Standards for Becoming a Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State
Business receiving the Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State designation must meet each of
the standards below. The Green Hotel Achievement Form must be completed for standards 18.
1. Designate a team or representative at your facility to ensure the standards are met, new
initiatives are developed, and employees are trained in environmental procedures.
2. Adopt and communicate to employees an Environmental Policy. Please see following
sample:
“(Business Name) is committed to protecting the environment, the health and safety of
our employees, and the community in which we conduct our business. It is our policy to
seek improvements throughout our operations to lessen our impact on the local and
global environment by conserving energy, water, and other natural resources; reducing
waste generation; recycling and purchasing recycled products; and reducing our use of
toxic materials. We are committed to pollution prevention, continuous improvement and
meeting or exceeding all environmental regulatory requirements.”
3. Develop an “environmentally preferable purchasing policy” on company letterhead.
Two samples are given below, can be modified to suit the business or copied directly.
Sample 1
Preference will be given to purchasing products and services that have the following
environmentally friendly attributes with acceptable parameters for price, quality, and
delivery:
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maximum post-consumer recycled content,
minimum packaging and other wastes,
minimum toxicity,
are durable and reusable,
are locally available to minimize transportation,
made from sustainably produced materials,
are compostable or biodegradable, and
conserve energy, water, and other natural resources.
Sample 2
The goal of this policy is to ensure that products and services purchased or contracted for
conform to the goals of our company's environmental policy. We will strive, where feasible,
to purchase environmentally preferable products and services to meet the company's office
and operational needs. We will also favor suppliers who strive to improve their
environmental performance, provide environmentally preferable products, and who can
document the supply-chain impacts of their efforts.
Wherever possible, purchasing decisions will favor products and feedstocks that
 reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
 are made with renewable energy,
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reduce pollution from all discharges (releases to air, water, and land),
reduce the use of toxic materials hazardous to the environment, employees, and
public health,
contain the highest possible percentage of post-consumer recycled content,
followed by percentage of recycled content,
reduce packaging and other waste,
are energy efficient,
conserve water,
are reusable and/or durable,
minimize transportation (local sources, more concentrated products), and
serve several functions (for example, copier/printers, multipurpose cleaners) to
reduce the overall number of products purchased.
Environmentally preferable products and services that are comparable in quality to their
standard counterparts will receive a purchasing preference. In situations where the most
environmentally preferable product is unavailable or impractical, secondary considerations
will include production methods and the environmentally and socially responsible
management practices of suppliers and producers. Environmentally preferable purchasing is
part of our long-term commitment to the environment. By sending a clear signal to producers
and suppliers about this commitment, we hope to support wider adoption of environmentally
preferable products and practices.
4. Purchase for use or resale three (3) environmentally preferable products of significant
use, with:
 maximized post-consumer recycled content, (%PC)
 minimized toxicity,
 minimized packaging,
 greater durability,
 reduced or renewable resources, or
 other environmentally friendly attributes.
5. Conserve resources and reduce wastes through:
 elimination,
 reduction (amount and/or toxicity),
 reuse, or
 recycling.
Where feasible, do so for six (6) significant products and/or wastes.
Products include all materials that you use or sell.
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Waste includes:
solid waste,
hazardous waste,
wastewater,
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air pollution, and
water pollution.
6. Implement at least one (1) water conservation measure.
7. Implement at least three (3) energy efficiency measures.
8. Environmental Best Management Practices (EBMPs) - Implement the required Green
Hotel BMP’s and at least three (3) others, where possible. You may propose others,
which will need approval by a program representative. Do not repeat items in sections
1 through 7 in this section.
Green Hotel Requirements:
a.
Implement a towel/linen reuse program.
b.
Provide guests access to recycling.
Green Hotel EMBP options:
c.
Have recycling collection in guest rooms.
d.
Adopt and practice grounds keeping or landscaping methods that achieve resource
conservation.
e.
Install stormwater management systems that protect the environment and promote
water reuse.
f.
Install renewable energy sources.
g.
Use green building materials and techniques for all new construction and
renovation.
h.
Implement all feasible building weatherization.
i.
Use biodiesel for vehicles or heating.
j.
Reduce energy use for transportation by purchasing electric or hybrid vehicles or
otherwise increase fleet miles per gallon.
k.
Provide busing or other mass transit options to frequently visited tourist
attractions such as ski resorts.
l.
Use significant local sourcing to reduce transportation pollution.
m.
Purchase Energy Star or silver to gold level EPEAT computers. Go to
www.epeat.net.
n.
Complete an energy and/or renewable energy assessment or audit done in-house
or by a private contractor/business, a town energy committee, or a non-profit
agency (assessment/audit must be no older than three years).
o.
Create a comprehensive plan for energy reduction or sustainability measures.
p.
Complete a carbon footprint assessment (assessment must be no older than three
years).
q.
Participate in corporate sustainability reporting.
r.
Conduct regular employee training in all aspects of environmental management.
s.
Create an employee incentive to improve environmental management.
t.
Participate annually in a community environmental project.
Note: If you have implemented or plan to implement an environmental Best Management
Practice(s) not identified in any of the above categories under #8, please call the Environmental
Assistance Office for consideration.
Other Requirements
In addition, the business must complete an Environmental Management Action Plan which
indicates what projects will be completed and future projects that will be investigated or
achieved.
Finally, the business needs to sign the Green Hotel Agreement form (included in the file for the
Green Hotel Achievement Form). This requires the following.
1. The Achievement Form for the above eight standards has been submitted and approved.
2. The business is in good regulatory standing with all Federal, Vermont, or local
environmental regulations.
3. If not completed already, the business will prepare and submit a concise environmental
action plan. EAO will provide a template for the plan, which includes a brief description
of proposed reduction initiatives (e.g. energy conservation, water conservation, solid
waste reduction, stormwater runoff improvements, etc.) savings or reduction goals, and
target dates for implementation.
4. The business also agrees to:
a. ensure that the standards for the program as documented continue to be met and, as
feasible, improved upon;
b. complete and return the Annual VBEP Survey which is necessary for continued
designation in the program;
c. continue to make a good faith effort to comply with all local, state and federal
environmental regulations;
d. notify the program representative of a change in our situation, if unable to meet
program standards; and
e. promote the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership.