Introduction

Written in collaboration with Innovation Lighthouse

In the years and decades to come, fresh water will become increasingly scarce. By 2030, the demand for fresh water is expected to be 40% more than the available supply. Such devastating projections call for action now.

Did you know that laundry can account for up to 30% of your property’s total environmental impact? This figure takes into account your water usage, electricity usage and the pollution from the detergents you use. That’s before factoring in the annual water consumption in guests’ rooms, which can vary from 18,000,000 litres in temperate climates to well over 121,000,000 litres in tropical environments.

When it comes to reducing that impact, asking guests to reuse towels or skip housekeeping is not something new for the hospitality industry. The sticker or card in the room, reminding guests of the environmental consequences, has been a long-time persuasion technique – but is it really saying the right things? And are there other techniques that work better?

This section covers different ways you can approach reducing your water consumption and the benefits this can bring for both your business and the environment.