The Grand America is proud to call one of the most beautiful cities in the West home. From the glorious views of the Wasatch Mountains seen from our tower guest rooms to the greenery that decorates our courtyard gardens, we know that showcasing the very best of Mother Earth is part of what makes our hotel shine. As the annual international recognition of Earth Day approaches, we’re excited to highlight some of our key commitments to being a sustainable force within our community.
The Grand Recycle Project
From the newspapers perused over morning coffee to the glass bottle of sparkling water enjoyed with dinner, The Grand Recycle project aims to divert as much potential waste as possible. From April 2022 through December 2022 alone, this initiative successfully recycled 152,600 lbs (or 76 tons) of cardboard, 36,300 lbs of glass, 5,500 lbs of office paper, and 1,500 lbs of magazines.
Since 2018, The Grand Recycle project has also supported a highly successful food composting program. By being committed to collecting unused food from our property’s restaurants, our banquet services, and our own employee cafeterias, in the same nine month window from last year, this project diverted 188,680 lbs (94 tons) of unused food from landfills. In partnership with Wasatch Recovery Services, what could have been waste is able to be converted into renewable energy and useful fertilizers.
How The Grand Recycle Gives Back
Did you know that organic waste–including fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy, and raw and prepared foods–makes up nearly 30% of the contents of our landfills?
While food composting is perhaps lesser known than other waste-reduction programs, the benefits are overwhelming. Through a process of sorting and then liquifying the collected organic waste, the resulting contents are added into a “digester,” which is then heated to aid the growth of microbes. These microbes break down in the organic matter, without using oxygen, which results in the production of biogas. Biogas is then collected and purified before being converted into a renewable natural gas called biomethane, which can then be utilized as renewable energy to power local homes and businesses. The Grand America’s food composting partner, Wasatch Resource Recovery, will supply enough natural gas to power roughly 15,000 homes. Plus, after all of the biogas has been collected, a secondary byproduct remains–a bio-based fertilizer. Nutrient-rich, this fertilizer is used to grow crops sustainably.
Through The Grand Recycle project, our hotel is able to help sustain this pioneering practice of creating renewable energy the greater community can benefit from. For the love of our community–and the health of our planet at large–we are proud of these commitments to preserving the natural beauty of our home. Still, we know this is only a beginning, and that a true commitment to sustainable practices requires ongoing reflection that leads to continual change and positive action.
Experience the natural beauty of Salt Lake City with a Grand getaway. Reserve your stay with the Grand Choice package and receive $100 credit for renewing services at The Grand Spa, refreshing dinners at Laurel, or shopping at The Shops at the Grand.