What exactly is a Green Hotel?

A green hotel is an that strives for being environmentally friendly. Specifically, these eco-friendly inns make efforts in construction, renovation and daily maintenance that lower the businesses using of water and energy, and which reduce solid waste.

Some of these changes could be as simple as outfitting each room with the "towel change cards" that we have all found in our travels over the past years. These cards encourage guests to go green by reusing their towels which saves water and lessens the quantities of detergent which is delivered to water processing facilities and potentially into lakes or rivers. For any green hotel owner, this simple sign will save thousands of dollars a year in lowered electricity, water, detergent and manual labor costs. By learning to be a green hotel you are able to impress your clients, save money and help protect the environment.

The key benefits of a Green Hotel

Becoming a green hotel is a great approach to open up an entirely new customer base. Every savvy marketer recognizes that today being environmentally friendly in your operations translates directly to more green cash in your bank deposit every week; turning a normal hotel in to a green hotel is almost guaranteed to increase profits.

Increasing profits by becoming green happens through two avenues. The 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 like a green hotel that could switch off the few customers who do not care about being environmentally friendly, but much that may attract customers who do specifically care about eco issues. In short, you boost your customer base by appealing to an individualized crowd, without impacting your mass appeal to travelers as a whole.

The next method in which a green hotel increases profits is as simple as minimizing operational costs, an implicit component of being a green inn. Many of these efforts are small and require almost no initial cost output. Towel change cards are certainly 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 may add up to big savings. Obviously, larger changes such as installing power efficient HVAC systems will save a bundle, but you do not have to spend a lot to take advantage of green operations.

Selecting a Green Hotel

For travelers wanting to lodge at a green hotel there are many of ways to locate and verify that a hotel is green. Over the coming years it will become even easier as the green hotel initiative takes off, helping increasingly more hotels to go green.

A great way to locate a green hotel is to simply check out the website or pamphlet of the chosen hotel for a green certification tag. The Green Business Bureau (GBB) certifies green hotels, among other businesses, so that you can feel comfortable knowing 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 out there and can be useful in your efforts to pick green, the GBB keeps a comprehensive database of green hotels, providing detailed information about each hotel including location, mapping and web site details. By choosing green accommodations you can help offset your carbon footprint and feel happier about your vacation choices.

How to be a Green Hotel

Becoming a green hotel requires that first you obtain information, and then make environmentally sustainable changes to your business processes and equipment. You'll want to follow this up by acquiring a certification that advertises your commitment to eco-friendly practices. These changes can be simple and inexpensive. 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 an effective starting point. Our staff can work with you with your green initiative, showing you how you can earn more income and pay out less cash, all while helping improve our world. Once you have a turned into a green hotel, you can be certified green from the GBB, adding our certification tag to your website and print materials, letting all of your prospective customers are aware that you've made a commitment to them and to the environment.