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This is a feature from Issue 18 of Charitable Traveller.
The increase in awareness of the climate and nature emergencies has motivated many accommodation businesses to make a concerted effort to go green, however, others are merely playing lip service without any real commitment. Certification labels can help point the way, but not every hotel can afford the time or money to sign up to these schemes, so here are some questions to help you do your own audit to find those hotels where the owners and managers are genuinely going the extra mile to help you sleep green.
Look beyond the ‘green policy’. See if their commitment to being a green-minded business cuts across all their messaging, not just tucked away in a ‘green policy’, particularly regarding how they reduce their use of energy, minimise the amount of waste they send to landfills, and reduce their draw on water. For instance, in the ‘Rooms’ section, they mention their recycling facilities; in the food section, they show you where and how to choose local, seasonal food; and on the ‘How to find us’ page, they say how to arrive by public transport or on foot – they won’t just assume you’ll fly or drive.
Does the building fit into the local landscape? Is the siting and design of the building unobtrusive and sympathetic to the colours and aesthetics around it? Have they cleared trees, redirected water sources, or eliminated any other biodiverse habitat in order to build it? Keep an eye out for the concept of biophilia – where the architecture and design is more in tune with nature, making the most of natural lighting and ventilation, natural materials, including wood and stone, and natural landscaping in the form of living roofs and wildlife-friendly outdoor spaces.
Do they actively encourage the conservation of biodiversity? Are their gardens wildlife-friendly, attracting bees, butterflies and other indicator species (without using insecticides or artificial fertilisers)? Do they plant native flora? Do they weed by hand, rather than using weedkillers? Do they contribute financially or otherwise to local wildlife charities or community groups?
It’s often small touches that can help signal an owner’s heartfelt commitment to the environment, such as providing jugs of water and home-grown wildflowers on the table; the upcycling of things like flowerpots in the garden; or a logbook for documenting wildlife. Even though a hotel may not look like it is doing much for the environment, it may be doing some of the important largescale changes behind the scenes, such as replacing an oil boiler with a lower emissions alternative energy supply, or installing a ground-source heat pump, that may not be immediately obvious. However, if you feel a hotel’s green claims are dubious; for instance, the absence of any recycling facilities whatsoever or the blatant over-use of energy and water, it is worth pointing out what you have seen. These kinds of observations are an important signal to the hotel that visitors are making decisions based on green claims and can help others make more informed choices about where they stay.
Next issue: How to travel more sustainably to your holiday destination.
This is a feature from Issue 18 of
Charitable Traveller.
Fundraising Futures Community Interest Company, Contingent Works, Broadway Buildings,
Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent,
BR1 1LW. England
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