"Hotel Industry and Environmental Issues"
Two Days National Seminar on
'Environmental Issues and Social Exclusion'
Organised by
Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy,
Shivaji University, Kolhapur.
February 11 and 12, 2014
Paper presented by
Sumedha Naik
Assistant Professor
S.K.Patil Sindhudurg Mahavidyalaya, Malvan
Dist. Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India
Hotel Industry and Environmental Issues *
Sumedha Naik *
Abstract
The benefits of tourism are often accompanied by many negative
environmental impacts. The hotel sector is one of the tourism
industry's largest drivers of employment and economic revenue but at the
same time it is one of the most energy-intensive. Becoming more sustainable
or environmentally responsible has become the road to success in this
changing scenario. Hotel industry has started going green. This paper
focuses on the various negative impacts of hotel sector on environment. It
is an effort to bring forward the best practices of hotel industry all over
the world on its path towards sustainability. This is an attempt to
recommend strategies to lessen the negative impact on environment.
___________________________________________________________________________
This study is a step ahead towards saving our valuable resources.
__________________________________________________________________________
Keywords: Tourism, Hotel, Environment, Sustainability, Green
* This paper is presented in Two Days National Seminar on 11st and 12th
February, 2014 on 'Environmental Issues and Social Exclusion' Organised by
Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Shivaji
University, Kolhapur
** Sumedha Naik
Assistant Professor,
S.K.Patil Sindhudurg Mahavidyalaya, Malvan
Dist. Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India
Hotel Industry and Environmental Issues
Sumedha Naik
1. Introduction
International tourism and travel is a vital contributor to the economy of
many developing countries. Tourism is a profitable economic endeavor,
making it an economically enticing industry for many countries. Tourism
will continue to play an important role in achieving the UN Millennium
Development Goals, particularly the alleviation of poverty in developing
countries with international tourist arrivals projected to reach 1.6
billion by 2020. However, the benefits of tourism are often accompanied
by many negative environmental and social impacts. These include: revenue
leakage from the community, air noise and water pollution,
degradation and depletion of natural resources, biodiversity loss, labor
issues, encroachment and overbuilding. Tourism and travel is vector of
climate change, accounting for approximately 5% of global carbon dioxide
emissions. By 2035, under a 'business as usual' scenario, carbon dioxide
emissions from global tourism are projected to increase by 130%.
A crucial interdependence exists between the climate, the tourism, the
environment and the community. The hotel industry forms a large part of
the tourism industry. Individually, hotels do not have a
significant negative impact on the environment. Collectively however,
they consume huge amount of resources. Hotels and other types of
accommodation contribute 2% of the 5% global CO2 emission by the tourism
sector. It has been estimated that 75% of hotels' environmental
impacts can be directly related to excessive consumption of resources and
it creates unnecessary operational costs. The three key areas of
environmental impact are energy, water, and waste. In destinations that
do not have the necessary infrastructure and systems to manage these
impacts, severe degradation of the environment can occur.
The need to address environmental problems has become an important point
of interest for hoteliers and their managers throughout the world. Making
a contribution to solving these problems is often referred to as
greening. Becoming more sustainable or environmentally responsible are
also often used to describe achievements in this field. Larger companies
have been criticized as being the main culprit in releasing excess
greenhouse emissions, climate change, environmental devastation, and
unfair treatment of employees. Due to such criticisms and negative
publicity, many hotel businesses have increased the focus on corporate
social responsibility. In a world looking for new models of economic
growth and development, fighting climate change and adopting sustainable
management practices is no longer an option, but a condition for survival
and success.
2. Significance of Study
This study brings forward the environmental issues related to hotel
industry. Indian hotel industry is yet unaware of the greening efforts
generated all over the world, with an exception of few market leaders. It
is need of hour to accept the mistakes of the industry done in the past
and to look forward for the brighter future of sustainable environment.
Sustainable management practices are included in this paper with a view
that Indian hoteliers would understand them and follow them. The
environment activists and academicians too make an advocacy for such
practices and ensure that the hoteliers will make changes accordingly.
These practices are beneficial for hotel owners in both ways: costs
saving and environment saving. This study is also helpful for upcoming
hotel projects. The pipeline hotels can make required changes and adopt
energy efficient equipments, construct green buildings, etc. It is also
helpful for government officials for drawing sustainable policies for the
hotel industry and their effective implementation.
3. Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is as follows:
1. To study the environmental issues of hotel industry.
2. To study the best practices of sustainability in hotel industry.
3. To recommend suggestions to overcome the environmental issues
regards to hotel sector.
6. Methodology
This study is based on secondary data. Various international agencies'
reports, journals, books and internet sources are used for the same.
7. Limitations of the study
This paper presents only bird's eye view of the environmental issues
generated by hotel industry. Due to limitations only some of the
sustainable hotel management practices are described here.
8. Environmental Issues
The three key areas of negative environmental impact of hotel industry
are energy, water, and waste.
Energy - According to Gössling et. al. (2005), "the average energy
consumption per bed per night in hotels might be in the order of 130
Megajoules. Hotels generally use more energy per visitor than local
residents, as they have energy intense facilities, such as bars,
restaurants, and pools, and have more spacious rooms". Studies have
determined that a hotel emits an average 20.6 kg of carbon dioxide per
night (Gössling et al., 2005). Excessive energy use is extremely costly
and with minor adjustments, it can lead to massive cost savings.
Waste - A study conducted by Bohdanowicz (2005) also identified that
hotels are not only resource intensive and that waste generation is one
of the most visible effects on the environment. One estimate identified
"that an average hotel produces in excess of one kilogram of waste per
guest per day". Hotel and restaurant waste contributes to around 25-30 %
of the total waste generated. Much of the waste created in hotels is
generated from within the kitchen (organic food waste, packaging,
aluminum cans, glass bottles, corks and cooking oils), or from the
housekeeping department (cleaning materials and plastic packaging). Waste
is not only created in guest rooms but also in public areas, hotel
gardens (engine oils, pesticides, paints and preservatives to grass and
hedge trimmings) and offices (toner cartridges, paper and cardboard
waste). At present in India, Hotel waste generated by small restaurants
is disposed off directly by the hotels at nearby collection spots. Food
waste dumped at these collection spots gets mixed with all the other
kinds of dry and wet waste. In case of 4 and 5 star hotels, the hotel
waste is disposed off directly by the hotels through private contractors
to the dumping ground.
Cruise ships in the Caribbean are estimated to produce more than 70,000
tons of waste each year. Wastewater has polluted seas and lakes
surrounding tourist attractions, damaging the flora and fauna. Sewage
runoff causes serious damage to coral reefs because it stimulates the
growth of algae, which cover the filter-feeding corals, hindering their
ability to survive.
Water - Tourists and residents alike require a clean
and dependable supply of water for survival including drinking, cooking
and cleansing. However, water is integral to the amenities usually
expected by tourists, such as swimming pools, landscaped gardens, and
golf courses. Water also supports industries such as agriculture that
support the tourism industry (Pigram, 1995). Thus, tourists demand more
water than local residents on a per capita basis (Essex, Kent & Newnham,
2004). It has been estimated by Salen (1995) that 15,000 cubic meters of
water would typically supply 100 rural farmers for three years and 100
urban families for two years, yet only supply 100 luxury hotel guests for
less than two months (Holden, 2000). In dryer regions, tourists' water
consumption can amount to 440 liters a day per tourist, which is almost
double the average amount of water used by residents in Spain (UNEP,
2008). In recent years golf tourism has increased in popularity and the
number of golf courses has grown rapidly. Golf courses require an
enormous amount of water every day and this can result in water scarcity.
If the water comes from wells, over-pumping can cause saline intrusion
into groundwater. An average golf course in a tropical country such as
Thailand needs 1500kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides
per year and uses as much water as 60,000 rural villagers.
9. Hotels Impact on Biodiversity
A hotel impacts biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle, from
planning through to closure:
At the planning stage: The most important issue relates to choices about
its siting and design of the hotel. Even the most sustainably operated
hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a biodiversity-sensitive
area. Choices of construction materials, source of those materials and
the total physical footprint of the hotel will also influence the
magnitude of impact in the operational stage.
At the construction stage: Impact is determined by the size and location
of the area cleared for development, the choice of construction methods,
the sources and amount and type of materials, water and energy used to
build the hotel, the location of temporary camps for construction
workers, inadequate storage facilities for construction materials, the
amount of construction waste that has to be disposed of, and other types
of damage such as surface soil erosion or compaction caused by
construction activities or disruption of natural water flows and drainage
patterns.
In the operational stage: A hotel's impact comes mainly from the
energy, water, food and other resources that are consumed in running the
hotel, by the solid and liquid wastes it produces, by the way its grounds
are managed, and by the direct impacts of its guests. In addition,
regular renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances and
facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices and increased
waste generation. In marine areas many tourist activities occur in or
around fragile ecosystems. Anchoring, scuba diving, yachting and cruising
are some of the activities that can cause direct degradation of marine
ecosystems such as coral reefs.
At the closure stage: A hotel's impacts come from the disposal of
materials removed from the hotel to refurbish it, convert it for other
uses, or demolish it, and from the work involved in these activities.
There may also be some toxic materials, which will require careful
handling and management.
10. Hotel Services and their impact
Following table shows the various services or activities of hotels and
their impact on environment:
"Service/Activ"Description "Main Environmental Impacts "
"ity " " "
"Administratio"Hotel management "Energy, water and materials "
"n "Reception of clients "(mainly paper), Generation "
" " "of waste and hazardous "
" " "waste (toner cartridges, "
" " "e-waste) "
"Technical "Equipment for "Energy and water consumption"
"Services "producing hot water and "Consumption and generation "
" "heating, Air "of a wide range of hazardous"
" "conditioning, Lighting "products "
" "Swimming pools, Green "Air and soil emissions, "
" "areas "Generation of waste water, "
" "Mice and insect "Pesticides use "
" "extermination " "
" "Repairs and maintenance " "
"Restaurant/ba"Breakfast, lunch, dinner"Energy, water and raw "
"r "Beverages and snacks "materials consumption, "
" " "Packaging waste "
" " "Organic waste "
"Kitchen "Food conservation, "Consumption of energy and "
" "Food preparation, "water "
" "Dish washing "Packaging waste, Oil waste, "
" " "Organic waste, Generation of"
" " "odours "
"Room Use "Use by guests, Products "Energy, water and raw "
" "for guests' use, "materials consumption, Use "
" "Housekeeping "of hazardous products, "
" " "Generation of waste "
" " "packaging, waste water "
"Laundry "Washing and ironing of "Consumption of energy and "
" "guest clothes, Washing "water "
" "and ironing of hotel "Use of hazardous cleaning "
" "linens "products "
" " "Generation of waste water "
(Source: Gracie 2009)
11. Best Green Practices
In addition to the social and environmental advantages to reducing
energy consumption, there are financial and customer service benefits
for the hoteliers. Increasing awareness about the environmental issues
has seen hotel guests becoming more discerning about the environmental
credentials of the hotels. Being sustainable can enhance hotel
business's reputation and help to attract more customers. The investment
community is increasingly regarding excellence in environmental
management and performance as an indication of the quality and aptitude
of management in general. Some insurance companies and lenders are
beginning to selectively adjust their rates based on environmental
criteria.
1. Hotel Energy Solutions Project:
In 2008, UNWTO launched the Hotel Energy project. The aim of this
project is to provide energy efficiency solutions and increased use of
energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies for the tourism
accommodation sector across 27 European Union Countries. This is seen
as a significant way to reduce the impact of the sector on climate
change by mitigating emissions. The Hotel Energy Solutions project will
do three things:
1. Develop a range of tools and materials to assist small and medium
enterprises hotels to plan for and invest in energy efficiency and
renewable energy technologies.
2. Test the tools in hotels and use the lessons learned to improve them.
3. Tell people about these tools- disseminate and promote the most suitable
practical solutions to SME hotels across the European Union and far
beyond.
2. Low Flow Showerheads and Faucet Aerators: Holiday Inn on King in
Toronto reports saving Cdn $14,852 per year through the installation of
low flow showerheads and faucet aerators.
3. Energy Conservation Program : The Fairmont Royal York in
Toronto invested Cdn $25,000 in an energy conservation program to
replace leaky steam traps and fix leaks, which resulted in an annual
savings of over Cdn $200,000. The Fairmont has received the 2008
Environmental Leadership Award from the Professional Convention
Management Association and the 2008 Green Leadership Award from Hotelier
Magazine. Awards and recognition spread the news of the hotel's efforts
and attracts new clientele, such as corporations that need to conduct
business with socially responsible companies.
4. Occupancy Sensors: The Holiday Inn in North Vancouver, British
Columbia has saved approximately USD $16,000 annually and reduced 28
percent of its energy consumption through installing an in-room energy
management system. The system features occupancy sensors that
automatically monitor and adjust individual room temperatures.
5. Water Recycling Plant: The Otani in Japan installed a new air
conditioning and kitchen system, through which it achieved a 14%
savings in energy and a 30% carbon emissions reduction. The Otani in
Japan constructed a water recycling plant, which produces 1,000 tons of
recycled water daily from kitchen sewage to be utilized in gardens or
staff lavatories (Ernst and Young, 2008).
6. Green Building Practices: The Orchid Hotel in India is a prime
example of a "green" hotel that attracts up-scale clientele and provides
state-of-the-art technology and luxury in an "environmental friendly
context" (Jones, 2002). The Orchid Hotel in is located in the polluted
city of Mumbai. However, despite these unfavourable surroundings, this
hotel is definitely one of the pioneers of applying sustainable
principles and practices. It has won 84 national and international
awards, is five-globe Ecotel certified and ISO 14001 certified. The
sustainable principles and practices applied in this hotel range from
environmentally friendly construction materials, water and energy usage
reducing technologies and equipment and a number of measures to ensure
the status of a "zero garbage" hotel.
7. Waste Management: Waste elimination at source and recycling help to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the manufacturing stage; these
practices also keep waste out of the landfill, thus reducing landfill
methane emissions as well. Recycling one tonne of office paper creates
95 percent less air pollution and uses about 60 percent of the energy
needed to produce the same amount of paper from trees. Recycling one
aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television set for three
hours. At present, Hotel Orchid, Rhodas and Lotus suites are managing
their waste quite well and can set an example for other hotels.
12. Recommendations
1. Green Practices: Despite the setup costs and the possible lengthy return
on investment associated with environmental initiatives, the economic
benefits usually outweigh the cost of implementation. Starting with
projects that are less capital intensive e.g. retrofitting light bulbs,
energy metering, and training staff to be conscious of energy use - can
lead to substantial cost savings. There are many green practices that
hotels can implement as preventative measures to save unnecessary costs.
Examples of these practices are:
Pollution prevention such as waste discharge into waterways, use of
local products to save transportation and fuel costs.
Efficient Energy Use e.g. Use of compact fluorescent lights,
installation of green roofs, installation of solar heaters or other
renewable energy source, Low-flow shower systems to saves water and
energy. An energy audit carried out by an energy expert is the best way
to get a comprehensive view of the actions that need to be taken in
order to improve the energy efficiency of a specific hotel.
Recycling & Reuse e.g. reuse of linens to save water, detergent, energy
and greenhouse gases.
Protect the building from extreme temperatures: Window insulation,
Building insulation, Prevention of air infiltration and of unnecessary
outdoor air supply, Installation of sun shading devices, Outside work to
improve summer comfort are the ways to protect hotel buildings from
extreme temperatures
2. Regulation compliance: Hotels must anticipate future regulatory changes
and implement initiatives to mitigate the possible costly effects of
emerging regulation. Some environmental regulations are good for
economic competition as they stimulate innovation that can offset the
cost of compliance. By implementing measures in the face of societal and
regulatory pressures, unexpected, but substantial cost savings as well
as potential new areas of profit may be found.
3. Environmental Risk Management Strategy: Traditionally, a hotel's risk
management strategy has been focused on health and safety concerns
around food and water, pest infestation, fire or water damage, outbreaks
of disease, and guest security and safety. In recent years however,
environmental and social issues are emerging as a key risk issue for the
lodging sector. Hotel industry should consider the environmental risks
of Water and land contamination, Air and noise pollution, Supply chain
environmental practices and Waste management.
4. Environmental Policy Statement: An environmental policy statement should
be written to communicate both internally and externally. Policy
statements should be communicated through Employee manuals, at the back
of the house, on the website, in guest information packs, etc. A well
written policy statement needs to expresses the following:
Environmental goals that the facility will undertake (for example,
committing to reduce 20% of waste by X year).
The way in which the organization aims to treat the people it employs
(for example, through upholding equal opportunities and other
fundamental human rights).
The way in which it aims to integrate into the community in which it is
based and co-operate on any significant local issues that impact
the business.
Employee Training: In order for an environmental program to be
successful, the goals and objectives should be incorporated into
employee training. Employees should be made aware of the policies and
initiatives, as well as the goals and objectives of the environmental
program. This information should be included in training documentation,
in orientation packages for new employees, as well as other staff
training methods, with the aim to integrate these policies into the
organization. Posters, general staff emails and other less formal means
are also a great way to make employees aware of the environmental
program initiatives. Policies work best when staff members understand
their responsibilities in achieving the policy objectives. Hotel
companies may use environmental programs as a staff incentive - the
financial savings earned are translated into cash or other rewards such
as in-house events or trips.
5. Guest Awareness: Tourists are often unaware of the impacts they have
while they are on holiday and so it is important to help them understand
how they can minimize this. There are many ways to do this for example
by providing information on the website, public areas of the hotel, and
in guest rooms. Customer loyalty may increase once they have experienced
a hotel which has demonstrated a level of environmental commitment.
6. Sustainability Leadership: Hotels should foster the development of green
tourism and promote its benefits to its guests. Hotels need to find
visionary leaders who can inspire, educate, and spark excitement for
sustainability from within the organization. One of their main tasks
will be convincing departmental leaders that sustainability is not just
another passing trend but a valid business model with real benefits.
Each department within a hotel company should work with the
sustainability officers to define how environmentalism affects their
team, develop a clear strategy with measurable goals, and then create a
plan to achieve their objectives.
13. Conclusion
This paper only presents an overview of what has been done so far.
Further research is needed and a lot of work still remains to be done.
It is clear that an investment in green hotels is an investment in
sustainable global development. Investing in environmentally-friendly
tourism can drive economic growth, lead to poverty reduction and job
creation, while improving resource efficiency and minimizing
environmental degradation. The time is right for governments to invest
in greenhouse gas mitigation and climate change adaptation approaches.
The time is right for hotel sector to forge ahead with innovative low
carbon initiatives that would contribute to the economy. The time is
right because any further delay in action will result in consequences
for the hotel industry and its dependants.
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