I recently returned from my holiday vacation with a positive outlook on the new year and a renewed sense of being more eco-friendly. For my vacation I traveled to western North Carolina to go snowboarding at the Wolf Ridge Ski Resort.

A big reason why I wanted to go snowboarding was to enjoy the beauty and simplicity of a remote, snow-covered mountain that is far away from the fast-paced and energy-consuming world that I usually live in from day to day. But I also love staying at hotels! Not only do I get to keep the trial-size shampoos that they leave in the bathroom, but I also get to see just how eco-friendly these hotels are for visiting tourists.

A Terrible Thing to Waste

Most people don’t realize just how much electricity and water is consumed when they stay in hotels. Even the most environmentally-conscious people that are on vacation forget to follow the green living practices that they do at home. They’re so busy having fun and planning for the days ahead that they might not turn off their television when they leave the room, they’ll throw away their plastic bottles in the trash without a second thought or they might take extra long showers or baths that require excessive amounts of water.

For those people that may not have the time to continue their eco-friendly living practices while on vacation one thing they can do is to stay at a green hotel. Green hotels will follow the green standards for you, and they’ll protect the environment and conserve energy at the same time!

What is a Green Hotel?

The basic definition of a green hotel is an environmentally-responsible lodging that follows the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Green hotels follow strict green guidelines to ensure that their guests are staying in a safe, non-toxic and energy-efficient accommodation. Here are some basic characteristics of a green hotel:

• Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent
• 100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses
• Non-smoking environment
• Renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy
• Bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to reduce waste
• Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins
• Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water consumption)
• Energy-efficient lighting
• On-site transportation with green vehicles
• Serve organic and local-grown food
• Non-disposable dishes
• Offers a fresh-air exchange system, like that offered by the Air Care & Restoration Co., Inc.
• Greywater recycling, which is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping
• Newspaper recycling program

These are just a few of the things that a green hotel offers, so just be sure to check with your specific hotel to see exactly how they operate and what green programs they implement.

The Best Green Hotels

Green hotels are literally popping up all over the world, so it’s up to you to find one that accommodates all of your eco-friendly needs. Here are two great sites that list all the best green hotels:

Green Hotels Association

Provides listings of all the best green hotels in the United States.

Environmentally Friendly Hotels

Lists up to 2,500 green hotels located around the world, from Europe to South America.

I’m glad that companies, especially large companies like hotels that rely on word-of-mouth and customer satisfaction, are becoming more environmentally conscious. The more people that continue their eco-lifestyle away from home, or who are introduced to the green standards of living, the more the environment can be sustained for future vacationers. And that means better living and better lodging!