Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
41
Tips
”Green” Hotels
Quite a number of Orlando hotels have received “green” certification by the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection and designated as Green
Lodge hotels. In order to be considered for the certification, hotels must
adhere to a set list of requirements, including conservation of water through
the use of low-flow plumbing fixtures, a linen reuse program, and the use of
energy-efficient and programmable thermostats. Waste-reduction criteria
must also be met. All Green Lodges must also use green cleaning supplies and
high-efficiency air filters.
Green Lodge resorts can (and do) range from mom-and-pop motels to five-
star luxury resorts in Orlando. For more on the program and a complete list of
the hotels in and around Orlando that are green (there are several, including all
official WDW resorts and all official Universal resorts), go to
www.dep.state.
fl.us/GreenLodging
.
Disney, in addition to ensuring that its
entire collection of hotels are “green” certi-
fied properties (see “'Green' Hotels,”
below), has announced that over the next
10 years (and as a company) it will decrease
greenhouse emissions by half (though the
goal is to eliminate them altogether down
the road) and will decrease its electrical use
by 10%. Other lofty goals include the
reduction of solid waste (cut by 50% by
the year 2013).
Universal is doing its part as well. All
three of its on-site hotels have been “green”
certified. Universal has also begun using
alternative fuels in its service vehicles in an
effort to reduce toxic emissions; the cook-
ing oil used in its restaurants is recycled, as
are the paper and cardboard products used
throughout the resort.
At SeaWorld (and its sister parks)
hydrogen fuels power shuttles, dinnerware
and utensils are made from sugarcane and
vegetable starch, seafood (even for its ani-
mal inhabitants) is purchased from sus-
tainable fisheries, and it has partnered
with the Rainforest Alliance to ensure that
foods purchased are farmed and harvested
in way that protects area wildlife, habitats,
and people. Roughly 50% of park waste
(animal, food, and construction) is recy-
cled. Visitors (and residents) are encour-
aged to recycle while exploring the theme
parks thanks to the addition of special bins
for the disposal of cans and bottles, with
others for actual trash.
Using public transportation (most
notably Disney's vast array of buses, mono-
rails, and water taxis; Universal's water
taxis and buses; International Dr.'s I-Ride
Trolley system, and so forth) contributes
to getting more cars off the street, making
for cleaner air. In Orlando, it's even possi-
ble to hire a pedicab; the
Redi Pedi
Pedicab
(
&
321/251-3608
); and
Earth
Shuttle Pedalcab
(
&
321/231-9215
) are
the two largest companies serving the
Orlando area.
In addition, several hotels, among them
the entire collection of official Walt Dis-
ney World resorts and all of the Universal
Orlando resorts, have signed on to the
Florida Green Lodge program, which
requires hotels to become more energy-
efficient in all areas of operation, from
conserving water to reducing unsorted
waste (see “'Green' Hotels,” above). Hotels
that meet the standard are awarded 1-, 2-,
or 3-Palm certification.
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