THE BEST ECO-FRIENDLY RESORT HOTELS IN AMERICA
With the latest figures regarding climate change being more damning than ever before, the need for eco-friendly accommodation is paramount.
So before you book your flight, renew your US esta and decide on your place of residence while you stay in the United States, consider these four eco-friendly resort hotels, to ensure you leave as little of an carbon footprint as possible during your visit to America.
Proximity Hotel, North Carolina
The first hotel in the United States to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certificate, the Proximity Hotel has continued to lead the way as one of the world’s leading environmentally conscious resorts.
The Proximity was the first hotel in North America to install regenerative drive elevators. Using 39% less energy and 33% less water than other establishments similar in size to the Proximity, it also has 100 solar rooftop panels that heat the water for the hotel.
What’s more, after it was first built 87% of the Proximity Hotel’s construction debris and excess materials were recycled, amounting to a total of 1535 tonnes of waste, that otherwise may have been dumped at a landfill.
Crystal Mountain Resort In Thompsonville, Michigan
The Crystal Mountain Hotel in Thompsonville doubles as a ski resort in the winter and each of the rooms are separated into three separate buildings, drawing inspiration from the traditional mountain refuges found in Canada and the United States during the 19thcentury.
However, the Crystal Mountain’s facilities are far from primitive; the resort has become famous for its efforts to protect the environment, through its in- room recycling programmes and focus on renewable technology.
With a ski chairlift that operates entirely on energy that has been naturally replenished, an eco-certified 18 hole golf course and the first LEED rated spa in the Midwest, the Crystal Mountain resort is located in the Cascade region just outside of Michigan.
Like the Proximity Hotel, the Bardessono was ergonomically designed for the protection of the environment. The general contractor specifically set up a system to recycle waste materials, while the hotel was being constructed.
The Bardessono also puts a lot of emphasis on water conservation, so each of the bathroom fixtures have been installed with low water flow, there are also dual flush toilets in each of the en-suites and waterless urinals in the public facilities.
The majority of Bardessono’s rooms were constructed with a large amount of glass, to reduce the daytime requirement for lighting in order to save electricity. Those same buildings were designed with overhangs to reduce the heat from the summer sun, but also allow the winter sun’s rays to enter and warm the rooms.
Virgin Hotels Chicago, Illinois
The only franchised hotel to appear on our list, Sir Richard Branson’s company Virgin has made significant efforts to minimise its carbon footprint and has succeeded specifically in the hotel business.
The Virgin Hotels Chicago has managed to reduce its water consumption by 20% via installing water conserving fixtures and its green roof reduces the hotel’s contribution to storm water runoff.
The hotel’s kitchen also uses an enzyme digester that naturally breaks down food waste to pure liquid form, making it easier to compost so that it can be used for farming.
So next time you’re considering making a trip to the US, perhaps think about staying in one of these eco-friendly hotels, to ensure you do your bit in preserving the US. Happy travels!
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