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Workshop - Encouraging Pollution Prevention in the Hospitality Industry
On January 7, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 hosted a workshop entitled "Pollution Prevention in the Hospitality Industry: How Managing the Environment Can Help Your Bottom Line." The workshop served as a platform to exchange ideas about how hospitality establishments can improve their bottom line, satisfy customer demand for environmentally conscientious hospitality facilities, and reduce their impact on the environment. Sixty representatives from government, hospitality facilities, industry suppliers, non-governmental organizations, and academia gathered to learn more about opportunities to prevent pollution within the hospitality industry. The workshop included welcoming remarks by EPA, 11 presentations, one facilitated discussion, and closing comments by EPA. Key change agents in the hospitality industry and government representatives gave presentations to introduce reasons why the hospitality industry should go green; present an overview of EPA partnership programs; and provide detailed looks at waste management, green cleaning, energy management, and water efficiency in the industry.
For Additional Information
- View Agenda and Presentations | Agenda (PDF) (2 pp, 35KB, About PDF)
- Workshop Summary (PDF) (32 pp, 294KB, About PDF)
- Contact Joseph Bergstein (bergstein.joseph@epa.gov), EPA Pollution Prevention Team, 212-637-3890.
EPA Resources
EPA Partnership Programs
EPA Partnership Programs address a wide variety of environmental issues by working collaboratively with companies, organizations, communities, and individuals. There are now more than 13,000 firms and other organizations participating in EPA Partnership Programs.
EPA Stewardship Opportunities - Businesses and Institutions
Businesses and other institutions have a wide variety of opportunities to practice environmental stewardship. From the way they manage their operations to the products and services they offer customers to the projects and activities they support in their communities, businesses and other institutions can play an important role in protecting the environment and preserving natural resources.
ENERGY STAR 
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
WasteWise
WasteWise is a voluntary EPA program through which organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. Program members set their own waste reduction goals and design plans that best suit the needs of their businesses.
WaterSense
WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Its mission is to protect the future of our nation's water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services.
Indoor Environments Division
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of the air and environment inside buildings, based on pollutant concentrations and conditions that can affect the health, comfort and performance of occupants—including temperature, relative humidity, light, sound and other factors.
EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
EPP helps the federal government "buy green," and in doing so, uses the federal government's enormous buying power to stimulate market demand for green products and services. Geared first to help federal purchasers, this site can help green vendors, businesses large and small—and consumers.
GreenScapes
GreenScapes is a partnership program that aims to combine government and industry into a powerful, unified influence over the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste materials in large land use applications.
Other Available Resources
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)—Green Hotel Initiative
Green Seal—Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System