The Carlson Hotels Worldwide

Practical Guide to
“Greening” Your Hotel

November 2008 © Carlson Hotels Worldwide

Carlson Hotels Worldwide
Responsible Business Commitment
“Carlson Hotels Worldwide is committed to
conducting every facet of our business in a
responsible manner. We will demonstrate
our commitment by endeavoring to have our
actions and interactions with our employees,
guests, community, partners, suppliers and
our environment align with our values,
supporting policy and programs.”
table of contents 3

INTRODUCTION
› Being “Green” Rounds out Responsible NOTE:
Business Practices
› CHW Environmental Policy This is an interactive
› The Changing Color of Hospitality PDF. Click on the Table
› It isn’t Easy Being Green...Or is it?
of Contents to the left,
DID YOU KNOW? navigation bar at the
› Green Lighting the Green Movement
bottom of this page, and
› And the Survey Says…
› Guest Survey Findings links throughout this
› Mitigating Barriers document to find the
GETTING STARTED information you need.
› Ready. Set. Go Green!
› 10 Quick Hits for Getting Started
› Green Action Checklists

GREEN MEETINGS POLICY

› Green Meetings Practices Can Produce
a Greener Bottom Line
› Defining Green Certification Programs
› The Beginning: Establishing a Green
Meetings Policy
› Corporate Social Responsibility /
Responsible Business and RFPs
› Tips for Moving to the Head of the Green
Meetings Class

RESOURCES
› CHW’s Glossary of “Green” Terms
› Online Resources for More Information

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 introduction 4

Being “Green” Rounds out

Responsible Business Practices
At Carlson Hotels Worldwide, our commitment to
“responsible business” extends throughout the company.
In fact, our company is committed to conducting every
facet of our business in a responsible manner.
How are we doing this? By creating programs, policies
and partnerships that are built upon four important
responsible business pillars that include ethics, culture,
community and environment. These four elements
are used as a filter in decision making. It is Active
Stewardship that guides us in making the right decisions
while making the greatest positive impact on society
and minimizing negative impact on the environment.
We remain focused on our business imperatives of
People, Business and Finance and are making responsible
business a reality by:
People
• Protecting children from exploitation;
• Building a diverse workforce and supplier network;
• Contributing to the community (charitable
contributions, engaging local staff and sponsorships);
• Human rights (non-discrimination, fair pay,
non-child labor);
• Workplace and customer health and safety;
• Engaging in proactive education initiatives.
Business
• Partnering with suppliers whose products and
operations align with our policies;
installing Energy-Star
• Working to minimize emissions and waste. rated lights can
Finance
SAVE 20%
• Adhering to our code of conduct and ethical in energy costs.
business practices;

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 introduction 5
• Being good financial stewards;
• Working to minimize resource consumption.
Everyday, we remain focused on how our business
practices impact our key stakeholders. This promise is
expressed through our commitment statement.

CHW Environmental POLICY

While corporate policy isn’t usually very exciting, it is an essential stake in the ground for companies
like ours to state “this is what we believe and this is how we operate related to these issues.”
When it comes to the environment, we’ve developed and work within the following policy to give
all CHW stakeholders a common way forward. It simply says:

Our People — Employees will be educated, encouraged and given opportunities to participate in
and make decisions in favor of sustainability and doing minimal harm to the environment.

Our Guests — We will communicate our programs to guests and provide them the opportunity
to support our commitment.

Hotel Owners and Operators — We will provide our franchisees with educational
opportunities, guidance and a framework by which they can support our commitment to the
environment.
Suppliers — We will communicate our commitment to suppliers and partners making decisions
in favor of supporting environmental sustainability wherever possible.

Community — We will…
• Take an active and leadership role in the global responsible business community participating in
and developing best practice programs.
• Extend our efforts to involve the community where possible.
• Be transparent with our efforts providing baseline and progress reporting against targets to
conserve, re-use and replace resources consumed in the process of conducting our business.

This guide specifically addresses the environmental aspects of our responsible business program. It
is intended to serve as a foundational element to the overall CHW sustainability program.

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 introduction 6
The Changing Color of Hospitality
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hip to be “green.” In fact,
these days it seems that every other business is promoting
itself as earth-friendly to attract new customers and to
attract employees. But are these companies just wearing
organic clothing or is there something more tangible
underneath?
The more we hear the term “green” associated with
everything and anything that’s supposed to be better for
our environment, the more the term gets watered down
into a buzz word that’s difficult to define.
This guide has been created to help your hotel cut through
the sustainability-carbon footprint-clutter, and avoid
becoming a “green washer” — one in organic clothing
on the surface who talks the environmental talk, but isn’t
actually doing anything of substance. it takes over

In the following pages, we’ll discuss: 1.5 million

• The business opportunities available to hotels with barrels of oil
to manufacture a year’s
viable sustainability practices.
worth of bottled water.
• What Carlson Hotels is doing to support this effort
at the corporate level.
• The meanings behind the many different words
associated with being “green”.
• The challenges and opportunities we face as an
industry.
• Real, easy-to-implement steps your hotel can begin
doing today to minimize your environmental impact.
• Resources that are available today to help you get
started.
• How putting this guide into practice will help answer
the “green” questions on corporate RFPs.

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 introduction 7

So…back to the question at hand.

What does being “green” mean?
One authority that does a good job of getting down to the basics is the U.S. Green Building
Council, a non-profit group in Washington D.C. It regularly grades commercial buildings on areas
such as water efficiency, solid waste, energy use, building materials and indoor air quality.
At Carlson Hotels, we agree that these are the main elements to consider in the greening of a
hotel, as they take into consideration all operations from the inside out, including the land the
building sits on and the air we breathe.
This sum of a hotel’s environmental impact is often called
its “ecological footprint,” which is sometimes confused
or interchanged with a “carbon footprint” — but they
are different. According to Wikipedia these terms are
defined as:
Ecological footprint — An overall measure of
human demand on the Earth’s ecosystems. It represents
the amount of productive land and sea area needed to
regenerate the resources a human population consumes.
Carbon footprint — A subset of the ecological
footprint that measures the impact human activities
have on the environment in terms of the amount of
greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide produced. It is the
impact a person, business or nation has on contributing
to global warming. Other terms that are often misused
or misunderstood include:
Carbon offsetting — A way to help make your CO2
heavy activities greener. This is achieved by offsetting the
unfriendly action — such as flying in a plane, or driving 200 miles a week — with an environmentally
friendly action that is calculated to balance the CO2 emission. Ways of reducing CO2 can be as
simple as reducing CO2 emitting activity itself or using alternatives such as solar or wind energy.
Sustainability — At its most basic level, it means using methods, systems and materials that
won’t deplete resources or harm natural cycles — or meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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It isn’t Easy Being Green…Or is it?
If a hotel offers a nature tour here, a recycling bin there,
will it really matter that they’re dumping waste into the
sewer system or running up energy bills comparable to a
Las Vegas casino?
Absolutely! It matters to our brand’s reputation, to
employees who want to work for an organization that
cares…and ultimately to your bottom line!

consider these long-term business benefits

1. Guests are increasingly taking an interest in the environment at home and at the places they
do business — and being environmentally conscious can go a long way to bolster your marketing
efforts. But, it’s much more than a public relations issue. A growing number of travelers consider
the environmental impact when selecting a hotel or travel destination.
According to a survey by the Travel Industry Association of America, 54 million
adults said they were inclined to book with travel companies that strive to
protect and preserve the local environment of the destination. Communicating
to guests that your hotel cares for both the environment and their comfort will
go a long way toward earning their respect and loyalty for years to come.

2. When employees see that you are working to minimize your ecological footprint, they will
feel they are employed by a caring company. For example, the use of non-toxic cleaners can spare
the Earth of toxic waste…not to mention their housekeeping staff of the potentially ill effects of
working with harsh cleaning agents. Being aware of your hotel’s stance encourages employees to
perform their duties with the environment in mind and can enhance pride in their property and in
the work they perform to keep their hotel healthy.

3. Many efforts aimed at reducing the consumption of energy, water and waste can also reduce
your business costs! Even minor steps in the right direction can make a substantial difference.
Products that reduce energy consumption can save money for years, sustaining a business for the
long term. In addition, green building and procurement practices, such as using low VOC paint
(volatile organic compounds), can also create healthier places to live and work.
As environmental issues take center stage in the global community, your hotel can make proactive
decisions about operating in ways that make sense for the environment.

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 did you know? 9

Green Lighting the

Green Movement The AH&LA reports
success in the
The hospitality industry spends about $3.7 billion a year
following areas:
on energy, yet much of this goes to waste. So, what is
the hotel industry doing when it comes to being more • Recycling paper and
environmentally responsible, and is it working? cardboard, and instituting
recycling programs in
A hotel survey conducted by the American Hotel and
administrative areas.
Lodging Association in May 2008, shows there are a
number of things that hotels are doing well. • Using compact fluorescent
• Offering linen and towel reuse programs. 88% of light bulbs in guestrooms
responding hotels report having a linen reuse program and public spaces.
for guests staying multiple nights; 83.5% offer a towel • Adding water-conserving
reuse program. retrofits to showers.
• Training maintenance staff on conservation • Tracking energy and
and energy procedures. The majority of properties water consumption
surveyed (82.3%) train maintenance staff on on a monthly basis.
conservation and energy procedures. (Baseline measurements
Environmental benefits and building guest loyalty were are important when
cited as the biggest motivators for implementing green monitoring costs and
lodging practices. Other issues giving green lights to the progress.)
green movement include: financial savings and increasing
market share.
Where do hotels say they need improvement? Nearly
half (43.4%) of AH&LA survey respondents reported having
programmable on/off timers or sensors for lighting in
low-traffic areas, but only 16% use occupancy sensors for
guestroom thermostats. And while some hotel recycling
programs are going well, many have challenges when it
comes to instituting food waste recycling and programs for
recycling in guestrooms and recreational areas.
Suppliers and purchasing create another challenge. Hotels
report that they aren’t using vendors who offer recycled products.
A result, hotels feel they are not using eco-friendly products such
as Green Seal Certified paints and cleaning chemicals.

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 did you know? 10
And the Survey Says…
Energy audits often
A survey of our own hotels showed that although we are detect opportunities
making progress in the area of environmental sustainability that can
there is significant opportunity to implement programs.
SAVE UP TO 20%
In May 2008, we surveyed our guests and hotels, asking of energy costs.
them a variety of questions about environmental issues
to measure their level of engagement and acceptance of
potential green practices at Carlson-branded hotels.

CHART 1: Approximately 40% of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson

and 22% of Radisson Hotels surveyed said they have
some sort of environmental program in place.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM IN PLACE

PARK PLAZA AND PARK INN NOT INCLUDED

YES

NO

Combined CI&S Radisson

CHART 2: When a hotel has a recycling program in place, the focus

is on the basics. An opportunity exists for stepping up
recycling efforts of batteries, food waste and metals.

RECYCLING BY TYPE

82%

62%
56%
41%

21% 19%
12%
PAPER PLASTIC GLASS BATTERIES CARDBOARD FOOD WASTE METALS

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 did you know? 11
CHART 3: In general, less than 25% of our hotels have guestroom
recycling in place.
GUEST SURVEY
GUESTROOM RECYCLING KEY FINDINGS
The survey yielded a large amount
PAPER
of valuable data from which the
following were determined to be26%
PLASTIC
key findings: 23% 55%
OTHER
• Half of Radisson and Country Inns23%
N/A
& Suites By Carlson customers are
willing to book an environmentally
friendly hotel room, and 26% are
CHART 4: There is significant opportunity to evaluate water willing to pay more for such a stay.
conservation programs at our hotels, as today we are • Consumer acceptability of hotel
focused on other types of environmental initiatives. environmental practices decreases
when the consumer is asked to
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
give up something.
• Overwhelmingly, customers prefer
89% an entirely smoke-free hotel.
58% • The majority of guests would like
52%
to see recycling containers placed
10%
throughout the hotel.
GAS LIGHTING 100% SMOKE FREE PTAC CLEANING
• More than 40% claim to recycle
when traveling.
CHART 5: Today, very few Carlson hotel properties have an energy As a result of the survey, Carlson
management system in place. Hotels recommends that your hotel
1) implement obvious environmental
ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM practices that do not require the
customer to give-up anything (i.e.
offer recycling containers and
YES smoke-free policies); and 2) roll
out green practices that demand
NO
more of the guests once “green”
credibility is established.
EMS Interfaced EMS

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 did you know? 12
Other interesting Guest Survey
findings include:
58% I would book a hotel room that is environmentally-
friendly and offers in-room recycling, furniture and
linens made from sustainable products, low-energy
lighting and appliances, and low-water usage
bathroom fixtures.

56% I actively seek environmentally-friendly products

and services.

54% I am willing to give up something, such as daily

change of linens, if the hotel makes a contribution
to an environmental organization in return.
52% I would be interested in participating in a hotel
program that helps to reduce the hotel’s carbon
footprint or to offset its carbon emissions.
50% Environmentally friendly practices are appropriate at
higher-priced hotels.
49% Environmentally-friendly practices are appropriate at
lower-priced hotels.
44% Country Inns & Suites is currently an
environmentally-friendly hotel.
35% Radisson is currently an environmentally-friendly
hotel.
26% I consider the environmental friendliness of a hotel
when deciding at which hotel to stay. tools and resources that help your
26% I am willing to pay more for a stay at an
environmentally friendly hotel.
Mitigating Barriers
Two of the most significant barriers
to implementing eco-friendly
initiatives included having enough
capital to invest and achieving
return on investment. The reality,
however, is that instituting eco-
friendly initiatives often reduce
operating costs which can lead to
increased profitability.
When developing an environmental
policy, it is important to consider
long-term and broad-based
implications. For example, paper
made using post-consumer waste
may cost more, but can be offset
by moving toward a paperless
workplace — one that has a
reduced need for ink cartridges,
printers and other items.
At Carlson Hotels Worldwide,
we are committed to providing
hotel implement environmental
programs that make sense for your
business and align with what our
guests want.

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Ready, Set, Go Green!

Sample Green
Now that you have a better understanding of what it Hotel Policy
means for your hotel to be “green,” and what Carlson Our hotel plays an important
Hotels is doing as a company to answer the global call role in protecting and enhancing
for sustainable business practices…you’re ready to begin the environment for future
implementing an environmental program at your hotel. generations, and we will help
secure the long-term sustainability
But, where do you start? Will your employees support this of the tourism industry by:
initiative? What are your specific goals? And, how will you • Achieving sound environmental
know if your efforts have made a difference? practices across our entire
To help answer these questions, there are five steps you’ll operation.
need to move through to effectively launch your internal • Complying fully with all
program. They are: environmental legislation.
• Minimizing our use of energy,
1. Establish a policy and system. It’s no secret that water and materials.
the best way to make any business program work is to • Minimizing our waste and
establish a policy that clearly states what your objective is, reducing, reusing and recycling
and then based on this policy, create an internal process for the resources consumed by our
moving the program forward. business wherever practical.
• Inviting customers, suppliers
and contractors to participate
in our efforts to protect the
environment.
• Working with others, where
possible, to achieve wider
environmental goals.
• Providing all employees with
training and resources required
to meet our objectives.
• Communicating our policies and
practices to interested parties.
• Monitoring and recording our
environmental impacts, and then
comparing our performance
against stated objectives to
measure improvement over time.

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This two-part management system is just the type of formal
framework you’ll need for establishing your green program
and creating benchmarks for measuring when key targets
are being hit.

2. Conduct an environmental review. How do

you know where you’re going if you don’t know where
you’ve been? After you write a green policy, consider the
key impacts your property has on the environment. Identify
in each department the key “inputs” (what you use, like
energy, water and chemicals) and “outputs” (what you
create in terms of air and chemical emissions, waste and
contaminated water) so you can determine the priorities
for your hotel.

3. Set attainable and measurable goals. Now

that you’ve done the research and determined the best
places to focus your green efforts, it’s time to establish
goals and an action plan. While your internal audit should
be used as the guiding light, be sure the basic areas of
environmental concern are covered in your goal setting. Setting
They include: energy, water, waste and air quality. Attainable Goals
For each of these areas, set specific goals and create Whether setting goals that
realistic action plans. A more suitable action plan apply to energy, water, waste
would be to reduce electrical costs or consumption by a or air quality, consider:
specific amount or to replace all incandescent light bulbs • How you plan to measure
with compact fluorescents whenever a bulb needs to be performance and / or
replaced or by a specific timeframe. change (i.e. will a
For each goal, build in a method for measuring percentage reduction be
change. If your goal is “to replace all incandescent light measured in “consumption”
bulbs with fluorescents,” create a system for tracking when or “cost”?)
and where the bulbs are replaced, that they were disposed • When do you plan to
of properly, and the change in energy use over time. meet the target?
Finally, keep employees informed of your green
• Who is responsible for
program progress by posting program monitoring
managing the effort?
results on staff notice boards.

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Use a simple graphic format that compares results to the
previous month, and over time, the same month in the
previous year. Employees will take a great interest and pride
in knowing they are helping to “move the needle” in the
right direction.

4. Select a Green Team to run the program.

It’s great to have an environmental initiative, but if you
don’t have a team assembled to manage the new program,
it may not succeed. So, before you jump in, select “Green
Team” members that are enthusiastic leaders and who are
passionate about environmental issues.
Ensure the group has representation from each
More than
department, including management, and ensure various
members can provide technical expertise, organization 100 million
and communication skills. No more than 10 people should trees worth of bulk mail
be part of the team, ensuring that the group is neither is received each year. Keep
trash and recycling costs
too large nor too small to be effective. Appoint a “green
down by removing names
champion” — the one person who is responsible for from junk mail lists.
keeping your program moving forward.
When recruiting members for the team, consider:
• Time commitment
• Interest in the environment
• Different perspectives
• Diverse departmental makeup
• Motivated individuals who will encourage other
employees to participate in the program and who will
keep others excited and informed
5. Motivate staff to generate interest in the
program. Being environmentally responsible doesn’t
mean that one day your job is done. For this reason, it’s
important to keep your Green Team and all employees
motivated to do the right things. Here are some ideas for
getting, and keeping, everyone on board:

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• Use staff meetings to inform employees of your
objectives, and get their ideas and support.
• Consider building a recognition program into your
environmental initiative, to show employees you value
their opinions and are serious about involving them in
the program’s progress.
• Involve every employee. This not only helps gain
their commitment, but they often have their own ideas
about actions that can be taken and how best to carry
out the policy.
• Communicate savings and other improvements with
tangible examples. For example, “enough water was
saved this past month to fill an Olympic-size swimming
pool,” or “every 2,000 pounds of recycled paper saves
17 trees.”
• Show leadership at every opportunity by switching
off lights, saving water, and using recycled paper.
• Post a copy of your environmental policy in employee
break rooms and on back-of-the-house bulletin boards.
• Get involved in local and national environmental
initiatives. Attend events, subscribe to green magazines,
and communicate successes or ask for assistance on issues
from CHW corporate representatives. This will help you
gain a deeper understanding of the issues and how others
are tackling them.

Green Action Checklists

There are many actions a hotel can take to begin protecting the
More than
environment and save money. The problem is knowing where
to start and the best actions that will bring real benefits to the 30 billion
environment and the business. bottles go to landfills
each year and take
Determining an appropriate starting point will vary from one
hotel to another because of differences in operations, customer 700 years
base, state and country legislation, local priorities, and if the before they begin to
decompose in a landfill.
hotel has already taken steps toward greening up the property.

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The following pages provide specific ideas and action steps
for positively impacting energy, waste, water and air quality
Energy efficient
concerns at your hotel. programmable
temperature
management can
reduce energy costs

UP TO 15%.

10 Quick Hits for Getting Started

While you’re in the process of drafting a policy, auditing the various departments and
building your green team, there are several cost-effective, easy-to-implement green
actions that can be taken to start making a difference. Don’t try to do them all at once.
Select a few to get started, as every little action helps!

1. Ensure all in-room appliances are
switched off when not in use.
2. Evaluate cleaners, sanitizers, paints,
pesticides and other chemicals used
throughout your facility. Can a safer
product be substituted? Can a product
be eliminated? Are chemicals being
stored safely?
3. Buy recycled paper products for use in
the office and throughout the hotel.
4. For the kitchen, buy in bulk, and buy
locally produced goods.
5. Start a back-of-house recycling program
for trash collected from guestrooms,
the kitchen and business office. Target
materials: paper of all kinds, bottles and
cans, plastics and cardboard.
6. Do not leave water taps running while
cleaning in guestrooms or cooking in the
kitchen.
7. Institute a linen reuse program for
guests. A program is already available
through Carlson Hotels.
8. Turn off television and lights in guest-
rooms; determine optimal HVAC
temperature settings.
9. Use dishwashers and washing machines
with full loads only.
10. Donate leftover food, amenities and
other “extras” to local shelters or other
recipients.

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ENERGY
Everyone has felt the sting of rising energy costs, yet among all your operating
costs, energy utilities are one of the most controllable. Here are some ideas
for stretching your energy dollar by reducing the amount of this resource your
property consumes.

Keep in-room mini refrigerators on a conservation setting and have housekeeping check
3 the setting when cleaning and upon guest check-out. 3
3 Check and maintain all equipment regularly to ensure it is functioning efficiently.
Identify and implement low-cost measures such as installing energy-efficient light bulbs
3 and motion detectors.

3 Use bicycles and hybrid vehicles for moving guests and employees around your property.
Install and set energy-efficient, programmable temperature management systems for
3 operating (and non-operating) hours.
Set all hotel computers to hibernate after five minutes without use, or shut down
3 completely during non-work hours.

3 Use rechargeable batteries for calculators, etc.

3 Close curtains to reduce solar gain.

3 If room is booked, turn room controls to minimum comfort level.

3 Ensure furniture is not placed in front of HVAC units.

3 Ensure HVAC / PTAC units are regularly cleaned and maintained.

3 Close windows and doors if central heating / air conditioning is on.

3 Keep doors to refrigerators, freezers and cold rooms closed when not in use.

3 Only switch on lights in bar and restaurant areas where natural light is insufficient.

3 Keep oven preheating periods to a minimum.

3 Use correct ring, pan size and quantities for cooking.

3 Unplug items that use electricity when rooms are out of service.

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WATER
Profits go down the drain, literally, when water is not conserved.
Fortunately, there are many measures that can be taken to reduce
consumption. Here are a few to consider…

3 Exchange aerosol cleaners with refillable spray bottles.

Make sure you are following manufacturer recommended washing/rinsing cycles for
3 laundry to ensure you are operating equipment as efficiently as possible as it relates to
both water and energy.
Get leaking or dripping taps, toilets and pipes fixed; ensure drain plugs in sinks and tubs
3 fit properly.
Install sensors, low-flow and other water-saving fittings in kitchens, guest bathrooms
3 and public restrooms.

3 Train staff to not leave water taps running.

3 Institute towel and bed linen reuse programs.

3 Run washing machines and dishwashers only when they are fully loaded.

3 Recover waste water from laundry rinse cycles for reuse in garden.

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WASTE
From the guestroom to the loading dock, waste is a perpetual challenge
for hoteliers. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce waste —
through intelligent purchasing, packaging, recycling and education.

3 Replace back-of-the-house paper products (i.e. paper plates and paper towels) with eco-friendly
products.
3 Purchase “to go” containers that are made from recycled and biodegradable materials.

3 Establish purchasing guidelines to encourage the use of durable, repairable equipment, and
high-quality, reusable products such as linen and tableware.
3 Donate soap and toiletries to local shelters.
3 Distribute restaurant condiments from behind the counter, rather than in single-service packets.
Donate food that wasn’t served to local food banks (check local and state guidelines, as some
3 “good samaritan” laws protect the donor from liability if the food is properly stored and handled
by the donor and then later improperly stored and handled by the food bank).

3 Produce scraps can be composted on site, or donated to local farmers for composting or
animal feed.
3 Donate linens you are taking out of service but that are still in good shape to local charities.
3 Donate furniture and equipment to institutions or charity.

3 Purchase cleaning supplies in bulk to minimize packaging and save money. Concentrated
cleaning solutions can be diluted on site and dispensed in reusable pump-spray bottles.
3 Ask your vendors and suppliers to provide supplies that are not over-packaged.

3 Change lighting from incandescent to fluorescent. Fluorescent bulbs last much longer, meaning
that you have fewer bulbs to dispose of and spend less time changing them.

3 Practice “grasscycling,” that is, the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn to
decompose; compost landscape wastes.
3 Recycle motor oils, antifreeze, paint, etc., used by grounds keeping and maintenance employees.
3 Recycle office paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass.
3 Collect old telephone books, magazines, newspapers, beverage containers, etc., from guestrooms.
3 3 Provide bottle-less water alternatives for employees and for meetings.
3 3 Remove your hotel’s name from junk mail lists.
3 3 Use recycled office paper.

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AIR QUALITY
As travelers and workers demand clean air, hotels are finding
new and innovative ways to provide it, and getting a marketing
kick to boot.

Consider paring and consolidating chemical stations into one that is used by kitchen
3 staff, housekeeping, and maintenance.
Identify areas with emissions, monitor air quality of discharge and install leak detection
3 equipment.
Ensure adequate ventilation of guestrooms, public areas, kitchen and laundry / dry
3 cleaning facilities.

3 Regularly vacuum or clean out vents in bathrooms and over cooking areas.
Ensure rainwater is not leaking into the air conditioning system, as this can lead to the
3 growth of mold spores being dispersed throughout the building.
Dust and vacuum soft surfaces (i.e. carpeting, upholstery, drapery) daily to eliminate dust
3 mites and other air-borne allergens / contaminants.

3 Create safe systems for handling, storage and use of paints and solvents.

3 Service boilers regularly to ensure efficient combustion.

Use laundry detergent and air fresheners that have no toxic or potentially hazardous
3 chemicals.

3 Consider implementing a “smoke-free” policy throughout the hotel.

3 Remove mold and mildew on ceilings, walls and furnishings.

3 Control humidity to avoid condensation, mold and dust mite problems.

3 Minimize noise, where possible, both inside and outside the hotel.

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 green meetings policy 22

Green Meetings Practices Can

Produce a Greener Bottom Line
Corporate meetings and conferences are key elements
to Carlson Hotels Worldwide success. It is becoming
increasingly common to see “green” meetings or
sustainability requirements in a Request For Proposal (RFP)
whether for meetings or for corporate travel and we
must position ourselves to respond to these requirements
or risk losing the opportunity in many cases to even be
considered for this business.
The first U.S. federal program featuring environmental
purchasing preferences was signed by Executive Order in
1993; the first purchasing guidelines for “green” meetings
followed shortly thereafter. Since then, these initiatives
have evolved and grown, and have been embraced by
governments, corporations and organizations the world over.
Even the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), Currently 35% of
the leading business travel industry association with businesses and residents
membership around the globe, recently published details recycle. When 75% is
of its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its reached, it will be the
equivalent of removing
International Convention & Exposition, the largest business
travel event in the world. 33 MILLION
No doubt, this move will be quickly embraced by NBTA cars from the roads
each year.
member organizations and will create even more “green”
competition for organizations who want to lead the way. It
will also create opportunities for you by establishing a new
way to differentiate your hotel as the hotel of choice for
organizations looking for a “green” meetings partner.
For some of your clients, having a hotel-level sustainability
program will give you a competitive advantage in the RFP
process. For others, a sustainability program will be required
“table stakes” to be considered for the business. The final
selection will be based on the depth and breadth of the
program, in addition to the cost effectiveness of the proposal.

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 green meetings policy 23
Defining green Action
Certification programs
What are clients looking for in a “green” meetings
partner? A fundamental question that is often asked in the
proposal process is does your hotel hold any environmental
certifications? There are a number of programs available
to hotels that can open the door to establishing a “green”
business partnership. There are many certifications available
and the following provides information pertaining to some
of the more well known certifications:
Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program for Hotels helps
all types of accommodation facilities reduce operating
expenses and increase market share, while improving the
environment. The education and eco-rating program is
offered jointly by Audubon International and TerraChoice
Environmental Marketing, Inc. It is open to any type of
accommodation facility internationally, including hotels,
motels, resorts, and bed and breakfast facilities.
www.auduboninternational.org/programs/greenleaf
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) certification is a rating system recognized by a
number of countries as the standard for measuring building
sustainability. The LEED green building rating system —
developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building
Council, a Washington D.C.-based, nonprofit coalition of
building industry leaders — is designed to promote design
and construction practices that increase profitability while
reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings
and improving occupant health and well-being.
http://www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/leed.asp
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy
focused on helping individuals and businesses save money
and protect the environment through energy efficient
products and practices. Because a strategic approach to

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 green meetings policy 24
energy management can produce twice the savings — for
the bottom line and the environment — an ENERGY STAR
partnership offers a proven energy management strategy.
www.energystar.gov
Green Key Eco-Rating Program from the Hotel
Association of Canada (HAC), is a graduated rating system
designed to recognize hotels, motels, and resorts that are
committed to improving their fiscal and environmental
performance. Based on the results of a comprehensive
environmental audit, hoteliers are awarded a 1–5 Green
Key rating and given guidance on how to “unlock”
opportunities to reduce operating costs and environmental
impacts through reduced utility consumption, employee On Average,
training, and supply chain management. it requires
www.hacgreenhotels.com
95% less
Green Globe is a certification program that provides an energy to produce Post-
environmental management framework for organizations consumer waste paper
and The slightly higher
to achieve sustainability. It is promoted and supported by
costs of it are typically
the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) offset by moving
(www.cha-cast.com). The Green Globe Company toward paperless.
Standard sets criteria to attain certification within the
travel and tourism industry.
www.ec3global.com/products-programs/green-globe
Green Seal works in a variety of ways with the lodging
industry and its users, providing technical guidance, case
studies, and certification of green hotels. Green Seal is a
member of the Environment and Engineering Committee of
the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) and
the Green Meeting Industry Council. The program is also part
of numerous environmental programs that help the lodging
industry, including the CERES (Coalition for Environmentally
Responsible Economies) Green Hotel Initiative, and the U.S.
EPA’s Sustainable Travel and Tourism Roundtable.
www.greenseal.org

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 green meetings policy 25
Obtaining certification should not be considered to be a
one time event. Instead, it should be an important part of
your overall environmental strategy. Pursuing a certification
can serve as an important opportunity to baseline
where you are at today, and plays an important part of
understanding opportunities and mapping a way forward.
The certification process itself may come with an expense,
and, in some cases, the analysis process is free of charge.
Energy Star in particular is becoming more and more a
preeminent certification, it is widely recognized, the analysis
is free of charge and can provide a critical opportunity to
provide a baseline for green practices at your hotel. For
these reasons, Carlson Hotels Worldwide strongly
recommends beginning your certification with the
Energy Star analysis process.
In addition to independent certifications and ratings, there
are a number of relatively simple steps your hotel can take
today to roll out the “green carpet” for clients who care
about the environmental footprint of their meetings and
conferences.

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 green meetings policy 26

The beginning:
establishing a Green meetings policy
You have probably already seen questions in RFPs that are geared toward establishing how
environmentally forward your hotel is.
Here is a list of questions that are commonly asked. Read them and consider how you would
answer given your hotel’s current operational practices:

1. Do you have a recycling program? 10. Does your facility provide guests with
If so, please describe. paperless check-in and check-out? Does
2. Do you have a linen / towel reuse option your facility use recycled or recyclable
that is communicated to guests? products? Please describe.

3. Are lights and air conditioning turned off
when rooms are not in use? If so, how
do you ensure this?
4. Do you provide bulk dispensers or
reusable containers for beverages,
food and condiments?
11. Do you source food from local growers
or take into account the growing
practices of farmers that provide the
food? Please describe.
12. Do you utilize environmentally friendly
cleaning supplies in your processes?

5. Do you have an energy-efficiency 13. Do you provide training to your

program including efficiency lighting? employees on these green initiatives?
Please describe. Please describe.

6. Do you utilize lighting or HVAC sensors 14. Does your facility participate in the
and detectors? U.S. Energy Star program?

7. Do you have a water conservation 15. What other environmental initiatives

program? Please describe. have you undertaken, including any
environment-related certifications
8. Do you utilize low use water fixtures? you possess, voluntary partnerships
9. Do you utilize sustainable landscaping in which you participate, support of
practices such as utilizing native/local a green suppliers network, or other
plants, composting, water-reuse and initiatives?
efficiency in irrigation?
How did you do? Is your hotel well on its way or, do you have a lot of room for growth?

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 green meetings policy 27
BUSINESS AND RFPS
typical RFP questions
Carlson Hotels Worldwide does have a broad responsible On RFPs, your hotel may also be asked
business program as outlined in the introduction to this for information pertaining to overall
guide. That program, including our Environmental Policy, responsible business practices. The
can be a part of any RFP response. Your ability to respond following are typical question and
possible answers about how CHW is
“yes” to questions related to environmental issues not managing its overall social responsibility.
only means you are well on your way to being properly Q: Does your company support
positioned for green business, it also means you are human rights and anti-
building a strong program foundation that really can make discrimination?
a difference. A: Carlson is in compliance with EEO
requirements and labor law both
Tips for Moving to the Head nationally and internationally. We
are a founding supporter of the
of the Green Meetings Class World Childhood Foundation,
To help you move to the next level when it comes to which focuses on women and
preparing for and hosting green meetings at your hotel, children at risk. Carlson was the
first in our industry to sign the
here are some tips for your consideration. Most of these End Childhood Prostitution and
ideas require minimal changes, but can move your hotel Trafficking Policy.
to the top of the pack with clients looking for a “green” Q: Does your company have a
meetings partner. commitment to diversity and
inclusion?
By addressing suggestions and tips from this section, you
A: Carlson Hotels Worldwide has a
should be ready to get started with helping your hotel take strong commitment to diversity
initial steps toward becoming more environmentally friendly and inclusion and has had a formal
and assisting in establishing a “green” meeting policy. functional area headed by a vice
president in place since 2004.
For more information on what the most environmentally
Q: Does your company track
conscious meetings client may be seeking, reference both greenhouse/carbon emission?
the National Recycling Coalition’s “Green Meetings Policy” A: Carlson Hotels Worldwide has begun
(www.nrc-recycle.org), and the Environmental Protection tracking greenhouse gas emissions/
carbon footprint and is in the process
Agency’s policy on hosting green meetings (http://www.
of auditing all corporate offices and
bluegreenmeetings.org/HostsAndPlanners/Quiz.htm). owned and managed hotels. Carlson
By having access to the information ahead of time, you Hotels Worldwide has partnered with
can proactively provide options to your clients and you will the Carbon Neutral Company and
offers every guest the opportunity
have a longer-term plan for establishing your environmental
to offset carbon emissions for their
practices. stay. We have also purchased carbon
credits and invested in offset projects
since 2007.

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 green meetings policy 28

meetings and
Catering Events
Eliminate disposable service ware. Use china service, reusable flatware and cloth napkins
3 and tablecloths.

3 Provide plastic or wooden stir sticks upon request.

3 Provide cocktail napkins upon request.

Ensure that recycling containers are available for beverage containers (glass, plastic,
3 aluminum) or better yet, eliminate them altogether by using soda fountains, taps and
pitchers of water with glasses instead of water bottles.

3 Water filled pitchers with slices of lime, cucumber, lemon, apple, etc. make nice table
presentations.
Providing water cooler systems in meeting rooms can save on plastic bottles and service
3 as participants can help themselves.
Eliminate the use of individual condiment packets by offering ketchup, salt, sugar, etc.,
3 in serving containers that can be shared.

3 Serve “box lunch” items from a buffet and without the box to save on solid waste.

3 Ask staff to only pour beverages upon request; don’t pre-pour on table tops.
Plan menus with in season and locally grown or organic food (including fair trade,
3 shade-grown coffee, tea, chocolate and cocoa). Promote this aspect to guests.
Offer your client the opportunity to have any food that did not leave the kitchen to be
3 delivered to a local charity. Provide them with options.
Encourage your client to utilize electronic media instead of paper and offer to provide
3 dry-erase boards instead of flip-chart paper.

3 Provide recycled paper and vegetable dye ink pens for use in meetings.

3 Offer to collect plastic name tags/lanyards after meetings for recycling.

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 green meetings policy 29

GuestRooms

Implement and ensure compliance with the linen / towel program that lets guests choose
3 whether they want their towels and bed linens changed and communicate this clearly to
guests and staff to ensure a successful execution.

Consider implementing a back-of-the-house recycling program and collect items from

3 guestrooms for recycling. Communicate to your guests that recycling is taking place,
even if it is not apparent in their room.

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 green meetings policy 30

GENERAL /
TRANSPORTATION
Promote your hotel’s close proximity to key landmarks that would require less travel
3 such as public transportation, the airport or walking distance to local restaurants,
shopping and attractions.
Consider how much paper you use when communicating with guests. Use electronic
3 communications when possible, and use paper with at least 30% post consumer recycled
content when providing hard copies.

3 Use electronic or reusable signage where possible.

When replacing hotel vehicles, consider investing in hybrids, natural gas vehicles or
3 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs). Consider giving preferred parking spots to visitors
driving hybrids.

3 Be sure to promote your hotel’s environmental steps to guests and meeting attendees.

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 resources 31

Helpful Resources
to Make a Big Impact
Making even small changes to the way you do business —
whether it is switching to a different kind of light bulb or
putting a special water-saving washer on faucets — can
have enormous impact on environmental sustainability. The
following are helpful resource links that focus on the areas
where hotels have the biggest impact in energy and water
use, waste reduction and air quality.

Green hotel resourceS LINKS

Green Lodging News
Green Hotelier
UpOnGreen.com
International Tourism
Partnership
Green Hotels Association
Alliance for Saving Energy
Green Key (Hotel
Association of Canada)
Green Hotel Initiative
(Ceres)
Covering issues such as energy management, HVAC, design, cleaning and
maintenance, water conservation, landscaping and lawn care, lighting,
appliances, ecotourism, etc.
A directory of global environmental resources for hospitality companies.
Helps companies communicate their environmental initiatives to their
customers and employees, increase market share, reduce expenses, improve
employee retention and have an exponentially positive impact on the
environment.
With its members of leading global travel and tourism companies, the
International Tourism Partnership assists the industry to make a valuable
contribution to the countries and cultures in which they operate, to their
customers, their shareholders and future generations.
Provides information about how hotels can reduce their impact on the
environment.
Helps hotels and resorts improve energy management, locate energy-
efficiency technology and service providers and benchmark energy use data.
A program offering a graduated rating system designed to recognize
hotels, motels, and resorts that are committed to improving their fiscal and
environmental performance.
A coalition of investors, environmental organizations and public interest
groups united to advance corporate responsibility.

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 resources
Green hotel resourceS LINKs continued
Accommodating Green
International Ecotourism
Society
Sustainable Travel
International
National Geographic Center
for Sustainable Destinations
Global Stewards
Green Hotels Association
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
“Climate Change and
Tourism — Responding
to Global Challenges”
Green Globe 21
International Organization
for Standardization (ISO)
Rainforest Alliance
Smart Voyager (Ecuador)
Certification for Sustainable
Tourism (Costa Rica)
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
32
Working with businesses and communities to integrate sustainability
principles and practices into daily operations.
With the goal of uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel,
TIES serves its members in over 90 countries, as the global source of
knowledge and advocacy in ecotourism.
Non-profit organization, dedicated to providing education and outreach
services that help travelers, travel providers and related organizations
support environmental conservation.
Non-profit organization, dedicated to providing education and outreach
services that help travelers, travel providers and related organizations
support environmental conservation.
Provides practical steps for going green.
Unites hotels interested in environmental issues.
Provides access information that can assist hotels in “greening” operations
and conferences.
A report commissioned by the World Tourism Organization, the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), that provides a look at the current and likely future
impacts of climate change on tourism destinations around the world.
Working with businesses and communities to integrate sustainability
principles and practices into daily operations.
Certifies mainly larger hotels and tour operators for environmental or quality
assurance (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001).
Works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them
transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
Awards its seal of approval to tour boat operators and hotels in Ecuador
who meet a set of strict conservation standards for protecting the
environment, wildlife and the well-being of workers and local communities.
Designed to differentiate tourism sector businesses based on the degree to
which they comply with a sustainable model of natural, cultural and social
resource management.
DID YOU KNOW? GETTING STARTED GREEN MEETING POLICY RESOURCES
 resources 33

Green hotel resources LINKS continued

Ecotourism Society of An ecotourism accreditation program for operators in Saskatchewan.
Green Seal - created
Saskatchewan Canada to inform hoteliers about how environmental efforts both improve the bottom line and
benefit the environment.
EPA’s Energy Star Joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Certification - provides independent, third-party verification that a building
for Hospitality Department of Energy that helps save money and protect the environment
project meets the highest green building and performance measures.
through energy efficient products and practices.
More information…
Green Seal Created to inform hoteliers about how environmental efforts both improve
For information, Amazon.com has compiled a list of books that you can purchase online about both ecotourism
the bottom line and benefit the environment.
and sustainable tourism. An ecotourism accreditation program for operators in Saskatchewan.
U.S. Green Building Provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets
Council’s LEED Certification the highest green building and performance measures.

More Information...
For more information, Amazon.com has compiled a list of books that you can purchase online about
both ecotourism and sustainable tourism.

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 resources 34

GLOSSARY OF COMMONLY USED “GREEN” TERMS

Alternative Energy Energy produced from renewable sources, such as sunlight or wind. It has the added
benefit of not generating heat-trapping “greenhouse” gases.
Biodegradable Capable of decomposing under natural conditions.
Biofuels Fuels from recently living plants and animals, or metabolic byproducts such as
manure from cows.
Carbon Emissions Working to protect all the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed tourism
and enlightened destination stewardship.
Carbon Offsetting The process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing credits used by
emission-reducing projects or carbon trading schemes. The term often refers to
voluntary acts arranged by a commercial carbon offset provider.
CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons. Used in refrigerants, cleaners and aerosols and in the making
of plastic foams, CFCs are greenhouse gases. They also cause ozone depletion in the
stratosphere.
Compact A smaller version of a fluorescent lamp that fits into a standard light bulb socket.
Fluorescent Fluorescent bulbs create light in a more energy-efficient way. According to General
Bulb Electric, a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb produces the same amount of light as
a 60-watt regular incandescent bulb.
Compostable Materials capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site, to
the extent that they are not visually distinguishable and break down to carbon
dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known
compostable materials.
Daylighting The use of natural light, usually indirect, through windows, skylights, light shelves,
and other techniques that minimize glare and heat. Daylighting tends to improve
morale and worker productivity.
Energy Audit The process of determining the energy consumption of a building or facility.

ENERGY STAR A voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient
products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA has also extended the label
to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.
Environmental The impact of an organization in categories such as resource use and waste
Footprint generation. A “carbon footprint” details how much carbon dioxide an organization
adds to the atmosphere.
Environmental Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
Sustainability generations to meet their needs.

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 resources 35

GLOSSARY continued
Ethanol An automotive fuel derived from grass, sugar cane or corn. Burning ethanol adds
carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, but it is seen as a renewable fuel, like solar
power, that does not deplete natural resources.
Graywater Wastewater from household baths, washing machines, and other sources (excluding
human waste) that is recycled especially for use in gardening or for flushing toilets.
Greenhouse Effect The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide
and other gases that retain heat and warm the planet’s surface.
Hybrid Cars Autos with a small, fuel-efficient gas engine, combined with a battery-powered
electric motor that assists the engine when accelerating, and an energy-recovery
system from braking that fuels the battery.
Light Emitting Diode LED are diodes (electronic components that let electricity pass in only one direction)
that emit visible light when electricity is applied, much like a light bulb. When many
LEDs are side-by-side, they can create pictures, such as the scrolling red LED signs
found everywhere.
LEED Certification Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the Leadership in Energy an
Environmental Design certification offers a set of standards for environmentally
sustainable construction.
Life-Cycle Cost The cost of a material, including associated waste products, over its entire lifetime,
including production, shipping, environmental impact of use and ultimate removal.
Methanol An alcohol that can be used as an alternative fuel or as a gasoline additive.
Plastic #1 Common uses: 2 liter soda bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars. This is the
Polyethylene most widely recycled plastic and often has redemption value.
Terephthalate (PETE)
R-value A measurement of the insulating performance of a material.
Responsible An organization or an individual, has a responsibility to society. This responsibility
Business can be “negative,” in that it is a responsibility to refrain from acting, or it can be
“positive,” meaning there is a responsibility to act. While primarily associated with
business and government practices, activist groups and local communities can also
be associated with social responsibility.

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DID YOU KNOW? GETTING STARTED GREEN MEETING POLICY RESOURCES
 If you have any questions, please
contact an Operations Specialist,
Hospitality Support Services Center
(HSSC) at 402-501-9999 or e-mail
hssc@carlson.com

November 2008 © Carlson Hotels Worldwide

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DID YOU KNOW? GETTING STARTED GREEN MEETING POLICY RESOURCES