Unveiled at the Radisson SAS hotel in London, the website consideratehoteliers.com aims to “encourage the adoption of economically, socially and environmentally sustainable policies and practices among the hoteliers of London in a way which enhances the viability of their businesses, the environment and the quality of the experience on offer to their guests, staff and visiting tourists.”
Commenting at the launch, CHA project director Sheena Gibson said the website was partly the result of an Association review of its members’ needs and expectations. She said: “There has been a real sea-change in hoteliers’ awareness of environmental issues and the fact they’re not going to go away.”
Founded in 1990 with the financial help of Westminster City Council, the CHA has now spread beyond of London. It has around 30 full members, including the Ritz, the Dorchester and the London Hilton.
Ms Gibson explained that many of the member hotels are excited about the marketing opportunities associated with the Association. “We need to put London on the map as an environmentally aware destination which is marketable and gives bottom line benefit.”
Gaby Rose, business coordinator at the Radisson SAS, told letsrecycle.com that the 272-room hotel produces 240 tonnes of waste a year. It recycles 0.24 tonnes of white paper and 0.9 tonnes of cardboard each month, and is currently storing 200 newspapers per day with a view to finding a suitable recycling route.
Ms Rose, who is also on the CHA committee, said that her hotel and its restaurant used to take advantage of the free collection policy of coca cola bottles, but this has now finished. In September 2002 the Radisson SAS had a bottle crusher installed on site, which processes 34.8 tonnes per year of waste glass. The glass then goes into aggregates used for road building.
Despite its efforts, the hotel still produces around 18 tonnes per month of unsorted waste. Ms Rose said: “We now really have to look at the amount of waste and packaging we produce.”
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