Waste Minimisation Supporting Urban Tourism Sustainability: A Mega-Resort Case Study

This paper documents major solid waste minimisation (SWM) practices, challenges, and recommendations identified in an environmental sustainability case study. The analysis was performed in the 3,530 room Flamingo Hilton Resort and Casino (LVFH) in Las Vegas,Nevada,USA.The city's 29 million tourists a year leave behind mountains of dollars... and garbage. The main research contributions are the SWM hierarchy, and the study's documentation of corporate actions and attitudes relating to waste minimisation in an urban tourism setting. Resort areas studied ranged from reprographics to guest rooms. Selected findings and recommendations of this study are presented according to a five level hierarchy for waste minimisation, from most to least critical. The first and most fundamental hierarchy level is commitment to environmental goals such as conservation and environmental protection from tourism's negative impacts. Levels two through four are critical sub-strategies of source reduction. Level two necessitates applying eco-intelligence within purchasing policies and activities. Level three involves the source reduction principles of using and wasting less through such practices as using electronic communications. Re-fillable packaging is an example of level four; re-use. To avoid final disposal, level five requires recycling.