Hampton Inn Schenectady
Going Green for a Brighter Tommorrow!
The Hampton Inn Schenectady has committed to protecting the environment by implementing strategies to promote environmental sustainability. The hotel has the goal to create influential policies to help ensure environmental sustainability to employees, guests and stakeholders in our company. We are committed to excellence as we progress in raising awareness about environmentally friendly programs in our community. We are as devoted to this policy as we are to our guest’s experiences.
At the front desk, our guest service agents are promoting waste reduction by:
• Asking each guests the number of keys that they would like to have. We recycle all keys, but the fewer keys we have to give out, the better.
• Offering to email receipts to eliminate paper use and using old used paper as scrap paper instead of using new paper.
• E-check in process. Hampton hotels offer guests the option to check in online, therefore eliminating the paper registration process all together.
• All front desk associates use a log book, using one source of communication instead of paper notes and sticky notes.
• Front desk associates also have an email as a way to communicate instead of using paper products for communication.
In housekeeping, we are taking much effort to promote waste reduction and energy efficiency by:
• Each housekeeper is aware of our single streaming trash process and knows to separate garbage to be disposed of in its correct bin.
• Our garbage disposal bin is separated to place cardboard in one side and trash in the other. We are coaching our staff to educate them on what trash can be placed in which bin.
• Our linen program is designed to conserve energy in the laundry room. If a guest would like new towels, they can leave the soiled towels on the bathroom floor. If they will reuse them, the guest can hang them up.
• Our used linen items are brought to the local City Mission to be reused. Duvets, towels and sheets can be recycled for another purpose.
• We will use a third party to recycle bar soap and used amenities.
• Cleaning products from Ecolab are safe for the environment as well as our guest’s health.
• Telephone books are no longer in every guest room; they are located at the front desk for use when needed, saving hundreds of trees per year.
• We have recently replaced Styrofoam and plastic cups with paper and potato products.
• Hampton’s bath amenities are 99% biodegradable, preventing waste and pollution.
• Housekeeping has reduced the number of plastic bags being used.
In maintenance, our facility has been built to be environmentally friendly by:
• We are devoted to conserving and protecting water by informing our guests of valuable facts regarding water use in our information books in each guest room.
• Hampton uses low flow massage shower heads, and low flow toilets as well.
• At our facility, we have chosen to use toilet tank diverters in order to reduce excess water flow.
• We use faucet aerators to use only a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute, conserving and protecting our water.
• We have installed water saving pool filters.
• Our hotel is built with energy efficient air units for better air quality and energy conservation.
• Our lighting system is also energy efficient; we promote the use of natural sunlight instead of light bulbs. In our breakfast area, we have placed large windows for added natural sunlight.
• Energy Star products are used throughout the Hampton brand.
• We take extra precautions by safely disposing of fluorescent lighting.
• We offer our guests a wireless access connection to conserve electricity use.
Impacts on Environment
• Newspapers
o We accurately determine the number of guests in the hotel every night to reduce wasteful paper
• Food
o Food products are wasted every day. We are working with our breakfast staff to ensure that food orders are carefully placed to eliminate wastefulness.
• Lighting
o Some lighting in the hotel is 24 hour lighting. We would like to install light sensors in the hotel to reduce the energy that is being used to keep these lights on unnecessarily.
Our goal for energy reduction is to begin our action plan, and by March 2011, calculate how much energy was saved by collecting utility bills. In the housekeeping department, by reducing energy, we will see the amount of linen purchased reduced, as well as the number of cleaning products reduced. Our overall goal for the next 6 months is to begin the action plan, and use receipts to determine how much energy and cost was saved and/or reduced.
