New green key cards open a world a possibilities for hotels looking to promote environmental stewardship

The hospitality industry is opening doors to a new, green future with a little help from Pineapple Hospitality’s new “Green Earth Green-Key” cards, key packets and key sleeves.

Until now, lodging properties looking to improve their environmental impact and promote its green policies to guests relied on recycled and recyclable cardboard key cards – and they did not work too well. The cards did not hold up well to wear and tear and were rather squeamish when it came to water.

Pineapple’s Green Earth Green-Key cards deliver a much better solution, offering a range of recycled and biodegradable cards to hospitality managers that are both durable and affordable.

“The Green Earth Green-Key cards are great,” said Samuel Askew, Hotel Manager at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort. “They are environmentally clean and sustainable – and they work. They perfectly fit the needs of our resort, and they are better for us in terms of both functionality and cost.”

“Hotel keycards are one of the first and most-prominent ways to make an impression on your guests,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality. “Being so upfront with your guests about the importance of the environment can really help distinguish your property as an innovator and environmental leader. It gets guests thinking about what you do, and what they can do to be more eco-conscious – every time they open a door.”

Pineapple Hospitality is currently offfering three varieties of the Green Earth Green-Key cards:

• The Green Earth bioPVC – a thermoplastic polymer that biodegrades in only nine months to five years.
• The Green Earth Agri – made from earth friendly corn, 100% biodegradable and comes from renewable crops.
• The Green Earth reNew – a 100% recycled PVC keycard with a front surface coated with white soy-based ink to accommodate design requirements.

“Our Green-Key cards have sparked a lot of discussion from our guests, and prompted us to keep literature readily available on the ways we are being environmentally responsible,” Askew continued. “Most of our guests recognize the keycards are a sustainable product, so we decided not to brand the cards as ours. They are beautiful cards, and make a lot of sense for who we are and what we do. We let them stand on their own.”

Pineapple is also offering coordinating Green Earth Key Packets and Key Sleeves, all made from recycled paper and soy-based inks. The Key Sleeves protect the key cards. And the Key Packets give you further room to promote and inform guests about your hotel’s environmental policies.

“Our guests have become more conscious of our actions, and often not only comment on what we are currently doing to become more green, but also on how we could be doing better,” said Steve Mannik, General Manager for the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel & Conference Center in Bartlett, N.H.. “So much of what we do is behind the scenes, so it’s great to have an opportunity like this to put a green product right in guests’ hands.”

“As the ‘going green’ phenomenon developed, for us it began as a push to use our efforts as a marketing tool with the expectation of gaining more market share,” continued Mannik. “But as we attend conferences, read articles, and listen closely to our guests, we now have a true desire to lessen our impact on our beautiful mountain environment.”

Jody L. Hughes, Rooms Division Manager for the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel & hotelVetro, adds that her hotel also chose Green Earth key products to reduce the property’s environmental footprint and attract eco-conscious travelers. The property also has added pens made from recycled plastic and uses natural and organic bathroom amenities.

“After seeing our keycards, guests keep telling us, ‘Wow – that’s cool,’ and ‘Great idea!’” Hughes says. “The eco-conscious traveler is reducing, reusing and recycling at home, and now we’re letting them know they can do the same thing at hotelVetro, adding value to their stays.”

“Every person creates trash and waste every day. For our resort, that’s multiplied by 85 people or more occupying our 85 guestrooms,” says Askew. “That’s why it is so important to do what we can to cut down on waste.”

“In my experience with Pineapple, I’ve found they are the No. 1 vendor in terms of sustainability. That’s why I trust Pineapple to provide wonderful new products that our guests like, and that contribute to both a greener future and greener bottom lines.”

For more information, visit www.pineapplehospitality.net.