 As opposed to big buildings on beautiful beaches or luxury lodges in tropical jungles, these "green resorts" tend to be lodgings with a highly developed sense of place and purpose. Often set in scenic or still-wild settings, they tend to be smaller properties that offer comfortable accommodations, along with outdoor activities and adventures appealing to travelers who want more from their vacations than a week of sunshine and relaxation.� If you are this kind of traveler, EnviroCitizen.org encourages you to consider a green resort.
Green guests may want to enjoy some of the luxuries of a conventional vacation, but they're also looking to immerse themselves in a special natural or cultural situation in a way that both preserves the environment and supports the local communities.
Eco-resorts range from the truly rustic, with basic construction and conveniences along with bargain prices, to places with high eco-elegance, including privacy, polished wood, haute cuisine and guest rooms that go for $500 or more a night.
EnviroCitizen.org knows that finding a resort can be confusing. Too often labels such as "green" and "eco" are used as marketing tools for properties that only want to cash in on the traveling public's desire for ecological awareness. In addition, regular hotels and resorts may adopt various green practices that help them save money by saving the environment. Though commendable, these efforts are not enough to qualify a place as an eco-resort.
If you want to know the difference between a real green resort and one posing as one for marketing purposes, ask the following questions:
1)� Is there a written policy regarding the environment and local people? (If not, they probably aren't taking ecology seriously)
2)� What kind of contributions have they made to conservation or the local people of which they are most proud?
3)� How do they measure their contribution to conservation?
4)� How many local people do they employ, how does that number compare to the total staff, and do any local people hold management positions?
5)� What have they specifically done to help protect the environment and support conservation, and which local charities do they work with?
6)� Is it truly 'green'? What percentage of their produce and services come from local sources?
7)� How do they treat waste water and provide energy for their buildings?
8)� What information and advice do they provide to guests on local cultures and customs?
9)� Do they employ tour guides from the local community?
10) How might you get involved during your stay with local people and conservation efforts in a way that is worthwhile and rewarding for both you and the destination?
EnviroCitizen.org has found that these questions are great when it comes to weeding through the resorts that label themselves as green in an attempt to find the right one.
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