I’m all about saving the planet. I recycle and do what I can to conserve of electricity and water. And whereas I have never stayed at an eco-friendly resort, I know they exist and applaud their efforts in preserving the Earth.
However, I recently ran across an email sent to me from someone who has contact with the Green Hotels Association and I began to wonder: How green is too green?
The eco-friendly lodging group has a few tips for travelers like you and me. They recommend that “beyond demanding green services, we well-intentioned travelers should call ahead to request nontoxic cleaning products; pack our own soap and shampoo; turn off the AC, heat, lights, and other appliances when not in use; avoid maid and room service—do we really need the individual jars of ketchup?—and (ahem) leave the unused mini shampoos behind.”
All great ideas in my opinion provided you aren’t:
A.) Flying American Airlines and want to avoid paying $15 for a single checked suitcase and don’t want to lug your own shampoo and other toiletries in teeny, tiny TSA-approved containers inside your carry-on.
B.) A harried mom traveling with kids who looks forward to having room service given that you are supposedly on vacation and are taking a much-deserved break from cleaning your own home.
C.) Traveling to Minnesota in the dead of winter and don’t want to come back to a hotel room that feels like an igloo.
LIVING LIKE INDY
No doubt about it “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is a hit at the box office. In it’s first few days in theaters the flick has earned more than $150 million.
For example, The Equinox, in Vermont is currently offering a “Becoming Indiana” package that lets you drive up the side of a mountain in a Land Rover (with an instructor); participate in archery lessons; and learn about falconry, with gloves-on training from British School of Falconry instructors. The activities plus a night accommodations in a renovated guestroom will cost you $999 on the weekends.
Related Articles:
Take an Earth Day Safari or Barbecue in Uruguay
Going Green On The Road-Part 2
State Natural Areas–An Adventure in Nature