How about outfitting hotels and parking garages with all LED lighting?

A corporate initiative will be successful only with full commitment from top management. It is encouraging to hear that you are taking measures to protect the Environment and Sustain Development, indeed, there is a lot more to do on this matter. For example, in Santiago - Chile - on a daily basis we can find a printed copy of the New York Times or any other American newspaper. But you are not printing both sides of each page.
If you implement, as part of your efforts for protecting the environment, the idea of printing out both sides of each paper, you may reduce by half the use of paper - and impact on environment.
Regards.
Gonzalo

I agree with your policy, but need to admit after visiting one of your reservations centers and talking with associates, this policy you have is only for show to the public, why don't you have more on the associates that have built your empire? Is green a show for the public? It's surley not at your reservation centers, they are certianly don't have a green policy, please reply.

Dear Mr. Marriott, thank you for your article on going green at Marriott HQ. I, too, agree with many of the people who have responded to your article and would like to see recycling bins at your hotels. As a Platinum member, I cope with the inattention to not replacing my towels, by requesting privacy, via the privacy notice. This keeps the housekeepers from even having to decide whether to replace my towels or not. But I would love to see recycling bins. Thank you.

Certainly , I agree with you about the Green activism and there is great potential on the innovation, as now I sit in Asia, surrounded by 10 y.o.kids who know more about virtual hi-tech than us wordy intellectual types. Anys, I'd like to read more of your ideas and all of you guys are welcome to check out and join us for alliance at a new private green-university
Garunar L'Universite Orientale Royale, www.garunar.wordpress.com
Happy holidays,
Win, CEO

This is a fantastic start! I agree with the comments that express hope you'll extend some of these advances to your hotels.
I've passed the SpudWare info and a link to this blog post along to the office supply decision-makers where I work (Cornell University), and I'm pleased that they're considering following your lead and trying out some greener flatware in our offices.
Good luck with your future efforts in this direction.

I often stay at hotels or motels that announce a Green Policy and state that if you wish to re-use your towels, hang them back on the racks. In almost all places, the towels are replaced whether I hang them up or put them in the tub.
When you stay at a hotel for a week or two, re-using the towels for a few days can save a lot of water and water polution (perticularly if a number of the patrons are doing the same thing).

To echo Robert Little's comments and to add to them - in addition to the lights, I frequently check in and find hotel rooms cold enough to store food in the summer and almost as warm as a sauna in the winter. You could issue a directive about the thermostat and the fan setting. And how about instituting a program that allows guests to choose whether they want their towels to be replaced each day? I don't mind (actually, I would prefer) using the same towel for a couple of days, and the same sheets. That would likely save water, detergent, energy and time - and money.

This is my first time reading Mr. Marriott's opinions and statements. Please Sir do not give up!!! we need people like yourself who can be heard in larger scopes and places. You speak with your heart and yet you do not overlook the business side....I like that....please do not give up.

I am a road warrior who spends alot of time in hotel rooms. While all the amenities are very nice & I appreciate the greening of the Marriott chain, what I'd really like is a little bit of darkness while I try to sleep. Being on the road is stressful enough without having sleep deprivation from the light infiltration around my door when I'm trying to sleep. I've figured out how to keep the drapes REALLY closed with clothespins, cover or unplug the various red or green glowing lights on appliances and turn the clock face down. The only solution I've been able to come up with to deal with the door is to put a bath towel across the bottom & use duct tape down the sides & across the top. Very wasteful & hard on the paint. I've only found one chain that has solved this problem: Candlewood Suites. They have installed that super-expensive, high tech stuff called weatherstripping around each door frame. This blocks light infiltration and provides a measure of security re: smoke entering the rooms in case of fire. A second solution is to lower the lighting in the hallways at night. This would also save electricity as well. If we can do that in Critical Care units at night & still function, I'm sure it's feasible for hotels to do likewise.

Bill,
Can't wait to see Spudware out in your locations. It pains me each time I have to place a single egg on an enormous disposable plate as part of my morning breakfast. Simarly, as a Platinum member, I religiously hang my towel and floor towel on the shower rack, yet see new towels take their place upon my daily return. Air conditioners are often blowing upon entry to my room, and I imagine welcome literature is discarded rather than reused. I look forward to seeing additional green practices implemented across your hotel chains.

Way to go Marriot. A classy move. Can you use our products to clean. I believe our Basic G is a registered Cleaner. Thanks, Anita

Conservation must start at home and this awareness raising at Marriott HQ is great. But you should be greening all your hotel properties and catering operations, applying auditable standards such as GreenGlobe and ISO 14001 across your value chains, and requiring your thousands of suppliers to do the same if you're serious about reducing the nature and extent of your environmental footprint. If it stops at HQ it's just more greenwashing.

It's great you are going green at your offices. How about the thousands of hotel rooms that leave lights on! As a Platinum client (over 100 nights a year..mostly Toronto Airport) I found out that all lights and music in your suites are put on at 2pm!! How much wasted power around the world in Marriott Suites? I have spoken to the hotel Management to keep my lights out and it seems to work (but not 100%) If the practice resurfaces I'll become a Hampton suite convert! Worldwide directives to your Managers and Housekeepers could make a 'no total lights on' policy happen. I would appreciate your feedback. Thanks

I stay at Marriott Courtyards as often as I can during my business travels because I find them very consistent in quality and comfort.
I appreciate and applaud Marriott's efforts to recycle and reduce waste. On the other hand, the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases is misguided and ill informed. The latest research does not point to man as the cause of a changing climate, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), and Mr. Gore's film, notwithstanding. The science simply is not there and it is most definitely not settled. Please use your resources to provide increasingly better service product at ever better values.

I was really happy to read of your Green efforts. We call it Greenability! I'd like to talk to your folks about a water conservation project we recently completed in North Carolina. That facility will save an estimated 2 million gallons of water over the next year. This project could be duplicated at your facilities. I hope you'll contact me!

How about cutting down on the number of pages(5) you e-mail back as confirmations of reservations. You sure are not taking into consideration the extra trees it requires when one has to print out the information.

I'm glad Marriott is jumping on the green bandwagon, however, I am wondering if the hotels are going to do this too. I stay often at Marriott Fullerton. On a stay this year I asked the manager if they recycled plastic water bottles and newspapers. He told me they did at one time do this, but that it was too costly to pay for this pickup anymore. He stated that one of his team members is taking these items to recycle them. I now take whatever I can carry, home to recycle in Arizona. Good luck with you campaign.

Mr. Marriott-- I think it's WONDERFUL what Marriott is doing at corporate headquarters. But I think it would be even BETTER if these things were incorporated at your hotels. I travel for business and constantly stay at hotels for 1-2 weeks at a time. While at home I am an conscious Recycler, I find it usually impossible to find recycling centers in each city I visit. Wouldn't it be fabulous if Marriott was known for their care and protection of our planet? Wouldn't families and children who stay at your time-shares love to know that they can recycle and take care of the earth even when they're away from home? I applaud your green movement at Headquarters... now it's time for your hotel guests to know that THEY can be a part of it too.

I fully support your effort to 'go green'!
We frequently stay at the courtyard marriott in dulles, va. We have always been pleased, and enjoy the breakfast buffet!
During our most recent visit however, be noticed that the regular plates and utensils had been replaced with plastic ware (and NOT of a 'spud' variety! It was ammusing to try to chase the sausage around the plate while trying to cut it...(a new excercise directive?) but we did wonder at the change. Regular plates continue to be used for meetings and such.
Just thought I would pass this on...

I have been staying at the Mariott, Brampton, Ontario quite regularly. Since you are going green, have you ever considered the environmental and physical impact all of the detergents and cleaners have on all your staff and partrons including me not to mention the environment? What would need to happen for you to consider making a simple change to your cleaning products. Let me introduce Get Clean. By welcoming Get Clean into your establishment, you can be sure you are letting in products that care as much about your staff and family safety as you do plus the safety of the earth. Yet, they clean more powerfully than lots of the other cleaners you are probably using now.These products are ecological and economical. Don't let the small bottles fool you. These cleaners are superconcentrated, with a whole lot of clean all the while saving you money, ounce for ounce. Can you imagine the ripples of change we can collectively generate not to mention the whopping feeling of clean. In 2007 , the US celebrated 50 years of these products while Canada celebrated the 30th anniversary. This is simply outstanding. I myself have had a toxin free home for 30 years. Won't you consider a change? After doing your research, I would be honoured to come and speak and show you personally the difference that you can make on behalf of your staff, patrons and the environment. Thanks for now and am looking forward to your response. Please find all the information you need at the following web address:
www.shaklee.net/healingpathways #CU14895
www.shakleegetclean.com #CU14895

Great ideas you have expressed.
Not sure what a cubic ton is.
You can greatly improve the efficiency of your HVAC at HQ and hotels by investing in geothermal heat exchange. Also, remote-control heating/cooling/lighting in rooms connected to occupancy computer info could be a source for savings.
You are also in a great position to influence other corp execs to reduce waste, pollution and carbon emissions.

Mr. Marriott. I am so pleased that your organization is 'going green'. There are so many things that anyone can do to reduce our impact on the environment. I live in Southern California and would love to see more solar power available for homeowners and am quite excited that many cities in the Inland Empire are installing solar panels on the roof of parking structures or city buildings. We also have a company in our town (Abbott Laboratories) putting solar panels on their manufacturing plant roof. I wanted to also say that any time I travel I try to use Marriott properties. The properties never disappoint, and actually exceed my expectations. I applaud you and I thank you.

I wouldn't call myself an environmentalist but I do try my best to do my part as a concerned citizen. Your actions as a corporate leader are very commendable and I hope others follow your lead. You've given me yet another reason to love your hotels!

I recently switched to Marriott but am looking for a greener alternative regardless of how much better your bedding is over your competition. It is great that you are greening your corporate headquarters but you would have a much wider impact if you would green your hotels. CFL bulbs, re-use your towel reminders in the room, recycle bins in the dining area and in the rooms, dim those hall lights late at night and so on. There are many things you could do to set a good example for your guests. I bet most don't know about your greening efforts at HQ - I only found out because I wanted to complain about how ungreen the last 3 Marriotts I stayed at were. Congratulations on what you've done at HQ but when do you plan to expand your green plan to all your hotels?