Vacation the Eco-conscious Way

The following, which is by no means exhaustive, is a sampling of the many and varied eco-conscious accommodations increasingly available to consumers worldwide. Two useful sites that provide additional information on these and other environmentally-friendly lodgings are www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com and www.greenhotels.com.

1. North America: The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa, which is located in Northern California’s wine country, is the world’s first (and only) Gold LEED Certified hotel. LEED certified hotels promote a “whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality” (U.S. Green Building Council 2007). The Gaia offers its guests numerous environmentally-friendly products, but the greenest thing about this hotel is its construction—using more recycled materials, low-emissions paints, and less energy to build the actual structure.
2. South America: The Black Sheep Inn, located in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, is an inexpensive and ecologically friendly hotel that aims to provide “a comfortable, educational experience for guests, teaching them about the local area, local customs and Permaculture, while contributing to and improving the local community and the natural environment.” (BlackSheepInn.com 2007). The inn is eco-certified by the Ecuadorian Minister of Ecotourism.
3. Europe: The Old Chapel Forge, located in West Sussex, England, promotes ecotourism “by only using environmentally-friendly products and supporting local suppliers of organic fresh fruit, vegetables and meat” (OldChapelForge.com 2007). The bed and breakfast has been voted one of the best green hotels (environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com).
4. Asia: Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa, located in Phuket, Thailand, is set on 64 acres of tropical gardens, facing the Andaman Sea. The spa was built with sustainability as its focal point. Local renewable resources were used in its construction and furnishings, and energy efficiency was also considered.
5. Australia: O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat is located in Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia. Owned and operated by the O’Reilly family for more than 90 years, O’Reilly’s has been awarded Advanced Accreditation under the Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP), which is administered by Ecotourism Australia. NEAP accreditation “identifies O’Reilly’s as having achieved best practice in vital areas including ecological sustainability, natural area focus, education and interpretation, contribution to conservation, working with local communities, cultural history, client satisfaction, and responsible marketing” (O’Reillys 2007).

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Sources
http://www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/search.php
http://greenhotels.com/members.htm
http://www.eco-tropicalresorts.com/
http://www.peacefulworldtravel.org/travelnetworkresources.html
http://www.allstays.com/green-hotels/green-hotels.htm