{"id":21620,"date":"2018-12-19T08:09:05","date_gmt":"2018-12-19T07:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=21620"},"modified":"2020-05-22T14:43:05","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T12:43:05","slug":"green-hotel-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/green-hotel-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Green hotel: 20 actions for a more sustainable accommodation"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the keys to success in tourism is sustainability. Data and researches on travelers confirm that always more tourists look for\u00a0sustainable hotels. Sustainability is necessary to save our Planet. Let\u2019s discover 20 actions to innovate now your green hotel in an eco-friendlier way.<\/h2>\n

The latest tourism trends<\/a>\u00a0confirm that always more tourists choose an eco-sustainable journey: two-thirds of travelers <\/a>prefer staying in a green hotel<\/strong>. Besides, sustainability is now necessary: we all must do something to reduce greenhouse gas emissions<\/strong> and stop the occurring climate change. Which are the best choices to bet on sustainability<\/strong> and innovate your hotel or B&B in an eco-friendlier way?<\/p>\n

How to become a green hotel<\/strong>? Here are the 20 actions<\/strong> to start now to make your accommodation<\/strong> more respectful of the environment, the places and the local communities. Thanks to HowManyTrees<\/a>\u00a0we can calculate how many trees were saved and how much CO2 was spared with every undertaken action. Let\u2019s discover them together!<\/p>\n

1. Choose biological food<\/h2>\n
\"Homemade
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson, on\u00a0Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

A simple way to take a step further on the path towards sustainability is avoiding the use of GM products<\/strong>. In your menu, you should offer instead biological foods<\/strong> labeled with recognized certifications. Bonus points if they come from local producers or from the fair-trade<\/strong>! If you choose biological products, you can save up to 952 g of CO2 for each guest, equal to planting 35 trees!<\/p>\n

2. Go grocery shopping in your local markets<\/h2>\n
\"Biological
Photo by Megan Hodges, on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Have you ever asked yourself for how many kilometers the food you buy for your hotel travels? The transportation of products has a huge economic and environmental impact. If you choose local products<\/strong>, you will help the local economies, save some money and reduce CO2 emissions caused by these journeys. If just until a few decades ago food traveled for just a few miles, nowadays it crosses oceans and goes through continents, affecting heavily the environment. Just an example: a kg of kiwis coming from New Zealand travels for almost 18,000 km and releases 25 kg of CO2. For your green hotel, you could choose to go grocery shopping by the farmers of your territory<\/strong>, use groups of fair purchase or simply grow yourself in your garden everything you need. Your guests will appreciate the freshness and the quality of your products!<\/p>\n

3. Choose ecological cleaning products<\/h2>\n
\"Homemade
Home-made soaps, photo by Kristina Bali\u0107 on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Do you imagine how much do cleaning products affect the environment? Many reports list all the most dangerous substances, both for the environment and human health. If you want to be a green hotel, you should get rid of every chemical cleanser and choose ecological and biodegradable products<\/strong>. Both detergents<\/strong> used to clean pavements, furniture, or sheets and the guest\u2019s soaps<\/strong> should be natural and highly eco-friendly. This little measure can make you save 35 g of CO2 emissions for each guest per day, equal to saving one tree!<\/p>\n

4. Use energy-saving lamps<\/h2>\n
\"Low
Photo by Patrick Schneider, on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Doubtless, you\u2019ve already thought of reducing electric energy consumption<\/strong>. It\u2019s the right move both for the planet and for your business. Class-A lamps<\/strong>, or, even better, LED lamps<\/strong> let you save up to 80%<\/strong> more than traditional lamps. Not only you will reduce your expenditures<\/strong>,\u00a0but also CO2 emissions: 222 g of CO2 for every guest, almost 8 trees saved.<\/p>\n

5. Set up separate collection<\/h2>\n
\"container
Separate collection in a room in Rainer Hotel, in the Alpine Pearl Ratchings, photo by S. Ombellini<\/div><\/div>\n

Although in many realities it\u2019s considered an everyday routine taken for granted, the\u00a0separate collection<\/strong> is very important. In your green hotel, you should offer your guests containers<\/strong> to separate their waste even in their bedrooms. If you can, compost your organic waste<\/strong> or adopt other good reduce residual waste<\/a>. By doing so, you can save up to 788 g of CO2 per guest, meaning planting 29 trees.<\/p>\n

6. Promote soft mobility<\/h2>\n
\"train
Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Transports<\/strong> affect heavily the environmental impact of travel. That\u2019s why promoting sustainable mobility<\/a>\u00a0is so important even for hosts. Traditional public means of transport, such as trains<\/strong> and buses, or the more innovative systems such as carpooling are effective measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. A green hotel should facilitate the sustainable journey<\/strong> of its guests. For example, by providing the timetables of the public transports or a free shuttle service to the nearest train or bus station.<\/p>\n

7. Offer a rent-a-bike service<\/h2>\n
\"Rent-a-bike
Photo by Diego Duarte Cereceda, on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Biking<\/strong> is an excellent solution to let your guests discover the surroundings<\/strong> in an eco-sustainable way. In addition to being an incentive to turn off the car during the holiday, the bike offers several other advantages and allows your guests to live all the benefits of an active holiday<\/strong>. Some green hotels offer free bikes to their guests: a service even more appreciated than the wellness center, say many travelers!<\/p>\n

8. Offer a recharge service for electric cars<\/h2>\n
\"Recharge
Recharge for electric cars at the Rainer Hotel, South Tyrol, photo by S. Ombellini<\/div><\/div>\n

The future is by electric car: the number of electric and hybrid cars, especially in the North-European countries (in Norway, 50% of the cars are already electric!). Why don\u2019t you offer your guests the possibility to recharge their electric car<\/strong>? You\u2019ll receive many more visits and you\u2019ll help to promote the safeguard of the environment.<\/p>\n

9. Choose 100% clean energy<\/h2>\n
\"Photovoltaic
Photo by Andreas G\u00fccklhorn, on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Try to use electric energy coming from 100% renewable sources<\/strong> (sun, wind, water,\u2026). If you can\u2019t produce it yourself, for example through photovoltaic panels<\/strong>, you can buy the energy you need from clean energy suppliers<\/strong>. In Europe and in Italy, there are already companies that recognized the economic and environmental value of clean energy and decided to invest in the safeguard of the environment, for example, Trenta S.p.A. of the Dolomites Energy Group. Considering the electric energy consumed on average, if you use renewable energy you can save 1581 g of CO2 for each guest of your green hotel, equal to 58 saved trees.<\/p>\n

10. Use solar panels to have hot water<\/h2>\n
\"person
Photo by Roberto Nickson (@g) on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Why should you pay hot water, when the sun\u2019s heath is free? The use of solar panels<\/strong> to heat water in your green hotel is an ecological choice that allows you to save money, exploiting the sun\u2019s heath. You\u2019ll save up to 968 g of CO2 for each guest, meaning 35 trees. The obtained hot water can be used for the underfloor heating<\/strong> of your hotel\u2019s rooms.<\/p>\n

11. Avoid single portions<\/h2>\n
\"yogurt
Photo by Karly Gomez, on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Plastic is one of the main problems of our time: alarming researches tell us that if we continue to live like that, in our oceans there\u2019ll soon be more plastic than fishes<\/a>. Saying farewell to single portions is a fundamental step for every green hotel. Get rid of single portions<\/strong> of honey, jam, sugar, cereals, yogurts, etc. in your breakfasts and replace them with glass containers and distributors.<\/p>\n