How Eco Friendly Hotels or Green Hotels Use These Basic Methods to be Environmentally Friendly

On a recent stay in Sitka Alaska I had the pleasure of staying in a resort that uses some green or environmentally friendly practices. The Island View Resort uses CFL bulbs and has even invested in high efficiency washers and dryers to help keep costs down and benefit the environment. It really should be no surprise that a resort in this area would practice environmental friendliness considering that the Sitka and Southeast Alaska region depends on taking care of mother nature and her resources to thrive. It has been a while since I have updated this page but the stay at Island View in Sitka really has impressed me and I just had to write a short bit about it.

Green lodging or eco friendly hotels are basically any lodging facility that has made steps toward being environmentally friendly and energy efficient. This can be achieved in many areas and there are different levels being of green. Green energy technology and eco friendly products are gaining popularity and coming down in price quite rapidly. Many companies in various industries are looking for ways to be more green. The benefits to this are not only for the environment but also for the business itself in the long run. The overall cost of investing in green building products and green energy technology is easily offset by the long term savings. We will take a look at a few areas that are important in an effort to being a green hotel or green bed and breakfast in the lodging industry.

First is air quality: The quality of the air in the rooms as well as throughout the lodging facility is extremely important to being an eco friendly hotel. Having allergy friendly facilities will make it more pleasant for everyone who stays at your hotel or bed and breakfast. Having high quality air purifiers, vacuums that use green technology and use quality filtration, along with HVAC systems that are efficient and provide proper air flow will give your guests a reason to breath easy.

Second is energy efficiency: An important part of joining the list of eco friendly hotels is being as energy efficient as possible. Today's eco friendly products are more efficient than ever and are widely available. From energy efficient lighting to energy efficient water heating and HVAC systems there are many ways to increase the energy efficiency of hotels, bed and breakfast inns, and any other lodging facility promoting green living.

Third is waste management: How your hotel handles waste is a key part in the green movement and greatly affects the impact you have on the earth. Recycling any waste that can be recycled is a step in the right direction. Using a waste management company that ensures proper disposal of waste and recycling any other items will help your green efforts.

Fourth is water conservation: Using the proper water saving technologies can reduce the amount of water that is wasted. Eco friendly hotels should be using low flow plumbing fixtures and high efficiency washing machines along with careful planning of any landscape irrigation systems. Using some of the water that is wasted down sink drains and harvesting rain water to use for watering plants and landscape is a great water conservation method.

Finally the fifth area here is cleaning, maintenance, and daily activities: This area covers the most often overlooked areas of eco friendly hotels. Using eco friendly products such as green laundry detergents and green cleaning supplies should be part of environmentally friendly business practices. These eco friendly laundry detergents and cleaners have no harmful chemicals and use natural products to do the same jobs that other harsh cleansers do. Proper maintenance of the facility including air filters, furnace and A/C filters, air sealing techniques, and other general maintenance items should be done regularly and using green products.