How to Find "Green Hotels" |Maryjane's Blog

Green hotels are perhaps the best way to help the sustainable travel industry. Instead of just supporting the sustainability ideologically, you're supporting it with your wallet as well.

==> What Are Green Hotels?

Green hotels are hotels that go out of their way to use the most environmentally friendly materials, equipment, processes and policies they can.

This means using energy saving light bulbs, water conserving shower heads, good insulation, low flush toilets, heat / cool conserving windows and energy star appliances.

It means they often use environmentally friendly products instead of mass produced products. For example, you might find green soaps and shampoos in your bathroom instead of the cheapest possible shampoo the hotel could buy.

Often times green hotels will serve organic foods, raw foods or vegan foods in their kitchens.

By supporting green hotels, you're not just supporting the hotel - you're supporting all their vendors as well. All the money you spend will go towards helping the environment in one way or another.

==> How Do You Find a Green Hotel?

There are a few different ways you can look for green hotels.

First is the Green Hotels Association website. This website is where green hotel owners register their hotels. The site independently verifies that each hotel has truly taken steps to reduce their environmental impact.

You can also use a number of online forums and communities to find green hotels. For example, the Environmentally Friendly Hotels forum is a good place to start any search for a sustainable hotel.

Finally, you can just read reviews of hotels on any travel website to find people who've commented on a hotel's greenness.

Instead of looking for hotels that market themselves as green, you can find quite a few hotels that really are green, but don't necessarily market themselves this way.

Just call up the reception and ask about what green procedures the hotel has taken. Sometimes hotels simply prefer to target a mainstream audience, but still implement green procedures anyway.

==> Instead of a Hotel ...

In some cities, finding a good green hotel can be quite challenging. Instead, of looking for a hotel, it's often easier to go for a bed and breakfast that's environmentally conscious.

There are a few ways to find them. The easiest way is Google.

Just type in the city's name and "bed and breakfast" in Google. For example, "Bristol Bed and Breakfast" or "Krakow Bed and Breakfast."

You can also find a lot of bed and breakfast establishments on Airbnb.

Finding green hotels takes slightly more research than just booking at room at the nearest Hilton or Holiday Inn. By staying at green hotels however, you're supporting a growing industry that's actively trying to make a difference in the world.

Maryjane Angelo

5 Myths about Going Green |Maryjane's Blog

Protecting the environment, or going green, is something more and more people are doing these days. You may be wondering if the things you do will make an impact. Here are five myths to bear in mind.

1. One of the misconceptions about going green is that it uses more energy to recycle than it saves. However, part of the reason recycling is used by many manufacturers is that it does actually save energy. For instance, it takes 95% more energy to make a new aluminum can than recycling one. Another benefit of recycling, at least aluminum, is that it can be recycled repeatedly.

2. Another myth about going green is that it is better to keep an old appliance and get it fixed rather than buying a new one. Appliances can be expensive so no one would blame you for trying to save money by repairing an old appliance instead of getting something new.

However, if you are looking from a purely green standpoint, buying new is definitely ‘greener.’ Newer appliances are made to be more efficient, which means you will save up to 90% energy usage with them. Check with the retailer to see if they will remove the old appliance and recycle it.
Learn how to make beauty products at home for fun and profit!
Make beauty products at home and earn an extra income.

Never pay for gifts again! Customize soaps, oils and beauty products for your friends.

3. The idea that building a green house is expensive is another myth. While it may be more expensive during the building process, the energy savings can be substantial. It is also relatively easy to incorporate green designs into homes and buildings - often without adding to the cost.

4. Still others believe the myth that the main reason for choosing to go green is that they are concerned about their ‘carbon footprint.’ The truth of the matter is that most people are going green to save money on their heating and cooling bills. Less than 30% of those going green do so because of their concern for the environment.

5. Finally, the last myth that people often believe about going green is that the little bit that they do won't make a difference. The truth is that even small changes can improve things environmentally. Think about the things you can do:

* Save water by watering your lawn and garden during the cool of the day, turning the water off while brushing your teeth, ensuring there are no water leaks in your home and running only fully loaded washing and dishwashing machines.

* Save electricity by turning off lights when you leave a room, setting your thermostat down a couple of degrees when no one is home and setting the thermostat down on your water heater.

* Save gasoline by car-pooling, keeping your car’s engine tuned up and keeping your tires properly filled.

As you can see, there are many myths about going green. You will want to decide if the potential savings are worth the effort of making the changes for your family and the environment.

Maryjane Angelo