With growth comes opportunity and iStayGreen is in a unique position to take advantage of these environmental opportunities presenting themselves within the online hospitality industry. iStayGreen has hired BIZ-NET Brokers, Inc. to assist them in taking advantage of these opportunities by locating a capital partner, joint venture investment or represent their website for sale. Environmental initiatives are gaining mainstream acceptance in the hospitality industry and iStayGreen is strategically positioned to ride the wave while enhancing the environmental value to their visitors. Interested parties should contact the Internet Business for Sale division of BIZ-NET to learn more about this and other investments.

One of the many ways you can become eco-friendly is by dining at “Green” restaurants. Just like hotels and other businesses, restaurants realize the negative impacts they have on the environment and seek change to benefit their customers, staff, and the ecosystems.

The Green Restaurants Association is a non-profit organization created to assist America’s restaurants in the transition to Green operations. It features seven categories on which it grades restaurants and grants them Green Restaurant Certification. This is a voluntary action by the businesses, but it provides them with a reputable award for operating safer, eco-friendly restaurants.

Here are the environmental criteria that make up the most eco-friendly restaurants.

Efficiency and conservation of water

The GRA claims that the average restaurant can use 300,000 gallons of water per year. Its first goal is to promote water conservation and efficiency. Landscaping, restrooms, and kitchens are analyzed to calculate consumption and efficiency including water catchment and reuse, low-flow rate of sinks and toilets, and EnergyStar efficient washing machines.

Proper waste management

In addition to the huge water consumption of the average restaurant, it also produces 150,000 pounds of garbage each year. Eco-friendly restaurants should aim to reduce waste output, increase reusable items, recycle, and compost anything left over. The ultimate environmentally friendly restaurant is a zero-waste facility. This can be accomplished from various perspectives through other conservation and reuse efforts of the restaurant.

Furnish with nature

One of the most telling signs of an environmentally conscious restaurant is its furnishings and décor. A truly eco-friendly restaurant is constructed of natural and recycled materials, and then furnished with reused or salvaged accessories. Attractive furniture can easily be made from bamboo or recycled wood, and it adds a unique element to the establishment.

Eat sustainably

Eco-friendly restaurants should aim to serve foods that contribute to sustainability measures. Part of going Green is encouraging everyone to either grow their own vegetables or support local farmers who do the same. Restaurants are considered eco-friendly especially when they serve organic and vegetarian foods. Meats and dairy should be supplied from grass-fed animals with no added hormones.

Energy efficiency

Since restaurants are the largest consumers of electricity in America’s commercial sector, it is only fitting if energy efficiency is one of the eco-friendly goals. Green restaurants should have the goal of becoming carbon neutral so that they use only sustainable sources of energy. Beginning this process requires offsetting energy usage, generating on-site renewable sources of energy, and using more energy- efficient equipment.

Bio-based materials and recycling

Restaurants are encouraged to use bio-based materials, derived from living matter, or recycled materials in providing new products. Examples of this include eliminating disposables such as napkins, dishes and utensils, and takeout containers, and then replacing them with reusable ones.

Reduction of chemicals and pollutants

Restaurants that show reduction in chemical use and pollution receive positive reviews from consumers and eco-enthusiasts alike. These reductions contribute greatly to decreased carbon emissions, polluted air and waterways, and soil degradation. Also taken into consideration are its proximity to public transportation locations and parking in regard to pollution, and limited use of bleached products or paints not made from natural resources.

Additionally as a consumer other things you can look at include the establishment’s decorations to see if they are made from antique items that would otherwise be thrown away or from recycled. Pay attention to see if biodegradable materials; items such as utensils and straws are utilized. Some eco-friendly restaurants are keen on the fine details and print their menus on recycled paper using environmentally friendly inks. See if the menu states how much of each dish is organic. Eco-friendly restaurants that provide delivery services should supply these by foot, bicycle, or low emission vehicles.

When identifying eco-friendly restaurants to patronize, you will want to take the above criteria into consideration. Because these set the standards for “Green” restaurants, they should also be considered when you make your dining choice. Perhaps your favorite restaurant can go completely “Green” and serve healthy, environmentally friendly dishes in an all-natural establishment. Though it is hard to come by, a LEED-certified restaurant is the prime example of an eco-friendly restaurant. Why not make it your goal to find the local restaurants that are taking the initiatives to become more eco-friendly and patronize them as your restaurant of choice?

Are you ready to start an exercise regimen but have concern for environmental effects? You can start a casual routine or a rigorous workout in which you can contribute to environmental sustainability. Whether you want to do it with others or go solo, you can find the perfect exercise activities to help your health and your community’s ecosystems. Here are some tips to make every aspect of your workout eco-friendly.

Community gardens

Help your local community by joining a group to plant trees, shrubs, and flowers in public areas that will make your town more attractive to the eyes. Despite its casual nature, planting can be a quite laborious activity that will get you plenty of exercise. When you are finished, enjoy the satisfaction of making your favorite place more beautiful and natural at the same time.

Adopt a highway

Coordinate with friends and choose a road that you want to keep clean and preserve its natural beauty. Cleaning up littered roads not only improves the appearance of a place but also prevents polluting waters and saves the lives of animals that could harmfully ingest dangerous materials or chemicals. You can do this during a casual or brisk walk and know that you are helping the plants, animals, and aesthetics of your local area.

Stay close to home

Try to find a place within walking distance of your home that is suitable for exercising. By doing so you cut out the costs and negative effects on the environment from driving, as well as the energy consumption to which you contribute at the gym. If there is not a sufficient location within walking distance, maybe you can find a way to do your workout at home. It doesn’t take much moving around to stay fit or get in shape.

Get eco-friendly equipment

With all the “Green” initiatives of today, it’s fairly easy to find eco-friendly products of all kinds. If you need an exercise mat, find one that is PVC-free to prevent exposure to its well-known toxins. Buy bamboo blocks instead of the foam varieties and choose sand-filled exercise balls and weights. There are plenty of resources for eco-friendly exercise equipment due to high demand and less costly production. Locate stores specializing in environmentally sustainable products to continue your contribution to the environment.

Dress eco-friendly

Find environmentally friendly clothing to make your workout comfortable, breathable, and irritant- free. New innovations in eco-friendly production have recently marketed workout clothing made from bamboo, organic cotton, and organic wool. Look for the products that guarantee eco-friendly maturation of the crops or animals from which they come. Some stores also specialize in fitness clothes made from recycled plastics, natural rubber, and hemp. Be thorough in your search for eco-friendly workout clothes and find the perfect items for you and your workout.

Recycle your exercise gear

While keeping your workout routine fresh with new exercises and equipments, be sure to properly dispose of the older elements when you are finished with them. Pass them on to friends or a gym buddy so they can try some of your workout favorites. Recycle your exercise mats and clothing that you no longer want so they can be put to use again.

Go to the playground

Head out to your local park and shake up your workout on the playground. The various equipment of a playground can make for physical activities that work many parts of the body. Go early in the morning so it is available for your own private use and work your abs on the slides, cross the monkey bars, do some climbing, and most importantly, have fun.

Go eco-running

If jogging is your passion in fitness, help out the environment while you’re at it. Jog in your local community and pick up litter as you go. Take with you a biodegradable bag and then dispose of it all properly at the end of your workout. Stay fit and clean up the environment at the same time. You will have twice the satisfaction when you return home. and mostly likely you’ll want to do it again the next day.

Do it for a cause

Join a marathon or bike tour that is supporting an environmental initiative. They are held around the country at most times of year, so find the one that suits you best. You can enjoy your fitness for a cause with greater fulfillment when you see so many others who want the same thing.

Take your workout outside

The most environmentally friendly way to exercise is by getting active outdoors. Save money and conserve energy by cutting out the treadmills and other cardio machines energy consuming workout equipment. Spending just a fraction of your time on a treadmill and investing the remainder outdoors can save a significant amount of energy. Grab your reusable water bottle and head outside to stay fit among the wonders of nature.

You don’t have to start a rigorous routine to stay fit, and you don’t have to go far to make an impact. Clean up your local environment while you work out. Contribute to your community’s ecosystem by planting attractive greenery. Join a cause and run or bike for the benefit of the environment. Be eco- friendly in purchasing and recycling exercise equipment and clothing. The lasting effects are beneficial for your own health and community, so start right away and make a difference that others will notice.

Everyone who practices eco-friendly living is contributing to the sustainability of our environment in some amount. To make the greatest difference, however, we need to encourage as many others as possible to help in conservation, recycling, and awareness practices. So why not get the kids involved?

The best time to teach them positive habits toward the environment is when they are young, so start
right now.

Here are ten ways to encourage eco-friendly habits in children.

1.Set an example

Parents are their children’s first role models, so you have to demonstrate what it is you want them to do in eco-friendly living. If you want them to turn off the water while brushing their teeth, do it yourself to be a good example. Turn off the lights upon leaving a room, open the windows for a fresh breeze, and turn off or unplug appliances that are not in use. The more they see you do it, the more often they will remember it as a positive trait for themselves.

2.Reduce, reuse, recycle

Teach your kids how to reduce by getting washable rags to replace paper towels. Purchase a reusable bag to take with you whenever you go shopping. Separate paper, glass, and plastic for recycling. Help the kids make fun, decorative boxes to sort the recycled items to make it more fun. Have them come up with new ways to use old items that would otherwise be thrown away. Ignite their creativity and help them grow and learn more about the world they live in.

3.Plant a garden

Prepare and plant a garden with your children to show them how much money you can save on groceries. Let them get deep in the dirt to experience the wonders of the earth and its creations. When the vegetables and herbs have grown, they can take pride in saying it is a project of theirs. Make sure to go organic while doing it too – pesticide-free with natural seeds.You can search with your child online to find many natural ways to deal with your garden’s bugs and weeds.

4.Experience nature

Get the kids immersed in the wonders of nature at a state park or wildlife refuge. Teach them about the importance of all living things and how to preserve them. Let them witness the beauty of natural resources such as flowing streams and towering trees. Experiencing the environment in its natural state will help children understand our dependence on the existing ecosystems and how they can make a difference.

5.Involve the whole family

Make sure your whole family is involved in the eco-friendly efforts you teach your children. Encouragement and example from everyone around them helps reaffirm the importance of what they are doing. Be sure that everyone is consistent in their eco-friendly actions to conserve and preserve, as well as to set memorable positive examples.

6.Volunteer together

Get the kids involved in your community action group for the environment. If there is a group just for them, allow a little independence so they can also learn from others and share with you their new experiences. This is a great social opportunity for the kids and gets them recognition in the community.

7.Take them shopping

Take the kids along when you go grocery shopping. Explain to them that you buy certain items to remain eco-friendly and support organic farming. Compare eco-friendly cleaners to the more popular ones with all the hazardous chemicals, and help them understand the effects each has on the environment. Let them make choices while shopping as you help them start a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle.

8.Go to the landfill

Visit your nearest landfill so they can see firsthand what happens to all of our waste. Explain how conserving, reusing, and recycling contribute to decrease our waste output. Let them see all the appliances that are dumped and no longer used for spare parts or the ones that simply became outdated. Return home and review with proper waste management practices that they will remember throughout life.

9.Start an energy saving project

Teach your children to be independent of the public utilities by installing your own wind and solar power generating system. It will be a fun project that your kids can help you with. There is lots of great training material and videos online to get you started. Programs like Earth4Energy and Power4Home both offer eBooks that will give you a fast start. This is also a practical resources lesson for the children because they learn how to save money and energy at the same time.

10.Line-dry the laundry

Whenever weather permits, show children that laundry can be dried outside by hanging in the sun and breeze. Have them help hang clothes then bring them in when dry. When they get in the habit of it, they can do it independently and lessen their own carbon footprint a little bit. Remind them that this helps conserve money and energy for use at a later time.

Since children are the future, they need to learn eco-friendly habits early to make the biggest impact. Set an example and explain everything you do, both methods and reasons. Encourage your children to do the same water and energy-conserving actions you do so that they can independently practice “Green” living. As long as you give them good reason to do it, they will look up to you and follow your environmentally friendly examples and share them as they get older. Teach your children to be eco-friendly and your community will be that much closer to a fully Green initiative.

Household chemicals are some of the most damaging products of human life for the environment. Every day we wash dishes, do laundry, put on make-up, and spray unwanted insects, but we have no idea how much we are harming ourselves, wildlife, and the earth. Let’s take a look at the risks and the consequences and what we can do to either solve them or lessen the negative impacts we have on the environment.

The Risks

Included under the category of household chemicals are cleaning products (some of which contain bleach, chlorine, and ammonia), pesticides, fertilizers, paints, automobile fluids, candles, fragrant sprays, and many other domestic items that can be dangerous for the environment. Household cleaners, detergents, batteries, and garden pesticides have effects on the environment when they contaminate soil or water. Even continuous exposure to small amounts of the many harmful substances in homes can pose long term health risks to humans and animals.

Many laundry detergents contain phosphates, which can greatly pollute oceans. Phosphates in smaller bodies of water can encourage excessive growth of algae, which depletes the supply of oxygen in the water and creates harmful living conditions for animals. Households with septic tanks are discharged directly into the environment and can possibly reach water bodies without being treated.

Household chemicals are made of ingredients that can be harmful or life threatening upon skin contact or ingestion. Bleach and ammonia in various cleaning products can pose respiratory health problems with excessive exposure. Some toxic household substances can cause birth defects, brain damage, coma, or death. Common household chemicals are also linked to many common health problems such as headaches, joint pain, loss of sleep, asthma, allergies, and depression. Housewives are at greater risk of getting cancer from their greater exposure to the harmful chemicals they use in their homes every day.

The Effects

Not only are there risks, but there are also proven negative effects of these household chemicals on both the environment and our health. The overuse of antimicrobial cleaning products is proven to result in the growth of antibiotic-resistant germs, which can only be eliminated with more harmful chemicals. Pesticides damage the environment with harsh chemicals that are intended to only harm certain pests. The propellants in sprays contain chlorofluorocarbons, which have been recognized as damaging to the earth’s ozone. We sacrifice a small part of the rich environment each time we use pesticides at home. The negative effects continue as we look at all that we damage in the environment that also affects our own lives.

Cleaning agents, detergents, pesticides, and weed killers frequently find their way into the soil and then into water bodies. These chemicals as well as runoff can be either harmful or deadly to the animals and plants of the seas. Chemical residues of household chemicals can seep into soils and contaminate groundwater supplies after being disposed of improperly. Everyday household drugs, cosmetics, and chemicals are harmful to the reproductive and immune systems of fish and turtles that become exposed to the harmful ingredients. Weed killers and non-biodegradable chemicals in soaps and shampoos are also harmful to aquatic life when they reach waters. Contaminated waters affect diversity and growth of sea life and continue to jeopardize water bodies for the use of drinking or recreation. Wastewater is also emptied into water bodies frequently, which results in human exposure to these harmful chemicals.

What We Can Do About It

As you can see from all these risks and proven effects of our chemical use, there are many improvements to be made in our lifestyles. You can start contributing to a better environment by making small changes around your home. Buy an all-in-one cleaning product to take care of all your cleaning needs, or try using baking soda, alcohol, or vinegar as an effective alternative. Whenever possible, purchase natural cleaning products that are without the common hazardous chemicals. In times of disposing of your household cleaning products and their containers, take them to your local hazardous waste center to be handled properly in an eco-friendly way.

Remember the effect you have on our environment every time you reach for those chemicals in your home. Think twice and take environmentally friendly actions that benefit, you, your neighbors, the world and its beautiful creatures.

You want your wedding to be the most memorable event of your life, right? Each year more and more people are deciding to make their weddings “Green,” so they can save a bit of the environment for everyone and some money for themselves. If you are already taking eco-friendly initiatives in your daily life, it only makes sense to have a green wedding too. Let’s take a look at how weddings are becoming eco-friendly, and then we can easily see why they have become so popular.

Invitations

Now that we are in the digital age, the world of the Internet is frequently being utilized as the preferred means of communication. In being green, people are making it easier on themselves and the environment by

sending e-invitations for weddings and other events. If you want to stick to traditional methods, choose invitations made of recycled paper or sustainable materials such as bamboo or hemp. Address the invitations with calligraphy and choose an eco-friendly ink such as one made from soy or flax seed.

Venue

Perhaps the most important aspect of choosing a venue for your wedding is the location. Green weddings cut down on the financial costs of travel and environmental degradation by taking place within reasonable distance of the guests’ homes. People are now choosing to have their weddings in spaces surrounded by nature to embrace the earth’s beauty on their special day. If the event is not in one of those natural spaces, it can be accented with natural décor such as greens, berries, and live plants. A great location is a friends backyard who uses a home wind turbine to provide power for your special day. Make sure if you have guests coming in from out of town that you suggest environmentally friendly hotels close to your venue.

Dress

The bride’s wedding dress may be the most anticipated surprise of that special day. Instead of spending so much money on a brand new dress that you will wear only once, join other eco-conscious brides and choose a vintage dress with modern tailoring or purchase an elegant gown that you can also wear for other occasions. The latest designs in wedding fashion were created by university students in England, where they made wedding gowns that dissolve in water to produce five separate fashionable pieces that can be worn again and again!

Centerpieces

Do-It-Yourself Eco Friendly Wedding Favors

Preparing an elegant wedding reception is another task that can become green. Try something different to accent the guest tables with some beeswax or soy candles and pleasant organic fruits. If you really want to use flowers, make sure they are organic with no pesticides and grown locally to cut down on the effects of their transportation. Try making your own wedding favors . . . like Do-It-Yourself soaps that can actually be used and enjoyed by your guests.

Rings

Save the environment some of its precious resources and look for wedding rings made of recycled metals and stones. With Americans spending $16 billion a year on engagement and wedding rings, it is a huge industry that could better be invested toward the support of eco-friendly alternatives such as jewelry recycling and purchasing vintage or antique jewelry items.

Food and Beverages

Green weddings often top off the event with an eco-friendly meal. Select a healthy menu that features local products from start to finish. Choose locally grown organic items that cater to the tastes of your guests, and use china and glass to eliminate excess waste. Finish the meal with lovely organic wines and champagnes, and your guests will leave with a lighter carbon footprint.

Photography

Make Green Memories (Photo by Greener Visuals Wedding Photography)

Those memories will last a lot longer if you choose green photography methods. Find a photographer that is concerned about the environment too and request only digital prints to save the environment of the materials needed for printing. If you want to have some handy around the house, choose just a few for printing and display the rest in a digital photo frame.

So why is it that green weddings have become so popular? Your wedding is one of the few things in life that you can make all your own, so you want to make it special. For a specialized wedding, you want it to be memorable, unique, and personalized. Having a green wedding makes it possible for you to choose all the fine details for yourself and get creative in the process.

Something else that makes green weddings much desired is the healthy environment they both create and promote. By providing organic food, a convenient setting, and eco-friendly attire and décor, your wedding can be safer for the environment than the average and encourage environmental awareness in those you care about most.

The reasons for the popularity of green weddings don’t end there. Another reason is that when done properly, arrangements for eco-friendly weddings are actually cheaper than typical weddings that are not eco-friendly. Finally, what better way is there to start a life together with the one you love most? A green wedding is the ultimate statement to each other that protecting the environment is one of your priorities, and you can share that together in an eco-friendly life. Join the others that have made the commitment to the environment and plan your green wedding that will have no comparison.

Sorry for being gone so long!

We’ve been a bit up in the air as to what to do with the format of iStayGreen.net

We felt that it made more sense to host our travel related blog content on our travel website iStayGreen.org so we created a Green Travel Blog there. Since we will be hosting our travel related content on iStayGreen.org now it left us in a bit of a quandry as to what to do with iStayGreen.net

Here’s what we decided – Effective immediately we are shifting the focus of this blog from travel and lodging related to Green Lifestyle.

Just to give you a flavor – we’ll be covering topics like:

• How to have an eco-friendly wedding
• How to start your own “Green” business
• Tips on making your child’s school an eco-friendly experience
  
• How to start living completely organically
• . . . and a lot more

We figured there’s no sense having two blogs covering the same topic.

BTW – if you have interest in being a contributing editor please let us know.

Why Green Santas?

To remind travelers that Denmark’s Copenhagen is an ideal destination for the eco-minded traveler. Denmark, the location of last year’s COP15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, is on the leading front for the world in green living.

Over half the hotel rooms in the city are environmentally friendly including the newly built carbon-neutral, 366-room Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers, which was recently voted the World’s Greenest Hotel by Skål International.

In an article recently published in Travel Video News

More than 50 percent of all hotel rooms in Copenhagen have received the Green Globe, Green Key or Nordic Swan eco-labels, including the 10 hotels of the Arp-Hansen Hotel Group, the carbon-neutral Brøchner Hotels, the Copenhagen Admiral Hotel and three of the city’s Radisson Blu hotels. You can also enjoy many of the windmill design about the area. Among the newer, greener hotels in the city is the 366-room, carbon-neutral Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers, voted the World’s Greenest Hotel by Skål International in 2010.

The city offers plenty of green ways to get around, from walking to biking (which the Danes do in all weathers) to electric-powered City Cirkel buses.

It’s cute . . . it’s entertaining . . . and it makes a Great point!

The certification program is a joint effort between The Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association (AzHLA) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT), and was developed to address the growing number of hotel members and visitors looking for a standard to measure hotels’ green efforts.

This is a great example of an association working in concert with state government to advance environmental initiatives in the lodging industry. According to an article by Michelle Parks at ABC15.com:

“Arizonans and their guests should take pride in this comprehensive commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency without compromising enjoyment or convenience,” said ADEQ Director, Benjamin H. Grumbles. “We all win by saving more, wasting less, and keeping the Green Hotel State healthy and beautiful.”

AzHLA developed a model which compares hotels and scores each hotel in fifteen different categories, and must earn 150 points in order to become “certified.”

The group also awarded points to hotels that give visitors an experience exclusive to Arizona by doing things like featuring local and/or historical art, furnishings and providing tours.

“This new program, and our partnerships with AOT and ADEQ, makes Arizona’s Green lodging efforts among the best in the country,” Debbie Johnson President and CEO of AzHLA said in a prepared statement. “Our goal was to provide Arizona hotels with the tools and the incentive to be as Green as possible and to communicate to environmentally-conscientious visitors that Arizona has a surplus of lodging options for them.”

20 Arizona hotels have already received the green certification including The Phoenician, Havasu Dunes Resort, Sedona Rouge, and Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center.

To learn more about earth 4 energy and the AzHLA green certification model visit ABC15.com