Marriott on the Move

Posted By: Sakip Ozatay (11/6/2007)
Comment: Cleaners keep the room lights on after they finish their work. I heard this is a company policy. Can we change that, because like all business guests, I leave the room in the morning and come back after 6 pm. This time the lights, parctically are on, though no one is in the room.

Posted By: vkammerer (6/27/2007)
Comment: I DO wash my towels after each use! I expect a hotel to change the linens every day while I stay there. In addition, I expect clean blankets and bedspreads. With the prices of good hotel rooms being very expensive, I expect first class service, and that includes clean sheets every day. What are you thinking jumping on the band wagon with the looney global warming people?

Posted By: Jonathan Wylde (4/17/2007)
Comment: Mr. Marriott as I am writing this I am staying in the Shanghai Marriott Hongqiao. It is both my home and my office while in China. I am a Gold card member and endeavour to stay in your hotels in all my travels. I noticed a sign in the lobby stating your "Green" policy that impressed me as I think that all corporations should be traveling this path but few are at this point. What I did also notice is the statement that "Last year, we replaced 450,000 incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient fluorescent lighting. That's saved our hotels 65 percent on lighting costs." While this is laudable and definitely a step in the right direction, there are other lighting options that are far more "green". Firstly all fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, which is an environmentally hazardous substance and is one of the 6 items excluded in the new ROHS compliance system that is now mandatory in Europe and will be worldwide soon. Second there is a more efficient lighting source which is also totally ROHS compliant, and that is LED lighting. LED lighting is much more than those cheap Christmas lights and is poised to replace all conventional light sources within 10 years time. At the risk of sound like a commercial, I am the R & D manager for Revlite Technologies, a North American based LED lighting company that produces light fixtures to replace all conventional sources including serious high power fixtures such as street lighting, path lighting and garage lighting. We also produce an MR-16 replacement that at 3Watts replaces 20-50 conventional MR-16s. All of the fixtures have a lifespan of 50,000-100,000 hrs, which exceeds the fluorescent fixtures by a factor of 5-10x. We are already involved with your green prototype Marriott in Muskoka, Canada and I would ask you to visit www.revlite.com and contact us so that we may show you how the Marriott corporation could become even more green.

Posted By: Jan (3/25/2007)
Comment: I'm amazed at how much you have done to protect the environment. But I'm just wondering...your company has so many hotels all over the world, do ALL of them carry out the practice you mentioned to protect the environment? How do you ensure that the people in charge of your branches will be as passionate as you are in environment protection?

Response: Hi, I'm John Wolf and I'm responding for Bill Marriott. We use many methods of communications designed to get the word out and reinforce our company's goals, such reducing carbon emissions. For example, we have annual or biannual general managers' conferences, depending on the brand. We also rely on our regional Business Councils around the world. The hotels that makeup each Business Council spearhead environmental activities in their communities. We also create standards that hotels must follow and the owners of our hotels make investments when renovating their properties to improve energy efficiency, as well. However, what's most gratifying are the environmental initiatives that are a result of input and action by our associates.

Posted By: John D.M. Shelley II (3/21/2007)
Comment: Algore's movie was BS. If you're actually interested in scientific truth and fact, then watch this 1hr 14min film, from the BBC, on The Great Global Warming Swindle: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4520665474899458831

Posted By: dent (3/21/2007)
Comment: As PT Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute." Looks like one of them is running Marriot.

Posted By: AJ in Boulder (3/21/2007)
Comment: The only "sobering" thing about al gore's documentary is that it contains assumptions not based on science and a combination of cherry-picked facts, half-truths and outright lies. Mr. global warming al gore is a total hypocrite when it comes to the environment. He travels on private jets, had three huge homes and worst of all he is buying these supposed carbon credits from a company which he is the CEO and co-founder of. Al gore is a total fraud and I'm sorry to hear Mr. Marriott lend any credence to anything that gore has to say on global warming.

Posted By: dan (3/19/2007)
Comment: you have switched the light bulbs in the rooms,but what about the offices, storerooms, walk ins, refrigerators? it's that the public can see these so called changes, but how about doing it for the workers and in there areas? Is this just lip service so you ca look good an the outside but do nothing on the inside?

Response: Hi Dan, I'm John Wolf and I am responding for Bill Marriott. We agree changes must be throughout the hotel. Let me give some background. About 20 years ago we installed energy-saving flourescent lighting in all "back-of-house" areas, where our associates work when they're not interacting with guests. When flourescent bulbs became more energy efficient about a decade ago, we retrofitted all exisiting flourescent lighting fixtures. It was about that time we began experimenting with compact flourescent lights in guests rooms and now they are standard. Thanks again for your question.

Posted By: Sam Morris (3/19/2007)
Comment: I appreciate the steps you have taken to be more "green". I would suggest the addition of recycling bins in your properties. Guests receive a newspaper everyday - where does it go when they are done? Receptacles for plastic bottles would also be helpful.

Posted By: Robert Feagley (3/16/2007)
Comment: Response to Jay.I don't think it very wise for you to assume that everything that Al Gore stands for is wrong, or "to the left". This is the root problem of politics-everything is divided into two camps. Global warming will be universal amoung Rep., Dems, Blacks, Whites, etc. Reading Mr. Marriott's blog, I did not see an endorsment for Gore, but he states it was "very sobering". The truth is the truth no matter what party you are with. It's great to hear large Corp. leaders that have the power to change things see through the smoke screen that you can't seem to! Be part of the solution, not the problem. ps. I did not vote for Al Gore.

Posted By: Eric (3/15/2007)
Comment: Have the Marriott properties in New York City and on Long Island gone "green" by replacing the old light bulbs with CFL's? I would certainly consider this when traveling to the region, which is about 10 to 12 days per month.

Response: I'm responding for Bill Marriott. All our hotels in the U.S. and Canada have eliminated incandescent lights in favor of compact flourescent lighting, the curly-cue-shaped bulbs.

Posted By: kat (3/15/2007)
Comment: response to Jay: a left wing company? You must be joking. When the rest of us read this blog from Mr. M. we thought, "wow, how progressive for Marriott!" all is good

Posted By: janet hopkins (3/14/2007)
Comment: Mr. Marriott, I worked for your company in 1992, in Arlington, Va. I hope to work for your company again,hopefully in management. I tell anyone, who will listen your company is one of the best company anyone can work for, because your company trains people in different areas of the hotel business, and you care for your employees. Grad on new granddaughter.

Posted By: Jay (3/12/2007)
Comment: I am a marriott rewards member with a large point balance and travel 285 days a year for my company. I stay only at Marriott properties and have several family members who are long time Marriott employees. After reading Mr Marriott's comments about Al Gore and his so called "green" efforts I have realized I have been supporting a left wing company. Thank you for sharing this with me and I will not be staying in your Hotel. Please give my points to charity.Thank you.

Posted By: joe (3/12/2007)
Comment: Mr. Marriott. I applaud you for taking these huge steps to saving our environment. But taking further you could make this a mandatory requirement for all you hotel brands, not just the Residence Inn's /Execu. Stays.

Response: I am reposnding for Bill Marriott. It is for all brands.

Posted By: fluke watson (3/10/2007)
Comment: In the past I have complemented you on being a leader on various endeavours. However, in my opinion you lag behind other hotel chains in this 'green' effort both in timing and progress. Like previous posters have noted, you need to aim higher. This is a pathetic goal. If you are honest in your effort, then start making a difference.

Response: I am responding on behalf of Bill Marriott. I hope you'll look at some of our responses to previous comments. The six percent per guest room reduction was the goal set to to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders program. No other lodging company is in the program. The reduction goals are on top of the eleven percent reduction we have already made. We recognize there is more Marriott and every lodging company can do. We have plans to do more in the future and will write about them on the blog as they are announced.

Posted By: Ryan (3/9/2007)
Comment: It's a good start, but nowhere near the end. If this is a true campaign, which I am hoping it is, I would hope to see Marriott allocate these amounts saved and put towards the goal. To save money for Marriott is, in itself, not saving the environment and being eco-friendly. To allocate the saved amounts to an eco-friendly cause or program IS being eco-friendly. I am hoping that Marriott will examine this recommendation, and put it's (saved) money where it's mouth is.

Response: I'm responding on behalf of Bill Marriott. We are doing much more to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. This won't be the last post about the environment.

Posted By: Thomas (3/9/2007)
Comment: I definitely think that it is very important that Marriott takes a lead in environmental programs such as described. Hopefully Marriott will set the example for the industry and others will follow. Nevertheless, the biggest energy saver would be people travelling (read flying) less then they do nowadays. This can be a serious threat for the world wide hotel industry though. What is your opinion on this paradox situation?

Posted By: Nina (3/9/2007)
Comment: Mr. Marriott, I'm a professional meeting planner and more and more am going to be taking "green" factors into account when selecting properties for the meetings I plan. I sincerely hope your efforts can expand in more and more significant ways - if you can become the leader in hotel chains in green efforts while delivering everything else I can count on from Marriott brands, I will reward you with as many meetings as I can - mine, and those of my colleagues and friends, whom I refer with word of mouth. As the previous poster said, please do aim higher.

Posted By: Goredon Kaye (3/8/2007)
Comment: I fully support your efforts but how about making it a little easier for us on the towels. As you redo the bathrooms in many of your hotels, you seem to be eliminating the towel racks. While your little signs tell us that if we want to reuse the towels just put them on the racks - the racks don't exist! It may seem like a little thing but w/o those racks there is no place to hang the towels so they will dry before you want to use them again. Come to think of it what were your designers thinking when they did away with most of the towel racks in the bathrooms?

Posted By: James Governor (3/8/2007)
Comment: good to hear your efforts. but 6% really isn't enough off a target for guest rooms. you should be aiming for more like a 20% reduction. aim high! seriously its good to see you are committed but i think 6% is more like a margin of error than a serious commitment

Response: I'm replying for Bill Marriott and I want to thank you for your thoughts. The six percent per guest room represents the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions we have targeted by 2010 as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders program. It will be on top of the 11 percent reduction per guest room in those emissions we already have achieved in the past past five years.

Posted By: Reba (3/7/2007)
Comment: I want you to know Mr. Marriot, how I do appreciate the progress Marriot has made regarding the environment. America has been so far behind other countries in this endeavor. I first experienced the efforts you describe in Germany, where I lived as a military spouse. My children learned to be concerned about the "umwelt" at an early age. That brings me to another reason I wanted to comment on your blog, and that is to thank you for treating the Marriott family so nicely. My oldest daughter joined the Mariott family as an associate a little over a 2 years ago. I truly appreciate the benefits Marriott extends to me, her mom, and am proud to be part of the Marriott extended family...on the move!

Posted By: Read Culbert (3/7/2007)
Comment: Sorry to post htis here, but I've spent 20 minutes looking al over your site(s) to find the appropriate portal. A comment of deep appreciation for above and beyond service by Melanie Hayes (MGR) in your Spokane, WA Courtyard local. Malanie really did a great job of getting me out of a bind, keeping me on time for my 9:30 AM meeting. She embodies your Core Values and is an Ambassador for the Marriot Corp.

Posted By: Craig Mische (3/7/2007)
Comment: Your blog was recommended to me about a week ago and I am so pleased to learn of it. The content is excellent. Often, I stay in downtown Minneapolis for a weekend but usually stay away from the Marriott City Center as it feels just about the opposite of eco-friendly. I am going to give it a chance for my next stay. Best regards, Craig Mische