Traveling Green for the Greener Good: More Resorts, Hotels Find Becoming Eco-Friendly Provides Warmer Welcome to Guests

LOS ANGELES, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Adventure Girl, Stefanie Michaelshas always been an eco-conscious traveler.    

"I am relieved the green movement has finally hit the travel mainstream," says Michaels, whose Web site http://www.Adventuregirl.com, highlights "traveling green" -- giving kudos to green-minded hotels.  "There is no reason resorts can't recycle, reuse, and pull from local resources. It's a no brainer when it comes to using natural elements, reclaimed building materials in construction, utilizing solar power, andfor hotel rooms, offering guests 100% cotton sheets, and natural biodegradable bath products."    

Resorts praised by Michaels:    

Hotel Key West Resort & Marina -- their Jala Spa helps raise eco-awareness by giving $5 per treatment donations to the Reef Relief Organization (http://www.reefrelief.org). 

The Desert Lodge in Cairo-Heliopolis, Egypt -- overlooks the Heritage-protected oasis of Al Qasr, and the distant sand dunes andmountains of the Sahara desert. It is one of the few eco-designed Hotels in Egypt. Local craftsmen, using only local and natural materials, carried out the entire construction of the Lodge.

Castaway Island in Fiji -- a first class tropical private island resort just minutes from the mainland and Nadi, conserves water, composts wastefood, recycles, uses biodegradable cleaning agents, sources food locally, offers local employment, and cares for local wildlife.

Estancia Los Potreros Hotel in Argentina -- is a small family-runhotel, with tourism blending in carefully with a working cattle farm. Theybelieve in total organic farming, using no growth hormones, pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilizers. Food is sourced locally and waste is sensitive to their local environment. 90% of its energy is wind or solar generated and guest donations go towards various improvement projects for the local school.    

Paradise Bay Resort and Spa on Grenada -- is owned by James Post, aformer executive in high tech electronics turned environmentalist, authorand green energy promoter. His resort features heat and water conservation-- using a rain water source. Their kitchen boasts organic meats andvegetables from their organic gardens. Voluntourism programs are alsoavailable, which Michaels' believes is the burgeoning trend in eco-travel awareness.