greenliving
A Green Night’s Sleep for Travelers
Pioneers Show the Way to Eco-Friendly Stays by Avery Mack
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says Tom Tabler, director of sales and marketing for the JW Marriott San An- tonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. “We look at everything, from the biodegrad- able ink pens in the guest rooms to the staff’s summer uniform.” Managers’ sport coats consist of lightweight plastic fibers and rubber from recycled materi- als. “They breathe fine, are comfortable and look great,” Tabler remarks. Hotel construction adhered to
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eco-friendly practices. A 100-acre bird sanctuary followed the onsite discov- ery of endangered golden-cheeked warblers. The 36-hole golf course is certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program and deemed the most eco-friendly in the United States by the PGA Tour. The hotel’s four pools and a lazy river for tubing honor the region’s dry climate; water reclamation via closed loop natural catchments and rain retention ponds keep guests afloat
48 Collier/Lee Counties
hen your company motto is ‘true to nature’, you have to follow through,”
and the golf course green. Also in Texas, the Four Seasons
Hotel Austin has a “zero waste” goal, requiring the recycling of 90 percent of all onsite waste. Shadowboxes above trash cans show guests examples of what is and isn’t recyclable, while unused soap and other toiletries are donated to local women’s shelters. “We have placed sufficient contain-
ers, so there’s no excuse not to recycle,” says Kerri Holden, senior director of public relations. “In April, we were at
the 70 percent compliance mark. We hope to reach our 90 percent goal by year’s end.” She notes that after man- agement cancelled weekly dumpster service, only one six-by-six-foot trash container remains. Even worn linens be- come cleaning rags. The saltwater swim- ming pool uses soda ash, rather than harsher chlorine chemical treatments. Kitchen scraps are composted and become fertilizer for the hotel’s herb and vegetable garden and flowerbeds. Natural compost bags in guest rooms collect banana peels, apple cores and other organic food waste. At the end of the year, guests that composted during their visit receive a thank-you letter and The Nature Conservancy plants a tree in their name in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s most endangered tropical forests (
PlantABillion.org). Boston’s Colonnade Hotel, built in the 1970s, grows greener with each upgrade. “We replace systems with the greenest possible solutions,” explains Keith Alexander, director of property operations. Guest room windows have been replaced with filmed and insu- lating twinned panes to save power year-round. Electrolyzed water is now used for cleaning; a higher pH works as a nontoxic degreaser, while a lower pH turns water into a sanitizer, eliminating the need for chemical cleansers and gloves. Next, the hotel plans to install a large commercial dishwasher that will use electrolyzed water instead of chlorine-based cleaners. California’s Cavallo Point Lodge,
near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, opened in Sausalito in 2008 as the newest national park lodge and the only one with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifica- tion. It was built in the early 1900s to house Fort Baker’s military families. While renovations have enlarged
photo courtesy of JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
the rooms, wood door framing maintains the rustic appearance and the wood floors are either original or made from repurposed wood. “We learned a lot while updating the lodge,” says General Manager Euan Taylor. “We discovered that the tin ceiling tiles were painted with lead-based paint. Instead of using harsh chemicals, we froze each tile, gave it a slight twist and the paint fell off.” Unsurprisingly, food for the lodge
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