How does one go about finding an eco friendly hotel? How do you know if a hotels efforts to “go green” are actually paying off?
As I began researching standards for green hotels, I became increasingly interested in the newly created “green” accreditation programs and standards that exist. What I found, as you will see below, was absolutely atrocious. Many of these “green standards” merely involve a hotel executive filling out a survey and sending in their self-administered questionnaire with their membership fee. I don’t know about you, but to me this is unacceptable.
Thus, while these sites are helpful to a certain extent, none are foolproof. Use your best judgment when looking for an environmentally friendly hotel.
EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com shows the most promise only because individual reviewers can submit their ratings. But unfortunately, not many folks have done that yet. Their rating system is a series of green trees where hotels that are the least green receive 1 tree and hotels that are the most green receive 7 trees. If people started reviewing these hotels this site could become beneficial.
Eco Hotels and Lodge Collection seems to have hotels and lodges that are more environmentally conscious, but there are fewer of them. One piece of information I found to be interesting on their site:
There are over 2500 Properties (including camp grounds) around the world claiming to be either “eco” or “green”. EHLC estimates that no more than 5% of these Properties fully deliver on all the required criteria, while another 15% are in the process of attaining truly Sustainable Tourism status. This top 20% segment is EHLC’s select target group from which we invite Properties into membership.
Green Hotels Association while it has a nice name, seems to be more of an advertising membership directory where you pay to be listed.
Sustainable Travel International offers an eco-directory. (look under lodgings) Generally, I have found STI’s information to be excellent.
Responsible Travel specializes in holidays and tours and has an accommodation only section of their site.
The EU has the EU Eco-label and through their search catalogue you can search for tourist accommodation.
Energy Star rates American buildings including hotels. According to their website these facilities “are among the top 25% in the county for energy performance” .
Eco-Index Sustainable Tourism focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean.
Green Globe is a consulting and advisory company that allows you to search for accommodation.
International Ecotourism Society members must sign a code of conduct stating that they meet certain requirements.
Audobon offers a “green leaf” rating system. However, it is based on self-evaluations and a membership program.
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There are a lot of ways that we as aware and responsible citizens can play a major role in helping to minimize damage to Mother Earth – and ourselves in the long run. Some are not easy and some may be costly, but we have to do the best we can. Fortunately, one of the easy things to do is be aware of our traveling habits, and select “green” accommodations whenever available, not just those who say they’re doing something, but those who actually are. This is made possible through a website I’ve run across recently, iStayGreen.org. There we not only are able to locate hotels which are environmentally conscious, but more importantly, we are encouraged to rate the facilities we stay at on many factors of “greenness”, and several thousand already are rated. As time goes on the tremendous volume of rating information we as travelers provide will insure the accuracy of the program. This doesn’t just help other travelers, it takes paying for ratings out of the equation, and puts pressure on hoteliers to do as much as they can to be well rated. It also will expose those who want to take advantage of being green in name only, but not do anything positive. The iStayGreen.org people have set up a social networking system on their site, so groups with like interests can advise each other easily to exchange information, and also bring more pressure to bear on the facilities which talk but don’t do. This not only helps us to do our part, but rewards hotels whose management has a genuine interest in preserving our planet for future generations. It’s about time something like http://www.iStayGreen.org came along.
I found this website http://www.best-ecolodges.com to seem to be pretty serious about what is a real green hotel or ” eco friendly lodge”
worth having a look at!
I find it very frustrating to find a trustworthy source for locating environmentally conscious hotel/cabin/lodge/motel owners. There are good ones out there. There should exist a place to be recognized and found. I am checking out these links now, including iStayGreen.
It especially frustrating to come up on a site that claims eco-tourism, only to find a listing of the hotel who is locally famous for fighting to recklessly develop a pristine location. Then I found a lodge that claimed certification from a non-profit verification service. When I went to the non-profit’s site, the lodge was no longer listed.
I thank you all for your efforts. Lets keep the conversation going. We just might get there!
My personal opinion is that lists of green lodging properties can be most often found vis-a-vis the state green lodging certification programs. Each state does vary in their requirements to be listed, but it’s a start. Our website also carries some degree of information on greening vacation home rentals for owners of the homes.
This not only helps us to do our part, but rewards hotels whose management has a genuine interest in preserving our planet for future generations.EcoGreen Hotel
It is difficult to find green lodging. Of all the hotels I visited, most are not aware of the need to respect the environment.
I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I have enjoyed every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
Awesome blog, great!
Apart from eco lodges and hotels, the visitors themselves should be eco aware. Many hotels encourage and reward green visitors with the goal to make them love nature and be enviromentally friendly and after the end of their vacation
Hi!
thank you for the listing
For green hotels in Argentina, I would add http://www.travelnative.com
regards from buenos aires
olivier
I think hostels, hotels, resorts should make it very clear as to what makes them green or sustainable. Without that information, I don’t believe in “innocent until proven guilty” or should I say ‘sustainable until proven otherwise’. I like http://www.haciendatresrios.com b/c they do make these practices evident. Albiet, it is not the first thing you see on their website, they do have a slideshare presentation stating how they have maintained sustainability from pre construction to current day. It is called the Green Book. Check it out for yourselves.
http://www.slideshare.net/TresRiosResort/green-book-5020603
This information is GREAT and useful! It’s great to know I can be out having an awesome time vacationing and at the same time helping mother nature too!
Can I suggest look for certification that does face to face auditing, uses independent assessors and auditors, and requires a contribution to conservation
see http://www.ecolodgesaustralia.com.au – all are ADVANCED Ecotourism ccertified and all must contribute to conservation to maintain ADVANCED status.