Forbes lists America's greenest hotels for 2008

According to Forbes, sustainability “is an important criterion for eco-conscious travelers—and not just for visitors from San Francisco and Vermont, reaching far passed unwashed towels and unlikely flavors of organic toothpaste.”

The current energy economy has persuaded some to transform their "green" lifestyle ideals into firm practice; environmental methods of cutting costs are becoming more and more valid to the "mainstream", especially within the hotel industry, as hospitality chains and boutique hotels alike are either holding or seeking some form of green certification.

For 2008, according to ForbesTraveler.com , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded NYC’s downtown Marriott, whose corporate policy is to reduce energy consumption as well as costs by 25% by 2017.

However, with the good comes the bad; as the hotel industry purports its own green adaption, "greenwashing" runs amok. Some hotels claim to be "eco-friendly" simply by administering low-level, often voluntary programs throughout the hotels; programs as basic as towel-reuse or in-room recycling. Sure, its better than nothing…but what’s the big deal?

According to Forbes, sustainability "is an important criterion for eco-conscious travelers—and not just for visitors from San Francisco and Vermont,  reaching far passed unwashed towels and unlikely flavors of organic toothpaste."

One property listed on their hot list is the Wyland Waikiki in Hawaii, where guests enjoy the largest collection of work by renowned marine artist Robert Wyland, "whose murals of sea life are meant to inspire environmental preservation."

Another property that made the list is the Bison Quest Sanctuary and Spa in Montana  – founded by wildlife biologist Pamela Knowles and powered 100% "off-grid" by wind and solar energy, where guests experience wildlife first-hand. “We’ve had a bison herd for well over a decade," says Knowles. "It has become obvious to us over the years that people are fascinated with bison in a natural setting.”

Arkansas boasts the Lookout Point Inn in Hot Springs for its charitable efforts in donating old sheets and towels, while Boston’s Seaport Hotel utilizes chemical free, electrolyzed water for cleaning purposes as well as a food-composting system andg an on-site herb and vegetable garden.

Head over to ForbesTraveler.com for more on the latest in green hotels.

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Forbes Traveler, Green Hotel Certification, Hotels, luxury, naturcert, wildlife