Go Green When Traveling to Miami

When searching for green hotels, Miami offers environmentally responsible lodging for guests who are concerned about our environment. An Eco-friendly hotel uses products and practices that lessen negative impact on our environment, so when planning your trip to Miami, look for a hotel with Green Seal Certification.

What is Green Seal Certification?

Green Seal is a national non-profit, third party certifier that recognizes products and businesses that strive to make Eco-friendly choices by following a set of environmental standards. A Green Seal Certified Hotel must first pass an initial evaluation, on-site auditing and yearly monitoring.

Green Seal Certified hotels in Miami maintain high Eco-friendly standards and practices such as waste minimization, reuse, recycling, energy efficiency, water management and environmentally sensitive purchasing practices.

Green hotels minimize waste and encourage reuse and recycling through such practices as placing clearly marked waste and recycle bins around the property, and by purchasing soaps and shampoos that are packaged using only recycled and recyclable materials.

Any unused products are donated to local charities.

Energy efficient windows, indoor lighting and HVAC systems are in place in Green Seal Certified hotels, and programmable timers and sensors are used in lower-traffic areas of the hotel to conserve energy when it is not needed or being used.

In order to save and manage water usage, special faucets and shower heads are in place in order to conserve water flow, graywater from laundry and bathing are used to clean sidewalks, and towel and linen reuse are optional for guests.

A Green Seal Certified Hotel uses environmentally responsible purchasing practices by purchasing items such as non-toxic, biodegradable detergents. Chemicals containing chlorine are purchased and used only when there is no possible alternative. The paper products found in Green Seal Certified hotels (from writing paper to toilet paper) contain post-consumer materials, and green hotels give preference to suppliers who use environmentally responsible practices themselves.

Green Seal Certified hotels meet a high set of eco-friendly standards in addition to those listed above, so even the most green-conscious travels can enjoy their stay in Miami and feel comfortable knowing they are still doing their part to protect our environment.

All About Green Travel

What exactly is meant by a phrase like Green Travel? Green Travel can mean anything from environmentally responsible motor cars to eco-friendly transportation fuels, to responsible eco-tourism selections, sustainable travel or stays in hotels and facilities which might be environmentally conscious.

Study on to locate some excellent solutions online where you, the environmentally-responsible traveler, can boost your understanding and continue to seek the smartest, most planet-conscious selections available once you travel.

Why Green Travel Matters

Green Kerala Holidays was established by dedicated professionals with distinctive and proven record of accomplishment in the Destination Management.

Within a very short span of time, Green Kerala Holidays has emerged to be a highly preferred service provider of travel related services among inbound travelers, domestic travelers and international tourists.

Kerala Holidays Packages has an array of dedicated & experienced staff members having in-depth & vast knowledge of formalities of Kerala & other tourist attractions in South India. The team is trained to know the micro details of the locations and look following minor requirements of tourists, so to customize a trip suiting the customer’s requirements and budget. The times spent with GKH are memories for the lifetime.

Tourism, in contemporary times, is a tremendously growth-oriented business, and is among the worlds largest, with spending figures estimated at over 5 hundred billion per year in recent years.

Due to the overwhelming size of the market globally, millions of persons are employed within its ranks, and are hence of excellent concern in relation to responsible, eco-conscious decisions.

Such lofty statistics all start with local, individual selections – where people today invest their capital when they travel, during their travel and the message that their actions send out to global populations. The impact of global travel, when geared toward the positive, may be terrific – including when tourism’s dollars go to the enhancement of local populations, or when travelers return home with a fresh take on other cultures, communities and environments, for instance.

How Tourism and Travel Develop into Sustainable Tourism and Travel

WTTC Associations like the World Travel and Tourism Council in London, England, offer you world travelers a wealth of info on sustainable and green tourism. The mission statement of the organization speaks to their objectives: Raising awareness of the importance of Travel & Tourism, promoting synergies between the public and private sector, generating profit along with protecting natural, social and cultural environment [these] are the fundamental components of [their] mission, as outlined inside the Blueprint for New Tourism.

Whenever you travel, does what you can to extend the extra effort to ask questions about the businesses that service your trip: from hotels to tours to restaurants and more. Discover out what you can about the impact of their businesses on the environment, in terms of both the physical and cultural aspects. No set of universal standards or guidelines currently exists to ensure that those inside the travel and tourism market world-wide operate according to environmentally conscious principles.

So What Is Ecotourism and Can It Help?

With a greater emphasis placed on the environment in general, travel and tourism has also felt the weight of the green revolution. The travel and tourism business has sprung up in places where the natural environment remains in tact and accessible for one to experience first-hand. At its best, ecotourism is essentially nature travel – tourism of and cultivation of appreciation for the unadulterated vistas and landscapes of the planet.

With debate around environmental issues raging more than ever, you may want to consider taking an eco-friendly holiday. But you don’t have to travel to Africa, Essouira or some other completely obscure location to minimise your environmental impact. Here are some mainstream holiday destinations which you may not have considered for your eco holiday.

United Kingdom – The UK? Environmentally friendly? Really? Absolutely! Since the Green Tourism Business Scheme certified over 1,000 destinations and experiences in England and Scotland, the UK is quickly becoming a popular destination for eco travellers, with a growing number of green activities and accommodation options. ‘Bwlch Nant Yr Arian’ in West Wales is an old lead and silver mine which has been converted into a wildlife-friendly nature reserve and visitor’s centre. For eco-conscious accommodation, The Treehouse in Somerset, England, is made entirely out of wood, nestled in the tree tops on a small farm, but has all the creature comforts with a plasma TV, Egyptian cotton linen sheets and a cedar hot tub (that runs on a natural seaweed enzyme, of course). Flights to London are available on most major airlines, and visitors are of course encouraged to use eco-conscious travel options such as the train to travel around the UK.

Australia – If you’ve booked flights to Perth, combine luxury with efficiency and consider the new luxury walking holidays introduced by Auswalk 2011. Self-guided hiking trips will be offered around Western Australia’s Margaret River region, and allow walkers to gain coastal views of the natural landscape and wildlife. If you’re heading to Queensland, Atherton Tablelands is perfect for an eco getaway. This cool tropical rainforest plateau is great for bush walking, bird watching, horse riding, hot air ballooning, watersports and fishing. You can easily find cheap flights to Cairns, which is an hour’s drive from the Atherton Tablelands.

Canada – With beautiful natural scenery and landscapes, Canada is a perfect destination for those wishing to see the wilderness and nature without impacting the environment. Arctic Canada Wilderness & Wildlife Expeditions runs tours focused on giving you the most amazing views and experiences of nature while being non-disruptive to wild animals and plantlife. Sea Kayaking is another option if you want to see the Canadian wilderness by water while minimising your environmental impact. Flights to Canada are offered by major airlines, and be sure to do some skiing while you’re there.

For more environmentally responsible holiday options, there are plenty of eco-friendly holiday sites to help you plan your green adventure.

Did you know that the travel industry is the fastest growing industry in the world? Last year alone, there were over 715 million international arrivals worldwide according to the World Tourism Organization. And, each arrival leaves its footprint behind.

Eco-Friendly travel (also known as ecotravel and/or sustainable travel) is travel which promotes a sustainable environment. Travel is a wonderful opportunity to experience our planet, yet poses an enormous threat to it. Leah Powell, president of Trade to Travel (www.TradeToTravel.com), recommends the following websites and easy sustainable travel tips:

www.ResponsibleTravel.com

www.GoodTravelCompany.com

www.TravelWithConscience.com

Planning Your Trip:

Seek accommodations and tours which carry environmental-friendly certifications or memberships in green industry associations – such as Green Seal or Green Leaf.

Several organizations have developed standards to measure the environmental initiatives of hotels and tours. Standards vary depending on the organization; however, green hotels and tours include reducing energy consumption through fluorescent lighting, instituting recycling programs, conserving water either through installation of energy star products or by asking patrons to reuse towels, and by purchasing local organic foods. When hotels and tours meet these standards, they are certified as “green.”

Travel to fewer destinations and stay longer at the destinations you do visit. Air travel leaves the largest carbon footprint of any form of travel. Choose trains and buses over airplanes whenever possible.

Don’t fly at night. Trails of condensation from aircraft have a greater warming effect at night, trapping heat but without reflecting any of the sun’s rays back into the atmosphere as they do during the day.

Select accommodations close to public transportation or near the places you are going to visit during your stay.

When flying, book electronic tickets. It reduces paper waste and you’re less likely to lose your ticket.

If you own a vacation property (villa, chalet, condo, apartment, flat, boutique hotel, castle, estate, bed and breakfast, spa, penthouse, private aircraft, yacht, or private island), become a member of Trade to Travel (www.TradeToTravel.com). Not only will you save 80% on fine accommodations worldwide, you’ll be gentler on the planet. Instead of building more and more properties, let’s share the ones we already have.

Before You Go:

Pull the plug on any unnecessary appliances such as TVs, VCRs, stereos, toasters, and microwaves. These items may still use energy even in their off mode.

Set your thermostat and water heater at low settings so energy isn’t wasted while you’re gone.

Stop your newspaper or donate the paper to a school while you’re gone.

When You’re There:

Never buy items made from endangered species.

Leave no trace. Do not pick flowers, take rocks or break coral. Don’t litter. Be familiar with cultural mores prior to arrival be respectful of cultural practices.

Shop local: Head to local markets, where you can purchase fresh food from local vendors (which reduces the pollution required to import goods). This benefits the community by increasing their economy, and you will get fresh fruits and veggies and maybe even some handmade souvenirs.

If your accommodations have an environmental program, please participate as much as possible. If you have any questions about how, simply ask when you check in or by calling the front desk.

Never leave lights on when you’re not in the room.

Lower the thermostat when you leave the room for long periods of time.

If your destination is a warm climate, close the drapes. Or, if you have Venetian blinds, angle them up to bounce the sunlight off the ceiling. This will keep the room cooler. Conversely let the sun warm up your room during the day if you’re in a cooler climate.

Leave unopened shampoo, soap, and other items in your accommodations when you leave unless you’re taking them home to use.

Avoid room service and carry-out which increase waste.

Use water sparingly. In some places water is a very scarce and precious resource.

Walk or use public transportation whenever possible.

If you’re driving, please carpool and/or rent hybrid a vehicle.

Grab only the maps and brochures that you will actually use. If in a large group, share brochures whenever possible.

Take pictures and leave the location as you found it. Never remove wildlife from its natural environment including shells, flowers and coral.

When hiking or camping, stay only in marked areas to avoid destroying vegetation.

If you’re staying in a vacation rental property, leave the property owner a note letting them know that he/she can become a member of Trade to Travel (www.TradeToTravel.com), save 80% on vacation properties worldwide, and make a BIG difference for Mother Earth. It’ll almost certainly be the best tip that any of their guests have ever left them!