Hotels Going Green!

Last weekend, I stayed at a hotel that had taken some major steps toward eco-consciousness.  The first thing I noticed was that every light bulb was a compact fluorescent.  While this is incredibly encouraging, they do need to ensure that all those mercury-laden fluorescent light bulbs are disposed of properly.  The hotel also offered the option of not having towels and bed linens changed every day, saving thousands of gallons of water.  Despite these giant eco-steps forward, I also noticed some missed opportunities.  For example, there were no recycling receptacles for plastic water bottles or aluminum cans. Not to mention all those tiny plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner!  Unless guests take their recyclable items home with them, that's a lot of unnecessary plastic and aluminum headed for landfills.  Which brings me to my next point.  We, as hotel guests, can do so many things on our own to make our stay as green as possible. Turn out all the lights when leaving the room or adjust the thermostat to reduce the demand for heat or air conditioning.  And, yes, take your recyclables home with you if the hotel doesn't give you a recycling bin.  Let me know if you have more ideas, and travel green!