The Continued Greening of Hotels, Restaurants and F&B

I knew the hospitality industry was a taking a turn for the better when I was asked to write a training program for Omni Hotels' Art of Breakfast initiative last year (the training taught Omni's employees about their new organic food selection and sustainable suppliers). Given how far the industry has to go when it comes to sustainability, it's reassuring to see the increased attention hotels and restaurants are giving to green issues. With so much room for improvement, I have no doubt the trend will continue.

Restaurants
It seems I'm not alone. The Washington post reports that the Green Restaurant Association is experiencing the most inquiries it ever has, while individual restaurants begin integrating greener ingredient and materials sourcing, and other techniques.
Key resource: Green Restaurant Association (note: they seem to be having server issues)

Hotels
Whether large chains or independent operators, the fact that hotels deal in volume means they consumer more resources and produce more waste than many other business models. The American Hotel and Lodging Association recently compiled a series of green hospitality case studies to encourage hotels to implement new practices.
Key resource: Green Hotelier's selection of "Practical Solutions"

Food & Beverage
Hospitality isn't the only area focusing on these issues, though. F&B manufacturers continue to move toward organic ingredients (for all the labeling controversy that stirs up), and event planners work towards offering more sustainable options and reducing their own environmental impact. The San Francisco Chronicle discusses the rising organic food trend, which seems to be driven largely by consumer demand. Manufacturers keep turning out more organic options, like Square One Organic Vodka, as well as making sustainability a corporate priority.

Overall, the outlook is good and benefits continue to flow in. Over the weeks ahead, I'll be providing some practical solutions for hotels and restaurants who are interested in greening up their operations.