CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Environment Management

Kirk (1996) refers to Environment management to be very complex without a precise definition. The main reason is because of its scope and diversity. Environment management can be referred as to a development approach that helps to take advantage of the opportunities, to keep away hazards, eliminate problems and train people for inevitable difficulties by improving adaptability and resilience (Erickson and King, 1999). A classic definition of business environmental management would be: efforts to minimize negative environmental impact of the organizations products throughout their life cycle (Klassen and McLaughlin, 1996). The concept of Environment Management arise after the World War 2 after taking conscious that activities are causing harm to the environment resulting in a consequent depletion of resources and also leads to pollution. Environmental management system can thus be considered as a way to reach out for environmental conservation, which consolidates ecology, policy making, planning and social development. Environment Management Systems (EMS) is the foundation of the ISO 14000 but c. n also be registered as meeting the ISO 14001 EMS standard. A good Environment management tends to leads towards the reduction of wastes through efficient use while improving the recycling rate. It also helps to conserve water, energy, gas and resources through a better control. Eventually a good Environment Management enhances sustainable development and also promotes the use of environment friendly products (Greeno and Robinson, 1992).

2.2 EMS in the hotel industry Bohdanowicz & Martinac (2003) refer to hotels as serviced operated industry, operating on a 24 hours and providing a significant number of resources with the objective of facilitating the guests leisure and comfort. The hotel industry can be classified among those who consume a lot of goods in their daily operations. They consequently generate a considerable amount of waste. Thus it can be said that hotel operations have a great impact on the environment (Revilla, Dodd & Hoover, 2001). Hotels are usually situated in places with aesthetics views and natural beauty with a delicate balance. However the environment, apart from being affected from the physical location, is also affected by the amount of luxury and comfort provided by the hotels. The higher the level of luxury and comfort, the greater the consumption of water, power and other resources.
Tzschentke, Kirk and Lynch (2008) indicate that their research sample (of hotel managers) viewed the hotels impact on the environment as a great concern and some regarded it as their only concern. To have environmentally sustainable hotel management operations, hotels need specifically designed environmental policies. The hotel industry uses large amounts of energy resources for functions such as transportation, laundering, food service and air-conditioning, while it also releases waste in different forms. Bohdanwicz (2005) states that growth and progress of the hotel industry in tourism destinations depends on ongoing accessibility of natural resources. Hotels are enormous consumers of natural resources and hotel guests are 18 often much less concerned about conserving resources such as water and power when they are away from home. The following sections address the three different effects of hotels on the environment.

2.4 Tourism Industry and Environmental Management

The Tourism Industry is the worlds largest and fastest sectors of the global economy (World Tourism Organization, WTO Education Network, p4). Many countries depend on this forceful industry as primary source of generating income, job opportunities and major infrastructure industry. The Tourism Industry will continuously expand more rapidly than the economy and similar industries. Tourism will grow by 4% per year and the UNWTO forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals between 3% and 4% in 2012 (UNWTO, 2012). By 2018, Travel and Tourism is expected to account for $10.9 trillion and 296.3 million employees. Tourism and Environment is fundamental, with a strong element of mutual dependency (Shaw and Williams, 2002). The Tourism Industry is one of the main contributors to environmental impacts. Definitely the Tourism Industry does not fit in the category of great polluters such as metallurgical or chemical industry. But still, the size and the fast growth of this particular industry make it clear that inevitably sustainable environment actions are necessary in that sector (Stipanuk, 2002). Tourism Industry is a vast one, involving airlines, land transportation, hotels, and recreational activities. All these have some effect on the environment. For instance, the tourists desire to benefit from a luxurious and scenic accommodation result in elimination of natural areas, trees for the purpose of resorts and tourists development (Wahab and Pigram, 1997). Moreover, the transportation of tourists from one place to another, involve the use of fossil fuel, releases of greenhouse gases and other form of air pollutants (Holden, 2000). There is also pollution caused by air transport, increasing by 5 percent annually. Air Traffic is also expected to double over the next 15 years (Reported by the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development in the 7th meeting of the commission on sustainable development, 2012).

2.5 Environmental Management in the Hospitality Industry

Environmental Management is quite recent in the hotel industry. The hospitality industry can be classified as one of the oldest business in history. Hospitality Management entails the following segment namely the lodging management, restaurant management and recreational management for instance. The increase in tourism arrival has resulted for lots of hotels being constructed to

accommodate those tourists. It is important to consider the environment management in hotel because hotels are seen to be one of the biggest consumers of water and energy (Hart, 2001). Hotel industries are generally involved in activities that have bad environmental effects. They get use of increasing consumption of fossil fuel directly for heating process and indirectly for electricity, this creates high emissions of toxic chemicals such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which have direct impact on the environment like the acid rain, global warming (Chan and Lam, 2002). The hotel industry use lots of heat, water and any other form of energy in various part of the premise. Those resources needed for the tourist own consumption, used in laundry, restaurant, and kitchen, energy in the store room and also for cleaning. From an article written on hoteliers attitudes toward Environmental Management, Sloan et al, (2004) pointed out that a normal guest at the hotel creates 1kg of waste per night (Green hotelier, 2000) and consumes large amount of water, especially if using the bathing tub. There is a need for hotels to reduce on excessive cost, be sustainable in the long run. Sometimes, adopting Environmental Management could be a very big challenge for the hotel. It is true that we all wanted to adopt an eco-friendly attitude but to what extent. Hotel Management could fear of losing customers, there are some level of quality to respect, standard to follow but sometimes which is to the detriment of the environment. For instance, in 5-star hotels, the guests pay for a high price, spend lots of time in their room and like to be pampered. The guests want to enjoy their holidays without any control or limitations and basically environmental management initiatives may be negatively accepted by them (Bass Hotels and Resorts, 2001). Both management and customer are not ready to accept a drop in the service quality. Management will fear of losing customer, and customer definitely will go away if they did not get a service which is value for money. The IHEI (International Hotels Environment Initiative) take some initiatives, set up by elevens famous hotel. Their main aim has been to promote environmental improvement across this sector worldwide, working with hotel groups such as Accor, Inter-Continental, Hilton International, and Marriott International. Another example of International hotels adopting Environmental Management are the Fairmount hotels and resorts Green Partnership Program encompassing issues of waste management, water conservation, food redistribution, industrial composting for instance, these being considered as most comprehensive environmental proposal in North

American Industry (Green Hotelier, 2002). Finally, the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) brings together businesses like airlines, car rental companies, tour operators, non-governmental organization as well as hotel chains with the aim of working on particular projects and promoting responsible and sustainable actions (ITP, 2004).

2.6 Awareness and Commitment to Environmental Management 2.6.1 To what extent are Hoteliers aware of environmental management?
Tourism is the leading economic activity in most country and to benefit from its advantages, good managerial plan is crucial. As per the investigator (Margaret Brown, Environmental policy in the hotel sector: green strategy, 1994), for an organization to establish green strategy, first, one should adopt an environmental policy. Environmental concerns are indispensable but however we cannot blame the tourism industry for being unconscious. Within the same research, (Brown, 1994) stipulate that; lately in the 1980s, chemical and oil productions were the initial focus of attention as their impacts on the environmental were more visible. But now government also had an eye on the tourism sector too, as the tourism industry is directly concern with environmental degradation. Service industry`s impacts on environment are nowadays more visible. From now on hotels are not able to ignore their environmental responsibilities as with time they will be pressurized. For example; changes in demand will alter as green tourists will enquire for more innovative green accommodations and services and in regards to their aims, hotels will ought to satisfy their request as well as they can. Another example is the waste disposal that is how the hotels manage their leftovers; the legislation has asked hospitality and service industries to reduce their energy costs, that is having a moderate use of it or else sanctions will be taken. Brown, (1994) believed that being conscious of the circumstances and minimizing is not enough, the issue is also being able to implement the environmental policy in an organization. Through the study (Environmental Management for Hotels, The Industry Guide to Best Practice, 1993), researchers have seen that, the main motivator is to influence and improve day to day operations of hotels. Based on good approach and well planned actions, motivating the employees and monitoring their progress will be successful in achieving organizations goals. Opportunities can

be found to raise awareness while at the same time show that the hotel industry recognizes the importance of the environment and is taking actions necessary to protect it. Planning will also have to be measured, ensuring that objectives are being met. It has to be continuous steps, learned from previous successes and failures. For example; having precise policies, achievable and measurable objectives and a good control over the ways of proceeding. Hotels have to be proactive now instead of reacting to events happening. Though one thing is clear, managers have the opportunity to create awareness by influencing the strategy of the company towards environmental management.

2.6.2 To what extent are Mauritian Hotels committed to environmental management?

Sun Resorts, 2011, Sun Resorts has always dedicated considerable attention to the conservation of the environment that is protection of marine life, land ecosystems and how to use energy in an efficient manner. The Group has implemented an action plan which consists of investing in guest services and applies the latest technological advances in their hotels, enabling them to support the development of sustainability in Mauritius. Suns Group commitment is based specially on: usage of new advanced technologies and systems ensuring that new built hotels are as ecologically friendly as possible. Training of staff in all their hotels which will reduce the impact of their actions upon the environment, by the same time the level of leftover produced, the usage of energy and water will lessen too. It is also based on guests contribution in their project that is being more ecofriendly and taking ISO measures. To achieve their objectives of being sustainable, Sun groups have invested in two specific projects; the first one is to renovate the activities of their existing hotels that are Le Touessrok, Sugar Beach and La Pirogue and the urgent one was to introduce advance technologies in new launched hotel, like Long Beach, which is a success.