Green Holiday Travel
Southwest Florida’s Best Lodging
Nurtures People & the Planet
by linda Sechrist
E
very year, Southwest Florida’s dis-
tinctive environment and original
natives—egrets, herons, mana-
tees, dolphins, alligators, black bear,
deer, bobcats and the elusive Florida
panther—attract thousands of tourists.
According to Michael Sole, secretary
of the Florida Department of Environ-
Ivey House Bed & Breakfast
mental Protection (DEP), nearly half of
Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa
Florida’s 83.6 million visitors stay in a
hotel, a motel or a bed and breakfast,
what green means
Resorts as
making the lodging industry a key fac-
tor in the Sunshine State’s formula for
to Travelers
green Role models
sustainability.
A green getaway doesn’t require travel-
The experience of Katja Kunz, travel
In 2004, the DEP launched its
ers to sacrifice comfort. In fact, most
industry sales manager for the Pink
Florida Green Lodging Program to help
green practices go unnoticed. Low-flow
Shell Beach Resort & Spa, on Ft. My-
protect the state’s natural resources.
plumbing fixtures, compact fluorescent
ers Beach, agrees with this assessment.
Now, four years later, more than 300
lights, green cleansers, high-efficiency
“I’m from Germany, and I’ve recycled
hotels, five-star resorts, inns and B&Bs
air filters, clean air handling units, En-
everything possible for 33 years,” says
are reducing water use, conserving en-
ergy Star® electronics and appliances,
Kunz. “Recycling isn’t optional in Ger-
ergy, improving air quality and decreas-
programmable thermostats, recycled
many, so if you grow up there, it comes
ing solid waste. As a reward, the state
ink and toner cartridges and items the
naturally.”
recommends designated properties in
hotel purchases in bulk rarely capture
In 2007, Kunz began investigating
the Florida Green Lodging Program
guests’ attention. However, a linen
how the Pink Shell could implement a
to companies and trade organizations
and towel reuse program notice on the
recycling program. Lee County’s solid
seeking environmentally conscious
bathroom wall or a recycling receptacle
waste coordinator explained how the
lodging and convention facilities.
in a room or lobby may attract a sec-
$2 charge to pick up a recycling bin is
Other rewards for green lodging
ond glance. Such commitments make
far cheaper than the $22 charge for a
facilities include saving money, good
travelers feel good about their choice of
regular trash bin.
publicity and the opportunity to adver-
lodging.
“When our general manager
tise their environmental responsibility
At Ivey House Bed & Breakfast,
realized we could save an estimated
via the DEP’s signature “palm” rating.
in Everglades City, signage and little
$22,000 annually,” advises Kunz, “he
The facility’s level of green practices
green recycling bins in all 30 rooms
was convinced. We immediately began
entitles it to display one, two or three
alert guests to their green practices. Co-
working on a green lodging certifica-
small, green palm trees on its marketing
rey Knapp, general manager, is proud
tion.” They started by forming a green
materials and website, as well as the
of his One Palm employer, the first in
team, with one person from each
DEP website.
Collier County to acquire the designa-
department, but soon the whole resort
tion.
was involved. “We met once a week,
“We just had a record summer,
from November 2007 to April 2008,”
and the numbers for our upcoming
notes Kunz, “until we got our One
season promise to be well ahead of
Palm designation.”
last year,” smiles Knapp. “I think our
The resort, now working on a Two
surge in business is directly related to
Palm designation, has become a role
the fact that 50 percent of our guests
model for the surrounding community.
are Europeans who seek out our green
“When the News-Press printed the story
lodging. They are much more aware of
about our recycling program,” com-
the importance of sustainability than
ments Kunz, “I received a call from
domestic travelers, and are not shy
Ft. Myers Beach Elementary School to
about suggesting additional practices
discuss our program, and they soon
we could implement.”
implemented their own.”
2 Collier / Lee Counties
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