Top Hotels Exhibit Corporate Responsibility.

At a time when shortage of energy, threats to the environment and social change challenge the quality of everyday living, the best hotels work to build and maintain roles as concerned community members with effective, and often innovative, programs and initiatives.

Hilton Anaheim is one example of a hotel and meeting venue that has strived to set an example for other businesses in the community and beyond. The hotel has placed special emphasis on ongoing efforts to conserve energy, protect the environment, recycle waste products and participate in local community events.

Energy Conservation

* As part of a cluster of local hotels, Hilton Anaheim has formed a coalition with the City of Anaheim's Public Utilities Department. When necessary, the hotel reduces energy consumption by up to 1/2 megawatt per day by instituting such measures as extinguishing its electronic marquee, turning off back-of-the-house air handlers and reducing laundry power.

* The hotel is in the process of installing a completely new Energy Management System that allows the shut off of individual air conditioning units -- for example, in meeting rooms that are unoccupied.

* An upgrading project will convert every fluorescent lightbulb in 24-hour back-of-the-house areas to T-8 with electronic ballasts and sensors, which use less energy.

* The hotel has begun a mammoth project to install variable speed drives for all variable air volume air handlers, cooling towers, heating hot water pumps, condenser pumps, chillers, secondary chilled water pumps and boilers. Once installed, these variable speed drives will cut energy consumption to meet demand.

* New super-efficient motors are being replaced in air handlers, pumps and cooling towers.

* Occupancy sensors that tum off lights in empty rooms are being installed in all hotel offices and housekeeping closets and linen rooms.

* Laundry work schedules have been revised to allow our washing machines and dryers to operate at non-peak hours.

* Lights and meeting room escalators are switched off during after-hours.

Environmental Preservation 

* The Hilton Anaheim exceeds the ridesharing goal set by the South Coast Air Quality Management District with a score of 1.51. The hotel offers cash prizes to encourage team members to rideshare to reduce exhaust emissions.

* To reduce the amount of water and detergent that is discharged into the ecosystem, the property's housekeeping standard is to change bed linens every third day. (Guests may, of course, request daily laundering of sheets and pillowcases.)

* To conserve water, hotel engineers are installing new aerators that discharge one-gallon per minute in all guest rooms and public restrooms. New vortex showerheads save water as well as gas.

* Briggs vacuity toilets, which displace 1 1/2 gallons, are being installed in every guest room to save water.

Recycling Initiatives

* Food waste from restaurants and banquets are recycled by West Coast Rendering (averaging 39 tons per month).

* Glass, aluminum, cardboard, computer paper and newspapers are recycled by Dalton Industries (averaging 9 tons per month).

* Fluorescent bulbs and ballasts, mercury vapor and metal halide lamps and batteries are recycled by Earth Protection Services (averaging 1 ton per month). Paint thinner is disposed of in 55-gallon drums and then recycled.

* The hotel has purchased floor tiles produced from recycled lightbulbs.

Community Relations

* The Hilton Anaheim has received a Distinguished Service Award from the Anaheim Community Services Department for providing 1,600 picnic lunches to local 3rd graders who help maintain area parks and gardens in the Kids for Parks program. The hotel has been sponsoring these annual picnics since 1985.

* The hotel's Human Resources department has designated a special charity each month to encourage personal donations by team members -- for example, a shoe drive, clothes for the poor, canned food drive, art supplies for needy children, holiday gift donations and a blood drive.

* The Hilton's Lost and Found office donates overdue and abandoned items to worthwhile local charities.

* Unused soap, shampoo, hair conditioner and body lotion is donated by the hotel's Housekeeping department to needy families in Mexico.

* The hotel participates in the national Make-a-Wish and Starlight Foundation programs for terminally ill children, as well as their Mexican counterpart, Mi Ultimo Deseo.

The bottom line is leading by example. Meeting Planners can be proud of interfacing with venues that provide positive interaction with their surrounding communities.

Patrick Hynes is Director of Public Relations for the Hilton Anaheim.