Eco-friendly travel social network

As of Thursday over 600 lodging properties have earned the Green Eco-Leaf Rating by completing a 70 point comprehensive eco-audit survey administered by iStayGreen.org – the online social network of environmentally friendly travel.

I’m not too sure that this is the best way to find eco-friendly travel destinations though. The rating is flawed in a number of ways. For example, although the eco-audit is comprehensive in nature, travel properties fill out the audit on their own. I could be Joe hotel owner with no recycling program and non-organic sheets but who is really to stop me from calling my hotel green if I feel like it.

Secondly, iStayGreen notes that their success as a green travel site rests on, “You, our member. Your active participation in authoring property reviews, ratings, pictures, videos, and helpful tips help to build the content that is valuable to both you and the internet public. It also puts pressure on the travel and lodging industry to “Green Up” their businesses. At the same time it helps to raise the awareness of environmental concerns and their impact on the world.”

While I agree with some of the above statement, many people don’t know what green is at all. I’ve heard folks call a home with a garden a “Green home” when really issues like energy efficiency, water use, recycling, and more are the important issues. I don’t trust other people to tell me what’s green without doing my homework.

I DO however think that this is a good place to kick off that homework. If you spot a hotel or other vacation place on iStayGreen, you could see what others have to say, then look into it on your own. I also think that green travel is an underdeveloped market, so this site at least is spreading the word that green is good for travel.

Overall – it seems like iStayGreen is trying to create a decent social network for those interested in green travel, along with some revenue of their own by booking “Green hotels” so join up and give your opinions, or locate a summer hotel room if you like, but I just wouldn’t put too much worth on the Eco-Leaf Rating system.

Visit iStayGreen.org to learn more.

[image via stock.xchng]