Traveling Green: Comprehending the Green Hotel

Just what Green Hotel?

A green hotel is certainly one that strives to be good for the environment. Specifically, these eco-friendly inns make efforts in construction, renovation and daily maintenance that lessen the businesses use of water and energy, and which reduce solid waste.

Many of these changes could be as simple as outfitting each room using the “towel change cards” that we have all found in our travels within the last years. These cards encourage guests to go green by reusing their towels which saves water and reduces the amounts of detergent that is delivered to water processing facilities and potentially into lakes or rivers. For the green hotel owner, this simple sign can save tens of thousands of dollars a year in lowered electricity, water, detergent and manual labor costs. By becoming a green hotel you can impress customers, reduce costs and help protect our environment.

Some great benefits of a Green Hotel

Becoming a green hotel is a great way to open up a uniquely new customer base. Every savvy marketer is aware that today going green with your operations translates directly to more green cash in your bank deposit weekly; turning a normal hotel in to a green hotel is almost sure to increase profits.

Increasing profits by becoming green happens through two avenues. The main way that green accommodations can increase profits is simply by bringing in additional revenue through attracting customers who care about the environment. There is little about like a green hotel that could shut off the few customers who don’t care about being ecological, but much that will attract customers that specifically care about eco issues. In other words, you enhance your customer base by appealing to an individualized crowd, without impacting your mass appeal to travelers as a whole.

]]>

The second way in which a green hotel increases profits is simply by minimizing operational costs, an implicit part of being a green inn. Most of these efforts are small and require almost no initial cost output. Towel change cards are one illustration of big financial impact with almost no financial output. For hotels with restaurants, serving water upon request only is a cost-free change that can add up to big savings. Certainly, larger changes for instance installing energy-efficient HVAC systems will save a bundle, but you do not need to spend much to reap the benefits of green operations.

Choosing a Green Hotel

For travelers wanting to lodge at a green hotel there are a number of ways to locate and verify that the hotel is green. Over the coming years it will become a whole lot easier as the green hotel initiative will take off, helping an increasing number of hotels to go green.

One way to locate a green hotel is to simply check the website or pamphlet of your chosen hotel for a green certification tag. The Green Business Bureau (GBB) certifies green hotels, among other businesses, to help you to be confident that you have truly chosen a business who strives to use sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

You may also search through the GBB database at www.gbb.org to locate hotels, along with businesses, that are certified green. While other online green certifications are available and can be of help in your efforts to choose green, the GBB keeps a comprehensive database of green hotels, providing details about each hotel including location, mapping and web address details. By choosing green accommodations you may help offset your carbon footprint and feel better about your vacation choices.

How to Become a Green Hotel

Being a green hotel requires that you first obtain information, then make environmentally sustainable changes in your business processes and equipment. You’ll want to follow this up by obtaining a certification that advertises your commitment to eco-friendly practices. These changes can be affordable and easy. Simply installing low-flow shower heads, putting “towel change cards” in the rooms, and working towards recycling will put you on the path towards becoming green.

For Earth loving hotel owners who wish to get into on the green action, visiting www.gbb.org is a great place to start. Our staff can work together with you on your green initiative, showing you how you can generate more money and pay out less overall, all while helping improve the environment. Once you’ve a become a green hotel, you can be certified green from the GBB, adding our certification tag to your site and print materials, letting all your customers realize that you have made dedication for them and to the earth.

Source: ArticlesBase.com