EcoGreenHotel

One Easy Way to Get Started

If you stop to think about it, your hotel is sort of like a machine. It’s got a ton of moving parts – the building and all of its infrastructure, the staff and administrative personnel, the grounds – all of those components have to be in good working order or the whole operation will suffer.

But there’s another moving part to your machine that you might not have considered right off the bat, and that’s the energy that powers your entire hotel engine.  If your building, its infrastructure, your personnel and the grounds surrounding the building are not conserving energy like they could be, the machine that is your green hotel will eventually sputter and stop running.  It won’t be able to sustain itself, and it won’t be able to compete with all the other green hotel machines that are running at peak efficiency.

Even if you have implemented a green initiative or two at your property, there is still room for improvement, because green lodging is not a destination – it’s a journey.  And a journey of a thousand miles begins with… say it with me now… a single step!

Maybe your green team would like to improve your property’s energy efficiency but you’re confused about the next logical step.  Or perhaps your hotel has yet to launch a green initiative and you don’t even know where to begin.  One easy way to overcome either of those scenarios and kick start the process in a single step is to conduct an energy efficiency analysis.

An energy efficiency analysis is an in-depth study of your property’s energy usage.  It shows you – in black and white – how each of your hotel’s moving parts can become more efficient, and how you can save energy and money without disrupting the guest experience (and in many cases, how you can actually enhance the guest experience).

One of the most important things to come out of an energy efficiency analysis is benchmarking, which gives you a starting point from which to measure your green hotel’s progress toward greater efficiency and savings.  The most trusted benchmarking tool for hotels is the one developed by Energy Star, which is a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Almost 4,000 hotels have used the Energy Star benchmarking tool as part of their energy efficiency analysis.  To learn more, visit www.EcoGreenHotel.com and click on “Energy Star” under Our Services section.

Hospitality Industry’s role in Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure

Electric vehicles are no longer a dream on the drawing board. The Volt and the Leaf will be in showrooms later this year from automakers GM and Nissan. Luxury EV manufacturer, Tesla Motors offered an IPO this June; which makes it the first American Automaker to go public since 1956. Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen all have EV models on the board. It looks as if the EV has captured the imagination of the people. Now comes the hard part….building the charging infrastructure.

Creating a robust regional or statewide EV infrastructure will take commitment and buy-in from numerous parties. In North Texas, government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 corporations are making that commitment together. This year’s Texas State Fair will feature an Electric Vehicle Showcase, sponsored by General Motors, US Green Building Council –North Texas, North Central Texas Council Of Governments and North Texas Clean Air Coalition, where attendees will get a chance to drive a Chevrolet Volt on the Road Test Track, and to see how electric vehicles, smart phones, smart charging, green buildings, the Smart Grid and renewable energy work together to become something greater than the sum of parts.

Furthermore the hospitality and travel industries will play a key role to make the electric vehicle an everyday reality. Years ago one could only dream of a day where business travelers would rent an EV at the airport and stay in a green hotel with an EV charging station. Beginning next year that dream will become a reality. Hertz will begin offering the all-electric Nissan leaf early 2011 and Starwood’s LEED Certified Element Hotels offer public charging stations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas and Boston.

Hotels that recognize the opportunity for increased bookings will be among the first businesses to offer public charging stations. What’s more, early adopters are likely to benefit from the buzz, press, heightened brand recognition and strengthened brand loyalty as people recognize the “cool factor” and the importance of the electric vehicle. Green Hotels could see outsized marketing returns for installed charging stations, especially since tax incentives halve the cost of charging infrastructure that’s installed this year.

Hotels have an opportunity to help our communities work on big challenges. There’s growing recognition that electric vehicles offer solutions to many of the challenges we face today: dependence on foreign oil, clean air, climate change, energy security, national prosperity, a missing collective sense of purpose. (To learn more, see the Electrification Coalition Roadmap). An important first step is to create a geographically diverse network of charging stations in a region. Hotels will play a vital part.Please contact us if you would like additional information.

Hotels can make a significant impact on waste reduction and recycling. A waste audit conducted in six properties by the Florida Energy Extension Service indicated that waste generation in guest rooms varied from 1/2 to 28 1/2 pounds of waste per day. One hotel in their pilot proje ct saved about 1.25 billion BTU of energy in six months by recycling. This reduction in energy use (which is 125,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity) is the same as energy consumed by 1,250 100-watt light bulbs burning continuously for 42-days. Imagine the savings!!

Let’s get started! Follow these eight steps to create your hotel’s recycling program – you won’t regret it, trust us!

1. Select a Recycling Coordinator

Accountability is key to the success of your green hotel’s recycling program. Who is going to be at the forefront of this effort? This is especially true at the beginning. Finding the right person to head this up is crucial. The ideal recycling coordinator will be:

• Enthusiastic about recycling and/or the environment
• Well organized
• A good communicator
• Familiar with starting, overseeing and maintaining programs
• In contact with the company’s waste haulers, janitorial staff or contracts

How much time does this position take? Well, that really depends on your employee’s participation. One hour per month is usually enough to maintain a successful hotel recycling program. Ask for volunteers, and we bet you’ll find a great candidate quickly.

2. Decide What to Collect

Consider that paper makes up an average of 37.5 percent of the waste stream. What else does your hotel use? What supplies do you have on hand? What do your guests and employees use? Take a walk around and start making a list.

Here are a few possibilities:

• Computer paper
• Aluminum cans
• Bathroom amenities
• Batteries
• Light bulbs
• Computers and accessories
• Glass bottles
• Inkjet/toner cartridges
• Plastic bottles
• Scrap metal
• Paper or plastic cups

3. Choose a Collection Method
To mix or not to mix? That is the question to ask. Now that you know which materials you are going to recycle, how do you collect them? Does everything have to be separated or can it all be thrown in the same bin? Your hotel can do either. Here are the pros and cons of each option:

Source Separation Recyclables are separated by specific type. Examples:

• Paper recycling would have many bins including: white paper, colored paper, cardboard, office mail, magazines/catalogs, etc.
• Plastic recycling would have bins for each type of plastic: #1-7

Pros:

• Bin items are extremely specific, with fewer questions as to what goes where
• Separated materials can have a higher market value
• It creates more environmental awareness for both guests and employees

Cons:

• It requires more recycling bins (and a higher setup cost)
• Your recycling coordinator may have to spend time sorting materials
• You may have to find multiple destinations for recyclables if they are source-separated
• Too many recycling containers in your guest rooms

Commingled Collection Recyclables are mixed together. The separation process happens at a material recovery facility. Examples:

• Paper recycling has one bin to collect all paper
• Plastic recycling has one bin to collect plastics #1-7 together

Pros:

• It is less time-consuming for employees
• It usually involves larger participating groups
• The recycling coordinator will have less time invested

Cons:

• Market values may be lower (e.g. mixed office paper may lower the value of computer paper if both are combined)
• Materials may be contaminated more easily if commingled
• Less opportunity for guest and employee education about recycling

4. Choose a Hauling Option
You know what materials you are recycling. You’ve determined your method of collection. You’ve got full recycling bins. Now how do you get rid of it?

Determining how to haul your green-conscious hotel’s recyclables away can be one of the greatest challenges. You should be realistic in planning how much your business is capable of recycling. The following are the most common hauling options available to most businesses:

Drop-Off Recycling Locations
Once you’ve collected all the recyclables from guest rooms, common area, back of house and the office, your recycling coordinator, or another volunteer, can drop off materials at a local center.

Earth911.com’s recycling locator will help your business find nearby drop-off locations. You can also see what your local Materials Recovery Facility will accept from businesses.

Things to consider when choosing a municipal or commercial drop-off center include:

• Recyclables accepted
• Contamination guidelines
• Minimum quantity requirements
• Prices per recyclable
• Hours of operation
• Payment options

Money earned from selling recyclables can be used to reimburse your recycling coordinator. Or, to create a fund for hotel events and parties for your dedicated hotel staff. Pick-Up Providers
Pick-up services will often require a higher quantity of recyclables that your hotel alone generates. If your green hotel can produce the amount of recyclables required for a service such as this, here is some information on how to find the right pick-up provider for your hotel:

Commercial Recyclers
Commercial recyclers are often more suited for businesses generating larger volumes of recyclables. Pick-up or hauling fees may apply. They may offer other services including waste hauling, collection bins, educational materials and/or employee training.

Commercial Waste Haulers Commercial waste haulers wanting to provide a “complete package” to their customers have started to offer recycling services, because they are able to make up their lost waste hauling fees with recycling revenue.

Commercial waste haulers may have volume and contamination requirements, pick-up fees and other requirements.

You may be able to reduce your overall waste hauling expense, and only have to deal with one company, for solid waste and recycling.

Small Haulers
Don’t meet the required volume of a commercial recycler or waste hauler? Small haulers may work for you. These companies are usually considered “mom and pop” shops. They run smaller routes with fewer trucks, employees and equipment.

Larger commercial recycling companies and waste haulers will usually recommend smaller haulers because they buy the recyclables directly from the smaller haulers.

Small haulers may also have volume and contamination requirements and pick-up fees.

Cooperative Recycling Your hotel only generates a small volume of recyclables. What can you do?

1. Partner with neighboring businesses
2. “Piggyback” onto a larger business’ recycling program

By pooling your recyclables, you can qualify for pick-up by a commercial recycler or waste hauler. Cooperative recycling is popular in multi-tenant buildings or complexes, strip malls and industrial parks. Cooperative recycling also makes it easy for recyclers to coordinate pick-ups more effectively.

If you get involved with a larger company, you win because you are able to recycle at no additional expense. The larger business wins by receiving additional volume and extra revenue.

The drawbacks?

• You may have limitations on the types of products your can recycle.
• The larger business may be penalized for any contaminated products that you send.

Back Hauling
Is your hotel in a rural location? You may have difficulty finding a recycling source. Consider back hauling (or secondhand hauling).

For instance, a grocery store could request that its delivery truck backhaul recyclables to a larger metropolitan market if the truck was empty on the return trip anyway.

Back hauling may be more challenging to find, and it’s only ideal for businesses that receive deliveries in the first place. But it’s better than not recycling your materials at all.

5. Set Up Recycling Bins and Guidelines
Organization is crucial to recycling. No matter what type of recycling program you implement, you’ll want to set up clearly-labeled plastic bins in places everyone will use them. Some good locations:

• A paper recycling bin and/or ink cartridge recycling bin in the copy room
• Aluminum/glass/plastic recycling bins in the kitchen and breakfast area
• A mixed recycling bin in all guest rooms
• An electronics recycling bin in the storage room

Another issue to consider for your recycling program is contamination. Materials that are contaminated won’t be recycled and could ruin larger batches of recycling. Luckily, contamination can easily be avoided by following these steps:

1. Rinse out containers, so bins won’t get dirty
2. Make sure there’s no food waste mixed in with recyclables (e.g. cardboard pizza box with oil remains) and that materials aren’t mixed (e.g. aluminum cans mixed with paper) if your recycler requires separation
3. When in doubt, throw it out

Now it is time to implement your hotel’s earth friendly recycling program, and there are several factors to consider, including:

Internal Collection Container Locations
Your program will only be as effective as how easy it is for guest and employees to participate. Bin quantity and location plays a huge role in this. Here are a few options:

Desk Side or Desktop Containers
Everyone goes through paper. By placing a paper recycling bin next to the trash at each employee’s and guest room’s desk, it will become second nature for them to recycle paper. You can find a range of different styles on EcoGreenHotelStore.com

Central Collection Containers
These containers are for hotel common areas, and should be placed strategically in areas where products will be collected. An office copy room is an ideal area for a paper collection container, just like the kitchen would cater (no pun intended) to aluminum and glass recycling. Common sizes for central containers are 20- to 50-gallon plastic bins.

Final Collection Containers
These are often provided by the recycling service provider and serve as a final destination for all your recyclables before they are picked up or dropped off. Products from guest rooms, office and central collection bins will be unloaded into these large bins, which are usually hampers on rollers or plastic barrels with lids and wheels.

6. Monitor Your Program
Once your hotel’s recycling program is in place, monitor its progress to evaluate cost-effectiveness, employee participation and environmental impact.

Provide Feedback to Employees
Share the success, progress and problems with your hotel’s program periodically with guests and employees. Here’s how:

• Use company-wide e-mails to distribute updates or milestones about the program
• Inform staff of certain contaminants or individuals/departments with strong participation
• Publicize to guests the quantity your company recycles and revenues over a certain period (month, quarter, year); your hauling company will be able to provide this information
• Calculate/distribute disposal cost savings based on the decrease of waste
• Survey employees/guests/departments to identify program problems and improvements
• Post informative articles on recycling, source reduction, reuse and/or the environment to further educate hotel staff
• Include information on recycling program participation in the new employee orientation and/or handbook
• Show how successful and creative your program is by promoting your hotel’s efforts outside the business through green internet marketing
• Consider applying for various local, state or federal awards, such as the American Forest & Paper Association’s Paper Recycling Awards
• Become an EPA WasteWise business to further improve your program
• Get involved in local, state and/or national recycling and environmental or industry-related organizations.
• Distribute press releases on your green hotel’s program and accomplishments. Submit your press release to EcoGreenHotel and contact us to see how you can be featured in our distributions as well as social media-marketing program.

7. Promote Your Program Through Education
Proper staff education is crucial to the success of your hotel’s recycling program. Here are some tips:

1. Education should start before your recycling program, so employees know what to recycle
2. Introduce your staff and housekeeping staff to the program in writing, such as an introductory memo, and at a staff meeting
3. If you are using a recycling pickup service provider, ask about employee education and training
4. Explain how recyclables are collected, what is recyclable, how the program will benefit the environment and the company, as well as other waste reduction and reuse measures that will be implemented
5. Show samples of recyclables and non-recyclable materials (contamination) on a board or sign near recycling containers

Recycling Signage
Create your own container and recycling signs:

• Recycle Cardboard
• Recycle Glass
• Recycle Inkjet Cartridges
• Recycle Paper
• Recycle Plastic
• Recycle Toner Cartridges
• Do NOT Recycle! Contaminants

8. The Role of the Housekeeping Staff
Housekeeping staff needs to be aware of the program since they will be collecting recyclables from each guest room. They need to be aware of the program to prevent unintentional contamination. Here are a few questions to consider:

• How will the recyclables be store in the cart separate from trash?
• How much time does this collection process add to cleaning each guest room?
• How does this impact the overall housekeeping schedule?
• What is the disposal process once collected by your housekeeping staff?

The buzz around Washington D.C. is that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is laying the groundwork for a federal green lodging certification program for U.S. hotels.

The EPA plans to roll out its sustainability guidelines by the end of the year, with the goal of giving facilities an outline of the standards necessary to win federal meeting and convention business in the future.

Is there a need for yet another green lodging certification program? Well, that depends. If the EPA’s program turns out to be a meaningful method for recognizing genuine accomplishments in sustainable lodging, then we’re all for it. But if it’s just another pay-to-play, rubber stamp mechanism for properties to drum up business on the ruse of operating a watered-down green lodge, then we’re wholeheartedly against it.

In other words, only time will tell if there’s really “room at the inn” for a new federal green lodging program. We’ll just have to see it before we can believe in it.

Indications are, however, that this program might actually be a worthwhile addition to the green lodging certification mix. An EPA spokesman said it will be modeled after excellent state-sponsored programs like the ones in Florida and California, and will eventually become as highly regarded and recognizable as the Energy Star ratings for appliances.

Plus, word on the street is that these new guidelines will eventually be the measure by which all federal agencies and departments will award their meeting and convention business in the future – along with price and past performance considerations, of course.

And one can’t help but wonder if a highly publicized, well-funded federal green hotel certification program will eclipse others of questionable quality – especially those in the pay-to-play arena.

So our recommendation is for hospitality properties to watch this process closely, and to plan to apply just as soon as the EPA opens the floodgates. There’s likely to be a stampede of facilities scrambling to align with the federal program and you want yours to be in front of the pack.

Are you satisfied with your facility’s sustainability program? Could your staff use some professional guidance in positioning your property to earn the upcoming federal certification? Send a message to info@EcoGreenHotel.com today, and we’ll have you on the road to a meaningful green certification before you know it!

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

I read a story in Hospitality Design magazine last week that made me smile. It was about the aptly named Good Hotel in San Francisco’s trendy SOMA district.

The 117-room property – once the site of a Best Western and a hostel catering to backpackers – has been totally remodeled and decorated largely with reused, everyday objects. The designers called upon area artists to put the finishing touches on everything from the lobby to the guestrooms.

For example, a recent art school graduate fashioned a cool bench from old blankets. A furniture maker built a computer desk from old cabinets, and he constructed a coffee table that included parts from a skateboard. Throw pillows in the guestrooms were covered with bedspread material from the old hotel. Recycled water bottles now form a chic pendant light.

I like this approach for so many reasons. First of all, it’s light hearted and fun. Some of those design elements are so quirky; you can be sure that guests are having blast exploring all the eccentric touches scattered throughout the building.

Next, the hotel employed the work of local artists, providing income for neighborhood folks. Local art immediately establishes a “sense of place” – an ambiance that adds to your guests’ overall experience.

I also like the Good Hotel’s approach to decorating because it’s cheaper than using new items. This design technique helped the hotel keep its costs down, which helped it keep its rates down, which in turn helps keep heads in beds. Enough said on that!

But what appeals to me most is how it promotes the idea that “used” doesn’t necessarily mean “useless” – that just because something has passed its prime in one form doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for some other purpose.

Now, I’m well aware that this design tactic won’t work for everyone. But I firmly believe that the underlying philosophy will.

Call your green team together to brainstorm about how you can use repurposed items in your eco hotel – or how you can donate your facility’s used items to a worthy cause in your neighborhood. Then drop us a line at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and tell us what you came up with. We’ll post some of the best ideas online and share them with the eco hotel community in our newsletter, too.

Learn more about San Francisco’s Good Hotel here: www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/good.

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

I admit it: I’m not a fan of acronyms. But unfortunately the world is full of them – especially, it seems, the sustainability world. There’s CFL, CFC, HEPA, HFC, LCA, VOC and so many more… not to mention the granddaddy of them all – LEED.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and I suppose that as far as acronyms go, it’s one of the more useful ones. The LEED Green Building Rating System is the most universally accepted building certification program in the country, and its authority is even spreading around the world.

Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, this voluntary program recommends practices and performance criteria to help architects, engineers, construction and facilities managers, interior designers, lenders and government officials design, construct, remodel, operate and maintain sustainable buildings – everything from homes schools and hospitals, to retail establishments, government facilities and yes, even hotels.

The LEED program helps improve five areas critical to human and environmental wellbeing:

• Sustainable site development
• Water conservation
• Energy efficiency
• Material selection
• Indoor environmental quality

Not sure which flooring option is the most sustainable choice for your new hotel? LEED can point you in the right direction. Wondering if you should incorporate solar water heaters into your remodel, or want to tap into tax incentives and government initiatives to help offset costs? LEED has resources to guide you.

Once the U.S. Green Building Council has ensured that the building meets its requirements, it awards the facility its prestigious LEED certification. In the sustainable building world, there’s no more highly-regarded acronym than LEED!

If you’d like to find out how your planned or existing lodging facility can earn LEED certification, send a message to info@EcoGreenHotel.com. We’ll be happy to help you get the process started!

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

Eco-conscious hotels joined millions of other businesses, individuals and government entities around the world in observing Earth Hour 2009 on Saturday, March 28th.
Lights were dimmed or turned off en masse in 88 countries worldwide that night to show support for the fight against global warming, from the Vegas strip to New Zealand to Antarctica to Greece and all points in between. The non-profit World Wildlife Fund organized the event, and on its website called this year’s Earth Hour “the largest of its kind.”
Green hotels found lots of imaginative ways to celebrate and get their guests involved in Earth Hour beyond just dimming the lights. One Boston hotel invited all its guests and staff to a party on the rooftop to watch the lights go out over Beantown. Another offered green martinis in the bar, where the lights were dimmed and supplemented by flameless candles.
In Toronto, guests enjoyed candlelight dinners and a swimming pool filled with floating candles, and guests at one hotel in Australia were treated to eco-friendly foods and “carbon neutral” drinks.
It looks as if Earth Hour has become an annual event, so perhaps now would be a great time to add an Earth Hour Committee to your property’s green team. Participating in the event is an enjoyable and memorable way to highlight your facility’s dedication to conservation. It’s not too early to start thinking about how your facility can celebrate Earth Hour 2010!
Did staff at your property come up with a fun or particularly meaningful way to observe this year’s Earth Hour? Tell us about it at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and we may post it on our website!

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

Heads up, green hotel owners, managers and marketing departments! There’s a new place on the worldwide web for promoting eco hotels, and it’s making it easier than ever for properties like yours to attract potential guests.

Check this out: www.ecohotelsoftheworld.com. This site has an independent, objective online directory created to assist eco-travelers in finding environmentally friendly lodging all over the world. The U.K.-based site has been adding venues at the rate of three per month since inception and currently lists around 140 properties worldwide.

Site visitors can search the free database for an eco hotel near their destination. They can also submit hotel reviews, recommend hotels for inclusion on the site, and sign up to receive a newsletter full of information and travel-related offers.

And here’s how it works from the lodging facility side. First, hotels study the requirements for inclusion in the directory. The requirements are fairly straightforward and mainly focus on water and energy conservation, waste disposal practices, community involvement and staff training.

Then, the hotel fills out the directory’s simple online form and submits it. An Eco Hotels of the World representative will contact the facility about whether or not the property has made the cut.

And here’s the best part: Hotels are not charged any fees or commissions to be listed on the site!

EcoHotelsoftheWorld.com has been featured in various publications, including Time Out magazine and Panorama. It’s a site that’s destined to pick up speed and grow, so get in on the ground floor and secure your hotel’s free listing soon!

At EcoGreenHotel, we have lots of great ideas for marketing your green hotel effectively and cost-efficiently. Contact us at info@EcoGreenHotel.com with your marketing questions or concerns, and we’ll be happy to help.

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

So, you’ve installed low flow faucets, toilets and showerheads, and started a linen re-use program. You’ve got sparkling new recycle bins strategically placed all around the property. Housekeeping is outfitted with the latest ozone laundry technology to save energy and cut down on chemical use, you’ve got Energy Star appliances around every corner, and your maintenance guy looks like Mr. Universe from climbing all those ladders switching the old-fashioned light bulbs for CFL’s.

Your property has the green thing down pat… or does it? There’s one part of your eco-hotel you might have overlooked when drawing up your sustainability plan – your office.

Here are three new devices that can not only make your life easier, but also make your office – and in turn, your hotel – a little greener:

• SoyPrint laser print cartridges. Soy ink is nothing new, but soy ink in laser print cartridges is. The company that manufactures these cartridges says that the U.S. consumes “more than 100 million cartridges per year. That equates to 100 million pounds or 50,000 tons of material we currently use petroleum to produce.” The cartridges start at $60 and are compatible with many popular printer brands. Visit www.soyprint.net.

• Occupancy Sensors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average office spends 29% of its energy usage on lighting alone. If you forget to turn off the lights when you leave the office, 100% of that lighting energy is wasted. To prevent that kind of loss, install a simple infrared or ultrasonic motion sensor that cuts the lights when everyone has left the room. Sensors start at $20 and can be purchased online or at most home or hardware stores.

• Solio Hybrid Charger. This little silver doodad can charge your handheld devices using either electric or solar power, and it’s universal – no need to lug around a separate charger for all your devices. One hour of sunlight translates into 20 minutes of talk time or nearly an hour of MP3 music playing. And word on the street is that President Obama has one to charge his trusty Blackberry wherever he goes! Solio models start at $80. Visit www.solio.com.

Got a green office dilemma? EcoGreenHotel is happy to help! Contact us at info@EcoGreenHotel.com.
For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com

It seems you can’t turn around these days without bumping face-first into something “green.” Eat our farm’s organic berries! Buy our company’s hybrid car! Install our specially-designed low-flow toilet!

Heck, even oil companies are spending millions on ads to convince the public that they’re doing everything in their power to nurture the planet. And now, you can add supposedly-green lodging facilities to the mix.

But how can an eco-conscious traveler be sure that the environmentally-friendly claims of her chosen hotel are factual?

By checking for official certification, that’s how!

From Maine to California and from Florida to Michigan and everywhere in between, state agencies and hotel associations are launching green lodging certification programs. The programs encourage hoteliers to implement measures to save water and energy and protect air quality as well as practices like recycling that reduce contributions to the waste stream.

In exchange for the hotel’s efforts, the program certifies that the property has met – and continues to meet – a set of environmentally-friendly requirements. The program continually monitors the property’s energy and water usage and other factors that indicate responsible practices.

This certification allows the hotel to bill itself as a “green lodging facility,” thereby attracting a new and burgeoning market populated by eco-travelers and eco-meeting planners.

The hospitality industry’s response to these certification programs has been outstanding. Most hoteliers I’ve spoken with say that, although the certification process takes a little extra work, it’s absolutely worth it once you’ve factored in cost savings, increased marketing opportunities, and the property’s reduced environmental impact.

One resort manager expressed it this way: “It’s been worth the initial investment and effort to get certified. Being green means saving money in the long run, and it will make our planet a better place. The world is watching what we’re doing and I get goose bumps just thinking about it. We can do this – we have to do this.”

Want to know if there’s a green lodging certification program in your area? Contact us at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and we’ll find out for you!

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com