Green-Hotel Program

In November 2008, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt signed a proclamation establishing a green-hotel certification program for the lodging industry.

Individual hotels and motels must complete a questionnaire attesting to compliance with various environmental initiatives and submit it to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The state DNR would then send the lodging establishment a certificate.

Environmental sustainability is evaluated in virtually all aspects of business operations and property management. Points are awarded in each area of compliance and when 100 or more points are achieved (130 points required for recertification), a green-hotel certificate is issued by the state. For example:

1 Point each - Recycle bins in all guest rooms for paper, aluminum, plastic, glass, metal and cardboard (max 6 points),

2 Points - Biodegradable bathroom cleaner without chlorine or phosphates is used,

3 Points - Printing and writing paper is recycled post-consumer content OR tree-free content,

3 Points - Organic insecticides, fertilizers and biocides used,

5 Points - Encourage guests to reuse towels and sheets,

5 Points - Energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs throughout property

5 Points - Exterior flat paint with less than 100g/L volatile organic compounds used,

5 Points - Water bodies protected by vegetative buffer of native plants,

10 Points - Hybrid vehicle used for business,

10 Points - Vegetative maintenance program to timely cover bare earth,

10 Points - Ozone washing machines that do not use hot water,

10 Points - Retrofit all faucets, toilets and showerheads with low-flow assemblies.

Based upon the requirements, a knowledgeable full-time staff position, possibly more, would need to be created to handle the paperwork alone. Coupled with the costs of purchasing pricey eco-friendly products, one could reasonably assume that green hotels are noticeably more expensive to operate.

But there is a problem with the "Certified Green" program.

“We don’t know how much or how many resources we will be able to allocate to this program,” said Sue Holst, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

“Because of the current budget situation … this is one of the programs we are reviewing,” she said. “We hope hotels will do it whether or not our participation in it is active.”

In a nutshell, the state doesn't have the resources to send state inspectors out to verify hotels' self-reported information.

Nevertheless, the Missouri lodging industry is committed to greening the state's hotels.

“Any investment that makes our water cleaner and our air healthier is also an investment in our economy,” said [Missouri lodging] association Director Ramona Mormann.

No properties are certified yet, but Mormann said the first, in Jefferson City, could be announced soon.

She added that as many as 40 more hotels around the state are expected to complete the certification process by Earth Day on April 22 when formal presentations are to be made.

Notably, without the state actually verifying compliance to the standards, the validity of certifications is questionable. Even so, the greenies are gung-ho on tackling global warming with green hotels.

Chances are that I'll avoid green hotels. Well, that is up until they make it a law that all hotels must be green.