Eco Friendly Hotels

Do you travel for work or pleasure and feel guilty every time you check into a hotel knowing that housekeeping will be changing your sheets and towels everyday, dumping toxic bleach all over your bathroom and throwing away all the plastic bottles (or mini bar purchases) you've consumed? Just opt for a green hotel, where you'll get efficient lighting and water fixtures, alternative-fuel service vehicles, recycling, and if you're lucky, an organic mint on your pillow.

The benefits:

• Lower energy lodging. Help decrease the $3.7 billion per year the hospitality industry spends on energy.
• Healthier maid service. Some hotels use green cleaning supplies that minimize workers' exposure to toxic chems.
• More than just free shampoo. Progressive hotels support habitat conservation programs and donate partially used soap and shampoo to people who can use it.

Traveling soon?

• Element Hotels - new Starwood brand of hotels, featuring LEED-certified architecture. Green info here.
• Fairmont - uses efficient lightbulbs and faucet fixtures, and all check-in computers are powered by wind. Green info here.
• Kimpton - U.S. chain (hotel names vary) that uses eco-cleaning supplies and efficient lighting, and offers in-room recycling bins. Green info here.
• Leading Hotels of the World Leading Green Initiative - carbon offset your lux hotel room's energy use when you book through this site.
• Environmentally Friendly Hotels - search user reviews of eco-hotels, and submit your own.
• DIY Bite: When you check in, ask that they don't change the towels or linens, or deliver the newspaper if you aren't gonna read it.