OrganicBunny.com Travel

Marriott Does It Right
by Laura

The travel industry leaves a huge environmental footprint, just by its sheer volume. For example, the Travel Industry Association of America claims that approximately 2.6 million hotel rooms are sold every day in the United States. That means more than 2.6 million sheets and towels to wash daily (and you thought that YOU had a lot of laundry to do!). Clearly, the energy and water use of hotels becomes a key environmental issue once you start thinking about it - perhaps even more of an issue than what you and your family use at home. So, what can you do about it? Well, you can stay at "alternative" accommodations when you travel, like members of the Green Hotel Association. These "Green Hotels" aren’t in every city, however. So it also makes sense to get to know what the national chains are doing about it, and support them in cleaning up their act (so to speak).

For example, consider Marriott International, which was named Energy Star Partner of the Year for 2005 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

(See this article for more info.)

In 2005, the company implemented programs that save more than 80 million KWH of electric energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64,000 tons annually. In fact, Hotel-Online.Com reports that "90 percent of Marriott hotels have undergone energy efficiency improvements, such as lighting replacements that conserve energy usage by more than 30 percent, electronic thermostats, new brand signs with LED technology, laundry ozone systems, and central plant upgrades and recommissioning. These efforts have helped the company earn the ENERGY STAR rating for 27 of its top-performing hotels, making Marriott the hospitality industry's leader in energy management."

(Full Hotel-Online article here.)

The company doesn’t stop with improvements on its own properties in its commitment to the environment, however. Marriott also sponsors pro-environmental programs within the communities that it serves. As they claim on their website: "Our associates also play a role by planting trees, cleaning beaches, and undertaking other activities that help restore our natural resources. We believe that everybody should take action to protect our environment for today and for the future."

And as if all that great work weren’t enough, the Marriotts that house restaurants get kudos for healthy eating options - from the carb conscious to the heart-healthy. At a recent stay at a Marriott in Albuquerque, I even found (truly delicious!) organic cheese enchiladas! And I didn’t have to get into my gas-guzzling rental car and drive all over town to look for them - an added bonus!

While patronizing the "green alternative" options is also a great way to go when you’re traveling, if you do have the need to stay at a major hotel chain, consider the Marriott Brands. You can rest even easier in that "heavenly bed" - after eating that chocolate on your pillow - knowing that the company strives to keep the Earth comfortable as well.