Environmental Concerns relating to the Hotel Industry
The hotel industry forms a large part of the tourism industry. One of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy of our time is the hotel industry. The hotel industry alone is a multi-billion dollar and growing enterprise. The hotel industry is diverse enough for people to work in different areas of interest and still be employed within the hotel industry. Modern hotels provide refined services to their guests.
The need to address environmental problems has become an important point of interest for hoteliers and their managers throughout the world. Individually, hotels do not have a significant negative impact on the environment. Collectively, however, they consume a 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. Contributing 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.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Positive impact It sometimes educates the public about the local environment and the importance of protecting the environment, e.g. the Great Barrier Reef. The tourism and hospitality industries often create employment and business opportunities in an area, contributing to the local economy. Hospitality and tourism buildings and venues are being designed and/or redesigned so that their impact on the environment is reduced and they merge in with the local environment better. Many enterprises are now employing more sustainable practices to promote a green image that appeals to consumers, e.g. using organic products, recycling, using less toxic chemicals, and using more energy and water-efficient fittings.
- ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES The three key areas of the negative environmental impact of the 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 Mega joules. Hotels generally use more energy per visitor than 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 of 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 more than one kilogram of waste per guest per day”. Hotel and restaurant waste contributes to around 25-30 % of the total waste generated. Water – Tourists and residents alike require a clean and dependable supply of water for survival including drinking, cooking, and cleaning. 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
- HOTELS IMPACT ON BIODIVERSITY A hotel impacts biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle, from planning through to closure: At the planning stage: Even the most sustainably operated hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a biodiversity-sensitive area. Choices of construction materials, sources 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. Also, regular renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances, and facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices and increased waste generation. 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.
- BEST GREEN PRACTICES: In addition to the social and environmental advantages of reducing energy consumption, there are financial and customer service benefits for the hoteliers. Increasing awareness about environmental issues has seen hotel guests becoming more discerning about the environmental credentials of the hotels. Being sustainable can enhance the hotel business’s reputation and help to attract more customers. The investment community is increasing 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.
- 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: • 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. • Test the tools in hotels and use the lessons learned to improve them. • Tell people about these tools- disseminate and promote the most suitable practical
- The infographic shows that hotels contribute 60 million tons of CO2 emissions annually due to wasteful practices and oblivious guests. Yet, if all the hotels in the US were to go green, reducing their emissions by just 10%, it would be the same as planting 1.1 million acres of pine trees.