Initiatives that Reduce the Devasting Impact that Hospitality Operations Have - Essay Example

Initiatives that reduce the devasting impact that hospitality operations have on our environment INTRODUCTION Tourism is heavily dependent on the quality of the natural and cultural environment. There is no form of tourism which exists that does not cause environmental stress and degradation. Tourism poses a threat to the environment: the challenge is to find a way towards sustainable tourism development that harmonizes economic benefits with the protection of natural diversity and the cultural identity of the destination areas. (Nath, et.al., 1999). The major players in the tourism industry are the international hotels. Several international hotels have implemented various initiatives order to protect the quality of the environment and prevent its degradation by human action. These techniques exemplify both political and technical rationality. Political rationality is based on the ability to solve problems and arrive at effective, collective decisions. Technical rationality is dependent on the value of efficiency. These modern environmental management methods require a rationality of both means and ends. They specify the means by which given ends can be achieved. Those ends are environmental goals such as less pollution and the conservation of water. There is a close relationship between hotels and the environment. Various features of the physical environment are an attraction for tourists. The environment covers all of people's natural and cultural surroundings. The natural environment is what exists in nature such as the land and its soil and topography. The built environment consists of man-made physical features consisting of infrastructure development. Tourist facilities and infrastructure constitute one aspect of the built environment. The ensuing tourism development and tourist use of an area generate environmental impacts. Hotels have signified their commitment to ensure a healthy and clean environment. There are three international hotels which have implemented very successful environmental initiatives. The Shangri-la Hotels and Resorts Hong Kong has initiatives on environmental management. In the area of environmental sustainability, the hotel's focus is primarily in five areas: climate change; ozone depletion; water use management; waste disposal management; and indoor air quality. Shangri-La is ramping up energy conservation initiatives so that it will reduce 2006 group-wide energy consumption figures by 12 percent by the end of 2008. Currently, the group practices a wide array of environmentally friendly measures such as fitting all guestrooms with water-saving devices in taps and showers as well as using energy-saving lamps in more than half of the group's guestrooms. Shangri-La was an industry leader in initiating environmental procedures even before its hotels began to receive ISO14001 certification, the international Environmental Management System Standard. The group has an extensive list of internally developed environmental best practices that all hotels have implemented, with inspections to monitor for compliance. The inspection results affect each hotel's annual performance and development review scores. In addressing impacts on climate change, the group is working on reducing carbon dioxide emissions per room night by 6.7 kg., as compared to 2006 figures. Shangri-La has three broad methods for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases: through existing systems and processes; the use of new technologies and alternative energy sources; and by building more efficient buildings. In new hotels, Shangri-La seeks to save energy and resources through a variety of techniques involving rainwater harvesting, hot water production using solar panels or heat pumps, and improvements in building envelope design to reduce heat loss or heat gain as well as air filtration. (Shangri-la Company website). Another international hotel with a sterling reputation on environmental management is the Holiday Inn on Flinders located in the City of Melbourne's. The hotel has participated in the Savings in the City green hotels program. The hotel has introduced waste reduction methods. Prior to the Savings in the City, only seven per cent of the hotel's total waste was recycled. The remaining 93 per cent of waste was going to landfill. By implementing changes, the hotel decreased its annual waste by 77 per cent to 5.1 litres per guest, per night in 2005 06. In 2005, the hotel' s waste volume was 940m3. The hotel invested in signage and bins then it will gain savings of $11,400 a year on waste management. The hotel made savings by: working with suppliers to reduce wasteful packaging; working with staff and guests to increase paper, cardboard, plastic and metal recycling; and working with charities to redistribute partially used toiletries and linen. The hotel spent $22,280 to install water saving devices in guest rooms and back-of-house. More than 6,000m3 of water will be saved annually. The hotel will save around $15,000 a year, including savings on water and sewage charges and on the electricity used to heat water. Signage is in place to encourage guests to save water by re-using towels and sheets, rather than having them washed after just one use. The hotel established an ozone laundry system costing approximately $30,000, with a payback period of 1.2 years. These cost savings come from reductions in electricity, gas, water and labour associated with laundry activities. Moreover, the hotel arranged for an independent energy use audit to monitor electricity consumption. The energy supplier conducted the audit and found that lighting made up 38.7 per cent of the hotel's total electricity consumption. To reduce the consumption, the hotel has spent $4,000 improving lighting types, and installing timers and sensors. Changes to lighting at the hotel will save $15,000 a year in energy costs and $7,500 in maintenance costs. The combined changes in waste, water and energy management at the Holiday on Flinders will save the hotel money. Therefore, investing $27,000 in improvements and changes mean the hotel will cut $48,000 from its combined annual waste, water and energy costs. (City of Melbourne website). The third hotel is the the Parkroyal on St Kilda Road. The Parkroyal is part of the Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (SPHC), the largest hotel group in Australasia. There are many aspects to the operation of a Hotel that impact on the environment. The Parkroyal involved its entire staff in an Environmental Education Strategy, focusing on identifying, and implementing, practical actions aimed at reducing the hotel's environmental impact and generating operational savings. The Environmental Education Strategy was developed through a partnership between the Parkroyal and the Victorian Environment Education Council. Corporate Environmental Management Pty. Ltd. facilitated the project, carrying out the initial staff training sessions. Initially, the Environmental Education Strategy Committee met twice a week to discuss ideas raised by staff, and to bring in information from environmental specialists. An energy audit led the Hotel to change its electricity tariff and modify its air handling equipment, leading to operational savings of $24,000 per year. The back service corridor had a single door, left open all day for ease of making deliveries. By hanging spring-loaded, plastic flap doors, energy savings of $300 per month were made, and nearby staff now work in a more consistently comfortable environment. Changing a total of 250 light globes in public parts of the hotel from 100 watt light globes to 13 watt energy-efficient globes led to a cost saving of $2,166 per year. To save on water, the hotel installed water-efficient shower roses which have halved water consumption from 26 litres of water per minute to 13 litres of water per minute. The reduced flow also reduced the energy required to heat the water. Instead of automatically washing all guests' towels daily, the hotel gives the choice of retaining their towels by hanging them on the rack, or indicating they want a fresh towel by putting their used one in the bath. About 30% of guests have taken up the hotel's suggestion to have their towels washed less frequently. This saves expense but more importantly reduces detergent use. The Parkroyal and other SPHC hotels have negotiated with a major chemical supplier to introduce a new chlorine-free range and a system which reduces chemical dependency. This initiative has been cost neutral. Kitchen staff training on improved environmental practices is seen as essential; for instance, in regularly turning off gas burners when they are not in use. Separate bins for the recycling of kitchen glass, paper and plastic have been supplied. Separate bins for recycling of glass, paper and plastic have been installed. The glass washer is only used when it is full, a great energy saved. Recycled paper is used for letterhead, conference pads and the photocopier, saving over $2,000 per annum. (Company website). The fourth hotel is the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in the Island of Cebu was built with regard for environmental safeguards. The hotel's lovely artificial lagoon was built over a site consisting of barren rock, so no ecosystem was destroyed for the resort. To create fabulous white-sand beaches bordering the lagoon, mountain stone was quarried and crushed into fine grains. Thus, no natural beaches or sandbars were despoiled. The fine woods used in some furniture were recycled from old houses or church timbers. The wood ceilings seen in the lobby and many bedrooms and meeting rooms are actually made of ordinary plywood, painstakingly hand-stained to simulate the look of mahogany panels. The hotel's Main Lobby floor, which looks like 12-inch solid hardwood planks, is made of a composite board of MDF laminated with a veneer of common wood. Extensive use was made of coconut timber, a widely-available renewable resource. Other coconut parts were used in decorations and finishes around the resort. The use of plastics was avoided wherever possible, a feature which also lessens fire and smoke hazards. (Company website). CONCLUSION International hotels have become more attuned to the demands of environmental management. This is due to the fact that hotels are aware of the disadvantages of nonsustainable tourism, such as ecological disruption, pressure on resources, air, water and soil pollution, visitor pressure, disturbance and damage to the ways of life and social structure. This company awareness has led to a new type of tourism development that harmonises socioeconomic benefits with the protection of the environment. WORKS CITED Nath, B, Hens, L. Compton, P and Devuyst, D. (1999). Environmental Management in Practice: Compartments, Stressors, and Sectors. Volume: 2. London: Routledge. Websites Shangri-la Hotel Hong Kong. Available at URL: http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/Content.aspxid=1406. Parkroyal on St Kilda Road. Available at URL: http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C04/03616.htm. Holiday Inn on Flinders Waste Initiative. Available at http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au incl Plantation Bay Resort. Available at http://www.plantationbay.com/cebu.asp Read More