CLIMATE IMPACT: What is the hotel doing to reduce their carbon footprint? Ask where they source their energy.
LOCALLY MINDED: Lodging should do the best it can to ensure its operations don’t jeopardize resources for local communities. How do they reduce water usage? Where does their waste go? Are local materials and products prioritized over imported goods where possible?
FAIRNESS: Are they focused on fair practices? This might be as simple as hiring staff from the local area. Sustainability is only sustainable when it takes into account community impact too.
STAMP OF APPROVAL: Are they certified? Have a look at the GSTC recognized standards for hotels.
TRANSPARENCY: Do they practice what they preach? This can be harder to scope out, but it is still worth checking. Are the promises they’re making achievable or feasible? A quick scour of reviews online, a look over any websites to check for policies can give you insights here.
FILTER WITH TECH: Of course, you can also just leave the questions up to someone else and use a booking platform that filters accommodation against sustainability principles like their carbon footprint, pollution and waste, resource use, and fair practices. We like Bookdifferent, Regenerative Travel and Ecohotels
