An eco-reason to head to Spain: The New York Times reports that the 2008 World Expo will focus on water and sustainability. The expo will be held in Zaragoza, Spain, from June 14 to September 14. Over three months, the expo will help educate visitors about global water issues and will culminate in the International Symposium on Water and Sustainable Development on September 8-9. The official lodging for the expo is a network of local homeowners who are opening up their guest rooms and apartment to visitors (for rates starting at $63 for a single room). The solution is a sustainable one: no new construction will be needed to house the millions of expo tourists expected to arrive in Zaragoza this summer.
Golden goes green: Green Lodging News is reporting that Best Western is building a silver-LEED-certified hotel in Golden, Colorado. The hotel will have recycling bins in every room, solar-power, and water- and energy-efficient appliances on its eco-bragging-list. I’ve camped in Golden State Park, and I sure could have used an eco-hotel to crash in the day it hailed. Instead, we took in the Coors Brewery Tour, which would have been nice, had I not been wearing the camping clothes I'd been living in for a few days already. I’m sure it was worse for the poor brewery-goers on the tour with us.
Good green shopping trend: A Mintel survey done in March shows consumers are increasingly buying “green.” Thirty-six percent of respondents said they “regularly” buy green products. In August of 2006, that “regular” group was only 12 percent. (51 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds say they regularly buy green – go, kids, go!) It makes me curious if respondents are actually buying more green, or just more aware of environmental issues, so they exaggerate their green shopping habits. Either way, travelers who are used to having access to eco-friendly products at home will start demanding them on the road. Watch to see how this changes the amenities offered at hotel chains. We already know independent green hoteliers are stocking their rooms with local and organic products, from produce to soap. Let’s see if the big boys follow.
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2008 Sierra Club Wilderness Calendar
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