Often innkeepers will ask me what is the best way to go green in their inn. The scope of it, and the cost, can seem overwhelming. Easier to just keep putting it off!
Here’s the way I approach it within my own home and company - start small. What can you easily check off the list first? It can be something as simple and easy as buying LED lightbulbs for the entire property, printing on two sides of the paper instead of one, using washable rags for cleaning instead of paper towels, or starting a compost bin.
The good news is that going green can mean whatever you want it to mean for you and your inn (or your home). Think about the environmental issues that are important to you. Do you want to reduce your water usage, use only cruelty-free products, reduce plastic use and waste, be more natural or chemical free? You get to pick!
Here are just a few monikers for going green your business can focus on:
Non-toxic
Recycled
Organic
Energy efficient
Re-useable
Eco-friendly
Farm-to-table
Sustainable
Chemical free
Cruelty free
Once you have taken small steps and tackled a few issues that are important or cost-saving, it’s easier to add on to the list. For example, when I started Sitronu eco-friendly was at the forefront of my business development plan as well as my branding. Once that was established, I also realized cruelty-free was important to me so I made sure I sourced ingredients and products that were not tested on animals. I also sought the approval of Leaping Bunny and PETA for my own line of amenities. Then sustainable came into focus. I got discontinued my use of Dead Sea Salts or any derivative of such and replaced that ingredient with sea salts - just as good but perhaps not as fancy sounding.
Start small, take the next step and then another. Soon you will find that “going green” wasn’t as hard as you thought it might be! And on the upside, it saves you money in the long run. Win-win.
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