At the Boston Park Plaza, some 140 changes have been made as the hotel attempts to make less impact on the environment: Guests are given the option of not changing towels daily, and the two million disposable bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and other toiletries used each year have been replaced by permanent on-the-wall dispensers. Says Liz Kay on behalf of the hotel, 'With this change, we are not only helping the environment, but - by saving the 17 cents each small bottle costs - we have upgraded the products to those made of natural ingredients.'
Other alterations include cleaning chandeliers ultrasonically to reduce chemical use; donating surplus or damaged linens, blankets, food and furniture to local veterans' shelters; recycling the hotel's 2,400 phone books each year; using non-toxic and biodegradable cleaners in rooms; and installing low-flow shower heads and toilets - which alone saves 16.5 million gallons of water and 29,000 gallons of water-heating fuel annually. The Boston Park Plaza also seeks to involve and educate its guests: A special phone line was established so that guests can learn about the initiative, and information cards are places in rooms.
Hoteliers are slowly discovering that what's good for the environment is also good for the bottom line. Though the Boston Park Plaza spent some $1.8 million on environmental enhancements ($1.2 million of which went to new energy-efficient windows), management projects that the investment may eventually be made back in water, fuel, and rubbish-disposal savings. What's more, Kay says, the Boston Park Plaza has already received extra bookings from groups who have been attracted not just to the stately lobby, but also by the hotel's environmental concerns.
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