SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN HOUSEKEEPING

A research on sustainable growth of global Hotels, creative and innovative ideas towards
green housekeeping and green planet
Author’s name: Mr. Deepak Kumar
Venue of Study: IPS ACADEMY Research project guide: Prof. Roopali Dame
(Vice-Principal)

ABSTRACT

“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. In fact, hotels
and other types of accommodation account for 2% of the 5% global CO2 emitted by the
tourism sector (source: UNWTO, 2019i).” To curb and regulate this negative impact on our
environment it is essential to discuss, research and find solution for a sustainable growth.
The research paper rivets on the eco-friendly techniques, sustainability programs in
hospitality industry with an attention on the housekeeping department based on secondary
data collection methodology which will be studied through intense analytical research via
websites, papers, news forums and reports. The conventional operation and management
techniques of the housekeeping department has some aspects which has adverse effects on
environment and the amount of synthetic chemicals and toxins used imparts a lot in polluting
the environment. As per analytical analysis, it was revealed that there was indiscriminate use
of water, electricityii, stationary, wastage of guest supplies; use of non-biodegradable items
was quite common during housekeeping operations few years ago. Hotels have now started
pursuing sustainable and eco-friendly ideasiii and initiatives across their departments and
housekeeping in major which have successfully decreased the wastage of electricity, water
and hotel resources. “Earth Hour” a revolutionary step in collaboration with the in-house
guests has become a trend. For training and awareness, suggestions can be given and all the
electricity operated devices can be switched off for an hour and pause their work and
cumulatively with guests all can enjoy a moment of getaway with nature. Implementation of
the study that was carried out during eco-friendly practices towards a greener housekeeping
to greener earth, will and have substantial benefits for the hotel with a co-operative hand in
hand initiative from the housekeeping employees along with all other hotel employees with a
considerable interest by the guests. The attributes of sustainable housekeeping is its
affordability and versatility with its remarkable way to replenish the resources which was lost
during usage, impact on environment, innovative ideas and thoughts of Sustainable
housekeeping which will be studied through this research over the last 5 years.
The commitment of hotels behind 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) is pivotal step towards
green housekeeping. Every day new eco-friendly and creative solutions are put forward, the
only need of the hour is to search and adopt such ideas which suits the best. Researching such
ideas, understand an amalgam of incredible and conventional thoughts towards green
housekeeping is our soul motive. It is to be noted that major roles are played by the
employees and guests in achieving sustainable hotel and hence it is very crucial to train the
employees and make the guests aware of the steps they can take towards an eco-friendly
hotel. These green initiatives may seem a small step but in turn gives a huge return in saving
the resources of the hotel and environment, simultaneously. This research paper also
highlights the mandatory, optional and creative housekeeping management and operational
practices, steps, measures, ideas to help prevent/minimize the degradation of the environment
now as well as in the future . The aim of this research is to make the readers and hoteliers
aware the importance of green housekeeping and incorporate such practices and adopt
techniques helping to conserve energy & resources for a healthy planet.

Keywords: Eco-friendly, environment; creative; chemicals; wastes; earth hour; sustainable;

adopt; 3Rs; Initiatives.

Name: Deepak Kumar

IPS ACADEMY (Institute of Hotel Management), Indore, MP
Postal address: 23, Saket Residency, Mhow, Indore-453446
Contact: +919039402784
Email: Vedanta.dpk@gmail.com
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION

Tourism & hospitality industry has seen some drastic topsy-turvies in the last few years.
The intense population boom led to rise in demand, travel, accommodation needs has seen
tremendous growth. With new social and cultural trends to share, learn, explore and enjoy
new places, destination, this industry has now become an integral part of innumerable lives.
Tourism industry has become one of the most developing financial sectors in the world.
These dynamics have turned the industry into a pivotal driver of socioeconomic
advancement in all nations worldwide, contributing to more than 10% of the gross
domestic product [1]. The rise and continuous growth of tourism and hospitality industry
till 2019 has been remarkable and undisputed. Since 1950, the number of international
tourist arrivals rose from 25 million to nearly 1.5 billion in 2019. The United Nations
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates that by 2030, that number will exceed
17 billion for international and domestic tourist arrivals combined. As of 2016, the number
of transport-related emissions generated by the tourism industry was estimated at almost
1,600 million tons, a figure that is expected to grow by 25% by 2030. [2]
This industry has seen ups and downs like never before. The dip during mid 2019 due to
pandemic was a huge setback but still it has risen to the crisis. It has grown stronger and
more aware than before. Tourism & hospitality industry is considered one of the most
effective sectors in developing nations. They are play vital role in creating jobs,
opportunities for local vendors, businessmen and entrepreneurs and travel agents etc. With
this industry’s growth it has played a major role in eradicating poverty, promotion of local
culture & heritage bringing tourists from and across different corners of the world,
establishing gender equality and huge step towards promotion of hygiene and cleanliness.
With the growing demand for needs and services, there is a huge gap between the
consumption of resources and what actually is left for future generations to come.
According to a 2018 study, the combined emissions associated with tourism across nine
industries including transport, goods, food and beverage, agriculture, services,
accommodation, construction, mining and hospitality, accounts for nearly 4.3 billion metric
tons emitted per year. [3] Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has witnessed a
considerable decrease in CO2 emissions, most notably within the transportation industry,
including tourism-related transportation. Daily global CO2 emissions over all industries
decreased by an average 17% by early April 2020 compared with 2019 levels.
Simultaneously, the pandemic also caused severe economic loss for the tourism industry in
general, as well as popular tourist destinations.[4] We may call it an eye opener or
awakening but after the post covid-19 government has come together to focus on the urgent
call of the hour to address the issue of resource exploitation and degradation. Now the
tourism sector has shifted its attention towards sustainability, resiliency and
interconnectedness among various firms and stakeholders. The UNWTO recently published
strategic guidance for a responsible recovery of the tourism sector, recommending ways to
support a responsible recovery from the current situation and to build better tourism. [5] It
presents key topics like public health, biodiversity conservation and protection, social
inclusion, circular economy thus targeting all 3 pillars of sustainable development (social-
economic-environmental)
The UNWTO has brought together hospitality sectors representing 25% of the global hotel
industry including the key players like Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental (IHG), Hyatt,
Wyndham and Radisson committed to collaborate on agreed industry areas of action aligned
with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. [ 6 ] Sustainability is now a crucial pursuit in
various industries, including the hospitality industry, where it is a vital issue for industry
development. [ 7 ] Many researchers and scholars have highlighted that rapid increase in the
development has also caused severe degradation of not only the biodiversity but also to the
natural resource as there heavy and indiscriminate use of water, electricity, power and raw
materials which comes from the nature in one way or the other. These actions have caused
serious negative impacts on the environment although some hotels have also introduced
several policies and reforms to cope with such impacts as a measure to improve the quality of
human survival.[8,9] The growing awareness for sustainable development among the general
public, government, institutions, social medias has resulted in inculcating positive and
beneficial attitude towards the environment. Modern trends like green hotels, ecotels have
started their inclination towards going green with an initiative to go hand in hand with the
environment. Andrew Bender [10] analyzed the results of a survey conducted by
TripAdvisor and stated that an approx. two thirds (62%) of travelers consider environmental
and flora-fauna issues when deciding to stay at a hotel. Hotels in return benefit from
implementing sustainable practices from two perspectives: firstly, the implementation leads
to the improvement of resource efficiency and savings to power/energy and water
consumption; secondly, this facilitates as a marketing and promotion tool for attracting
customers interested in not only sustainability but also who crave to enjoy their stay in
nature’s lap. [11,12]

Objectives
To research the hotels, institutions, and other places where they are implementing the various
practices leading to green initiatives that govern the effectiveness of the green initiatives and
sustainable housekeeping in areas related to environmental commitment, water conservation
and preservation, energy efficiency and solid waste management in hotels, institutions and
offices etc wherever housekeeping is involved herewith.

Literature Review
Proceeding with a few examples of Ecotels, Movenpick hotel and spa Bangalore in India, has
recently been awarded Green globe certification. Now it has become the first five star hotel in
the country to be Green Globe Certified. In line with the corporate philosophy, Movenpick
Hotel and Spa, Bangalore has been dedicated to the preservation of a safe and healthy
environment for years. The core value of such property includes a firm commitment to
conserving resources, preventing pollution, and to act with integrity. The hotel uses green
energy, provided by wind, and LED lighting installed throughout all areas of the property.
Waste volume, weight and reduction goals are specified, garbage is being segregated as per
the waste management policy of Movenpick. A reuse, reduce and recycle policy is in place
and packaging is reduced to bare minimum. Suppliers adhering to environmentally friendly
practices, organic and certified products are favored. [13,14,15,17]Going green has been a
growing trend within the hotel industry, the number of green hotels in India has amplified in
the last decade, ITC Gardenia, ITC Windsor, Alila Diwa Goa ( a Hyatt brand), The Orchid,
Mumbai are some of the few to mention as yet more are in pipeline. The Green Hotels have
adopted policies like use of low-flow showers and toilets, occupancy sensors to control
lighting and air conditioner requirements and some of the commonplace practices like linen
and towel reuse policies. In addition, most major hotel companies have green mission
statements and strive for getting better green certifications, by getting certified the green
hotels use energy efficient practices and also attract a widely growing number of Eco
conscious guests. The ITC Gardenia is synonymous with its exquisite and beautiful vertical
garden wall that incorporates ‘Green’ right into the hotels waiting lobby. At the time of
construction, 60% of trees that were originally in the area were protected and those that had
to be uprooted were transplanted carefully ensuring little impact on the site. Bader (2005), in
his study found that the solar panels can generate around 25% of the energy that a hotel needs
to operate. More than 99% solid waste generated by the hotel is either reused or recycles
through recycling programs or converted into manure by its Organic Waste Converter.
Scholars Yong Han Ahn and Annie R Pearce (2007), illustrated that simply orienting a
building to capture insulation can save on energy use. Green building has become an
important component of the whole construction market for future changes in the industry in
recent coming years. [18,19,22]

Schools and institutes like SRM University, like Army public school, Gurukul have been
practicing green initiatives since a decade. [ 20,21]Gardening with the manure composts
coming from school mess, planting trees, herbal gardens are a common practice which helps
in providing better learning and practical environment for children and making them aware of
the healthy environment practices. Use of recycled notebooks, bagasse paper, and best out of
waste decor are not only being taught but they are being practiced to decorate the premises.
Switching off lights, use of aerosol free sprays are now a trend in colleges which saves
energy and environment, simultaneously.

Such practices give a positive perception to the human resource and consumers. However,
Hoteliers and housekeeping employees of other sectors should be prepared come up with
some form of incentive to motivate some consumers to support their green practices. In
addition, they should adopt green practice as an organizational culture and fine ways to
promote their green practices as a competitive advantage. The leading international hotel
chains are increasingly emphasizing their commitment to sustainability and integrating it into
their strategic plan [23]. For example, the Intercontinental Hotel Group [24] reports the
following: “our policies and standards set out our position on social, environmental and
ethical issues. We embrace our responsibility to focus on ensuring that the growth of our
business contributes towards the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and
we believe that by using our power of scale and global reach, we can make the biggest
contribution to seven of the goals”. Wyndham Destinations [25] reported that “a percentage
of 96% Wyndham resorts use a combination of proven conservation strategies and energy
efficiency retrofits, energy-efficient lighting, motion sensors and default settings for in-unit
HVAC systems, to achieve on-going reductions in energy and emissions”. Marriott
International [26] emphasized the following: “our sustainability strategy supports business
growth and reaches beyond the doors of our hotels to preserve and protect our planet’s
natural resources”.
Sustainability for the hotel industry or for any such sector, in general is not an overnight
process, requiring a huge initial investment and an efficient team work. The researcher found
that the hotel chains have put thought into saving millions of dollars daily by adopting
various operational sustainability practices including environmental committees at the
property level to aid reinforcement and to improve waste management.
ANALYSIS
The hotel industry is one of the various components of tourism whose activities cause a
serious threat to the environment owing to its huge consumption of water, energy and non-
durable goods along with the discharge of large amounts of raw and solid waste in various
quantities [34]. If these resources are not managed properly, they will have a negative impact
on the environment and the operating costs of an organization [34,35]. Over the last few
years, there have been many forces (i.e., growth of customers’ environmental awareness,
reducing hotels’ negative environmental impacts, along with the discharge of large amounts
of raw and solid waste in various quantities [34]. If these resources are not managed properly,
they will have a negative impact on the environment and the operating costs of an
organization [34,35]. Over the last few years, there have been many forces (i.e., growth of
customers’ environmental awareness, reducing hotels’ negative environmental impacts,
building a positive image and the economic return) that have encouraged the hotel industry to
become more environmentally friendly [36,37]. Consequently, many hotels have begun
implementing various innovative practices to increase the “greenness” of their operations in
order to eliminate their environmental pressure in addition to responding to growing
customer building a positive image and the economic return) that have encouraged the hotel
industry to become more environmentally friendly [36,37]. Consequently, many hotels have
begun implementing various innovative practices to increase the “greenness” of their
operations in order to eliminate their environmental pressure in addition to responding to
growing customer environmental concerns [38,39]. The growth of customers’ attention
towards environmental sustainability has encouraged hoteliers to transform their businesses
by implementing green practices in their operations which help them in achieving a
competitive advantage and increasing their market share through acquiring guest segments
hat are concerned with green sustainability [40,41]. Environmental sustainability in the
hospitality industry refers to the balance that must exist between an activity and the
environment in which it is developed, where the two interact without being detrimental to
each other [42]. Jones et al. [33] argued that environmental issues in the hospitality industry
should include water and energy efficiency and conservation, climate change and greenhouse
gas emissions, waste management and recycling, bio-diversity and the protection of natural
resources, the reduction of environmental impacts, environmentally responsible sourcing and
the creation of green construction standards for new hotel construction. Recently, the
question of how to manage these aspects has become a priority due to the growing
environmental awareness across society in general and among tourists in particular [33,43].
Deterrent studies have addressed the positive relationship between environmental
sustainability and the tourist experience. Lee, Hsu, Han & Kim [44] showed that a green
image of the hotel promotes a more favorable intention to revisit and make positive
recommendations and a willingness to pay higher prices. Rogerson & Sims [45] considered
that hotels which implement sustainable practices are more competitive because customers
expect to find environmental attributes. Moliner, Monferrer, Estrada & Rodríguez [46]
demonstrated that environmental sustainability has a direct and positive influence on the
customer’s experience in the accommodation and, indirectly, on their satisfaction. Green
practices’ definition in the hospitality industry varies and is associated with deterrent
approaches. Kim, Lee & Fairhurst [47] (p. 236) defined green practices as “a value-added
business strategy that benefits a hospitality operation that engages in environmental
protection initiatives”.
Similarly, Rahman, Reynolds & Svaren [48] (p. 721) defined “green” as “environmentally
friendly, that is doing business in a way that reduces waste, conserves energy, and generally
promotes environmental health”. Myung, McClaren & Li [49] stated that green practices aim
to reduce the negative impact on the environment by adopting environmental measures for
reducing waste and using sustainable materials and resources. According to Wolfe and
Shanklin [50], green hotel practices refer to measures that eliminate the negative impact on
the environment, i.e., recycling and eco-purchasing. In a similar manner, “green hotels” are
defined as “environmentally-friendly properties whose managers are eager to institute
programs that save water, save energy, and reduce solid waste—while saving money—to
help protect our one and only earth” [51]. Manaktola and Jauhari [38] (p. 365) defined it as “a
less environmentally damaging property which has made a commitment to various
ecologically sound practices such as saving water, saving energy, and reducing solid waste”.
Despite the fact that green practices in the hospitality industry have been surveyed from deter
-ent perspectives, most scholars have identified three reasons for adopting green practices:
financial benefits, customers’ needs and desires and stakeholder relations [22,23,43,52]. On
the other hand,
Buunk and van derWerf [21] concluded that the main reasons for adopting eco-label criteria
were that they are better for the environment and good for the image of the hotel. Hsieh [53]
and Esparon, Gyuris & Stoeckl [54] stated that although green practices were primarily
introduced as a means of cost reduction, recently, they have been focused on acquiring a
large market share by enhancing relationships with stakeholders. The adoption of green
practices in hospitality operations depends on internal factors—for example, managerial
attitudes and financial strength—and external business variables, such as environmental
regulations and stakeholder pressure [55–57].
Currently, the leading international hotel chains are increasingly emphasizing their
commitment to sustainability and are integrating it into their strategic plan [12]. For example,
the Intercontinental Hotel Group [13] reports this commitment as follows: “our policies and
standards set out our position on social, environmental, and ethical issues. We embrace our
responsibility to focus on ensuring that the growth of our business contributes towards the
objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and we believe that using our power of
scale and global reach, we can make the biggest contribution to seven of the goals”. At the
same time, Hilton Worldwide [58] describes the value chain target in 2030 as follows: “By
2030, we are committed to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental
footprint to half through responsible hospitality across our value chain”.
Marriot International reported in [15] that “from design to the guest experience, sustainability
is embedded into our business strategy. We collaborate with associates, hotel owners,
franchisees, brands, suppliers, business partners, customers, and guests to actively reduce our
environmental impact and potential business risks by constructing and operating sustainable
hotels”.
Green practices in the hotel industry mainly include saving energy, reducing water
consumption and waste management and reduction [7–9]

Research methodology

The objective of this paper is to highlight and analyses of various trends and methods for
achieving sustainable goals and certification. The present study is analytical, explorative and
conceptual in nature, data have been collected from secondary sources such as research
journals, websites and newspaper articles and conclusion of the research have been supported
by observational facts. The rational for using these methods to obtain the information was due
to time constraints which would not allow conducting a primary study and also with the use
of secondary data the information would not be limited to a particular, place, organization or
area.

Current practices, trends and ideas

One of the more popular programs that were used is the linen and towel reuse program.
Traditionally, the bed linen and towels in a guest room were changed every day. This meant
that they had to be laundered daily. That frequency of washing would damage the linen and
shorten their life span hence incurring additional cost to replace the linen. Also, this would
account for a large some of water being used daily to wash the linen, which increases the
amount of waste water created that could cause harm to the environment due to the chemicals
that it contained. The linen and towel reuse program allows the guest to indicate when they
would like to have their bed linen and towels changed. There is also another version where
the guests are notified that the linens and towels would be changed on a schedule (e.g., every
other day) this is normally indicated with guest room collateral. It was also noted that by
using environmentally friendly laundry detergents the laundry facilities can operate with
lower temperature and use less water. In one article it says “If you’re not washing towels and
bedding, you’re saving water and money. You’re also not sending as many chemicals into the
sewer system” (Ellin 2018) The less water being used to wash linen daily, the less waste
water there would be to release into the environment.
“Water maintenance is a necessary step taken by hotels to control and minimize
waste”(Furkey .2014). If guests request to have their linen and towels changed daily the
housekeeping department will honor their request however one hospitality Group president
noted that “people are surprisingly receptive to reusing these items” he added “demand for
daily replacement is definitely declining”(Selwitz. 2011).
Another sustainable program that was identified while reviewing different articles was that
hotels were shifting from the traditional cleaning chemicals used to clean guest rooms to
100% nontoxic chemicals. These chemicals are not only safe for staff use but also for guests.
In one article it states that “hotel companies that have made the change to citrus-based
products have found that they are just as effective, are cost-effective and that respiratory
issues and dry hands have also been eliminated, resulting in less absenteeism”(HB, 2008).
The housekeeping department at the Hotel Drisco in San Francisco took the use of, chemical-
free disinfectant a step further by installing a Tersano ionized- water system for 100 percent
chemical free disinfectant that is hypoallergenic while being very gentle. “We want to ensure
that a product used in our hotel will be safe for guests of all ages and sensitivities, for
housekeepers who work with these supplies each day, and are absolutely effective at
cleaning” (O'Connor, 2020). At the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, the housekeeping department
uses Green Seal approved low VOC (volatile organic compounds) cleaners and offer 100%
toxin free dry cleaning services (Elyssa. 2019).
While researching, it was noted that there are some new sustainability programs that are
trending in the hospitality industry today where daily housekeeping is concerned. One of
which being hotels that are giving guests the option to forgo housekeeping services in
exchange for food and beverage credit and in some cases reward points. Starwood launched
its initiative at the Sheraton Seattle in 2008. Guest who declined housekeeping service for up
to three consecutive days received a choice of either 500 Star points or a $5 food & beverage
gift card.

There was one summer at Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas where guest were given a chance to
decline having their room cleaned in exchange for a voucher (Ellin. 2018). There are a lot of
travelers today especially business travelers who will gladly accept the voucher since they
would hardly be in their rooms and also, they may only be there for two or three nights.
There are other programs that have been introduced in some establishments such as the use of
bulk shampoo, conditioners and body wash containers are used in the guest bathrooms. These
would be cleaned and refilled as needed while the room is occupied and again when the room
is being prepared to welcome a new guest.
The use of these large containers replaces the smaller one-use containers which will reduce
the amount of waste that is sent to the landfill. In a research by Brody in 2014, a study that
was conducted in Starwood hotels in Hawaii, a program called “Make a Green Choice”
housekeepers revealed that while the sustainability programs were good for saving on energy
consumption and waste reduction they were not only the cause of reduced hours for
housekeepers but in their view it also hindered the delivery of caring. Some issues that
housekeepers are faced with due to the implementation of these sustainability programs are
unsanitary conditions of the rooms that are not being cleaned regularly and in some instance
loss of work resulting from lack of rooms to clean. “If they could not clean the room and the
room became in their estimation unsanitary, their positive perception of their work quickly
became negative.” (Brody, 2014) They also expressed that each day the room was not
cleaned the more dirt and mold will build up so that after the third day when the room has to
be cleaned it was filthy and required a lot more time to have it ready.
The housekeepers no longer knew in advance their room cleaning schedule as there was the
possibility that a number of rooms may opt out for service. Ordinarily, a housekeeper would
be scheduled to clean a set of rooms in the same building on the same floor, now they may be
scheduled to clean rooms in multiple buildings and on different floors. This could interrupt
the flow of timely service for the rooms that requested service. Also if a room that opted out
for service asked for towels and to have the trash removed they cannot be refused, however
the housekeeper will not get the credit for providing that service to the room. The
housekeepers claimed that the implementation of the sustainability programs led to reduced
work hours which meant a reduction in pay and more time and effort exerted to maintain the
integrity of the rooms.
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