Don't take a vacation from your principles ... check into a green hotel: Pattie Baker helps you determine a hotel's eco-status and offers up some nearby options.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There comes that point when you outgrow outgrow verb To change the relationship with a condition or structure by dint of ↑ age or size; while children outgrow clothing, and certain behaviors, they rarely outgrow diseases–eg, asthma the foldout fold·out n. 1. Printing A folded insert or section, as of a cover, whose full size exceeds that of the regular page. 2. A piece or part, as of furniture, that folds out or down from a closed position. couch and need to stay at a hotel when visiting relatives. For my family of four, that moment came a few years ago, and our criteria for a hotel pretty much related to the predictable level of hygiene and service from a national chain and proximity to the beach. (When you have a father-in-law in Florida, as I do, you certainly don't want to miss the beach!) Last year, however, when our usual place was booked, my husband suggested we cheek out a "green hotel" he discovered on the Internet. Today, there are a growing number of hotel choices that mean my family and your family no longer have to take a vacation from the principles we live at home. And even if today's economy means that coo-trip down the Amazon may have to wait awhile a·while adv. For a short time. Usage Note: Awhile, an adverb, is never preceded by a preposition such as for, but the two-word form a while may be preceded by a preposition. , it's good to know we can still tread lightly on the Earth when we visit relatives or have to get out of town for business. My family and I booked our stay at The Colony Hotel and Cabana Club in Delray Beach, Florida Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 64,150. , a hotel with several green credentials as well as a member hotel of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America (sometimes the greenest decision of all is staying at hotels that have been saved from demolition because of their historic and cultural significance). Here's what we found: * French doors were flung open and ceiling fans whirred when we arrived, because the lobby doesn't have air conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. . * The bathroom was appointed with organic towels, and those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner conditioner, n 1. an additive substance used to increase the effectiveness of another substance. 2. a substance added to enamel that improves a sealant's ability to adhere. were nowhere to be found. The sulfate-, paraben- and phthalate-free liquid soaps were in a large dispenser attached to the wall--thereby reducing plastic waste--right next to the low-flow showerhead and toilet. * A note gave guests the option of reusing their sheets and towels, and a recycling container made dropping the daily paper into it easy. * The morning buffet featured porcelain tableware, with a compostable to-go coffee cup as an option. * Native plantings filled pots in front of the hotel. Local art adorned a·dorn tr.v. a·dorned, a·dorn·ing, a·dorns 1. To lend beauty to: "the pale mimosas that adorned the favorite promenade" Ronald Firbank. 2. the walls, and area musicians played at night. Since that trip, I've seen advertisements and websites for many hotels that claim green credentials and certifications. In fact, at this point, I don't think you can find a hotel that doesn't lay some claim to being part of the green scene. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. their websites, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice Hotels and more have all launched initiatives to go green in one way or another. Marriott, for instance, offers recycled key cards, green meeting packages, Audubon-certified golf courses, pillows filled with recycled PET bottles, and coreless toilet paper rolls. What's more, they offer guests the option of offsetting the carbon generated during their stay for as little as $10, or a dollar a day for lo days. Their contribution goes to a Brazilian rainforest preservation fund already supported with a $2 million commitment by the company. I bet if you visited the website of your favorite hotel, you'd find some mention of "green." This begs the question: What is a green hotel? Turns out there are about as many ways to be a green hotel as there are shades of green Shades of Green is a United States Department of Defense-owned resort located at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It is an Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) resort and therefore a part of the military's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program (MWR). in Ireland (although I haven't made it there yet!). Consider the following three categories when you review a hotel's claims: 1. Environmental standards in building: Some hotels are built to meet environmentally responsible standards for site location, energy use, water, waste management, recycled materials, reduced toxicities, landscaping and more. Many are doing eco-renovations similar to what you would find at an office building or home--installing low-flow showerheads and Energy Star appliances and using no-VOC paints and nontoxic cleaners. Some even offer preferential parking for hybrid and electric cars, as well as scooters List of scooter models per manufacturer Aprilia
2. Environmental offerings to guests: At its most basic, a "green hotel" will offer guests the option to reuse sheets and towels, thereby saving water and energy. Many include recycling receptacles and environmentally preferable body care products. Some may offer organic bedding and towels and bikes to use (even in big cities). And, they may provide an opportunity for you to learn about the local flora, fauna, history and heritage from naturalists, historians and cultural anthropologists Noun 1. cultural anthropologist - an anthropologist who studies such cultural phenomena as kinship systems social anthropologist anthropologist - a social scientist who specializes in anthropology associated with the hotel. 3. Environmental impact on the local economy and community: Some hotels go beyond giving you the option to preserve history or the environment by also giving you the opportunity to revive local communities, preserve diverse cultures and restore social justice. In fact, Ted Turner For other persons named Ted Turner, see Ted Turner (disambiguation). Robert Edward Turner III (born November 19 1938 , the United Nations Foundation founder and current chairman, recently announced new sustainable tourism There are many different definitions of sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism in its purest sense, is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for locals, as well as to promote the criteria intended to help maximize tourism's social and economic benefits to local communities, reduce negative impacts on cultural heritage, reduce harm to local environments, and plan for sustainability. The new Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria developed by the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC GSTC Graduate Student Technical Conference GSTC Generalized Sheet Transition Condition (electromagnetic fields) GSTC Georgia Science and Technology Commission Partnership), a coalition of 27 organizations that includes tourism leaders from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, is based on thousands of best practices culled from existing standards currently in use around the world. Look for this certification in the future if you want to be sure your tourism dollars will truly make a difference. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When you travel, don't forget the environmental impact of getting there. You may even decide that the greenest hotel choice is your very own home (see "Staycations Can Be ..." on page 10) or a hotel close enough that you don't need to fly to get there. Consider these regional members of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America: Grove Park Inn The Grove Park Inn is a historic resort hotel on the western slope of Sunset Mountain in Asheville, North Carolina. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel is an important example of the Arts and Crafts style. It also features a modern day spa addition. Resort & Spa in Asheville, Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, the Smith House in Dahlonega and the Partridge partridge, common name applied to various henlike birds of several families. The true partridges of the Old World are members of the pheasant family (Phasianidae); the common European or Hungarian species has been successfully introduced in parts of North America. Inn in Augusta. Here ore some regional examples of hotels with many green features: Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. (LEED) certified hotel at the Platinum level, the highest raking possible. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability (www.usgbc.org/leed). Asheville Green Cottage in Asheville, NC, is a carbon-free bed-and-breakfast that offers green and healthy finishes and furnishings, including organic mattresses, sheets and towels; organic body care products, chlorine filtering showers; a fragrance, smoke and PVC-free environment; energy and water saving features, recycling, and even cruelty-free duvets (hadn't thought much about those downy down·y adj. down·i·er, down·i·est 1. Made of or covered with down. 2. a. Resembling down: downy white clouds. b. Quietly soothing; soft. Adj. feathers before, had you?!). Emory Conference Center Hotel, nestled in 28 acres of forest preserve at the Emory University Emory University (ĕm`ərē), near Atlanta, Ga.; coeducational; United Methodist; chartered as Emory College 1836, opened 1837 at Oxford. It became Emory Univ. in 1915 and in 1919 moved to Atlanta. Campus in Atlanta, is the only Green Seal-approved hotel in the state of Georgia. Green Seal (www.greenseal.org) is an independent nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. that promotes the manufacture, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Little St. Simon's Island, a 10,000-acre nature preserve just off the Georgia coast, is a Green Globe-approved resort that accommodates only 30 guests per night. Green Globe (www.greenglobe. ors) is a global benchmarking and certification product for sustainable travel and tourism. In the end, I was very pleased with our decision to stay at The Colony Hotel, due not only to its green building standards and offerings to guests but its eclectic charm that gives it a feeling of place and history. Oh, and the free shuttle to the beach didn't hurt much either! Check Out ... Then Check www.ashevillegreencottage.com www.thecolonyhotel.com/florida www.emoryconferencecenter.com www.historichotels.org www.littlestsimonsisland.com www.proximityhotel.com Pattie Baker writes FoodShed Planet (www.foodshedplanet.com) and Sustainable Dunwoody (www.sustainabledunwoody.com), as well as for companies dedicated (or transitioning!) to triple-bottomline sustainability. |
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