Pineapple Hospitality becomes the first company in the hospitality industry to ship exclusively using UPSs carbon neutral program.
As part of the program, Pineapple Hospitality will pay a small fee for each package shipped. The money collected will then help fund a number of environmentally responsible projects. Targeted projects include:
• Reforestation
• Renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric)
• Methane and landfill gas destruction
• Wastewater treatment
• Destruction of industrial pollutants
The per-package price for the carbon neutral service is $0.05 for UPS Ground services and $0.20 for UPS Next Day Air®, UPS 2nd Day Air® and UPS 3 Day Select® services. According to UPS, a flat fee is used to make it simple and convenient for those wishing to participate.
UPS will also match the offset purchases up to $1 million in 2011.
“At Pineapple Hospitality, we are excited and proud to be the first company in the hospitality industry to utilize UPS’s carbon neutral service,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality. “As the premiere distributor of green hotel products, we understand that we are seen as a leader in the industry. By pledging to ship UPS carbon neutral, we hope to encourage our hotel customers, suppliers, partners and even competitors to do the same.”
“It’s not just putting your money where your mouth is,” he adds. “It is a real concerted effort to do everything possible to protect our Earth’s valuable natural resources.”
Green & Efficient
While UPS offers several different shipping methods, Pineapple Hospitality is committed to ship products exclusively by ground. UPS ground shipments often travel by railway, which is one of the most environmentally sensitive ways to ship packages.
“When UPS began offering this service, it was really a no-brainer for us,” says Burger. “This program fits our mission to promote the sustainability of both the environment and the bottom line. For just a small cost, we can provide our hotel customers with the green lodging products they need, and they can be confident they are being shipped in the most environmentally friendly way possible.”
Marty Smith, UPS Marketing Manager, explains that UPS has extensive programs for conserving resources, reducing fuel use and emissions by its air and ground transportation operations, and using alternative fuel technologies.
“When we send out our drivers, we do everything in our power to plan the most fuel efficient trip, which is good for the environment,” Smith says. “We understand that the greenest way is often the most efficient way. So it’s good for business and good for the planet.”
Choosing the carbon neutral option is also quite simple – all it takes is a single click of your mouse when setting up your shipments online. Just select UPS carbon neutral under the “Additional Services” section.
“We are strongly committed to helping our customers’ fulfill their mission to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chain,” says Smith.
Smith explains that each carbon neutral package shipped by UPS receives a special label, allowing customers to communicate their commitment to more sustainable shipping. “It’s a strong differentiator for everyone involved,” he says.
A carbon offset is a certified, market-based financial instrument designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Reliable offsets begin with accurate carbon calculations, and UPS has a rigorous third-party-verified-and-certified methodology. UPS’s calculation to measure the carbon (CO2) impact of the customers' shipments is based on current and historical operational data, including distance and transport mode and a comprehensive carbon inventory.
UPS's proprietary calculation methodology and processes are verified by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS). Additionally, the carbon offset process is certified by The CarbonNeutral Company.
Leading the Way
With so many hotels putting an additional emphasis on their green programs and green certification, using UPS carbon neutral gives Pineapple Hospitality another avenue to enhance its sustainability profile.
"The shipping program Pineapple Hospitality has set up is useful for many different reasons,” says Doug Gamble, Managing Partner with the Q Hotel and Spa in Kansas City, Mo., one of the greenest hotels in the entire Midwest. “We can request our vendors use it when shipping products to the Q Hotel (Kansas City), 968 (Lake Tahoe), and also use it ourselves to ship items. Because we often have to ship guest items left behind after check out, we have a great opportunity to spread the word on this great tool."
Others note that while the cost of the program is minimal, its impact will be felt around the world.
“We really appreciate the leadership that Pineapple has shown by using UPS carbon neutral shipping says Samuel Askew, Hotel Director for the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort in Suquamish, Wash. “The ‘green’ partnership we have with Pineapple Hospitality benefits our guests, and our community in ways that are incalculable.”
For more information about UPS’s carbon neutral program visit ups.com/carbonneutral.
About Pineapple Hosptality
Headquarted in Saint Charles, Missouri, Pineapple Hospitality™ brings fresh ideas to hospitality guests’ doors and owner/operators’ bottom lines — including FreshStay® (www.freshstay.com), EcoRooms & EcoSuites (www.EcoRooms.com) Eco.Fresh, ecossential elements, Environmentally Sensitive Amenities™, EO®, Tommy Bahama Amenities for Dispensers, Earth Perfect and greenSPA™ amenities, AVIVA and WAVE dispensers, Energy Efficient Lighting and Controls, Custom Linen & Towel Re-Use Programs,, Green Earth Key Cards, Energy Management Systems and Controls, Zero Odor, and dozens of other products and programs. For more information, please visit www.pineapplehospitality.net, or call us at 636-922-2285.