Hotels reduce, reuse, recycle
Hotels are finding creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Some of the new ideas actually involve going back to the old, more sustainable way of doing things. For example, to reduce the use of plastics and paper in throw-away packaging that adds more to solid waste, meeting and banquet facilities are using sugar bowls for sugar, pitchers for cream and small serving dishes for butter and jellies. Coins or chips are being used for parking and coat checking instead of paper tickets.
Some hotels seem to be having fun as they become creative recyclers. For example, a Toronto hotel is recycling stained tablecloths into napkins, chef's aprons and neckties. Some hotels are making cloth laundry bags from retired sheets. And a Wisconsin bed and breakfast has installed beautiful blue floor tile made from recycled automobile windshields.
Recycled paper is used for all of Austin’s Habitat Suites promotional and sales materials. Even the bathroom and facial tissue is 100 percent recycled content. And each guest room has its own recycling bin.
A Florida hotel bought a mulcher to chop up their garden clippings and create their own mulch. The mulcher paid for itself in three months.
Hotel managers are finding that being green saves money and helps hotel guests and staff become more aware of what they can do to make a difference.