How Hotel Rooms Affect Your Health & The Planet – JoAnna Abrams, Founder/CEO of MindClick
Release Date: 08/18/2026
Electric Ladies Podcast - Women Leaders Discuss Careers, Trends, Technologies and Innovation in Energy, Climate, and Corporate Responsibility
“Uncertainty doesn't mean you know zero. Uncertainty just means you may know 80%, you may know 90%. So I think we're too quick to freak out and say, "Well, if I'm not certain, therefore I know nothing….So I would say get curious about uncertainty. Stop freaking out about it because everything given to you is really here for your growth. It's just how are you going to make the most out of it? …You probably know a lot more than you think you do, or you can get the answer…." Jessica Li on Electric Ladies Podcast We are surrounded by uncertainty today, from AI to climate change to...
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“The venues chosen had to agree….Many of those venues went fully plant-based for Billie shows, which was amazing. So, they had to agree to have at least three plant-based mains. So that doesn't count pretzels…or popcorn…. On that last US leg (of Billie's tour), we went a step further. We worked with every venue and we presented these culinary trainings to the culinary staff. They focus on the why you should add more plant-based food, which of course is planetary. It's to address the needs of your customers. It can be even to save money. And then we address the how's, how's to do it...
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“Obviously that question of women, money, and wealth changed over time….We don't talk about women wanting money all that much…Women were excited to become gradually big earners, but they treated money very differently. They treated money as a way to create protection for themselves and their family, as a way to create a legacy that would continue. They were not into big spending as much…. What I hadn't realized was to what extent these early women…were saying, "I was the only woman in the room," and they had tremendous ramifications for how they had to function on Wall Street because...
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“It's really that investment to transition from a legacy industry into a future industry…that is aiming to drive more sustainability and manufacturing processes and products overall…One of the things that we fundamentally see as being important in this economic shift, and we say it in this Practical Guide to the Green Economy, is that this transition we believe will favor places that make things.… and we want to make them better and more sustainable.” Bethia Burke on Electric Ladies Podcast As communities seek economic growth and manufacturing jobs, a recent study found that...
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“I've been particularly passionate about working with women in those communities to teach them about new techniques so they can understand how to run their farm more effectively, but also understand their rights as women in those communities so they have a stronger voice…. And because they were called an ‘ambassador,’ their status in the village rose.” Alison Ward on Electric Ladies Podcast If you're shopping for back-to-school clothes or a new fall wardrobe, you'll look at the labels a bit differently after listening to today's episode. Why? Because the cotton in your...
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“We did a study where we shared the story of the careful thought that went into products that were better for people and the planet … Then we administered the standard guest satisfaction survey, and what we found, Joan, was 150% increase in satisfaction, loyalty numbers… Why?...They equated it to service. They said a hotel that goes out of its way to choose products that are better for me and the planet is a hotel that I have confidence is going to take better care of me while I'm there.” JoAnna Abrams on Electric Ladies Podcast With summer travel season is in full swing, a lot...
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“There are those individual actions that we can take. But if I can work with my community or work inside of my company, or if I can work inside of my house of worship and we can build some community and some action that way, it will have a much bigger impact than anything that I can do as an individual… The communities that they're already a part of, whether they're residential, like in their neighborhoods, or it's the nonprofits that they're a part of, or the places where they have other kinds of communities like religious communities, and start conversations there. What could we do as a...
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“(Climate modelling)…it's being used in things like insurance companies. It's being used by companies for their ESG assessments. So, when you get your insurance premium at the end of the year, there is some kind of climate model that has said something about the risk of your house to flood. It has said something about your risk to fire. And so that might be driving up your insurance premium…And so it's being involved in your lives in many different ways. The food you consume, those grocery bills, there's prices behind it that are being driven by people using climate models saying...
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Plastic Bottles & Summer Vacations – Ann Marie (Canela) Chock, Head of Niagara Cares, the Philanthropic Arm of Niagara Water, America's Largest Water Bottler “We were the first to lightweight our bottles. So, if you think about a typical bottle of soda, it's about 27 grams of plastic. Our bottles, this year, I think they're coming in at 6.6 grams …We've created label-less bottles so they're easier to recycle. …We're now running lines that are entirely recycled content. So we are very committed to creating bottles that that do not harm the planet, and also that allow for the...
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“The first one is own it…Your career…I'm constantly, even today having meetings with people that I don't know, requesting mentorship, reaching out through LinkedIn, going to events. I try to stay very connected and not just people in my close industry or even work type …Every single person you meet is a connection and could have an impact on your life and vice versa….When you meet somebody, keep the conversation going. …So one day if they need something or you need something, you have a connection….My second piece of advice is… you should always have a list of things that you...
info_outline“We did a study where we shared the story of the careful thought that went into products that were better for people and the planet … Then we administered the standard guest satisfaction survey, and what we found, Joan, was 150% increase in satisfaction, loyalty numbers… Why?...They equated it to service. They said a hotel that goes out of its way to choose products that are better for me and the planet is a hotel that I have confidence is going to take better care of me while I'm there.” JoAnna Abrams on Electric Ladies Podcast
With summer travel season is in full swing, a lot of us are staying in hotel rooms - 56% of us, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Assn. (AHLA) per year. And business travellers stay in hotels a lot more - 77% of business travellers do. But did you ever think about what impact those rooms might have on your health? Or the planet's?
Listen to JoAnna Abrams, Founder/CEO of MindClick in this fascinating conversation with Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson. MindClick is a supply chain product intelligence company with deep experience in analysing hotels. They tell us if furniture, carpets, beds, etc. in hotels have toxic chemicals, were made with renewable materials, if hotels use clean energy, etc. Since this episode aired last year, they expanded into home furnishings too.
You’ll hear about:
● How MindClick measures the impact of the furnishings in hotels on our health and the planet.
● How corporate travel buyers decide which hotels their executives and employees need to stay in when they travel – and how MindClick intelligence helps keep their teams safe & sustainable.
● How consumers can find information on hotels verifiably adhere to ESG-related standards.
● Plus, career advice, such as:
“First of all, don't give up on that, wanting to make a difference. I remember early in my career saying that that's something I wanted to do, and the response was, no, you don't. You just want to make money. The truth is, you can find opportunities to make a difference and make money. The key is, being very clear in communicating that out to your network, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how many people actually share that same sentiment. We all want to feel good about the work that we're doing, and by being open about that you'll find that people will be open in return and refer you to those that are on that path.”
JoAnna Abrams on Electric Ladies Podcast
Read Joan’s Forbes articles here.
You’ll also like:
· Japan’s Expo Embraces Sustainability & Clean Energy – Yvonne Burton, Burton Consulting gives a tour of the Osaka Expo’s many sustainability features and exhibits
· Recycled Steel Goes Mainstream – Tabitha Stone, G.M. of Energy Solutions at Nucor Steel Corporation
· Green Cement Is Changing How We Build – Marci Jenks, Eco Material Technologies
· Sustainable Business Is Good Business – Tensie Whelan, Director, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business
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