The 7 basic steps to reduce your carbon emissions

Aug 01, 2022

Allow us to steal 3 minutes of your time today to show you just how simple it is to reduce your hotel’s carbon footprint and even achieve carbon neutrality.

Sustainability is a word that is thrown around constantly and in so many scenarios that it becomes an unachievable task and a blurry concept in our minds. So we want to demystify 'sustainability' and break it into actionable steps:

Calculate your current Carbon Emissions

Once again, this is easier than you might think.

Firstly you need to begin to analyse and understand your utility bills for waste, water and energy.
Set up a system and assign a person from your team to monitor the CO2 kg produced at your business every month – this person is going to be your Green Manager who should report to you and the rest of the time periodically.
Observe your building, where and when is energy being used, where and when is water being used and where and what waste is being produced.
Provide team training to your employees from each department for waste, water and energy reductions and generate savings in years 1 and 2 from your utility bills, through behavioural change of your team around the use of water and energy and production of waste.
Outline a detailed Green Action Plan.

6. Invest your savings from year 1 & 2 into larger capital projects: Switch to green electricity, change your heating system, install solar panel, harvest rain water, etc

7. When you cannot reduce your carbon emissions anymore, offset the rest of it by donating to certified green projects.

Become a Carbon Neutral business in 3-4 years.

It really is not all that difficult, here at the Fifty Shades Greener office we have been helping Hotels to start their Green Journey, through staff training and behavioural change. It all starts with your team, instilling a culture of sustainability amongst every member of your workforce and giving them the right tools and knowledge around water, waste and energy use.

If you have never implemented a green programme before, your Hotel is currently using more resources than it needs to, which in turn, also costs you more money every single year.

The first and most important thing you need is YOUR OWN COMMITMENT

Investing the time into a Green Programme, is not only a chance to run a business that is better for the planet, it is also a chance to run a business that is better for your pocket.

If you are interested in starting your own green journey at your business then check out our Green Business programme, which is fully funded in Ireland by the Kildare & Wicklow educational training board and therefore free to ALL Irish hospitality businesses!

Is your business outside of Ireland? Not to worry, get in touch with me on [email protected]

Thank you for reading today!

The FSG Team 💚

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Who We Are: Fifty Shades Greener

Sustainability with a side of sass!

At Fifty Shades Greener, we’re not your typical sustainability crowd. Here, green isn’t just a color; it’s a lifestyle, and we live it with a bit of cheek and a lot of heart. Our team, a quirky blend of lifelong greenies, seasoned educators, and fresh innovators, believes that every little bit helps and that education is the cornerstone of sustainable change. Born from a simple idea in a hotel’s green team meeting, we've grown into a vibrant community passionate about turning the hospitality world a shade greener. We think greenwashing is as outdated as last season's fashion and are here to ensure sustainability is as authentic as it is actionable. From the early days in Doolin to the bustling workshops of today, our journey has been about making sustainability accessible, understandable, and, dare we say, fun. We don't just throw jargon around; we break it down with practical advice and real-world actions that everyone, from hotel managers to cafe owners, can take. So, whether you’re looking to start your green journey or you're trying to make your business a beacon of sustainability, we’ve got the know-how and the can-do attitude to help you make it happen. And while we’re serious about what we do, we believe a little humor goes a long way. After all, if you can’t have a laugh while saving the planet, when can you? Join us as we continue to write our story, one green step at a time. Here’s to making sustainability not just a necessity, but a norm. Ready to add a little green to your scene? Dive in—the water’s fine, and it’s getting greener by the minute!