begin developing the plan for
collecting the food waste from the facility and determining a start
date for the program. The best way to develop the collection
strategy is to review all the places where food waste is generated,
e.g., in the kitchen, at the restaurant, banquets, in the bar, in the
hospitality suite, etc. Once the locations are identified, the actual
steps for staff to collect the waste can be formed. Management will
be most successful with this process by involving staff because they
will easily identify what will work best.

Step 6
- Document Waste Management Programs. It is extremely important
that the efforts implemented by staff for reducing, reusing, recycling,
and composting be documented on a monthly basis in addition to
the trash disposal costs. The information to be recorded should
include amounts of materials diverted from the waste stream and
related costs. This information will be useful when making future
decisions about waste management. It will also be important for staff
to see the results of their efforts and the volume of material
diverted.

Step 7.
- Review Waste Management Program. It is best to review and re-
evaluate the material reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting
programs on a regular basis. When new, it is important to monitor
the programs weekly until the kinks are worked out. Oftentimes,
minor changes can increase efficiencies. Later, this can be done on a
quarterly or bi-annual basis.

- When monitoring the programs, it is important to take note of the

levels of trash and recyclables in the dumpsters prior to emptying.
Once the programs are running well, there is a good possibility that
the trash dumpster size and/or the frequency of pick-ups can be
reduced. This will be another way for the hotel to save money.

- When peeking in the dumpsters, also take note of the types of

materials being put in the trash dumpster and assess whether any of
these materials can be reused or recycled. This will let management
know the effectiveness of the existing procedures.

28
Step 8.
- Share the Hotel’s Progress on Waste Minimization & Diversion. Many
people today are concerned with environmental issues. By the hotel
sharing its efforts and progress in reducing, reducing, recycling, and
composting on its Website, in press releases, and other marketing
materials, it helps potential guests know that the hotel cares about
the environment and is doing its part to reduce its environmental
footprint. Sharing this information may also increase the potential for
return guest visits.

14. Green Certification

The hospitality industry is exposed to a variety of programs leading to

green certification based on a recognized commitment to ecological
responsibility. Certifications are important to encourage and accelerate
global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices
through the implementation of universally accepted tools and effective
performance criteria. In Ethiopia, green certification perhaps not well
developed in terms of domestic classification schemes and rating system.
Globally, more and more hotels and resorts across are now adopting green
hospitality concept of hotel construction and management and are going
in for Green certification. It is estimated that more number of hotels are
likely to develop this concept in the future to come. Green certification is a
concept of environmental responsibility for the hospitality industry, as ISO,
CMM are for manufacturing, software or other industry, laying down norms
for conducting business with a particular method. There are agencies
which audit and certify hotels for these certifications, like the Green is
certified by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) etc. However, it is not
merely a marketing tag and by applying and adopting these standards,
one has to adhere to environment-friendly practices. The process begins
even before the laying of the foundation stone of the property, whereby
one tries to slant the property against the sun, so that it does not heat up
the interiors and utilize less energy for cooling.

29
15. Conclusion:

Although current economic crisis are putting pressure on all investments

and development decisions, in the long run investment in sustainable
hospitality development will undoubtedly take hold. As that happen a clear
advantage will emerge for those meet both the environmental
expectations of guests and the best practices of operational efficiency in
function and design. Green program can provide a competitive advantage
as long as green activities are still voluntary in the market. Overtime,
green practices will become baseline requirement to do business in the
hospitality industry, particularly as the cost of the renewable energy
continues to increase. Thus the hotels or lodges who are adopting green
practices will have the strongest opportunity of achieving a “sustainable”
competitive advantage.

15.1 Recommendation
- We recommend, achieving continued sustainable development in the
hospitality industry will ensure that the revenue stays in the host
communities to enhance livelihoods and generate a profitable source
of income.
- Empower and motivate local groups to direct green hospitality
strategies should conserve, protect and preserve the environment.

30
16. References
1. Abraham P. (ed.)2005, INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
2. Alfred P. & Gerald S. (1999) Institute of Innovation and Environmental
Management, University of Graz,Graz, Austria.
3. Babu P. George & Tony L. Henthorne (2001), Tourism and the general
agreement on trade in services Sustainability and other
developmental concerns by School of Management, Pondicherry
University, Pondicherry, India, and University of Southern Mississippi,
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
4. Busch, A.A. (2001), Nachhaltige Entwicklung, Grenzen moneta¨ rer
Operationalisierung und konzeptionelle Folgerungen, Lang, Frankfurt
am Main, Wien.
5. Butler, J. (2008), ‘‘The compelling ‘hard case’ for ‘green’ hotel
development’’, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 234-
44, ISSN 1938-9655.
6. Font, X., Tapper, R., Schwartz, K. and Kornilaki, M. (2008),
‘‘Sustainable supply chain management in tourism’’, Business
Strategy and the Environment, Vol. 17 No. 4, May, pp. 260-71, ISSN
0964-4733.
7. Gunther, M. (2008), ‘‘Green gold?’’, Fortune, Vol. 158 No. 4,
September 15, pp. 75-8, ISSN 0738-5587.
8. Herve Haudre (2006), Sustainable Development in the Hotel industry
9. Honey, Martha (2008). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development:
Who Owns Paradise? (Second ed.). Washington, DC: Island Press. pp.
33. ISBN 1597261254 ISBN 978-1597261258.
10. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa449.pdf
11. IHEI (1996) Environmental Management for Hotels, 2nd edn.
Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
12. ISO (2002) Environmental Management, the ISO 14000 Family
of International Standards. Geneva: International Organization for
Standards.
13. Jerry, T. (2002), A Dubious Solution in Search of a Problem,
Sustainable Development
14. Kirk, D. (1996) Environmental Management for Hotels. Oxford:
Butterworth Heinemann.

31
 15. Korhonen, J. (2003), “Should we measure corporate social
responsibility?”, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental
Management, Vol. 10, pp. 25-39.
16. Management. London: UCL Press.
17. Nadia Tzschentke, David Kirk and Paul A. Lynch (2002),
Reasons for going Green in the serviced accommodation industries
18. Swarbrooke J. & Susan H. (2007) Consumer behavior in tourism
19. UNCSD NGO (1999), SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: A NON-
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION PERSPECTIVE
20. Vornholz, G. (1998), “Die neue sicht der nachhaltigkeit und die
neoklassik”, Jahrbuch O ¨ konomie und Gesellschaft, No. 14,
Frankfurt am Main.
21. Webster, K. (2000) Environmental Management in the
Hospitality Industry. London: Cassell.
Wilson, G.A. and Bryant, R.L. (1996) Environmental

17. Appendix
Table 1. Energy Management Audit Checklist
Energy Management Ye No Measure Comment
s
Is the business actively engaged in achieving a
reduction in energy consumption and costs?
In energy efficient lighting installed in at least 50%
of areas AND is it effective?
Is there evidence of (or a policy of purchasing) low
energy equipment such as large electrical
machinery (fridges, microwaves, cookers, etc.)?
Has a member of staff been designated to monitor
performance continually and set realistic targets
based on the results?
Have meters been installed in all departments to
help with the monitoring of the energy use?
Has an initial assessment been undertaken and
short term wins been identified? E.g. changing to
energy efficient light bulbs, motion detectors etc?
Are measures in place to ensure that the hotels
energy supply does not impact on the energy for
the local residents?
Are flow restrictors or controllers used to limit the
output of inefficient showerheads and taps?
Are housekeepers trained to identify common
maintenance problems such as toilet leaks etc?
Do you have an energy management system
installed to turn lights and air conditioning off in

32
empty guest rooms?
Do you have a towel reuse/bed linen changing
program?
Are bicycles available for guests to use to move
around both the resort and the local area?
Do you include in policy to design energy
efficiency into all new construction and
refurbishing projects?
Do the regulations in the country specify that you
must buy all of energy from a specific energy
supplier (for example, a Government owned
energy generation company)?
Are renewable sources of energy captured on site
and used (e.g. the sun, wind, bio gas or other non-
fossil fuel source)?
Is laundry washed in cold water as much as
possible?
Is renewable energy purchased for use on site?
Table 2. Water Management Audit Checklist
Water Management Ye No Measure Comment
s
Is the business actively engaged in achieving a
reduction in water consumption (also reduces
cost)
Are water saving devices fitted to reduce water
consumptions. These devises may include any or
all of the following: flow restrictors, aerators,
percussion taps or limiters on water pipes?
Is grey water recycled and treated appropriately
before use?
Are energy saving taps (e.g. mixer or temperature
controlled) fitted to ensure water is delivered at
the temperature it is required?
Are low flush WCs fitted or water saving devices
installed in WCs
Do irrigation systems for the hotel grounds and
gardens use treated water?
Do irrigation systems for the hotel grounds and
gardens have procedure to follow for manual
watering?
Has an initial assessment been undertaken so that
the main areas of water consumption can be
identified an action plan for savings can be
created?
Has a member of staff been designated to monitor
performance continually and set realistic targets
based on the results?
Has the property been checked for leaks?
Have short term wins been identified e.g. leaks

33
from cisterns, taps and pipes blocked, reducing
wasting, sensors and low flow devices fitted?
Is equipment serviced regularly to ensure it is
functioning efficiently?
Do you have any technologies installed to reduce
water use through recycling e.g.. Is rainwater or
grey water captured and reused for gardening,
washing, floors, flushing toilets etc.?
Has the supply system been checked to ensure it
does not conflict with use for locals?
Are employees trained about water saving
practices?
Are employees trained to be able to detect and
repair leaking showers, toilets etc.
Have water reducing policies been implemented
e.g. not
hosing surfaces to clean them and not watering
gardens in the
day?
Are drought resistant native plant species chosen
for
Landscaping?
Is the use of chemicals that end up in wastewater
such as detergent or bleach minimized wherever
possible?
Is wastewater treated before it is let back into the
environment?

Table 3. Waste Management Audit Checklist

Waste Ye No Measure Comment
s
Is the business compliant with national waste
regulations?
Has an audit been conducted to identify waste
created
e.g. paper, plastic, aluminum, glass etc. and to see
which
departments are responsible for the waste and
how it is
currently disposed of?
Are procedures now in place to reduce or reuse
the waste
where possible e.g. providing the relevant
recycling bins in
each department, buying in bulk, buying products
with less packaging?
Have waste reduction targets been implemented?
Are recyclable items such as cardboard, plastic,
glass, metals,

34
food waste etc. collected separately?
Is organic waste composted?
Have disposable items been replaced with
reusable ones e.g.
refillable soap and shampoo containers, cloth
laundry bags,
rechargeable batteries etc.?
Do you avoid using single use condiments, jam,
butter etc?
Do you give back packaging to suppliers?
Do you donate reusable items such as furniture or
food to
charities or employees?
Do you have a hazardous waste policy to dispose
safely of
hazardous materials such as batteries and paint?
Have you implemented a battery recycling
program for
employees and guests
Have you provided the employees reusable mugs
and
eliminated their use of disposable cups.
Are waste bins provided for guests around the
hotel or resort?

Table 4. Purchasing Management checklist

Purchasing Ye No Measure Comment
s
Did you develop a written purchasing policy to try
as much
as possible to purchase local and organic or
biodegradable
products?
Is there a procedure in place to monitor annually
how the
purchasing policy is being turned into practice
Are products sourced from local suppliers
wherever possible?
Do you list the use of organic/local and fair trade
ingredients on restaurant menus?
If a produce cannot be sourced locally then does it
come from a fair trade supplier instead?
Does the hotel place an emphasis on purchasing
products that are certified for their environmental
quality?
Does the hotel choose to work with suppliers who
have a
code of practice setting out minimum standards
and/or an

35
environmental policy?
Are products brought in bulk to minimize
packaging?
Does the hotel take an active role in influencing
and working with suppliers to identify locally
produced, fair trade and environmentally friendly
products?
Are products brought in bulk to minimize
packaging?
Do you purchase cleaning materials with low
environmental impact?
Is purchasing discussed with other hoteliers to
investigate the potential for joint purchasing?

Table 5. Community Support checklist

Community Support Ye No Measure Comment
s
What ways has the hotel identified that the local
community can benefit from the business?
Does the hotel support and actively contribute to
any local
community development projects?
Does the hotel support and actively contribute to
any
conservation or cultural heritage projects through
financial or in kind supports?
Do they provide any support for local community
institutions such as schools?
Do they showcase local artwork or handicrafts?
Are employees encouraged to volunteer in the
local
community?
Is the hotel working together with government
officials/other hotels/tourism businesses to
improve environmental standards in the local
area?
Does the hotel work with the local community to
promote
environmental education?
Are events such as beach clean ups etc. organized
for staff
and communities to get involved with?
Does the hotel’s overall business practice respect
the
surrounding local culture and heritage?

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Table 6. Customer Education Checklist
Customer Education Ye No Measure Comment
s
Are guests encouraged to buy products that are
made locally?
Are guests provided guidance on environmental
protection in the destination (e.g. protecting turtle
nesting sites, the importance of not wearing
sunscreen near coral reefs?
Is there a list showing guests what products and
souvenirs to avoid buying?
Is information provided to guests regarding the
areas culture and religious characteristics?
Are guests provided with information about how to
reuse,
recycle and reduce during their stay?
Does the hotel provide information and encourage
guests to follow energy saving practices e.g.
switching off lights, air conditioning, washing
towels etc.?
Are guests given information and tips for water
saving e.g.
turning off taps when brushing teeth etc.
Do they educate guests about how they can make
a positive contribution to local biodiversity
conservation efforts?
Are environmental aims communicated to guests
along with advice to help them reduce their
environmental impact and support local
conservation and community development
projects?
Are guests encouraged to explore the destination
beyond the boundaries of the property?

Table 7 Employee Training

Employee Training Ye No Measure Comment
s
Do you include environmental aspects into
employee training such as how to reduce energy,
water and waste?
Do you have an employee ideas campaign to
solicit ideas
about how to reduce the hotel’s environmental
impact?

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