A green hotel is certainly one that strives being eco-friendly. Specifically, these eco-friendly inns make efforts in construction, renovation and daily maintenance that lessen the businesses using of water and energy, and which reduce solid waste.
Many of these changes could be as simple as outfitting each room with the “towel change cards” that we have noticed in our travels in the past decade. These cards encourage guests to go green by reusing their towels which saves water and cuts down on quantities of detergent that is transported to water processing facilities and potentially into lakes or rivers. For the green hotel owner, this straightforward sign can help to save thousands of dollars a year in lowered electricity, water, detergent and manual labor costs. By being a green hotel you can impress your clients, save money and protect the environment.
Some great benefits of a Green Hotel
Becoming a green hotel is a fantastic approach to open up an entirely new customer base. Every savvy marketer knows that today becoming environmentally friendly inside your operations translates directly to more green money in your bank deposit every week; turning a typical hotel in to a green hotel is virtually certain to increase profits.
Increasing profits by becoming green happens through two avenues. The very first way that green accommodations can increase profits is simply by earning additional revenue through attracting customers who value the environment. There is little change about being a green hotel that will turn off the few customers who don’t care about being eco-friendly, but much that may attract customers who do specifically care about eco issues. In other words, you increase 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 a part of being a green inn. Most of these efforts are small and require almost no initial cost output. Towel change cards are certainly one demonstration of big financial impact with very little financial output. For hotels with restaurants, serving water upon request only is a cost-free change that can add up to big savings. Obviously, larger changes such as installing energy efficient HVAC systems can help to save a bundle, but you do not need to spend much to take advantage of green operations.
Picking out a Green Hotel
For travelers wanting to stay at a green hotel there are a number of ways to locate and verify that a hotel is green. Over the coming years it will become a whole lot easier as the green hotel initiative will take off, helping increasingly more hotels to go green.
A good way to choose 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, so that you can be confident that you have truly chosen a business who strives to utilize sustainable, eco-friendly practices.
You can also search the GBB database at www.gbb.org to find hotels, as well as other businesses, that are certified green. While other online green certifications are available and can be of help in your efforts to decide on 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 happier about your vacation choices.
How to be a Green Hotel
Being a green hotel requires that first you obtain information, then make environmentally sustainable changes in your business processes and equipment. You will want to follow this up by acquiring 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” inside the rooms, and working towards recycling will put you on the path towards becoming green.
For Earth loving hotel owners who wish to get in on the green action, visiting www.gbb.org is a good place to start. Our staff can work with you with your green initiative, showing you how you can earn more income and pay out less money, all while helping improve our planet. Once you’ve a turned into a green hotel, you can be certified green through the GBB, adding our certification tag to your website and print materials, letting all of your customers realize that you have made dedication for them and to the earth.