Green Business: Green Business Guides

Green hotels

Hotel operations have a variety of impacts on the environment, but there are many initiatives that can reduce their impacts while also saving money.

For listings of environmentally preferable hotels, consult Green Seal’s list of green hotels and Energy Star Labeled Hotels. Also consider contacting the hotels your company currently uses to inquire about their environmental practices.

Green Hotel Specifications

• Towel and linen reuse options
• Recycling opportunities in rooms and all common areas
• Compact fluorescent lights in rooms
• Tissue products made from recycled content
• Local and organic food
• Drinkable tap water
• Cleaning staff instructed in energy-efficient procedures
• Water-conserving showers, sinks, and toilets
• Use of less-toxic cleaning supplies
• Use of reusable cutlery and napkins by food and beverage service

Sample Letter to Current Hotels

Dear _______,

Our company has initiated an effort to improve its environmental performance in all aspects of its operations. As frequent guests of your hotels, we would like to meet with you to discuss our objectives in more detail.

As you know, hotels have a variety of impacts on the environment, from energy and water use to the choice of cleaning products and paper goods. As we pursue efforts to improve our environmental performance, we would like to minimize as much as possible the impacts associated with our company’s accommodations. We are particularly interested in the items listed below, and would like to discuss which of these initiatives you have already implemented:

• Towel and linen reuse options
• Recycling opportunities in rooms
• Tissue products made from recycled content
• Cleaning staff instructed in energy-efficient procedures
• Water-conserving showers, sinks, and toilets
• Use of less-toxic cleaning supplies
• Drinkable tap water

We look forward to discussing this with you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Additional Resources

• Ceres: Green Hotel Initiative
• Ceres: Green Hotel Request Card
• Green Seal Hotel Certification