5 Ways to Bring Sustainability to Your Hotel

Investing in sustainable hospitality is a smart move for events of all sizes, and there are a number of ways, big and small, to get involved. A simple change like adding digital room feeds, like SuitePad, can replace paper waste and instantly make your hotel more environmentally friendly. Bigger investments, like LEED certification, provide great talking points and publicity for hotels looking for a competitive edge. Here are some of our top ways to go green — and save money in the process.

1. Ditch paper menus and feeds:
Reports show that a hotel guest generates about two pounds of waste per night; paper, plastic, and cardboard account for half of that waste. Paper menus, flyers, and in-room guides contribute a huge amount of waste at most hotels, which is why switching to a digital tablet in your guest room can have an immediate impact. Platforms like SuitePad reduce printing costs and waste while providing a channel to sell additional products and services to increase revenue.

2. Ditch the single-use shampoo bottles:
Some room amenities like shampoo, soap, lotion, and coffee can be harmful to the environment. Consider switching to natural and organic cosmetics in biodegradable or recyclable packaging. Better yet, consider offering these items in bulk to reduce unnecessary waste, recommends one environmental expert.
Small batch cosmetics are expensive and add up to a ton of wasted plastic.

3. Offer guests a way to opt out of daily cleaning:
In-room tablets also enable guests to make their stay more environmentally friendly by forgoing housekeeping. SuitePad offers a green option, which guests can select to help save the environment. Guests see a notification on their SuitePad tablet asking if they would like a cleaner to visit their room the next day. They are given the option to accept or decline.

4. Use eco-friendly cleaning products:
There are a number of reasons to switch to eco-friendly cleaning products. Green cleaning products improve the air quality in your hotel and are safer for your guests and staff. Bio-based cleaning products are essential for hotels located on, or near the beach.

5. Hire an energy consultant to conduct an energy audit:
Consult external sources to assess the overall system when replacing major mechanical equipment (such as a chiller, water tower, etc.). Often, this can lead to downsizing and other opportunities to reduce initial investment and operating costs.
An energy consultant can make recommendations that will save your hotel operating costs, as well as improve your sustainability metrics. They will take into account things like the number of rooms, your budget, the guest services you offer, the size of your team, and the location of your property.

Keywords:
hotels
sustainable development
saving
environment