Keeping Your Hotel Green, Part II

In my last blog post, I mentioned that each day we would take a look at another of three of the top five environmental actions that business travelers expect lodging facilities to be taking.

For today, let’s look at energy-efficient lighting.

Wal-Mart surpasses goal to sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs three months early

Bentonville, Arkansas, Oct. 2, 2007 – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. today announced it has surpassed its goal to sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) by the end of 2007. Over the lifetime of the CFLs, Wal-Mart estimates that these energy-saving bulbs will have the effect of taking 700,000 cars off the road, or conserving the energy needed to power 450,000 single-family homes.

During my college years I avoided math as much as possible, but let’s give this a try.

The United States has about 300 million people, so according to this statistic, during a 10-month period, Wal-Mart sold 1 CFL for every 3 people in the United States, and those 3 people included children. In addition, Lowe’s, Target, Home Depot and many other retailers were selling CFLs at the same time.

Is there anybody left In America who doesn’t know about the energy efficiency benefits of CFLs?

U.S. Congress bans incandescent bulbs

In addition to raising auto fuel efficiency standards 40%, an energy bill recently passed by the U.S. Congress bans the incandescent light bulb by 2014.

President Bush signed the measure into law after it was sent up Pennsylvania Avenue in a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle.

The phase-out of incandescent light is to begin with the 100-watt bulb in 2012 and end in 2014 with the 40-watt bulb.

All light bulbs must use 25% to 30% less energy by 2014. By 2020, bulbs must be 70% more efficient than they are today.

I understand that some luxury and boutique hotels do not think that CFLs are acceptable to their guests. But did Deloitte avoid luxury and boutique guests in the survey mentioned yesterday?

Something doesn’t add up.