While most hospitality establishment owners are concerned about their recycling practices and food preparation and disposal, fewer are concerned about the effect their chemical cleaning products have on the environment.  However, there are more and more places that are attempting to lessen the effects their cleaning products have on the environment.     

According to the website of the Westin Bayshore, they run a program called “Make a Green Choice” which allows guests to choose between points or $5 food/beverage vouchers on checkout for every night they declined housekeeping.  Beyond that, the Westin Bayshore makes every effort to lessen their impact with every room cleaned.  All rooms are cleaned with chemicals that are non-toxic and any leftover amenities from a guest’s stay are donated to charity, old linens are also donated to the SPCA.  On their website, the Westin Bayshore has a table illustrating just exactly how much difference one less day of housekeeping can make.  Perhaps the most surprising is the conserved amount of water, claiming that one night saves 49.2 gallons or 787 cups of water— enough for one person to drink two cups a day for a year.

A smaller establishment in Vancouver, the Listel Hotel is also making huge developments in their business to lessen their chemical usage.  Andrea Crosley, Rooms Division Manager says that going greener in their cleaning “has been a process of trial and error, but we just take it one step at a time.”  The Listel Hotel takes a self-described holistic approach to greener chemicals; while the goal is to find something environmentally friendly, the product also has to work and disinfect in order to protect guests.  Guests are also given the option to have their linen cleaned, it is not done automatically.  Because the Listel Hotel is older, “it is about retro fitting sometimes,” says Crosley “we have to work with the staff on replacing the products that they’ve come to trust and love.  It’s about finding a vacuum or cleaner that’s more eco-friendly and that works, that the staff like to use.”  While the alternatives available are becoming more numerous and less costly, Crosley says that it’s partly a matter of  “trying to make a difference with each decision that you make,” as well.

Even in a very small operation like the Horseshoe Bay Motel, efforts can be made to be greener in regards to cleaning and chemicals.  Room Service Manager Bree Stoddart, says that the owner of the hotel is not based in Canada and therefore cost is a major concern for the establishment.  While it is difficult to go green with little budget to do so, the Horseshoe Bay Motel does linens only on request and has laundry equipment that requires less soap, water and energy.

No matter the size of the operation or budget, green options are always available and always make a difference.