The Doubletree Hotel, Austin, Texas became the 1,200th lodging property to complete iStayGreen.org’s online self-audit, earning a 2 Green Eco-Leaf Rating. The eco-rating allows the public to know the specific environmental initiatives in place at a property, which enables the environmentally conscious traveler to make informed lodging decisions.

Properties complete the comprehensive online self-audit and earn a Green Eco-Leaf Rating ranging from 1 to 5 Eco-Leafs with 5 Green Eco-Leafs being the highest level attainable. Ratings are based on environmental initiatives in-place at the property. Only 20 properties have earned the coveted 5 Green Eco-Leaf Rating thus far; 12 in the United States, two in Canada, and one each in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Indonesia, and Ecuador.

Approximately two-thirds of the properties completing the self-audit fall between 2 and 3 Eco-Leafs on the Green rating scale. The Green Eco-Leaf Ratings break down as follows: 8 percent 4 Eco-Leafs, 30 percent 3 Eco-Leafs, 37 perent 2 Eco-Leafs, and 25 percent 1 Eco-Leaf. While 71 percent of green lodging is located in the United States, a little more than one-fourth of the iStayGreen.org audited properties are located outside the United States, with 20 percent located in Canada and 5 percent divided fairly evenly between Australia/New Zealand and Great Britain.

“iStayGreen.org is continuing to experience dramatic growth as it helps hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month find and book environmentally friendly hotels,” said Richard Varner, founder of iStayGreen.org. “Every week dozens of properties are contacting us wanting to learn how they too can earn the Green Eco-Leaf Rating. At our current rate of growth it is anticipated that before the end of summer more than 1,500 properties ranging from luxury class hotels to bed & breakfasts will have received their Green Eco-Leaf Rating.

Researcher: Jessica

Source: www.greenlodgingnews.com