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FROM NEW YORK to Chicago, London to Tokyo, cities around the globe have become more environmentally friendly. And travelers have opened their eyes to the possibility of choosing eco-conscious vacation destinations.
A recent Orbitz.com survey found that 67 percent of American travelers are placing importance on the “eco-friendliness” of a destination, according to Orbitz spokesperson Jeanenne Diefendorf. And what travelers want, hotels are providing.
“We’re seeing a lot of hotels using natwater, solar power or biofuels,” she says. “A lot of ski resorts are doing this. Vail Resort is run entirely by wind; so is Whistler Blackcomb. A lot of other hotels are using environmentally friendly products— linens, soaps and shampoos. And others are contributing money from each reservation to an environmental organization.”
San Francisco–based Kimpton Hotels, with more than 40 properties nationwide, including San Diego’s Hotel Solamar, has been leading the charge through what they call the firm’s “lifelong commitment to environmental responsibility.” From use of environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, soy inks and recyclable paper products to its energy- and water-conservation practices, organic food and beverage provisions, plus the Kimpton Style catalog (which includes organic bedding and recycled glassware for purchase), the boutique hotel chain has turned its environmental efforts into a full-fledged green campaign.
Launching the EarthCare program earlier this year, Kimpton president and CEO Mike Depatie affirmed the company’s dedication to earth-friendly practices.
“Since our founding in 1981, Kimpton has been committed to supporting a sustainable world,” he says. “This deep commitment has always been a guiding principle, which led to the launch of our EarthCare program. Through this comprehensive initiative, we now incorporate more than 40 eco-friendly products and practices nationwide, and are researching and implementing more every day.”
Orbitz includes Kimpton hotels among its recommended list for eco-conscious travelers. On its eco-tourism micro-site, eco.orbitz.com, which launched to coincide with Earth Day in April, the travel portal helps visitors select properties and destinations to meet green travel dreams, from Belize and Costa Rica—the forefathers of green travel—to newly green travel cities like New York and Chicago.
Other sites, like the Green Hotels Association’s GreenHotels.com, list chain hotel properties, lodges, inns and bedand- breakfasts “whose managers are eager to institute programs that save water, save energy and reduce solid waste—while saving money—to help protect our one and only Earth!” The site also gives travel tips—like how to choose airlines that recycle waste, and conserving hotel shampoo and soap.
Diefendorf, however, notes the first step toward green travel begins before you head out the door. “Start conserving before you leave home,” she says. “Don’t forget to turn off the thermostat, lower the water heater, cancel newspaper delivery and turn off lights. When you’re heading out, think of how you can conserve while you’re gone.”
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