April 2014

As a society, we continue to discover new ways to be more environmentally sound. Not just in our homes, but in our offices, businesses, and leisure activities as well. With an estimated 62% of travelers reporting that traveling green is important to them, the hospitality industry cannot afford to skimp on eco efforts – especially when a sustainable approach can help draw more guests and save money.

At American Hotel, our Living Green collection of environmentally sensitive products ranges from pillows and facial tissue to small appliances. Each product meets our Living Green criteria and reflects our support of strong environmental standards in hospitality. This makes it easier for customers to go green.

“Our Living Green program, now in existence for more than seven years, has continued to evolve,” says Deidre Schwartz, Director of Merchandising and leader of American Hotel’s Corporate Social Responsibility team. “We have strengthened the program with over 1,500 products, and will be growing to 3,000 products before year-end. We realize our customers want to see exactly what sustainable qualities exist in a product or supplier, and we are providing that transparency for their own decision-making purposes,” she explains. “We have identified over 25 certifications and another 20 plus attributes that qualify a product into our program. We are committed to making ‘going green’ easier and providing solutions to our customers that contribute toward their own sustainability goals.”

If you are turning over a new leaf in your hotel, we hope you explore our latest products.  As part of our effort to help you be greener and cleaner, we’ve also identified five innovative actions you can put into action today.

1. Change Your Attitude
   Many view the effort of contributing to a better environment as an expensive and unnecessary adjustment. That’s simply not true. Sure, a little work goes in to it, but the reward doesn’t just come in the form of guest satisfaction. It also comes in the tangible monetary sense. Eco-efforts include cutting down on water and energy usage, which in turn means a lower bill for you. Plus, in many states companies that implement renewable resources and energy conservation qualify for a tax break. See, so it really is a big win for you and Mother Nature!
2. Here’s a ‘Bright’ Idea
   Yes, pun intended. One of the simplest ways to start saving big on energy costs and boast eco-efforts is to switch your incandescent bulbs for high-efficiency fluorescent or LED light bulbs. They only use about a third of the energy. It’s true they do cost a bit more, but they also last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
3. Easy Access Recycling
   You place trash bins in each hotel room to begin with, so this is as simple as simple gets. Just add another, except make it a recycling bin – and just like that you’re running a more eco-friendly venue.
4. Recycled Products
   There is a world of eco-friendly or recycled products that can be swapped out throughout your venue. Nobody expects a complete overhaul, unless you’re aiming to become LEED certified, but a few swaps here and there could make a big difference. For instance, replacing traditional facial tissues with a facial tissue made with recycled paper. This could apply to essentially any paper or plastic product from napkins to room keycards.
5. Clean Green
   Stock maid carts with eco-friendly cleaning products. Natural products clean just as efficiently as chemical-based ones and reduce the amount of toxins being released back into the environment. Plus, they tend to smell better – just one small bonus.

Congratulations! You’re on your way to a greener, more eco-friendly hotel. Hopefully you’ll soon be reaping the rewards of your efforts. We hope you will use the box below to share any green ideas that have worked for you.