Whenever You Travel, Go for a Green Hotel

One can help to reduce the negative impact that hotels have on environment by staying at a green hotel.

Green hotels use energy and resources efficiently thereby implementing recycling of products. Using nonrenewable resources efficiently and utilizing renewable resources is what Green hotels concentrate on.

The staggering figure of guests in the hotels, the meals prepared for them, water consumption, and energy required for lighting, cooling and heating all indicate that there is an enormous need to implement green hotel practices.

While you are at a green hotel, you are sure to receive quality service. Apart from the service quality, you will also be helping the environment.

Adopting green hotel practices helps hotels to realize cost savings which can be used for enhancing services provided to the guests.

Finding a Green Hotel

Finding a green hotel that suits your style, needs and pocket is not easy. But, with little effort one can easily find a hotel that makes you feel at home or in the lap of nature.

Choosing a Green Hotel

The key component of green travel is to book an eco-lodge. Many hotels are now making their ambience and implementing practices which make hotels- green homes away from homes for the guests.

Being a Green Hotel guest

When staying in a hotel, the following steps help you to become a green hotel guest:

• Ask the hotel staff not to change the sheets and towels on a daily basis.
• Switch off the lights and electrical appliances if any like television, air conditioner and close the drapes when leaving the room.
• Participate in the recycling efforts which the hotel promotes.
• Pass the newspaper provided by the hotel to someone else after you have read and encourage the hotel management to implement recycling.
• Take short showers
• While brushing teeth, don’t let the water run
• Turn off the exercise machines when done
• Place the brochures and other tourist information back in the racks after reading rather than throwing
• If disposable utensils are used in the hotel, bring your own disposable cups etc.
• When having food, if you don’t drink water along, ask the staff not to pour in your glass
• Thank the staff and management- managers and employees for embracing green hotel practices and appreciate their effort

Be a nice guest to encourage the hotel become ‘Green’

What if you stay in a hotel that is not green i.e. not following green practices?Being a guest a positive effort in this case would be to encourage the hotel to become Green.

Following the steps given below will encourage the staff at the hotel:

• Asking the hotel managers and staff to follow green practices and tell them the importance for guests
• If you know some tips that will help hotels to be environmentally friendly, discuss them with managers
• Try to contact hotel’s president or CEO or send him a letter that will say the importance of following green hotel practices and how will it make a difference.

Thus, Implementing Green Hotel Practices is a challenge that hotels should face and help in conserving our resources and environment.

So, the next time you travel, make a difference for the environment by Going Green. -M. Scott Parisi