September 2009 Developments - 44

Operations Can Sustainability Survive in Hard Economic Times? ealing with sustainability during these economic conditions is a lot like what you might feel when traveling with your child in an airplane. If the oxygen masks were to drop from overhead, instinctively, your ﬁrst thought may be to help your child and ignore yourself. Most airlines advise you to help yourself ﬁrst, however, so you are more capable of helping your child. Right now, everyone is instinctively trying to survive this recession that individual sustainability issues may have become secondary. But if we ignore the environment for a few years while we deal with the economic hard times, the problems may only become more extreme. So then where will we be, having survived the recession but still needing to face these challenges? There are still many professionals in the hospitality industry that are actively focusing on sustainability. But what happens if you cannot convince a client that a sustainable design or process is the best direction to take? Are you done being ecological until the next opportunity to convince a client to incorporate a sustainable design or process? Instead of worrying about convincing a client, we as individuals should have a personal sustainable program in both our personal lives and in our business. Why wait for a client’s interest in a “dream green-project” when you can think about options that work right now within the project at hand and your client’s existing budget, schedule, and standards? As you make these key decisions within this current project, consider things like whether a material meet the functional requirements, aesthetic desires, and budget limitations—and then ask, “is the selection sustainable?” The answer may be “no,” due to the balancing of one of the other considerations but at least you have made a conscious decision. Some sustainable questions are as follows: Dina M. Belon D • Does the product utilize recycled content (post-industrial or post-consumer)? • Does it affect or improve indoor air quality (low emissions [VOCs/CFCs])? • Are the source materials sustainable? • What are the assembly material—low VOCs/CFCs/toxicity? • Does the manufacturer have efﬁcient practices (reduced energy, minimal waste, carbon-neutral, a LEEDcertiﬁed facility)? • What is the travel distance of source materials, the distance of manufacturing facility to ﬁnal site? • Can the material be recycled at the end of its life? • Is a product reusable or salvageable? • What is the durability or extended life cycle? • What are the maintenance methods and products (non-toxic/low VOC)? • Is the product energy-efﬁcient (i.e., Energy Star)? • Does the product support water conservation? • What are the installation procedure of materials and installation products? • What are the drying and curing procedures? • Can the waste material be minimized during installation? that can make a difference. Start a recycle program with different materials storage containers for sorting (plastic, newspaper and cardboard, aluminum cans, and glass bottles). Also, what about adjusting the thermometer to a much lower heat-setting during the cooler months? Doing something sustainable on a public basis is equally as easy. What about taking clothes, toys, electronic gadgets, appliances, furniture, or anything that is reusable to one of your community charities versus throwing it away? If you are looking for an equity investment in this crazy market, look at green equity stocks. Co-op America.com has a section on their Web site that is a comprehensive list of green companies. You will be surprised at the performance of these stocks compared to non-sustainable companies. Adding in one simple, sustainable activity in your professional, public, and private life will make a tremendous difference. You can do something for the people and planet, as well as save money. You do not have to compromise your sustainable beliefs in tough economic times. Dina M. Belon is a principal and an owner of RUSH Hospitality, a sustainable hospitality renovation company that provides design, procurement, and construction services. She is also a licensed Interior designer in the state of Florida, a LEED accredited professional, and an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council. Her e-mail is dbelon@rushhospitality.com. These questions are a good start. Sustainable thinking can extend to all parts of life—professional, public, and private. For instance, many of us recycle at home but don’t think about it at work. This is not like a diet or exercise program. It is easy, if you just take some time to think about concrete ways to make it happen and start this good habit. From a personal life perspective, there are many options 44 Developments • September 2009

September 2009 Developments

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