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Inns and Getaways
From July/August
2008 Issue
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Can You Hear the Eco?
Green lodging grows along the Blue Ridge.
By Su Clauson-Wicker
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Floyd, Va.’s new Hotel Floyd expects to be LEED-certified by 2010, and is well on its way.
Photo by Doug Thompson
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Ten years ago, “eco-friendly accommodations” meant snuggling under a thick comforter and recycling my own trash before hitting the nature trails. Now the term is popping up all over, from mountain lodges to downtown luxury hotels, as the lodging industry begins incorporating sustainable green practices.
Whether it’s making daily linen service optional, recycling gray water or replacing traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescents, many hotels, motels and inns are responding – sometimes with the added incentive of government business. (EPA officials evaluate potential lodging on recycling programs, energy efficiency, use of paperless billing and policies on reusing towels.) But the lodging owners in the Blue Ridge region are most accountable to their own consciences and their guests, who are increasingly asking how the facilities are impacting surrounding natural areas.
Read this complete article in the new Blue Ridge Country, now available at bookstores, on newsstands or by calling (800) 877-6026. Or try our Free Issue Offer.
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