This is a guest post from Sam Marquit, he is an independent
‘green’ contractor and co-author of Fair Marquit
Value.
It's Not All About LEED
Certification: Celebrating Eco-Friendly Travel
Being
a commercial contractor gives me some insight into the building practices and
materials used in today's construction world. While many businesses are
choosing more self-sustaining products and environmentally friendly materials,
they focus too much on becoming LEED certified. Of course it is a great
achievement and it's a step in the right direction, but I'm definitely more
interested in businesses that are going above and beyond to be more
eco-friendly. Many businesses in Asia compete for awards in the Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards.
With categories such as wildlife preservation, cultural awareness and resource
efficiency, businesses can earn recognition. Businesses get recognized for
celebrating local culture or even installing materials or products that cut
down on waste. That's the sort of thing that businesses should be celebrating
in America as well.
There
are some businesses gaining recognition for their usage of green technology.
The hospitality and tourism industry is perhaps one of the most wasteful
business economies in America. While there are many ways to use energy and
resources more efficiently, many businesses often don't take these steps. The
primary reason for this is that it's difficult to start or more costly to make
the investment. That hasn't stopped a myriad of hotels in Las Vegas from
making these changes. As one of the most popular destinations in travel today,
Las Vegas saw 40,000,000 travelers last year and has over 120,000 hotel rooms.
The
Las Vegas Palazzo Hotel won the "Most
Eco-Friendly Hotel in America." This hotel has a variety of ways in
which it cuts down on waste and even reuses waste. In addition, its facilities
have self-sustaining technology, which again cuts down on resources. There are
plenty of hotels in America that are becoming more eco-friendly. The changes
hotels are making result in some great benefits for both their guests and the
organization itself. In New York City, for example, the ink48 Hotel has a
program called Earthcare. This program allows members talk about ways that we
can positively affect the environment. Businesses can incorporate green
technology, eco-friendly materials and also create community development
programs.
I'm so proud to be a part of the construction
industry at this juncture. There are a ton of businesses that want to replace
their facilities with self-sustaining technology. Making sure that they will be
using less energy and even creating green energy. There is still a ton of waste
out there, but as the eco-friendly travel trend grows, I think more businesses
will see the benefits of becoming more than LEED certified.
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