INDIA’S FIRST PLASTIC BUYBACK SCHEME

Vol. 2 ISSUE 7 August 2018

A buyback scheme for PET bottles and plastic milk pouches got

imposed by the state government after the strict ban of plastic.

To know more about this scheme, Read on...

POLICY PLATFORM

POSITIVE TRENDS

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HOTELS CAN RECOVER ENERGY

Every organisation tends to waste

energy in some way or the other.

But here’s the trick to restore...

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GREENEST HOTELS ACROSS THE GLOBE...

08www.greenotels.com

Setting an example to others and taking the

lead, these hotels are taking greatest efforts

towards ecofriendly functioning...

PROFIT

HOTEL CHAIN IN UNITED KINGDOMSAVES £500,000 IN ENERGY COSTS

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August Issue 2018

GREENOTELS’ FIRST SUSTAINABLE TOURISM TRAINING PROGRAM

POSITIVE TRENDS

TTDC all set to adopt best environmental

practices after GreenOtels’ training...

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Vol. 2 ISSUE 7 August 2018 |

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Minakshi Agarwal

I have just come back from Kenya and understood, perhaps for the first time, what is Zero Waste?

And what I have understood about Zero Waste is that this isn’t as simple as saying “I don’t throw anything in the garbage”. It is a way of thinking that looks at the broader system of how we make and use material.

In nature, one organism’s waste is another one’s food, and resources are used and reused until every scrap of energy possible is extracted. I saw this phenomenon with my own eyes. I saw that not a single hair was visible 3 hours after the death of a Zebra. I also saw how acres upon acres of grassland does not have a shred of tourism obscenities strewn around – no plastic bottles or wrappers – everyone extremely respectful of the environment – from an ant to the elephant all living in complete harmony – no traffic jams – no accidents – no greed – an economy of plenty – a mindset of collaboration and interdependence.

So, what I came back with was not a mindset of just Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - but a mindset of Rethink - to rethink all the questions that I should ask myself before using something - “What do I use this thing for? Do I really need it? Could I use it in a different way or use a different material that

would be better suited? Instead of throwing it away, is there a better use for the material?”

In fact, Sustainability has always been a core component of Indian culture. Its philosophy and values have underscored a sustainable way of life. Yoga and Ayurveda are perhaps among the most well-known ways of holistic Indian living. Sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and psyches still continue to be part of the lifestyle and culture. India has both a culture of hoarding (in case something might come in useful), and thriftiness (re-use and hand me-downs).

But somewhere along the way due to increasing globalization and western conveniences we began to lose our way - and the time has now come for each one of us to first Rethink and Refuse before we get down to the other three Rs because 7+ billion people and untold numbers of other species are all dependent upon a limited number of natural resources for survival.

Do keep me posted on any sustainability initiative you may have taken in your hotel or community at minakshi@greenotels.com

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Our aim has been to make GreenOtels as collaborative as possible, believing that a

diversity of perspectives enriches the work. We have reached out to experts, to

professionals and promoters in hospitality as well as companies engaged in sustainable

development to help make the big shift towards a sustainable future.

KNOWLEDGE ASSOCIATESBharat Malkani, E.C. FHRAI

CB Ramkumar, Our Native VillageGarish Oberoi, President, FHRAI

Niranjan Khatri, iSambhavParam Kanampilly, Concept Hospitality

Sanjay Sethi, ITC HotelsSteve Borgia, President, ESOI

ADVISORY PANELAmitabh Tyagi, The Taj Hotels

Arun Bahadur, The Oberoi HotelsAshish Rakheja, AEON Consultants

HC Vinayaka, ITC HotelsSanjeev Saxena, DLF Home Developers

Shankareswaran Jayaraj, RelianceSunil Relia, JLL Building Operations

Vikram Choubal, Marriott International

CORE COMMITTEEBENGALURU

Ajay Nayak, ITC Gardenia Bhaskar Masineni, The Leela Palace

Jagadish Itagi, The Ritz Carlton Murali Panicker, Taj Bangalore

CHENNAI N Ramamoorthy, ITC Grand Chola Hotel

HYDERABADAshok Hemrajani, Minerva Group

DELHIAnil Kumar, The Imperial

Neeraj Kaushik, The ClaridgesRahul Prabhakar, ITC Maurya

Rothin Banerjee, Taj PalaceSuman Majumder, Hyatt Regency

JAIPUR M Kannan, Oberoi Rajvilas

Siddhesh Khatu, ITC RajputanaVinay Paliwal, Jai Mahal Palace

MUMBAINilesh Mhatre, JW Marriott

Prashant Pawar, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts Prashant Vaidya, Hotel Sofitel

Praveen K Sharma, RenaissanceShailesh Kumar, JW Marriott

THE END OFPLASTIC STRAWS

Contributing their bit, this year, many hotels across the globe eliminated plastic straws, bottles and other items offering consumers alternatives upon request. Here is a list of a few...

• MGM Resorts International announced that single-use plastic straws will only be served upon request at company operated restaurants.• Hyatt hotels globally plan to eliminate single-use plastic straws and drink picks. • Meliá Hotels International will eliminate single-use plastics in all its hotels in 2018.• Anantara Hotels will remove straws from its properties by the end of 2018. • Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, India announced a ban on plastic straws from all 110 of their properties. • Taj Hotels will phase out straws from in-room dining at all 98 of their hotels.• AccorHotels is prohibiting plastic straws in its 83 North and Central American properties. • The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London was among the 60 U.K. hotels that removed plastic straws. • The Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Costa Rica eliminated the use of plastic straws earlier this year.• The Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane removed plastic straws and stirrers and adopted alternate products throughout the hotel including at Sazerac, the hotel’s 30th floor bar—and the tallest bar in Brisbane.• The Sheraton Maui Resort became Hawaii’s first resort to remove plastic straws from its restaurants, eliminating about 30,000 plastic straws per month.

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IHG LAUNCHES VOCO - A CHAIN OF GREEN HOTELS

InterContinental Hotels Group launched its new upscale hotel brand - VOCO this June.“Voco” inspired by the meaning ‘to invite’ or to ‘come together’ in Latin, aims to combine the informality and charm of an individual hotel with the quality and reassurance of a global and respected brand. The roll-out of voco will begin in IHG’s Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa region, with plans to take it to the Americas and Greater China over time. The new brand will drive significant incremental growth for IHG, with an expectation to open more than 200 Voco hotels in attractive urban and leisure P

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Vol. 2 ISSUE 7 August 2018 |

WESTIN BOSTON WATERFRONT HOTEL'S WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel’s Waste Management Program consists of a comprehensive single-stream recycling program with containers throughout the property. They train their staff using e-mails, at department meetings and hotel’s Green Week and Earth Day activities.

WBW food waste program has several facets

Waste prevention: WBW chefs identify foods that are often uneaten or partially eaten and adjust accordingly.

Food donation: WBW has donated over 1,800 pounds of food in 6 months. Rescuing Leftover Cuisine volunteers pick it up and deliver it to Rosie’s Place and the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Food waste diversion: WBW diverts nearly 65 tons of food waste per year. Waste Management processes it in Charlestown and takes the slurry to an anaerobic digestion facility to convert it into energy and fertilizer.

WBW reuses some of its surplus furniture internally and donates some of it to staff. Their leftover bathroom amenities go to Clean the World. Since WBW implemented the program, their waste bill has fallen from $16,000/month to less than $10,000/month.

3 STEPS TOWARDS MAKING RESPONSIBLE PLASTIC USAGE A REALITY

The only thing worse than being lied to is not knowing you’re being lied to. It’s true that plastic pollution is a huge problem, of planetary proportions. And it’s true we could all do more to reduce our plastic footprint. The lie is that blame for the plastic problem is wasteful consumers and that changing our individual habits will fix it.

So what can we do to make responsible use of plastic a reality?

First: Reject the lie. Litterbugs are not responsible for the global ecological disaster of plastic. Our huge problem with plastic is the result of a permissive legal framework that has allowed the uncontrolled rise of plastic pollution, despite clear evidence of the harm it causes to local communities and the world’s oceans. Recycling is also too hard and lacks the proper incentives to make it work well.

Second: Talk about our plastic problem loudly and often. Call your local and federal representatives to support bottle bills, plastic bag taxes and increased producer responsibility for reuse and recycling. There are signs that corporations are listening to consumer opinions, too. After petitions from customers and environmental organizations, McDonalds has pledged to use only sustainable packaging materials by 2025 and to phase out Styrofoam by the year end.

Third: Think bigger about zero waste. Instead of trying to reduce waste by a small fraction, some individuals and communities are shifting their lifestyles to ensure that nearly everything is reused, recycled or composted. Non-recyclable straws, to-go cup lids don’t fit into this system.

locations over the next 10 years. IHG also confirmed the first signing for the Voco brand outside of Europe will be the Watermark Hotel & Spa Gold Coast, Australia.

One of the things marking the launch out is that sustainability considerations were important to the development of Voco brand and the company is committed to an approach that they know can deliver quality and sustainability at the same time. Through soft and thoughtful touches, Voco will be sympathetic to local provenance and communities, as well as the charm of individual properties. The brand’s principal focus will reduce waste, with reduced need for large refurbishments.

Every guest will receive a welcome treat, inspired by the hotel and its location, and the curation of F&B menu items will champion local flavours and tastes. In-room the Voco brand will incorporate high-quality features, such as aerated showers, saving water and energy, and enhancing guest experience with improved water pressure.

Voco will seek to reduce single-use plastics, moving away from miniature bathroom amenities, and working with the right suppliers to retain quality through larger dispensers. Voco will also source high-quality bedding made from environmentally-friendly materials along with the introduction of filtered water to rooms, meetings and events spaces will help reduce one-time plastic glass waste and the cost to owners associated with offering bottled water.

MARRIOTT PLAYING AT THE FOREFRONTMarriott, the world’s largest hotel company, is making the most substantial changes across several of their hotel brand, including a straw ban at all 60 British properties. Marriott’s 11 upmarket Edition Hotels will eliminate single-use plastics by 2019, a move made in collaboration with Lonely Whale, an environmental organization.

Marriott will also phase out mini-plastic shampoo bottles from 1,500 of its North American hotels, including the brands Courtyard, Fairfield and Residence Inns, to be replaced by wall-mounted dispensers; Marriott’s changes are projected to eliminate 10.4 million plastic bottles, accounting for 113,000 pounds of plastic waste per year.P

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TUK HOTEL CHAINSAVES £500,000 IN ENERGY COSTS Village Hotel Club is a chain of 29 hotels and leisure clubs across the UK. Part of Village's performance strategy is to improve energy efficiency throughout their hotels and operations which will result in reduced energy spend and increase the value of the business. With the support of the energy performance company, Carbon Credentials, Village Hotel Club has achieved compliance with the Government's Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme and went on to save close to £500,000 in energy costs in 2017.

Improving energy usage in hotels has helped future proof the business against further hikes in energy prices and, therefore, increased the profitability of the business and its investment potential. Being sustainable has also added benefits including reduced wear and tear on building services, resulting in lower maintenance and asset replacement costs and, most importantly, provided a more comfortable environment for the guests. It also helps with staff retention and appeals to the growing number of carbon conscious

guests that we're seeing come through our doors. The expectations of the guests are changing. The corporate guests are particularly energy conscious who want to partner with energy efficient hotels and require proof of sustainability.

Making improvements to the way the hotel buildings function has had the biggest impact on our bottom line, with a saving of £460,000 in 2017 out of a total of £5.5 million in energy spend, which is forecast to increase to over £500,000 by the end of 2018.

One piece of advice to fellow hoteliers would be that it’s beneficial to use a third party expert who can propose the latest thinking and technology to support efficiency as well as carry out independent audits, and develop and take ownership of a sustainability programme for your hotels. That'll give you a clear strategy that is based on knowledge of the environmental sector, and policy requirements and will drive it through without the internal distractions of running a hotel.

This is where GreenOtels comes into the picture; to help the fraternity of hoteliers achieve environmental friendly goals. Remember, driving down your energy spend takes time - don't expect it to be fixed overnight.

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INDIA’S FIRST PLASTIC BUYBACK SCHEME TO COME INTO FORCE

Just weeks after Maharashtra imposed a ban on single-use plastic, the state government is set to implement a buyback scheme for PET bottles and plastic milk pouches. This move is the first of its kind in India. A deposit paid to a retailer upon purchase will be returned on handing bottles or plastic pouches back to the store. The state also plans to carry out a similar scheme for tetra packs and other such retail packaging in three months.

In a notification titled Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products Notification, 2018, the government has placed the onus of the scheme on manufacturers, terming it an "extended producer responsibility". The rule mandates that manufacturers will have to set up collection and recycling centres for the implementation of the scheme.P

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This model, however, may involve logistical challenges as it would need the integration of barcodes during the manufacturing process of the packaged water bottles, milk pouches in order to record details of the producers and sellers.

Buyback scheme for e-commerce companiesMaharashtra, home to India’s financial capital of Mumbai, has allowed e-commerce companies to use plastic packaging for three more months, according to a government order. During these three months, e-commerce firms will have to come up with a buyback plan to collect used plastic packaging material, ensure its recycling and disposal as well as source alternative packaging material.

The ban which came into effect on 23 June, had threatened a sharp rise in costs for retailers, beverage makers and sellers of bottled water, among other companies that rely on plastic for packaging. Representatives of companies including Amazon, H&M, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, including plastic lobby groups met Maharashtra government officials days before the ban, urging them to implement the rule in phases and relax some norms.

HYATT REGENCY - WAIKIKI BEACH, WINS HAWAII GREEN BUSINESS AWARD FOR THE 7TH YEAR

Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa has been awarded Hawaii Green Business Award for the 7th consecutive year. The resort was recognized as one of 17 businesses from throughout the state that is striving to operate in an environmentally, culturally, and socially responsible manner in order to contribute to the sustainability.

In the past year, the resort’s newest green efforts have included the initial installation of bulk body wash, shampoo in guestrooms and reducing plate waste by modifying menus and changing garnishes. The resort’s ongoing efforts include emphasis on thoughtfully sourced culinary offerings; the elimination of plastic water bottles in favor of reusable water bottles; and a comprehensive cultural program intended to help guests gain an appreciation and understanding for Hawaiian culture and history.

The Hawaii Green Business Awards are an annual partnership between the state’s Department of Health; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s Hawaii State Energy Office; the Board of Water Supply; the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

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The winners of the Green Hotelier Awards 2018 represent the most environmentally and socially responsible hotels around the world.

The Green Hoteliers Annual Awards changed format this year to align with the International Tourism Partnership’s Goals for 2030. ITP’s Goals invite the hotel industry to align their corporate social responsibility efforts with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also called the Global Goals.

Applications were invited from hotels of any size anywhere in the world and were judged on their initiatives to reduce energy and water consumption, their waste output, their roles as responsible businesses to their employees and in the local community, as well as looking at how they communicate their sustainable and responsible ethos to guests. The challenge was met by a broad range of properties from all around the world in locations as far flung as Malaysia, Ghana, Poland, Indonesia, Scotland and New York.

The Awards suggest that more hotels than ever are measuring their performance on energy, water, waste, and setting themselves new targets each year. Around the world hoteliers are investing in new technology as well as simple solutions to reduce their environmental impact. They’re taking their responsibility as fair employers very seriously, investing in the development of their staff, and raising awareness of human rights. Moreover, several hotels are encouraging guests to behave sustainably responsible during their stay via a range of innovative programmes that focus on learning and having fun.

With an aim of encouraging and recognising hotels specific to India, GreenOtels will soon be launching GreenOtels Awards, an initiative that will honour the fraternity of hotel industry making a change with respect to sustainibility.Keep an eye for this. And meanwhile, let us appreciate hotels that are taking efforts to contribute to the environment.The winners of the 2018 Green Hotelier Awards are:PO

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WORLD’S GREENEST HOTELS INSPIRED BY THE GLOBAL GOALS

Carbon: Winner: NH Conference Centre Leeuwenhorst.

This NH Hotels’ property in the Netherlands has exceeded its targets over the last year by reducing its energy consumption per occupied room by 15%. And ensuring energy isn’t wasted throughout the building. They reduce energy through cogeneration and tuse of more natural solutions like sunlight for lighting and heating. They use centralised systems to control room temperature and monitor energy use throughout the building. Guests reduce their own footprint by offering electric car charging points and bike rentals. Their commitment to reduced carbon footprint has really paid off.

Highly Commended: Inspira Santa Marta, Lisbon, Portugal

Water: Winner: Mercure Convention Center Ancol Jakarta.

Based in a city which struggles to supply water to all its inhabitants, the Mercure Convention Centre is actively working with local government to ensure more water of high quality is available locally. They ceased drawing from their well, engaged experts and

undertook a comprehensive audit, installing meters across the property, training staff, checking weekly for leaks, adding efficiency measures and re-using greywater. They’ve achieved a water saving of 51% in six years and 10% costs against an increase of 7% on revenue. And they’ve helped over 7,300 people access more and better water. A truly impressive commitment to water stewardship.

Highly Commended: NH Hesperia Lanzarote Hotel, Spain.

Waste: Winner: Glenuig Inn, Scotland

This small inn in a remote corner of Scotland has thought hard about sustainability initiatives that make sense for its location and community. It performed well across the board but set a particularly high bar on waste, reducing waste to landfill by 97.5% in the past ten years. Food waste becomes part of their energy solution, being dried and adding calorific value to their biofuel. The resulting ash is used in the garden. Chefs are skilled in portion control. By getting tough on packaging they’ve reduced their cardboard and plastic waste by 50% and they encourage guests to separate waste in bins for recycling.

Community: Winner: Six Senses Laamu, Maldives

When you’re based in a small island atoll, community is everything, and Six Senses Laamu takes giving back to its neighbours very seriously. It gives 0.5% of total revenues plus guest donations for sustainable development projects in the community, contributing to roofing for a school, construction materials for a mosque, aggregate for a harbour, lights for an airport, and metal for a waste management centre. It launched “Eku-Eky”, which means “together” in the local language of Dhievehi.

The aim is to strengthen relationships with Laamu Atoll communities, work towards sustainable development and achieve long-term conservation strategies. It drives conservation and education in schools. It hosts a quarterly meeting of all local councils and stakeholders to discuss sustainable development and how the resort can assist local communities. It jointly organises an annual turtle festival which last year saw 1000 people commit against poaching. 67% of staff come from the Atoll.

Workplace: Winner: LUX Grande Gaube, Mauritius

The judges were particularly impressed with this LUX property’s commitment to human rights training for all its staff, which is reported and externally audited. They provide a hotline for staff to the appropriate Mauritian agency for anonymous reporting of any workplace anomaly. Team members are offered a range of regular health checks as well as health insurance and their development is addressed P

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THE EVOLUTION OF “GREEN THOUGHT” IN HOTEL INDUSTRY

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Over the past several decades, hoteliers have turned their focus to the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry as it relates to hotel development and operations, including the environmental, economic and social impact. The hospitality sector has historically had a dramatic environmental impact through energy and water consumption, use of consumable and durable goods, and solid and hazardous waste creation.

Economically, myths include the ideas that green operation is more expensive and that guests are not interested in sustainability. In fact, according to Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research, the reverse is true for both. Recent advances in technology related to renewable sources of energy have improved the economics of using these kinds of alternative energies at the property level. As hoteliers begin to realize that they can provide an enhanced guest experience by integrating natural elements, there has been an evolution in “green thought” in the community inspired by multiple factors:

• Cost savingsCost is always a driving factor and reducing operating costs provides a compelling incentive for hoteliers, who now employ a variety of strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. Other emerging areas include sustainable procurement, indoor environmental quality and staff training.

• Economic incentivesOur government has enacted a variety of economic incentives to encourage the development of environmental retrofits and the construction of “green” buildings. These benefits include tax write-offs, financial grants, insurance premium discounts and expedited regulatory permitting.

• Regulatory affairsCurrent environmental regulations targeted toward the hotel sector are largely focused on facility operations such as storm-water management, hazardous materials handling, and environmental health and safety. However, a wide range of present and future legislative activities will impact hotel design, construction methods and operational approaches.

• Guest experienceA greater number of hoteliers understand that investments in environmental technology can have a direct positive impact on guest experience. Where the rubber meets the road, however, is what the guest thinks and feels about their hotel experience. More than ever, guests want to stay at properties that don’t feel like hotels—they want an “at-home” feeling.

• Corporate brand imageAdopting a sustainable corporate culture can provide a distinct advantage in terms of attracting and retaining talent. According to Shelton Group, 55% of the U.S. workforce would choose to work for a socially responsible company, even if they made less money—that number jumps to 76% for Millennials. Furthermore, 70%—83% of Millennials—would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues. These statistics make it clear that sustainability—and a company’s commitment to it is top of mind for employees.

• Brand imageMost major hotel brands have incorporated some level of sustainability platform into their brand definition. Several brands have been repositioned to cater to a younger generation of more environmentally and socially active customers. But companies really need to put their plans into action: According to Forbes, younger generations “take pride in knowing which brands aren’t just talking the talk, but are walking the walk.”Having sustainable business practices will lead to an enhanced reputation and brand image, which translates to great hotel profits in the long term.

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through the in-house LUX Training Academy. They anonymously survey staff to ensure they’re meeting commitments as a responsible employer.

Highly Commended: Sundance Apartments & Suites, Crete, Greece.

Special mentions:

Accra City Hotel, Ghana

Six Senses Zil Pasyon, SeychellesAlthough not winning categories, the judges wanted to particularly commend the Accra

WORLD’S GREENEST HOTELS INSPIRED BY THE GLOBAL GOALS

City Hotel for its strong commitment to ITP’s Goals and clear alignment of its CSR activities with the four critical issues of carbon, water, youth unemployment and human rights. Additionally, Six Senses Zil Pasyon deserves commendation for its communication of sustainability, particularly through a range of fun, engaging and educational weekly events for guests, encouraging them to learn and participate in eco-friendly and sustainable activities, as well as written information for both guests and hosts.

Overall winner:Responsible Hotel of the Year: Mercure Convention Center Ancol Jakarta.

The Green Hotelier Awards 2018, achieving the highest score of all entrants is the Mercure Convention Center Ancol.

Highly Commended: Six Senses Laamu, Maldives. A very close runner-up with fantastic commitments and achievements across all categories.

10 MILLION TREE PLANTATIONS - BYFOUR SEASONS The hotel chain is celebrating its 50th anniversary by planting 10 million trees across the 34 countries in which it operates with the

hope that the effort will help combat deforestation and global warming and attract more customers concerned about the state of the planet. Beyond what the major chains are doing, eco lodges run by or in partnership with native people or tribes have popped up all over the tropics and beyond; examples include Guludo Beach Lodge in Mozambique, Africa and Posada Amazonas in the Peruvian Amazon.

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GREENOTELS’ SUSTAINABLE TOURISM TRAINING PROGRAM - MADURAICarrying out the first Sustainable Tourism Training Program, GreenOtels reached Madurai to help Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation climb the ladder of sustainable-hospitality. In the course of two days, hoteliers were introduced to various eco friendly practices and were effectively guided towards achieving sustainable goals... Experts like Mr. Niranjan Khatri - founder of iSambhav and the Ex-General Manager (GM) for Environment Initiatives at ITC hotels and Sriram Kuchimanchi - founder of Smarter Dharma who have been working in the space of green practices educated hoteliers on latest trends, technologies, and transformational developments.

First day of the training program was conducted by Niranjan who covered subjects like eco design - the art of integrating environmental concerns in every business process and spoke about the problems faced by hoteliers on daily basis. The training focused on key objectives like using less or benign substitutes of harmful materials, being nature sensitive organisation, exceeding compliance level - avoiding adverse

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HOTELS CAN RECOVER ENERGY WASTED... CHECK IT OUT!

You may be doing everything you can to be energy efficient but more than half of energy produced is wasted. However, it’s possible to recover waste energy and re-use it.

José Melico, Founder of Zypho, leader in the industry of shower heat recovery systems explains how....

Hotels around the world are investing in reducing their energy consumption by using more energy efficient technology and methods, and encouraging guests to adopt eco-friendly habits such as towel reuse. But, despite efforts, more than half of energy produced is still being wasted. In order to truly address energy consumption, the future is in recovery of inevitable waste energy from daily functions, and finding ways to reuse it further to reduce the energy consumption.

Here are some examples of established and developing energy recovery technology being adopted in hotels and the hospitality industry.

Biogas from Biomass WasteFood waste can be recycled with owners composting food to use around hotel grounds and to fertilise hotel grown produce, but energy from food waste can also be extracted and recovered. The Savoy Hotel uses biomass broken down by anaerobic digestion which is gathered with other commercial food waste and converted into biogas for electricity at the PDM power plant, with the electricity then supplied to the grid. AD waste can be converted to heat energy. Walt Disney World has its own biogas facility built by Harvest Power clean tech company.

Drain Water Heat RecoveryValuable energy in hotels is literally going down the drain with every shower taken. The process of temperature regulation is

inefficient: The cold water comes directly from the mains as the hot water comes from a heating device. During a shower, the tap mixes a large volume of hot water to cold water to obtain the ideal water temperature for the user. A water heat recovery device installed under a shower tray or a bathtub can recover energy from the warm water heading down the drain. The heat is transferred to the cold water mains before arriving to the shower tap mixer. The cold water reaches the mixer tap already preheated, thus requiring less hot water to reach the ideal temperature.

Heat Pipe TechnologyHotel heating and air conditioning systems are a huge source of energy waste due to this process being enacted on a large scale and variable from room to room. Heat pipes are thermal transfer devices capable of transferring heat and energy several hundred times faster than conventional methods. Using the technology can recover up to 70% of the heat energy. There are many types of heat pipe devices, and all are designed to be compact and require minimal intervention.

Example in hotel setting-Advanced Cooling Technologies provides a testimonial of their heat pipe system, created for a Korean resort hotel to recover waste heat generated by the air conditioning. The hotel is located in a major metropolitan area with an estimated cost of electricity at $0.15/kWh. At the design point, energy recovery savings are approximately $104.40/day.

Steam Energy RecoverySteam has played a huge role in energy production since the industrial revolution, and now energy recovery from steam produced in hotel kitchens is becoming more widespread in hotels. SMEG Foodservice is one example of a steam recovery system being used in hotel dishwashers. Steam forming in the washing chamber flows into the steam recovery unit placed at the back of the dishwasher. A ventilator pushes it into contact with water pre-loaded in the machine and circulated through an auxiliary hydraulic pump. The water comes down as rain, heating as it comes into contact with the steam below, with up to 30% energy savings.P

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regulatory actions, working towards imbibing environment management system (EMS) and life cycle assessment (LCA) and a lot more.

Similarly, the second day of the program was based on practical insights wherein Sriram shared detailed inputs and solutions on current, real-time issues faced by similar sized hotels and resorts. He focused on how data mining can help enhance efficiencies in energy and water conservation. He also shared cost- benefit analyses on waste management processes. He left the audience with several facts and figures and case studies for better understanding.

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HOTEL JAYA HOUSE RIVERPARK’S MD LAUNCHES "REFILL NOT LANDFILL" CAMPAIGNChristian de Boer, Managing Director of Jaya House River Park, a 36-room hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia, launched a campaign to get businesses throughout the region to offer refillable aluminum water bottles instead of disposable plastic. The campaign called Refill Not Landfill avoided the placement of 1.2 million plastic bottles into Cambodia’s waste stream. More than 40 members of Siem Reap’s hospitality and tourism industries and development sector joined this initiative.

Key to the success of the campaign is a sophisticated way to show bottle users where they can fill up their bottles using a QR code placed on each. The back of bottles also feature the names of all free-of-charge water refill locations across the city. There are now 85 locations in Cambodia where tourists can go for bottle fill-ups. Outside of Cambodia, there are 100 more locations. The campaign has gained momentum as more businesses participate, and increasing number of water refill stations are identified. From an initial launch location in Siem Reap, the program has expanded to other cities in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Jaya House River Park has partnered with Coola-Products for its bottles. At first, the aluminum bottle costed $9 each but by joining with other local businesses Boer has gotten the price down to a reasonable $3.10. The cost of a room night at Jaya House River Park has been increased $1 to cover the cost. With a life span of a minimum three years, a single bottle can replace as many as 4,380 plastic bottles. The Refill Not Landfill campaign has already received orders for 65,000+ bottles, and rising, representing a potential saving of 175,200,000 plastic bottles over the next four years.

AGUA CALIENTE CASINO RESORT ADOPTS NEW GREEN INITIATIVE

The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has added another green initiative to its efforts to further reduce its impact on the environment in Southern California by becoming the first hotel property in the Coachella Valley to implement ORCA Technology, an innovative technology developed by ORCA Digesters, Inc.that turns food waste into water. The application of this system will divert approximately 624 tons of food waste from local landfills per year, thereby reducing the amount of methane gases produced at landfill sites, lowering garbage truck diesel fuel usage, and resulting CO2 emissions. Additionally, the digested food waste can then be used to create renewable energy resources at the local wastewater treatment facilities.

“The environment, after all, is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest. It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”

- Lady Bird Johnson

GREEN PRACTICES BY CHAIN OF1 HOTELSThe chain of 1 Hotels believe in paying utmost importance to sustaintable practices. They utilize recycled and repurposed natural materials throughout the communal spaces and in their hotel rooms. Not only does the brand’s sustainable ethos reflect in the decor and architecture of their hotels, but they also have Tesla available for hotel guests.

1 Hotels are on the horizon, including one in Haitang Bay, China, another in Silicon Valley, and one in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The Haitang Bay hotel will feature an on-site farm with fresh, organic fruits, and veggies to supply the its restaurants.

Some of the many practices they follow are-

Shower Timers - A gentle reminder that just a few minutes saved can add up to make a big difference.

Plastic Out, Wood In - The room keys come in 5 different types of recycled wood.

Hang In There - Hangers provided in rooms are made of 100%post consumer recycled materials.

Write On - In an attempt to save paper, there are black boards in every room for notes and doodles.

Home To Plants - The hotels are home to over 1000 types of plants

1 Hotels have partnered with a number of initiatives like Action Against Hunger, Forest Stewardship Council, Great Forest, Just Water to name a few, to get the functioning of all the properties as environmental friendly as possible.P

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Disclaimer : Although we have taken every care to make the information in this publication as accurate as possible, we accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies or changes since going to press. All information here in is gathered from primary, secondary and tertiary sources.

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Editor: Minakshi Agarwal. Editorial Contribution: Pooja AkulaPublished by Root Cause Mediaa, Bungalow 36, Block W, Opp LS Raheja College, Relief Road Santa Cruz (West), Mumbai 400 054E: info@greenotels.com P: 022 60660151 W: www.greenotels.com

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REVOLUTIONARY ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS SINCE 1970

We know it is the need of the hour to protect our Earth in more than many ways, but looking on the positive side, here are a few revolutionary environmental movements that took place over the decades and change the way we treated the environment.

1970 "Environmental Magna Carta"

1972 Notorious Toxic Chemical Banned

1974 Getting the Lead Out of Gas

1975 Global Agreement on Endangered Species

1980 Vast Alaskan Lands Protected

1986 McPackaging Improves

1987 Plugging the Ozone Hole

1992 Rio Earth Summit

1995 Gray Wolves Reintroduced to Yellowstone

1997 Early Climate Agreement

2001 Roadless Areas Protected

2003 Electric Cars Get Cool

2009 Massive Marine Monument

2015 Climate Agreement

2017 Tougher Ozone Standards

2018 India Global Host - World Environment Day