Retreat Insider

As a traveler these days, you’ll often find a little card on the bed or posted in the bathroom that tells you to let housekeeping know if you want towels or a change of bed linen, in the interest of conserving water, reducing waste and keeping energy costs low. No longer is this out of the ordinary and I now favor venues that are employing environmentally responsible practices. Usually there is a page on the B and B or Inn’s website dedicated to providing this information to potential guests and/or there is a graphic on the website that shows affiliation with a green organization, showing their “stamp of approval”.

NOW is the time! Becoming a green hospitality center is a decision and a commitment that can no longer sit idle on your back burner. What is your policy concerning water and energy conservation? What waste reduction measures are in place? Are are you allowing chemical pollutants to run into your water, to congest the land that you love and have worked so hard to nurture for your guests to appreciate? What do you give back to the land that supports your livelihood?

All About Retreats did an environmentally responsible audit, checking for congruity between our values and our practices. Then, we raised the bar for ourselves to reach a bit further in our green efforts. Here in Vermont, we are surrounded by natural beauty and the Green Mountain State is all abuzz with new organizations such as “Carbon Shredders”, Localvores” and other conservation-minded groups that are gathering to discuss and create actionable plans for the future of the beautiful Mad River Valley.

Awareness leads to action, which means changing habits and giving a hoot about the earth and the preciousness of all life. Three of our Members have adopted environmentally responsible business practices, and a few more are almost there. Each of these centers have posted their eco-friendly practices statement on their website, so guests can feel good about being a guest at a place that really cares and is walking their talk to protect and heal the earth.

Our FIRST three Green Retreat Award recipients are:

Trinity Conference Center in West Cornwall, Connecticut
Essex Conference Center Retreat in Essex, Massachusetts
Headlands Institute in Sausalito, California

We congratulate these centers and challenge the rest of you to earn the award by the end of 2008! As summer winds down and you can take a breath of that fresh air you love so much … take an hour or so and compare your current practices to those of any of the Green Award recipients. Then, get your policies in place and on your website and let us know when you’re ready! We’ll post the award in your listing and feature you on our home page! It’s good for the earth and you’ll inspire your staff and your guests to follow your lead! And, you may be surprised when people choose your center because they share green values with you!

Last Word: Highly suggested reading is Peter Senge’s new book: The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World.

From the first chapter, Senge makes a compelling case without overemphasizing the causal factors of global climate change: “A revolution is underway in today’s organizations … leading the change from dead-end “business as usual” tactics to transformative strategies that are essential for creating a flourishing, sustainable world. There is a long way to go, but the era of denial has ended.” The more you read, the more you’ll want to do!