I decided to check into a Kimpton hotel for an upcoming trip to San Francisco and asked for an Eco-Room. The premium was $100 for the Woody Harrelson suite. Ironically, the "Zen" room was $10 less than the normal rate. Perhaps it's a more spartan accommodation (one sitting cushion, a futon and an inhouse serving of green tea?) This brings up the interesting question of how sustainability is being served by this type of celebrity involvement. Shouldn't hotel environments be restful, hospitable places for weary travels to recuperate? What is more sustainable than human energy? Why should one pay more for less? The same might hold for "eco-resorts" charging $400 a night or more? Whose values are we serving by making sustainability seem like an exclusive club for the well-heeled, rather than an accessible and more livable environment for everyone?
Jerry Yudelson
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