May 30, 2012
 

Dear Boston Green Tourism Members,

 

Our next Boston Green Tourism meeting will be Thursday June 7 at the Colonnade Hotel in the Colonnade East Room from 2:30 to 4:00.

 

Thank you Keith Alexander, Dan Buker and David Colella for hosting us!

MEETING SPEAKERS, JUNE 7

Susan Hartman, Manager, Global Customer Education Programs, Schneider Electric, will discuss My Energy University (MEU). MEU is an international e-learning website that provides professional training on Energy Efficiency best practices. AH&LA and other organizations give continuing ed credits for taking MEU classes. MEU is free and available to us!  (Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and a leader in hotel energy efficiency.)  

 

David Reed, Director, Energy Services, Schneider Electric, will present two case studies of major hotel energy efficiency projects, including InterContinental San Francisco. Schneider helped that hotel achieve the Energy Star label and the prestigious LEED Gold Certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance

 

Michael Oshman, President, Green Restaurant Association (GRA), will discuss leading trends in green kitchens and restaurants. He will tell us about the newly certified restaurants at The Colonnade and InterContinental Boston, and provide an additional restaurant case study.

 

Patrick Lucci, Managing Director, Lynnfield Green Technologies, will discuss Pathosans technology, which provides hotels and other institutions with effective non-toxic cleaners and sanitizers. These products have been used by housekeepers and kitchen staff for several years at The Colonnade Hotel and other properties. Now, they are being used in commercial dishwashers, too.

IDEAS
Are you Getting the Best Price for Used Cooking Oil?                            

Recently, Glenn Hasek of Green Lodging News attended the National Restaurant Association's "Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show" in Chicago, and had this observation: "Numerous companies were on hand offering their cooking oil and grease collection services. Companies also offered innovative oil storage containers that minimize mess and deter theft. One company was in attendance with its cooking oil recycling system--a machine that filters used oil so that it can be reused.  

 

If you are not getting paid for the oil and grease that is collected from your property, it may be time to check out other vendors. One company said it is now paying from 60 cents to a dollar per gallon for used cooking oil. Of course, used cooking oil and grease can be recycled into biofuel."

  

Hotel Sustainability Pays

In a June 2009 interview, Starwood's CEO, Frits van Paasschen said "When it comes right down to it, sustainability pays. And it pays in three ways: guests are increasingly interested, so it's good for business; there are real opportunities to reduce costs and do things that are green at the same time; and something not everybody realizes, there is so much passion and energy within the organization to do this that the ability to get people excited about the company they're a part of through the kinds of green practices we've been implementing is another source of success and payoff."

NEWS

Update on the MA Food Waste Ban                                       

Recently, MassDEP (MA Department of Environmental Protection) posted their Organics Study and Action Plan. It articulates their strategy for implementing the organic waste ban, which will prohibit hotels and other businesses from disposing their food waste with the trash.  

 

The report explains that MassDEP will offer technical assistance, case studies and loans to businesses that need to divert their food waste to compost facilities. They will also improve the state's hauling and processing capacity to prepare for the big increase in food waste diversion. The regulations will be published in June 2013, and the ban will take effect in July 2014. 

 

I recommend that you begin thinking about how your facility will comply with these regulations, if it does not do so already. It can comply by either sending food waste to composting facilities; or by using an on-site organic waste decomposer that breaks down food waste into liquids and sends it down the drain. Such machines can be leased or purchased.

 

If you want my free advice, a referral to food waste haulers or a connection with hoteliers who currently use waste decomposers, please contact me.    

  

Melink's Intelli-Hood Kitchen Ventilation Control Product Wins 2012 AHR Expo Product of the Year Award

The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Expo (AHR) recognized this product for reducing fan energy by as much as 90%, and conditioned air loss by up to 50%. Many Boston hotels have purchased them in the past several years. Air Solutions & Balancing, a BGT member, installs them in the Boston area. 

INFORMATION  
Clean the World's Shawn Seipler Reflects on IHG Deal, Nonprofit's Dramatic Growth, Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News, May 3.                                                         wind turbine

Clean the World
recycles soap and other amenities from hotels and donates them to needy people in developing countries. One of their staff spoke at a BGT meeting in 2009 when they were a fairly new company. Since then, they have grown dramatically. They recently signed a contract with InterContinental Hotels Group, and that they now recycle amenities for 30% of Starwood's hotel rooms.

 

There are also other outlets for donating amenities and items like linens and partly use toilet paper rolls. Rock & Wrap it Up, for example, makes it easy for hotels to make such donations to local shelters. 

 

Hyatt Hotels Introduces Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served, Green Lodging News, May 9.  

 

In this interesting article, Hyatt Hotels establishes its philosophy that, "will guide food and beverage planning at Hyatt properties from the operational level to the guest experience." Hyatt will focus "on sourcing and providing food and beverage options that are good for Hyatt guests and associates, good for the planet, and good for local communities."

2012 MEETINGS  

June 7: The Colonnade Hotel 

August 2

September 20: Boston Marriott Copley Place

November 1: Hostelling International Boston

December 6     

 

See you June 7 at The Colonnade!