I was invited to stay at a Malaysian eco-hotel earlier this year, as the owners were keen to show off their green credentials to the world. The flight alone was going to munch up every bit of my personal carbon allowance for the year, so I checked it out thoroughly before accepting the offer. Their website showed no responsible tourism policy, no reference to the National Park in which it was situated, and no evidence of local food sourcing. The only real sign of green was on the dollars it was raking in, so I took one more look at the infinity pool on the website and, through gritted teeth, decided against it.
So, how can you tell if a hotel is really green? Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to guarantee good ethical practice unless you go there yourself and ask the right questions, but the website is a good start. Calling yourself ‘eco’, but not telling people what it means in everyday practices is a bit useless really. Check out some leading green travel guidebooks such as Alastair Sawday’s Green Places to Stay and Green Europe, both of which are researched by experts, who know what to look out for. Another must is Rough Guide’s Clean Breaks which is due out later this summer. In my own book, Ecoescape Ireland, I ensured that every featured place was visited and owners interviewed.
Green accreditation schemes can also help. In Ireland, the EU Flower Ecolabel and the Green Hospitality Award are both recognised by Failte Ireland as credible schemes for accommodation. In UK, the Green Tourism Business Scheme’s provides a detailed list of approved accommodation. I have worked with many of these businesses, and the changes they have to incorporate, as well as the necessary form-filling, is in no way tokenistic. These guys live and breathe positive change in tourism. The UK’s Federation of Tour Operators has also recently introduced an international green rating scheme called Travelife, assigning a bronze, silver or gold award to hotels around the world which leading tour operator, First Choice, has now incorporated into its brochure.
But the most reliable way to find out what a hotel is doing, is simply to ask. Don’t presume that they separate the waste in your bedroom, ask them. Ask about the menu -what is local, and if there is a large selection of non-seasonal food on offer, why? A truly green hotel will have trained its staff and be proud to shout about its achievements. If your eco-lodge stinks of bleach, don’t just ask, shout. Many hotels won’t change their practices until they see that consumers is demanding it.
In the meantime, here are a few good green basics to look out for on your travels: keycard lighting systems to turn off lights and appliances when you leave the room; a telly which is actually switched off, not in default standby mode; sheets changed every two or three days; showers with adjustable flow; dual-flush toilets; refillable bathroom goodies and, of course, a towel policy.
In drought areas (including most of southern Europe), golf hotels are rarely in a position to call themselves ‘eco’ nor those with a constant sprinkler over luscious lawns and flower beds. Hotels with endless swimming pools and spas are not high up the eco-scale either, so if they are calling themselves ‘eco’, ask them why. It is possible, of course, that they heat the water with renewable energy, and not use chemicals, but check it out. Air conditioning should not be taken for granted either, and any hotel should recommend ways of keeping cool without cooking the atmosphere.
Look around at the staff too. If all the managers in a tropical eco-resort are non-locals, and the only sign of local employment is the woman who comes to change the sheets, this is not a good sign. Local employment and training for skilled jobs is one of the best ways a hotel can have a positive influence on a local community, whether you’re in Connemara, Cannes or Cambodia.
And finally, some hotels such as Wineport in Co, West Meath, collect you at the station free of charge if you come by train. A good green hotel will recommend alternatives to flying, or at least highlight greener forms of transport during your stay, as well as local walks, cycling routes and so on. If they don’t, ask why not, and do your bit to help them change their ways.
(This article was first published in The Irish Times)