thanks for the blog. I also hope you will begin recycling the huge amount of waste that is generated by your hotels. I believe your customers will make a special effort to help if presented with the opportunity.

The company should be more recycle-friendly. I have yet to visit one Marriot that recycled the hundreds of papers that are collected each day, or even have a recycle container somewhere. I'd say you should promote this if and where it is done. Thousands of newspapers (and the recyclable plastic cups and dishware that are used often) are generally thrown in with the rest of the trash at the Residence Inn, Courtyard, and Marriot hotel's I've lodged at. I think this could be a positive move for the company at little overall cost since most garbage collectors in most locations ofter recycle pick-up as part of the trash pick-up service. During a recent visit I went around to count the papers in front of rooms and in the lobby (it was an average-sized Courtyard) I figured at least 100 newspapers were there. The front desk said they get tossed with the regular trash; so you can figure that with 5 days a week at at least 500 Marriot locations, and considering an average tree produces around 700 2-lb newspapers, Marriot would save about 350 trees each week through recycling at just 500 hotels. This is a good goal given there are over 2900 Marriot properties, some of which are much larger than the Courtyard I stopped at.

Dear Mariott Corporation,
I think that it is awesome taking part in The Green for our enviroment. But I am aware that your laundry detergent and your cleaners are not safe for our enviroment. I have teh answer I have a distribution company, I offer completely Phosphate free cleaners and laundry detergent witn know fillers or harsh chemicals or radicals!
I would appreciate the opportunity to offer you my products that will cost less money and be safe for enviroment and for employeess and hotel guests!
Thank You,
Colleen Petetit

Been reading your blog, and thinking that to really prove your green credentials, you should invest in rooftop solar panels for electricity and hot water, for all hotels in sunny countries, or even biomass powered combined heat and power stations if these are more cost effective. But I agree with the other comments all hotels should have prominent recycling bins, particularly in developing countries where much less recycling is done - you could kick start a whole new industry in those countries providing social/economic benefits too!!

What about the problem of infectious mold in hotel rooms? I know this is a major problem in the mold/mildew belt but it is also a growing problem in less humid climates.

Mr Marriott, I would think adding the eco-beach brand to a resort chain would certainly grasp the #1 trend and most important aspect of the travel industry, eco-tourism re: bikes kayaks surfboards birding guides etc. environmentally friendly recreation at every location. no matter where you stay you have access to eco-friendly things to do. then certify each resort as eco-friendly. not only will you become the leader overnite. everyone will contribute to anew way of living. mike martino founder eco-beach # 1 on yahoo under beach rental packages

I have stayed at a number of Marriotts over recent years and in particular at the Park Meadows Drive property south of Denver. In all of them there is prominently displayed in the bathroom a card saying that Marriott wants to conserve water and that towels will not be replaced if one places them on the towel rack. I have been terribly disappointed to see that your staff never follows this procedure. Never. I always mark the towels discretely to be sure I am correct, so I know I am not wrong. I have raised this issue with several managers in the various hotels, and all shrug their shoulders and comment that they will talk with housekeeping. But, nothing ever changes. One manager even commented that the housekeeping staff has trouble understanding English, but apparently someone is communicating other things about how to do the rooms because they are always cleaned and arranged impecably. What I see happening is greenwashing in my mind and I think you should either enforce the policy or remove the cards from the bathrooms.

I have high respect for the Marriott Corporation, and its evident concern for our environment. I, too, was very sobered by the movie, An Inconvient Truth. I just returned from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and was very unimpressed with this town's recycling efforts. (My husband and I have been recycling aluminum, glass, newspapers, and other dry paper/cardboard for over 25 years.) There were no evident recycling bins on the beach, and the surrounding beach areas. We were there to preview the Marriott timeshare, but were not staying at a Marriot owned resort. Having traveled to Myrtle Beach by car from the northeast, I actually was compelled to bring my recyclables back home with me. I know that Marriott has a large presence in SC between Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, and I encourage Marriott to encourage all vacationers to take recycle.

I'd like to know what Marriott is doing PROACTIVELY to be a good steward of the earth. It's great that your employees are embarking on service projects cleaning up some of the damage already done, but how about preventing it in the first place? Also, how about NOT destroying beautiful and ecologically important areas for mega hotels/resorts? The proposed development in Puerto Rico in the Northeast Ecological Corridor is a prime example. It's easy to give lip service to green causes but it's another to back it up with the way a business is run.

I agree with Kip's comments and suggestions. I had an excellent experience at the Marriott Fairfield Inn at Bradley Field, Windsor Lock CT. The only negative was asking to recycle the newspaper I'd read and being told by one of the maintenance staff that there was no recycling option; they just put the newspaper in the trash. I think recycling options should be visible at every Marriott property and all Marriott employees should know what those options are. Thanks for asking for feedback from your guests!

I would like ask that you please put newspaper recycling bins in your hotels. I appreciate your current commitment to the green movement, keep it up. Thanks for the consideration.

I would like to make a reply to Dav's comment in regards CFL (compact flourescent lamps). CFL's do in fact contain mercury,less then most fish you eat. Proper disposal is not hard. Pay more yes, last longer 8-10 times. How many total enclosed fixtures do you really see? Cause no electrical hazards in bathrooms. If they won't work out of box, return the lamp. Meet FCC requirements for interference, don't place your radio/tv next to a lamp. They have dimmable CFL's. These are not problems. CFL's are solutions to a problem, not a problem for a solution. They save 75%-80% energy. Are much cooler, therefore use less A/C for cooling, again saving energy. When considering all of these points, CFL's are a more environmental friendly solution. Next step, LED lamps.

It would be an easy thing to communicate to your guests what is and is not recycled in every one of your hotels worldwide via a Recycling item in the alphabetical Guest Directory in the guest rooms. And the Housekeeping staff should all know what is (or is not) done with items that are suitable for recycling. Thanks for your commitment, please consider my idea. Sincerely Kip Said
Hmmm...I wonder if Marriott would consider adding recycling bins in many sections of the hotel?
I would love to see Marriott take the lead on this in many developing countries, countries where recycling isn't really part of the daily norm. I've been to countries overseas where a lot of the items are simply burned.

Compact flourescent bulbs contain mercury, must be properly disposed of to not release toxins, are more expensive to make, release mroe toxins in manufacturing, cannot be used in completely enclosed fixtures, should not be used in bathrooms, have a higher out of box failure rate, cause radio frequency interference, cannot be used with dimmers, and have a host of other problems.

This is great news! I always stay at Marriott hotels when I travel. I have long been concerned about the hotel industry's impact on the environment.
I would also love to see hotels eating green, too. Large scale agriculture and transporting food uses an enormous amount of fossil fuel. It would deeply impact the environment to see industry leaders, such as Marriott, serve locally grown foods in its hotels and conference centers.

I am thrilled at the notice you give to the global warming issue, Mr. Marriott. When I travel, my first preference is always the Marriott hotels. When in my room I always use just one of the trash cans, to avoid using any more plastic liners than I have to. I also noticed the energy-efficient bulbs, which I use at home as well. Conservation is on the minds of many these days, and I thank you for doing your part on behalf of the Marriott Hotels! Thanks! :-)

On the topic of greening, I've long noticed the energy-efficient bulbs in the rooms. And at the properties that offer the choice, I refrain from having more towels and bedding laundered than necessary. I'm also very in favor of your new smoke-free policy. BUT, some properties are using chemical cleaners with overpowering smells that cancel out any beneficial non-smoking effect. It's a real challenge as a hotel guest, but must be awful for staff. This is only a problem for a handful of the properties where I've stayed, so I know it's possible to not have this problem. I hope this can come under the topic of greening too. Thanks from a loyal and fairly well-traveled customer.

I am also pleased with what I have read in your blog Mr. Marriott and am pleased for your personal commitment to caring for our planet as that will insure that the corporation you lead will follow your lead.
One frustration I have found when staying at some of your properties (Platinum Elite - 12 years now) is calling the housekeeping office and not having anyone there even KNOW if that property recycles newspapers, cans, bottles and so forth.
My commitment to the planet is such that if my next stop is "home" and the hotel where I'm staying does not recycle, I'll just take my newspapers home with me so I know they won't end up in a landfill somewhere.
It would be an easy thing to communicate to your guests what is and is not recycled in every one of your hotels worldwide via a "Recycling" item in the alphabetical Guest Directory in the guest rooms. And the Housekeeping staff should all know what is (or is not) done with items that are suitable for recycling.
Thanks for your commitment, please consider my idea.
Sincerely
Kip Said

The more I am around the Marriott family the more proud I am. If more organizations would pay attention to their customers the way you do the service wrold would be better off ten thousand times over.
I enjoy speaking about the Marriot way and you have just given me another way to talk about a great organization to a whole lot more people. Thank you.
Gregg Gregory, CSP

If all companies would do things like that, the world would be a better place. Keep planting those trees!

The YouTube link in the above post was not clear. I did a search on 'Marriott Environment' and it took me to the video. Here's the direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_49jSUTxy0
Great idea!

Fantastic Mr. Marriott!

In the spirit of the environmental awareness month: what would it take to store the energy of the guests working out in a Marriott gym and convert it to electrical energy that could, at the very least, transform the gym into a self-sustainable environment (in terms of energy consumption)? An efficient conversion technology might even contribute to the overall energy supply of the entire hotel. And when I say technology, it does not have to be much more complicated than the device on a bike's wheel that produces enough electricity to light the head light.