Green chemistry and the leisure industry: New business models for sustainability

Chemistry made once expensive leisure activities available to public by providing inexpensive materials for fishing rods, golf equipment etc. Nowadays, eco-minded costumers wish the impact of their leisure activities on environment as little as possible, and thus expect materials to be overall sustainable. Particularly, the hospitality sector has to fulfill the expectations of eco-minded tourists who prefer hotels engaged in activities for protecting natural resources and working against waste accumulation. The recent developments in green chemistry and material design can contribute to the sustainability of leisure industry. In this short review research outcomes regarding the development of materials which can be formed, degraded and reformed into new materials are presented. Finally, a business model called “material leasing” based on the principles of “chemical leasing” for the implementation of new materials in the hospitality and leisure sectors is proposed.