Lower Your Carbon Footprint, Stay at Energy Star Certified Hotels

Traveling and looking for an environmentally friendly place to stay? Check out Energy Star certified hotels.

The Energy Star award, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy, means a commercial buildings actively measures and tracks its energy use and has obtained a certain score in an evaluation by a licensed professional. On average, Energy Star certified buildings use 35 percent less energy and generate 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.

A 2012 report by Vermont-based Brighter Planet said the nation’s hotels use 4 percent of all commercial building energy per year and generate 34.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Hundreds of Energy Star certified hotels across the country ensure guests have an environmentally friendly stay, the EPA says.

To find green lodging, travelers can rely on TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders Program, developed in collaboration with Energy Star, that identifies hotels and bread-and-breakfasts committed to green practices like energy and water efficiency, recycling, and alternative energy.

Travelers can also search for Energy Star hotels through Energy Star’s certified buildings registry. Just select ‘hotel’ under facility type and enter your destination to see if any super-efficient, climate-friendly hotels are an option as you travel this holiday season.

Visit EcoWatch’s TIPS page for more related news on this topic.

[source: http://ecowatch.com/2013/11/13/energy-star-certified-hotels-trip-environmentally-friendly/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=energy-star-certified-hotels-trip-environmentally-friendly]