Articles Tagged with: green practices

For those of us who didn’t find a crystal ball waiting under the tree on Christmas morning, Thomson have been kind enough to share their vision of the hotel room of the future. Details of the futuristic hotel room were published in the Thomson Holidays Sustainable Holiday Futures report this week, a hefty document, which outlines the holiday giant’s commitment to greening-up its act between now and 2030.

Features of Thomson’s hotel room of the future include:

- A bathroom where everything is cleverly designed to conserve water – waste water from the basin and shower will be used to flush the toilet, a “Waterpebble” will enable holidaymakers to keep a close eye on how much water they are using and the shower will have eco-flow controls.

- Efficient windows will protect against heat and minimise glare, helping reduce the need for energy-guzzling air conditioning. Plants and trees outside the room will also provide shade and help protect against the sun’s rays.

- Water coolers with filtered water will be made available, removing the need for endless plastic water bottles, which currently end up in landfill.

- Each resort will create its own energy via wind turbines and solar panels, which will be channelled into hotel rooms and used to power low energy ceiling lights.

- An energy efficient climate control system will control the temperature in each hotel room, avoiding waste.

- Guests will be able to use a touch screen to access information about all aspects of their stay, including energy use and environmental information.

- The room’s furniture will have been made by local craftspeople and holidaymakers will be able to help themselves to fresh fruit from the resort’s garden, instead of tucking-into imported snacks in the mini bar.

This may all sound a little far fetched, but Thomson says customers can expect to see some of these eco-centric features in “the near future.” The Waterpebble water usage monitor device is being rolled-out to all hotel rooms across the Thomson portfolio from January and will be given to customers to take home at the end of their stay.

Commenting on the report, Thomson’s Jane Ashton said: “We have an important role to play in helping our holidaymakers become more sustainable, providing them with more information to dispel the myths, as well as giving them more sustainable holidays – something they clearly want – in the same way that we now provide great service and customer care.”

A new report by Ethical Traveller has revealed the top ten ethical destinations for 2011 – just in time for the post-Christmas holiday booking rush. The countries tipped as the leaders for the coming year are (in alphabetical order):

1. Argentina
2. Barbados
3. Chile
4. Costa Rica
5. Dominica
6. Latvia
7. Lithuania
8. Palau
9. Poland
10. Uruguay

The not for profit alliance produces this list every year, with the aim of inspiring travellers and helping them to pick destinations that will not only provide a memorable experience, but where visiting can also have a positive impact on the destination itself.

To come up with the list, the organisation undertakes a study of developing nations, to help identify the “best” holiday locations. Researchers look at three key areas: human rights, environmental protection and social welfare and compare not only current data, but past information, to see how a country’s record has improved over time.

Latin America scored particularly well on environmental protection, with Costa Rica one of only four nations globally to score between 100-85 points in the Environmental Policy Index. Costa Rica also received commendation for improving its human rights record by taking firm measures to address human trafficking problems.

Notably, no African or Asian destinations appear in the list. The World Cup apparently had an impact in South Africa – the tournament was linked to an increase in sex trafficking in the country and the report also mentions that several families were forced to re-locate to make way for development projects, without being offered suitable housing alternatives.

Asian countries did not make the list because of what the report authors call a “poor human rights record and lack of strong environmental policy.” Issues such as whaling and dolphin hunting in Japan have attracted negative attention from the alliance over the past year and continue to cause concern.

The island of Barbados scored particular praise for organising the Caribbean Green Economic Conference for 2011 and was the destination which scored highest overall in the Envioronmental Protection Index.

Ethical Traveller point out that no destination is perfect and that there are always improvements to be made. They hope however that the list will help travellers choose wisely and that this list will inspire countries worldwide to strive to improve their environmental, social and human rights record.

A new study undertaken by travel company Sabre, has revealed what consumers think about green travel in 2010. The report which was published this week shows ten key findings:

1. Consumers Becoming More Eco-Conscious. The study found that consumers in general are becoming more eco-conscious and paying greater attention to environmental concerns overall. Examples of activities respondents claimed to be doing on a regular basis, include recycling rubbish and shopping locally.

2. Price an Issue for Green Travel. Over 60% of respondents said they did not pay extra to stay in a green hotel in the past twelve months, suggesting consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for environmentally-friendly options.

3. Travel Industry: Could Do Better. According to the survey respondents, the travel industry could do more to improve its environmental record and become more sustainable. Survey respondents said too many companies pay lip service to being eco-friendly and that green-washing is a big problem in the industry.

4. Lack of Green Brands. Travellers said the only destination which has managed to establish itself in the mind of consumers as a true “Green Brand” is Costa Rica. No other destination comes close in terms of its brand association with sustainable tourism, the survey found.

5. Certification Needed. As consumers have become aware of green-washing practices in the travel industry, over 40% say they look for external certification of an establishment’s eco credentials before they book.

6. Business Travel on the Up – Bad News for Green Travel? Respondents said that they travelled more on business in 2010 than in 2009 and the vast majority of business travellers work for companies with no environmental policy.

7. Rise of Voluntourism. Environmental and humanitarian disasters have further fuelled demand for volunteering holidays, a niche within the travel industry which is expected to continue to grow.

8. Social Media Key. Social media such as social networks and travel review websites are far more important to consumers than advertising when deciding where to take a holiday, the survey found.

9. Events Go Green. A key finding of the study is that consumers expect conference and event organisers to do more to improve their environmental record. Could green conferences and business events be a trend for 2011?

10. Travel Agents Still Important. A third of respondents said they had used a travel agent in the past twelve months and over 50% said they would like to use the services of a travel agent which specialised in certified, sustainable travel choices.

Thomson Holidays have launched a Greener Holidays brochure to help customers choose a more environmentally friendly break next summer. All holiday properties included in the new brochure are Travelife certified, which means the accommodation has been recognised as working towards pre-defined sustainability goals.

Thomson is working towards having all of its hotels Travelife certified within five years and hopes that over 50 per cent of its customers will be staying at Travelife accommodation by the end of Summer 2011.

The new brochure is only available online – a step which the firm says will save on paper and printing. Customers can request a copy of the brochure online and specify which destinations they are interested in from a pre-defined list. A customised version is then sent to the customer by email, removing the need for paper copies to be sent by mail or picked up in a Thomson high street shop.

The new online-only brochure is part of a comprehensive sustainability plan which Thomson has implemented to improve its environmental performance across all levels of its business. Some of the commitments Thomson has made in its 2010 sustainability plan include reducing energy use in its high street stores by 7 per cent and cutting carbon emissions from its airline by 6 per cent over the next four years.

As well as the new Greener Holidays brochure, Thomson has launched a new website called Holidays Forever. This new portal is designed to share information with customers on Thomson’s current environmental performance and future commitments and includes surprisingly up-front information about the impact travel and tourism has on the environment and communities around the world.

The new website also includes tips for customers on how to have a greener holiday which include packing light, choosing Travelife certified hotels and using less water and energy while abroad.

Other things Thomson is doing as part of its sustainability plan include reducing the number of pages in its in-flight magazine and ditching the use of plastic blanket bags on-board Thomson flights. The airline is also due to start recycling on board waste from November 2011 – a move which will no doubt sound long overdue to many customers.

It is interesting to see how a major mainstream tour operator like Thomson has approached the issue of sustainable travel – we’ll be watching closely to see how other travel companies respond over the coming weeks and months.

Much is made of what individual travellers should do to cut their carbon footprint (fly less often, for shorter distances, stay longer at your destination….), but its not often we hear about what the companies involved in aviation are doing to green-up their act.

Faced with a new government which appears significantly more anti-aviation than the last, airports are making great pains to stress their environmental credentials.

Gatwick airport recently announced plans to reduce carbon emisissions by 50 per cent by 2020 and become a ‘sustainable’ airport. Other goals in the new ‘Decade for Change’ sustainability plan include reducing operational noise, recycling 70 per cent of all waste, protecting local habitats and improving public transport access to the airport.

The aiport is also considering reducing its energy consumption by using renewable energy sources and introducing an electric car recharge network. Gatwich Airport CEO, Stewart Wingate, said: “Behaving in a responsible and sustainable way is at the heart of our business. As new owners we’ve grasped the opportunity to introduce new, challenging targets and initiatives to improve our environmental credentials.”

Meanwhile Birmingham airport has reportedly saved over 13,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the last 12 months by introducing a new technique called Continuous Descent Approach (CDA). The new landing technique allows planes to make a smooth approach to the airport, which uses less fuel and causes less noise than the usual step-by-step descent.

A spit in the water when it comes to the environmental impact of aviation? Quite possibly. One company which can be relied on for its upfront and honest approach to saving the planet is Ryanair. Boss Michael O’Leary recently said he doesn’t believe global warming exists and that scientists have made up the concept to attract money for research.

In an outspoken interview with The Independent, O’Leary blamed the environmentalists for giving aviation a “hard time” and said he refuses to believe that humans are responsible for carbon emissions:

“Well, hang on, we’ve had an ice age. We’ve also had a couple of very hot spells during the Middle Ages, so nobody can deny climate change. But there’s absolutely no link between man-made carbon, which contributes less than 2 per cent of total carbon emissions [and climate change].”

Our advice? If you do decide to take the plane, go from Gatwick or Birmingham, but don’t fly Ryanair!

Holidaymakers are being urged to think of green travel when packing their suitcases this summer. Not only is carrying heavy luggage bad for backs, but it’s bad for the environment too.

Over-burdened suitcases are being blamed for increased carbon emissions as heavy loads cause aeroplanes to use more fuel.

Only 16 per cent of holidaymakers actually use and wear everything they’ve packed and over a third only use 25 per cent of the items in their case. The figures were revealed in a survey published by Thomson earlier this week.

The holiday firm is asking travellers to think twice when packing their bags and cut their carbon footprint. Thomson say that if a third of holidaymakers left that extra 25 per cent of unused luggage behind it would save 7,537 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of taking 2,216 cars off the road.

TV fashion expert Brix Smith-Start has been recruited to back Thomson’s Holidays Forever green packing campaign. She said this week: “Everyone wants to look fabulous when they are on holiday, yet too many of us don’t think about what outfits we’ll actually want to wear and so we end up with clothes that won’t see the light of day once we are away. I’m providing travellers with some top tips on how to make their luggage more green and advising how holiday makers can bring fewer items, but still look great.”

Brix’s top tips include:

• Check the weather before you leave
• Take a look at the weather forecast and plan accordingly. If the Met promise seven days of sunshine, you won’t be needing a heavy jumper and jeans!
• Cut down on shoes
• Shoes weigh a lot and take up loads of room in your case. Resist the temptation to pack footwear to go with every outfit – take some flat sandals, flip flops for the beach and plimsolls for walking.
• Pack statement pieces
• Bright kaftans and maxi-dresses are easy to dress up and down, making them ideal for day to night dressing. Pack a couple along with a few pieces of statement jewellery and you’ll have enough to see you through your holiday.
• Ditch the towels
• Bulky towels are heavy and take up a lot of room. Use towels provided by your hotel or buy a cheap one when you arrive.
• Cut down on toiletries
• Think about what you really need and what you’ll actually use. Take travel sized versions of your must-have products and co-ordinate with holiday buddies if you’re travelling as a group.

According to new research published by ABTA and the Travel Foundation, nearly half of all Brits forget about saving the environment the moment they step off the plane.

Despite the fact that record numbers of families are making an effort to go green at home, it seems nothing could be further from our minds once we get into the holiday mood. Nearly 90 per cent of families surveyed said they regularly perform waste recycling such as paper recycling and plastic recycling, but less than half do the same while on holiday.

The findings were published last week as part of the first ever “Make Holidays Greener” week. The national campaign organised by ABTA and The Travel Foundation aims to convince holidaymakers to consider the environment and local communities when travelling abroad.

Supported by travel organisations including ABTA, Thomson, First Choice and Thomas Cook, the “Make Holidays Greener” initiative is the first to target mainstream consumers and not just those travelling with specialist green and ethical travel providers.

Organisers hope to persuade travellers that being green on holiday is just as easy and important as saving the environment at home.

ABTA spokesperson Nikki White said: “Make Holidays Greener isn’t about being super-green or making carbon-neutral claims, but about how you can take some very simple steps that won’t cost you money and won’t mean you have to compromise on comfort, luxury or style”.

They also hope that children will be a driving force behind making family holidays more eco-friendly. Sue Hurdle of the Travel Foundation added:

“Children are often the ones nagging mums and dads to turn off the lights when they’re not needed or to turn off the taps when they’re brushing their teeth. We now want them to replicate their green habits when they go on holiday.”

Some of the activities being suggested include taking showers instead of baths, turning off air conditioning and saving water by not washing towels daily.

The survey also revealed that nearly a third of holidaymakers believe holiday accommodation providers should provide more information to guests as to how they can protect the environment during their stay.

Given that many overseas hotels and villas don’t provide recycling and power saving facilities as standard, the ability of holidaymakers to meet their green commitments is often determined by their villa or hotel. But if efforts to raise consumer awareness are redoubled with property owners abroad, perhaps 2010 could be the year green travel goes mainstream.

Starwood's Westin Hotel, Dublin. Photo Credit: U-g-g Boy

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, has joined forces with Conservation International (CI), to focus on setting and achieving environmental performance goals and creating awareness around environmental issues.  In addition, Starwood’s CEO, Frits van Paasschen, recently joined the Executive Council of CI’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB), a division dedicated to engaging corporate and environmental leaders to develop creative solutions that improve business performance by helping to sustain healthy ecosystems.

“As a multinational company with 1,000 hotels in almost 100 countries, Starwood has the size, the scope and the spirit to positively effect environmental change,” said van Paasschen. “Along with supporting Conservation International’s incredible work, it’s exciting to share CI’s mission with our guests and partners around the world.”
Starwood is rolling out initiatives designed to  conserve energy and water, reduce waste and enhance indoor environmental. Starwood’s trailblazing eco-chic boutique Element Hotels brand made history when it launched as the first major hotel brand to mandate that all U.S. properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

W Hotel San Francisco

The W San Francisco made history in April when it earned the LEED certification of an existing building belonging to a major hotel brand. With its Silver LEED certification, W San Francisco is now the seventh hotel in the United States to receive the recognition for an existing building.

“For our guests, the green experience at W San Francisco is a seamless part of their overall W experience, which is extremely gratifying for us,” said Michael Pace, W San Francisco’s General Manager, and a sought-after speaker on green business practices. “W San Francisco is a leader in the area of sustainability and green practices for W Hotels Worldwide. Green has become part of modern living and is expected by our guests, who can feel our team’s true passion for green practices, which are infused in everything we do, everyday.”

Certified by the state of California as a green business, W San Francisco began its green program in 2007, and won a 2008 “Good Earthkeeping” award, recognizing environmental leadership, from the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

More than 70 percent of guestroom lighting and 90 percent of back-of-house lighting is energy efficient, using CFLs, LEDs, motion sensors, and other technologies; the hotel’s HVAC cooling towers were replaced with energy-efficient models, saving 300 kWh/year; motion sensors power off HVAC in unoccupied guestrooms; and ENERGY STAR power management features are activated on all PCs.

The hotel also added a green component to the W signature meeting experience, “Sensory Meetings,” where all food and beverage is organic, biodynamic, and local. The hotel also hosts “zero-waste,” carbon-neutral events through a partnership with “Live Neutral” carbon offsets.