Posted on: Monday, November 8, 2004

Guests help hotels conserve

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writer

Nearly 80 Hawai'i hotels have saved millions of gallons of water and $1.5 million in electric bills with a simple program that asks hotel guests if they'll agree to reuse towels and linens for a day.

"This is a project that cost $7,000 and has energy savings of $1.5 million," said Dennis J. Hwang, an environmental attorney and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i's environmental committee.

The folks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Hilton Waikoloa and Hilton's Doubletree Alana in Waikiki figure they save more than 13 million gallons of water and 323,651 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually through the Water Conservation Card Program, he said.

The effort is part of the Green Business Program started in 2002 by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the state Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce.

After letters went out to hotels last year offering free water conservation cards, 78 hotels across the state ordered 50,570 of the recyclable plastic cards. If you've been in any of the hotels, you've probably seen them. They state that towels left on the floor will be washed, but that by leaving them hanging, you're indicating you'll reuse them and it's OK to leave them a day.

Hwang said the program has saved an estimated 100 million gallons of water, 250 tons of detergent and enough power to run 1,500 homes.

"We encouraged hotels to participate because it saved them money and helps stretch our limited natural resources," said Hawai'i Hotel and Lodging Association president Murray Towill. The hotel industry, Hawaiian Electric and water departments in each county participated, along with government agencies.

Some companies, including Sheraton and Hilton, were using a similar system that formed the blueprint for the Green Business effort.

Hwang said the response to the card program started slowly, but has been picking up this year. "Guests are becoming more receptive to participation. This is most likely due to the environmental problems and water shortages on the Mainland. They are beginning to realize that our resources are not unlimited," Hwang said.

He said that high-end rooms tend to have a slightly lower participation rate than lower-priced accommodations, although the difference is small, about 5 percent.

For more information, reach Hwang at 544-8608 or djh@roplaw.com.

If you have a question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766, e-mail jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or call (808) 245-3074.