Marriott on the Move

Posted By: PlatMR-fan (1/18/2009)
Comment: Correction on Canadian Lutheran World Relief below: Per http://www.clwr.org/news/brief-06-0706.php "Influx of soap donations bound for Africa - Robert Granke, Executive Director of CLWR, came clean on a local Winnipeg radio station in June when he said soap supplies were running low at the agency. CLWR collects new, opened and broken soap bars for distribution in Africa. The soap is an essential need at hospitals and refugee camps, where hygiene supplies are scarce. Thanks to the generosity of listeners to CJOB radio and appeals to the CLWR constituency, CLWR began receiving the much needed soap. "The response has been positive, and stocks are starting to build" says Dennis Coughlan, Warehouse Coordinator. "Our next shipment is bound for Sierra Leone on July 11." Civil war destroyed much of Sierra Leone's economy starting in the 1990s, and the country has been in recovery since hostilities ceased in 2002. Sorted at CLWR, soap that is unopened is sent to hospitals, while all other soap, including open, broken or used bars, is sent to refugee camps. Donations of soap are accepted at the CLWR head office in Winnipeg on an ongoing basis. For information on packing and shipping soap, visit www.clwr.org or phone 1.800.661.2597.

Posted By: PlatMR-fan (1/18/2009)
Comment: Recycling toiletries: 1. Bottled or "crushed/wet but unopened packaging" - Women's shelters, homeless shelters, church aid pantries; Seaman's ministries, et al. (Identical liquids can be "funneled" into another container and labeled if necessary, e.g., Lotion.) 2. Used soap -- Reprocessing: a. A note and a "ZipLoc" snack-sized bag to ask visitors to take them home and keep them out of the landfill, if opened. b. Bi-O-Labs in Los Angeles collects discarded soap bars from over 150 hotels and processes them into other products such as laundry soap and surface cleaners. http://www.concepthospitality.com/ecotel/resourcerecyc.htm - Many other ideas here, too. c. Laboratoire Dermoderm - Apparently remixes with pumice for a hand cleaner / soap to remove grease, tar, etc. It is used by Fairmont hotels in Montreal. http://blogs.usatoday.com/hotelhotsheet/2007/10/where-do-those-.html d. Buffalo Recycled Laundry Soap: H.I. Landfill Diversion is a company in Victoria BC that has actually started recycling hotel soaps for use as clothing detergent. Contact 1-250-598-0309 (fax -0319). It has been in business for a number of years (2001+), recycles from over 5000 B.C. hotels, and sells its product in main chain stores in Western Canada. Borax and washing soda is added to make laundry soap, with the main difference being fewer bubbles during washing. See http://cip.nanaimo-online.net/0702/#keeners, http://www.cwma.bc.ca/articles/recycle/rec0011.html (the details) as well as http://www.denmanconservancy.org/grapev2003.html (consumer test results) -- A "site-squatter" took over his domain names (buffalorecycled.com and landfilldiversion.com) when they expired, but a blog posting on November 7, 2008 from Roger Sevigny (founder) confirms the soap is alive and well in Canada. http://michellelouie.com/?p=124 "Roger Sevigny November 7th, 2008 11:40 am -- ... Buffalo Recycled Laundry Soap is alive and well. Our web site is down but soap sales are great. We are still available at Save On Foods as well as Thrifty Foods and we are still diverting thousands of kilos of soap bars from the landfill. Roger Sevigny" (with picture of it). Cleaner paste out soon... Has idea of shampoo to car wash product as well. -- Perhaps Marriott (which also has a nice presence in Canada) can both be a mentor for this program and a customer for the laundry soap product for the guest laundries (packaging can tell the story) / internal laundries. c. Lutheran World Relief -USED- to collect, remelt and package for third world hygiene kits. Now they use packaged new 4-5oz bars only. However, the "recipe" still exists. Try this one: Here's an article on recycling soap scraps: http://www.echonews.com/1013/natures_way.html 3. Wall dispensers would work for bulk products. You still have those who prefer bar soap in the shower/bath, however. And you still have questions about what to do with the remnants of the bags. A lotion might be on the wall a lot longer than a shampoo / bath-&-body gel product. 4. The European "room card" for electricity does work. However, many hotels here preheat or precool rooms, or at least circulate the air, especially for elites. It would be an education issue.

Posted By: Doug Weller (1/15/2009)
Comment: Hi Bill, I like reading your ideas. Going green is a great idea. It can't hurt to use recycled materials and helps use resources efficiently. Have you considered using Bamboo as resource material? I heard its used from floors to cutting boards. I have a request, can you please have your IT department update the employment website to be compatible with Firefox 2.0 or greater and Apple's Safari 3.1.2. I'm trying to apply to some open positions at Marriott but I can't because of incompatability with web browsers. Thanks for listening.

Posted By: ambergreen (1/14/2009)
Comment: I Travel frequently and am pleased to see that the marriot chain of hotels are conserving with the environment. I will be looking to book reservations with your hotels because of this.

Posted By: Debbie (1/14/2009)
Comment: Good morning Bill, I work as an account manager for a global company, Hilti tools. In my 8 years with Hilti, we have partnered with the Marriott group for our Hilti North America functions. I commend Marriott's commitment to a greener and more environmentaly friendly properties, and would like to add something perhaps no one has thought about, but truly is the background of every customers pleasant stay...the operations group that take care of all of your facilities.Hilti has manyinnovative products, dust-free drilling systems, and anti-vibration tools that can have an inpact on a better environment for your guests, while eliminating harmful by-products from escaping into the air while your facilities group keeps Marriott a first class place to stay. I will be working with your Marriott Louisville Kentucky locations to ensure you have the best ,safest,quietest, and most environmentaly friendly products. and thank you for the most comfortable beds in the industry! Debbie Eisenback Account Manager Hilti North America Marriott rewards member

Posted By: Casey (1/13/2009)
Comment: I agree with Kat on 1/7/09: What happens with all those unused toiletries (soap, shampoo,etc.)? It is such a waste and I'm sure a big expense to Marriott. I understand providing these things if someone forgot them or travelled by airline, but I'd like to see some "recycling" of these items or only providing them if asked. And, what about conserving energy and resources by reusing bed sheets and towels for guests staying multiple days (maybe only changing them every three days -- do people at home change their bedsheets and towels every day)? This conservation is mostly done by hotels outside the US, even small Carribean countries, so why can't it be done in the US? Think of helping the environment by not putting so much washing chemicals back into the water.

Posted By: Lisbon, Portugal (1/13/2009)
Comment: Nowadays,the people are getting more and more aware and sensitive to enviromental issues and the fact that Marriott is taking some actions regarding this matters, will only help to distinguish the brand as "A brand to the future generations"!

Posted By: Chris Grossgart (1/12/2009)
Comment: IABC actively seeks partners that are committed to conserving resources and addressing climate change as part of our association's CSR work. The greening of Marriott's supply chain is another reason we're proud to have selected the San Francisco Marriott as the site for IABC's June 2009 World Conference, and why Mr. Marriott received IABC's Excellence in Communication Leadership Award in 2008. You continue to inspire us!

Posted By: Joe DiGeronimo (1/11/2009)
Comment: Dear Bill, Thank you for your wishes for a good 2009. I have been a dedicated frequent customer, investor and a fan of your properties and company for forty years plus. While managing The Lendman Group, my partner-founder Ernie Lendman and I looked upon your hotels as a business partner. In 1967 we originated the concept of and delivered career fairs into the late 90's then selling the business to the Washington Post Companies. In the late sixties I believe our small company could have been one of your biggest customers running Military Junior Office Career Fairs at the 14th Street Bridge Marriot. Over four decades we were served gallantly by your staff. Your staff and physical plant most always were of the highest professionalism. Since your properties were the actual site where we served our customers, the professionalism of your people and properties were of great importance and comfort to us. As our business grew to running over 300 career fairs annually our regional managers relied on key relationships with your fine managers to serve our regional customers professionally. I think of the thousands of fine experiences over the decades both business and personal at many of your locations including but not limited to Boston, NYC, Stanford, NJ, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, San Jose, Virginia, Ohio, New Hampshire . The list goes on and on. I recall during an early stay in the late 60's at your Saddle Brook location, which for a couple of years was my-home-away-from-home, your sales manager provided me with the then brand "new concept" Marquis Card which developed into another great Marriott idea. I always appreciated that recognition of the Marquis Card as I do today appreciate very much being a Marriott Platinum Elite member which I can now share traveling for pleasure with my family. Being semi-retired my current visits to the Marriot are more often personal than business travel. With the children grown these days I'm blessed to be able to finally travel with my wife. I just wanted to tell you personally how important your company has been to me over the years and how important it continues to be today. Thanks for training your staff for among other things to recognize Platinum Elite member guests. Keep up the good work. Joe DiGeronimo *********

Posted By: Feras Werr (1/11/2009)
Comment: Dear Mr. Marriott, This is one excellent way to save the environment. It will help save a lot of natural resources and lessen the pollution that is feeding global warming. Congratulations on one excellent plan; and for all the readers of your blog that are decision makers in their companies: STOP GLOBAL WARMING BEFORE IT STOPS US!!!

Posted By: Tim Johannes (1/10/2009)
Comment: Dear Mr.Marriott I have been staying at your hotels for many years. If you remember the movie Trains,Planes and Automobiles. In which John Candy played a salesman selling shower rings. Dell Griffin the "Shower Ring King" In the movie when things got tuff for Dell he started selling the rings anyway possible. As Im always reading the blogs and enjoying them I see every once in a while someone pitching a product. Now Im throwing my product into the mix because Im willing to give 200 units for you to try, free!! This product will save you thousands of dollars and keep bathtubs from leaking from the overflow and wrecking units below them. We call it the Ultimate Overflow Gasket this is a great green sustainable product. Just a thought!!

Posted By: Craig Mueller (1/10/2009)
Comment: What not make all your buildings Green with Facility One? wwww.facilityone.com continuous commissioning of all your facilities world wide, real time monitoring of all your mechanical and ellectircal assets, available in an asp model. You'll save millions of dollars every year in energy savings and replace equipment far less often. Pass the savings on to your shareholders or keep your prices affordable while the competition has to raise theirs to cover hard cost.

Posted By: Hotel Blog (1/9/2009)
Comment: This is an absolut issue not only for cost savings! There are already hotels that put a closer focus on regional products oin F&B to increase quality and sustainability on the same time - and quality customers are wiilling to pay a surcharde for this as well!

Posted By: J. Cool (1/8/2009)
Comment: While I personally don't buy into the rhetoric and political propaganda brought forth by the far left's liberal cronies led by Al Gore and his misguided anarchist friends, I think that Marriott as a leader in the hotel industry should set the standard for absurdity in the green way of life. Why stop at recycled plastic for keys? Why not recycle the toilet paper that people don't use so that way the room rates will be cheaper for us worldwide travellers?

Posted By: S.J (1/8/2009)
Comment: Thanx for Happy New Year wishes, and same to you and all the nice employees at the chain of hotels. Best advice from a healthy vegan is for your restaurants to offer more "raw and natural" foods and stop stinking up the hotel with constant smell of meats cooking. (worse when you go for fresh air vacation). Offering more vegan items on the menu helps your hotels to go really green and encourages good health because a balanced vegetarian/vegan diet is the best. Good luck and happy new year..

Posted By: Ken (1/7/2009)
Comment: Pencils instead of pens in the rooms. My pet peeve is HVAC units that blow air up the curtains. I travel overseas also and highly agree with the auto shutoff of electric and the soap dispensers. They also go as far as lights dimming in the hallways when no motion is detected.

Posted By: Drew Thaler (1/7/2009)
Comment: Thanks for these - very glad that you can make changes with no additional cost. Really seems like a no-brainer, huh? And it'll really have an impact at the scale of Marriott's operations! Re the earlier comment, having all electricity in the room controlled by a keycard (as in European hotels) is a nice idea, and probably a cost-saver too. But it seems like a complicated thing to retrofit. Perhaps it'd be something you can explore for new/remodeled hotels. If you do, please don't forget travelers who might want to charge something (like a portable game system) while they're out - that's my biggest problem with such systems.

Posted By: Joyce Munyan (1/7/2009)
Comment: Dear Mr. Marriott, I have a product that could help in your green/sustainability efforts. I visited your Bethesda office with my product as two of your very nice employees also recognize the problem that is solves. My product keeps the decorative pillows, the ones that the guests throw on the chair (if they are nice) or on the floor because there is no convenient place to put them. At first, it was about germs but after developing this more, sustainability is also an issue. My product will reduce the wear and tear of the fabric through cleaning and ultimately reduce the need for replacement of the pillows and, of course, aid in reducing the transfer of germs from the chair/floor back on to the bed. I'd be happy to share with you the names of your employees who are familiar with me and my product. Thanks!

Posted By: Kat (1/7/2009)
Comment: What happens to the small bottles of toiletries that have been used and are left in the bathroom? I try to bring my own and not use them, or take them and finish them at home.

Posted By: tom osterman (1/6/2009)
Comment: If one were to ask which major hotel chain is more likely to lead the way toward greater environmental and social changes that impact positively everyone in the U.S., the answer would be the Marriott Hotels. I've learned over the years that when a major company like Marriott leads there are surely many who will follow. It doesn't surprise me at all the Bill Marriott and his company would be on the cutting edge. Congratulations.

Posted By: Sam Colmery (1/6/2009)
Comment: We own weeks at 6 different Marriott Resorts, and have stayed at many others in this great company. All MVCI resorts have balconies, mostly with sliding doors. I observe much waste of power used to heat and cool the villas by guests who carelesssly leave the doors open when leaving the villa, which means Marriott is air-conditioning "the air." Perhaps there is a power switch that would change the inside thermostat setting to a min-max, which would reduce the power used to heat or cool a villa when vacant, then ramp it up to the more desirable setting when occupied. Not quite like, but similar to the programmable thermostats we use in our homes.

Posted By: Mike (1/6/2009)
Comment: Hi Bill, We appreciate your green position/initiatives and understand your business improvements can have a significant impact to us all. This article reminds me of my recent trips to Germany and two specific green initiatives that are very evident in the hotels. 1. All electric circuits in the room are controlled by a switch by the door that is activated only by the room key (card type). When you leave the room all the power goes off. Fantastic concept. How about more compact fluorescent bulbs . . . 2. The use of liquid soap dispensers in the rooms and showers. Must reduce the wasteful consumption of soap. Both of these would also improve the bottom line for Marriott. Thanks for listening.