Don’t get green-washed on holiday

How often are you hotel towels washed?

Have you ever wondered how a supposedly green hotel manages to save energy when lights are left on overnight and the air conditioning never turns off? Or why the towels at your eco-lodge feel so fresh and clean when you replaced them on the rail to be used again?

If you have ever had a sneaky suspicion that all is not as green as it seems while on holiday, your instincts could be right.

Almost half of all accommodation providers are misleading customers about their green credentials by pretending to adhere to eco policies which don’t exist. The shocking statistics were revealed by not-for-profit organisation The Green Tourism Business Scheme in an article on industry website Air and Business Travel News.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme inspects over 1,000 environmental policy documents each year as part of its green accreditation program. It found that for many businesses, being green is nothing more than a marketing ploy.

According to Managing Director Andrea Nicholas, many businesses have environmental policies which are “fluffy to the point of being meaningless”.

Apart from deliberately vague statements of environmental intent, The Green Tourism Business Scheme reveals a number of common eco-fibs. Top tricks cited include: washing towels regardless as to where they had been placed, using standard tea and coffee sachets instead of fair trade and leaving office equipment on standby overnight.

Nicholas admits that much of the green-washing is down to “misunderstanding”. But many customers will be left wondering how they can avoid being ripped-off by environmental policies that aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

To avoid being taken for a ride when deciding where to stay on holiday, always choose accommodation that has been vetted by an independent organisation. The Green Tourism Business Scheme has over 2,000 members in the UK, each of which has been inspected and has passed strict eco tests.

For overseas holidays, the TravelLife Sustainability System audits accommodation sold by larger tour operators including Thomas Cook, First Choice and Virgin Holidays. Hotels which meet the required environmental standards are flagged in the brochures and online.

If you’re considering staying at accommodation which has not been audited by an environmental scheme, ask to see a copy of their written environmental policy document. If they don’t have one, the likelihood is their eco-credentials are all talk.

With smaller businesses it’s often a case of asking the right questions and trusting your instinct. Send an email and remember: the devil is in the detail.