Zion Lodge in Zion National Park has become the first hotel in a US national park to receive the top Green Seal Lodging Standard award for its eco-friendly environmental standards and practices. The top Green Seal is the Gold award, which means Zion Lodge is both green and gold.
The top award covers everything from how Zion Lodge washes dishes and linens, including using bio-friendly detergents, to waste water management, energy conservation, the kind of paint used, purchasing as much as possible locally to reduce its carbon footprint from trucking supplies long distances, and even educating contractors and vendors on eco-friendly sustainable practices..
After all, Zion Lodge is in one of the world’s most beautiful spots, and has a vested interest in keeping the park as pristine as possible.
Some of Zion Lodge’s stand-out environmental practices are using renewable wind power for 100 percent of the lodge’s electricity, plus photovoltaic solar power, and purchasing only EPA Energy Star-approved computers and other equipment.
The lodge also installed a 200-gallon solar thermal system to heat the water for the on-site commercial laundry, and is reducing glass waste by serving beer on tap instead of in bottles.
Zion Lodge also has won awards from both the U.S. Department of the Interior and from the National Park Service for its environmental efforts. The park is an eco-winner, also. No vehicles are allowed inside — visitors either walk or take an energy-efficient tram. But you should walk. The hike to the top of Angel’s Landing offers a vew that will singe your eyeballs with its beauty. Bring lots of water — in a recyclable bottle, please — no plastic. It’s one of my favorite hikes, anywhere in the world — click here to read more about my recent Angel’s Landing hike.
Zion Lodge is open year round and offers 82 comfortable rooms, 40 cabins, a restaurant, café and gift shop. It is operated by Xanterra, which operates lodging and restaurants in national Parks including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore.
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