26 ECO PRACTICES IN HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

PL. Sridevi Sivakami

1. INTRODUCTION

In hospitality industry eco practices are been adopted friendly practices which paves way for cleaner and greener environment. To preserve environment has become major concern in today world. Since the hotel industry has a broad circle of relationship and influence with community it would be almost easier to promote sustainable earth. As it has wider chance of becoming future trends it could be boon to the hospitality industry which follows the footsteps of eco friendly route thereby reduce the cost of the product and increase the productivity.

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After the completion of this module, you should be able to

Ø   gain knowledge on the need for eco-friendly practices.

Ø   list eco-friendly products that can be used in a hotel.

Ø   apply eco-practices in housekeeping department.

3.  IMPORTANCE

It is important for the hotels to be eco-friendly because hotels put a lot of strain on the environment while consuming products. Here are some of the other important aspects:-

1. Involves a lot of people and has broader network and produce lot of waste.

2.To check global warming and subsequent climate change, the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere has to be controlled. One of the ways of effectively control is carbon credits.

3.Carbon credits are an internationally accepted procedure in which a company has to remain carbon neutral, i.e., if its business involves emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the company has to ensure that an equivalent amount of oxygen into the atmosphere or ensures that an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide that would have otherwise have been released into the atmosphere is prevented.

4. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING PRACTICES

When eco practices in housekeeping was adopted changes can be observed in‟ triple win’ that is organizational structure, cost saving and environmental performances this will reflect in the improvement in environmental friendly.

5. ECO FRIENDLY PRACTICE IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

These are the ways that eco friendly can be adopted

1.Create awareness among:

1.a. Employee awareness – includes training and motivation and education.

2.b Formation of environmental groups in the hotel.

3.c .Vendors – support vendors who follow eco friendly. E.g.: laundry men, amenities.

4.d.Encourage use and purchase of environmentally degradable products.

5.d.Guest who use the products in the hotel.

2.  Three “R‟s” of environmental awareness”

§    Reduce waste and consumption

§    Recycle waste

§    Reuse products

    3.  Inform guest that you are eco friendly at the time of advertisement itself.

4.  Give a herbal amenities to the guest.

5.  Can put tent cards in rooms like – if A/C is kept at 21 o C instead of 18 o C electricity can be saved which is eco friendly.

6.  Reduce use of chemical and use of toxic cleaning agents.

7.  Use of correct dispensers and concentrations as required for cleaning.

8.  Reduce consumption of water, energy and electricity.

9.  Maximize the use of freely available products, lighting, heating and ventilation.

10.  Laundry use should have sewage treatment plant.

11.  Vermi-culture solid waste disposal where solid waste can be converted to compost.

12.  Waste should be segregated into –

12.a.Degradable waste (Reuse)

12.b.Non-degradable waste (proper disposal)

12.c.Toxic waste (proper disposal)

Community works – CDP – create awareness among people, local community, beach cleaning and planting of trees.

6.  ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES IN HOUSE KEEPING DEPARTMENT AND ROOMS 6.a.Rooms

Ø  Dual flush toilets will save water in bathrooms.

Ø  Low watts nightlight is located in all guest bathrooms would also save electricity.

Ø  Then, „‟my earth‟‟ products can be used; they are vegetable based and 100% compostable. Packages are made from recycled paper and printed with vegetable ink. Green amenities can be used in the room.

Ø  In order to keep the sunlight out and room cooled, sliding doors are made with double insulating glass and are tinted.

Ø  If a towel is found lying on the floor then they are only picked up and cleaned and reused.

Ø  Linens are replaced every three days if we require fresh linens just place the signs for fresh linens on the guest pillows.

We  can  use  fluorescents  light  bulbs  and  also  CFL  bulbs,  these  produce  only  less  watts.

Information‟s can be given to guest, attract and impress them in these aspects.

6. b. Guest rooms

Energy used for air conditioning, ventilation and heating changes with weather conditions but lighting is directly proportional to the occupancy

• Guest supplies and amenities, provided by the housekeeping department for guests should be biodegradable and eco-friendly.
• Minimize the amount of paper used for each guest- that is, reduce the size of paper invoices and similar documents.
• The housekeeping department can source and purchase linen made from organically grown produce.
• Water from the laundry can be treated and used for watering plants.
• The executive housekeeper should create an incentive program to encourage staff to participate in and improve upon environment-friendly practices.

6. c. ECO FRIENDLY GUEST SUPPLIES

The following practices can be followed in the purchase and use of guest supplies and stationery in hotels.

• Whenever possible buy guest amenities in bulk, use refillable dispensers for hair and skincare products.
• Buy guest stationery, use recycled-paper products (with a high post-consume recycled content) that are either unbleached or bleached using a chlorine free process.
• All guest supplies- soaps, shampoo and foaming bath liquid should be biodegradable.
• Reusable, non-disposable cups and mugs should be provided to guests to serve beverages. Place cups and mugs upside down on paper doilies instead of covering them with plastic wrapping provide cloth napkins and ceramic dishes too as these are reusable.
• Provide morning newspapers in public areas for community access instead of individual room distribution this reduces paper waste by 60 percent.
• Replace paper hand towels with air dryers in restrooms.
• Consider the use of hemp fabric for duvets, pillowcases, dust ruffles and bath curtains.

7.  HOUSE KEEEPING

• Air coolers must be monitored in guest rooms.
•  Eco-smart cleaning solutions must be used with dilutions. Eg., lime juice, eucalyptus oil, vinegar, etc.
• 100% recycled toilet paper, centerfold towels, tissue paper, trash can liners are coreless compostable.
• Employees should switch off lights and fans that are not in use.
• Employees should immediately report any leaky faucets or pipes.
•  Employees should ensure that only the correct wattage of bulbs is used and the light shades are clean.

Employees should ensure that drapes are closed to maximize the effect of air-conditioning or heating

8. ENGINEERING AND MAINTAINENCE

In the engineering & maintenances department following aspects have to be carried out

• Rooms must have separate drainage lines and use this recovered water for gardening.
• We can use 100% bio degradable plastic bags.
• Monthly monitoring and analysis of key indicators.
• Outdoors lightening can be controlled by timers or photocells.
• Gas tank locked and appropriate signage is installed.
• Water meters is checked daily every four hours and logged in system.

9.  ECOTEL

9.1.What is Ecotel ?

Ecotel follows 3 „R‟ –Reducing ,Reusing, Recycling. Ecotel certification requires these properties to strictly adhere to certain criteria and these are named as „five globe’ that the cornerstones on the eco friendly environment

§   Environmental commitment

§    Solid waste management

§    Energy efficiency

§    Water conservation and preservation

§    Employee environment education and community involvement.

To adopt this criteria following aspects have to adopted and followed

10. GREEN BULIDING

An ecotel should be a green building which are designed to meet certain objectives such as protecting occupants‟ health ,improving the employee productivity by using energy ,water and other resources. These types of building reduces the operation and maintenances cost, regulates the environmental impact on building construction to ensure retrofit and emphasis on minimization of waste.

Building design, architecture and material should be eco friendly. It is the exact building design which should have elements for good natural light and air circulation eg – spacious windows, open to sky and balconies. Building material such as port land cement. Hotel can use recycled wood, use required amount of steel and cement. Design the building in a proper way to use minimum steel or cement.

11. REGULATE INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

Provide adequate ventilation and a high efficiency in – dust filtration system. Heating and cooling systems that ensure adequate ventilation and proper filtration can have a dramatic positive impact on indoor air quality. Use low emission glass for windows. Low e glass is unique in that it deflects heat while allowing light to pass through. Double or triple glazed windows generally insulated the room from outside heat or cold. Interiors should made from minimum wood or cement.

Minimum use of interiors are :

Ø  Plumbing – aerated taps

Ø  Electrical   – CFL bulbs, senior corridors

Ø  Lighting    – incorporating nature lighting inside the rooms &corridors

Ø   Heating   – Solar heater

Ø   Water purification  – Using ozone

Ø   Linen – don‟t wash it daily

Ø   Laundry service – Use of eco friendly chemicals

Ø   Use of organic fertilizers in horticulture

Ø   Use of recycled water in garden and in flush

Ø   Flushing water quantity should be reduced.

Ø   Use of non conventional use of energy like Solar energy and Wind energy

12. ENERGY CONSERVATION

Today we utilize external energy supplies to fulfill many of our basic needs as well as to provide comforts, luxuries and entertainment. Due to indiscriminate use insufficient energy sources become a global problem this crisis differs from country to country. On an average 80 percent of the energy used worldwide is procured from fossil fuels and these fuels are depleting at alarming rate.

Hotel industry consumes energy in different forms and each organization invests a huge amount of money to acquire all these sources of energy for instance a 500 rooms in 5 star property with all facilities operating during a power crisis pays a energy bill Rs.12 lakh per month. It is possible to save the cost to about 15-12 % of this cost by using energy conservation methods even by the modest target of 7% can be saved upto Rs. 10 lakh per annum in a hotel

14. LAUNDRY

This facility utilizes a large amount of energy for washing as well as finishing process. The amount of energy consumption within the department depends largely on the type of equipment in use and to a lesser extent on type of linen. Most five-star hotels wash bed linen on a daily basis since the linen is almost always very lightly soiled, the department may in consultation with the management to draw up a policy for laundering bed linen only once in 2-3 days unless perceptibly soiled this practice can save a large amount of water. The ideal way to introduce this policy would be leave to the option of the guests. A tent card that states the purpose behind the same will always encourage the guests to oblige. The usage of cold water detergents reduces the need for hot water. The final rinse water should be used for the first wash of the next batch of soiled linen.

15. LIGHTING

Different types of lighting are used in different areas according to the illumination ,while lighting uses lion‟s share of energy when compared with other electrical equipments operate at less efficiently this accounts electricity consumption for 10-25 percent in a hotel. Removal of key tag from its slot invokes the energy saver setting . Housekeeper should turn off lights and fans in rooms that are unoccupied.

16. TEMPERATURE CONTROL

The temperature required to heat the water in different areas are in bath it should be at 30-433o C , in showers 32-35oC and in sinks 43-49oC .

17. WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT

Approximately total water requirement of day in a hotel is 250 kiloliters, this comes to about 90 million liters a year. By using rain water harvesting nearly 25 percent of water can be used within their premises area itself. Minimize wastage of water by using ultra low flush toilets, low showerheads and other water conservation fixtures. Low flushing WCs require a maximum of 6 liters of water when compared with traditional WCs that require 10-12 liters. Automatic flushes activated by infra- red sensors in public area urinals this can bring about 30 percent reduction in total water usage. Aerated taps may reduce the consumption of water 200 liters to 110 liters per shower. Hotel should recycled waste water for different purposes such as horticulture, flushing toilets and air conditioning through separate pipe system.

18.  WATER MANAGEMENT IN HOUSE KEEPING DEPARTMENT

Ø  Put procedure in place and conduct training to inform housekeeper on how they can reduce water use. These would include how many times to flush the toilet while cleaning, not to leave the taps running or consume excess water , use mop rather than hose when cleaning the floors.

19.  GREEN ARCHITECHTURE

Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water & materials during construction. Centralized waste water treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this process is converting waste and waste water into fertilizer, which avoid cost. By collecting waste at the source and run it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste. Liquid fertilizer can be produced. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting green house gas emission.

20. ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY CLEANING AGENTS

These are some of the common cleaning agents used in the housekeeping departments on a daily basis they are:

20.1. VINEGAR: This is a fermented ethanol product and is been preferred in bathroom and kitchen cleaning and can be also used as fabric softener in our laundry and if used with water that can be excellent cleaner for windows and other glasswares.

20.2. LEMON JUICE: It is also a very good toilet cleaner, smells fresh and it is free from airborne toxins. It can be used against all hard water marks and deposited. Lemon peel can be used as a natural air freshener .it can be used to clean metals and wood surfaces.

20.3. BAKING SODA: It is a white crystalline sodium bicarbonate it acts as the best abrasive cleanser and also deodorizer. It is low in toxicity and forms detergent which reacts with grease and oil.

20.4. BORAX: Naturally occurring mineral as sodium borate dissolves easily in water and a wonderful cleaner. It helps in dissolving grease and removing stains and inhibits mould.

20.5. SOAP FLAKES: They are pure translucent flakes of vegetable oils and purified water and are biodegradable low toxic and unlike detergent, do not contribute to algal blooms in rivers.

20.6 EUCALYPTUS AND TEA-TREE OIL: They are natural air fresheners and scented disinfectants add to hot water but can also be used neat as they are good for removing sticky goof off surface.

21.   HOW THE PRODUCTION PROCESS ANALYSIS THE INPUT AND OUT PUT IN HOUSE KEEPING DEPARTMENT?

By analyzing the input and output of the production process, the hoteliers have an eye opener and watch closer into their operation procedures followed a daily basis and identify further more opportunities to reduce the cost and improve productivity.

Monitoring at non product out (NPO) in an effective approach for indentifying these opportunities for improvement

Generating and disposing of NPO are non value adding activities but NPO can block production capacity (in case of reprocessing )and resulting in loss of production and opportunity cost

22.  EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Ø  Housekeeping department play a key role in eco practices they have train them and equip with new skills

Ø  Housekeeper can cooperate in activates that reduce waste and economize the use of water ,energy and material

Ø  Good housekeeper can also lead to reduce cost and materials saving and also reduce the risk of human health and environment.

23.  BENEFITS OF BEING AN ECOTEL

§ The value of the business will improve due to increased exposure in the marketplace.

§ Because of the integrity of the ECOTEL certification and inspection system, travels and the media rely on this endorsement of a hotel‟s environmental performance.

When presented properly, the certification can be a powerful marketing advantage and motivator of sales.

24.  SUMMARY

Good housekeeping practices are based on common sense and involve little or no investment these basic measures to conserve materials water, energy in considerable quantity and enhance the productivity by the reducing the cost of the product. Nothing is waste in nature because nature knows how to reuse and recycle. Ecotels follow the same principle- reuse and recycle whatever possible. Energy and water conservation are integral parts of environmental sensitivity. Both resources are depleting rapidly and alternative, renewable resources need to be sourced and utilized. This chapter outlined many methods for the conservation of energy and water. Waste management primarily involves recycling wastes generated on the property‟s premises and many tips have been given for the same.

There are many international agencies certifying ecotel and require few criteria to be met for certification to be granted. The five most important criteria are energy conservation; water conservation; waste management; environmental commitment; and employee education.

REFERENCES

1. Hotel Housekeeping: A Training Manual, 3Rd Ed. Author : Sudhir Andrews, Publisher : Tata Mcgraw Hill ISBN13 : 9781259004988- ISBN10 : 1259004988.
2. Housekeeping In Home And Hotels: System & Operations- R. Aggarwal,S.R. Sharma,Vertika Tadi- Publisher: Sublime Publisher- ISBN13: 9788181921314
3. 3. Hotel Housekeeping: Operations and Management by Raghubalan, Smritee Raghu balan ., Oxfard University Press,New delhi,ISBN-13: 978-0-19-806109-0.