COTTONWOOD HOTEL

See some of what we are already using...
 

• Eco Factor: Induction cooktop saves up to 85% electricity.

• The heat induction method is far better than using common gas stoves to cook. Due to the induction phenomenon, heat is transmitted directly to the vessel, while the surface of the cooktop remains cool. Black ceramic glass gives it a fine look with efficient working. Not only can it save up to 85% of your energy, but can also cook food 2.5 times faster than your conventional gas stove. This means no ambient heat in the kitchen and less loss of heat energy. Users can customize heat settings up to nine levels along with a delay-stop timer. In safety features, it includes automatic shutdown in conditions such as over-heating, spillage, and boil-over, along with a residual heat indicator.

• Units 2 & 7 have built-in glass-top 2 burners.

• 3-speed reverse ceiling fans in every room (all bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms).

• Energy efficient A/C cooling.

• Secure high-speed ethernet/wireless internet connection.

Save water to save money.

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This lowers water and heating bills and extends lower rates to guests.
• Low flow shower-heads for water & energy savings

Less gas = more money (and better health!).

• Walk or bike to near-by restaurants, cafes, state & city parks, trails (hiking & biking), athletic club & gym. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.

Eat smart.

• If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
• Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.
• Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.
• Whatever your diet, click here for best results for living a healthier lifestyle.
• Skip the bottled water.
• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
• Did you know that drinking tap water is safer and more regulated than drinking bottled water?

"Green" your laundry.
Detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches can be toxic to your family and to the environment. Some surfactants and fragrances in laundry detergents contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can't always be removed by wastewater treatment plants and end up harming local wildlife. Chlorine bleach is not only poisonous for humans, but can create dangerous byproducts, such as dioxin, when flushed down the drain. Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.

The eco-friendlier detergents and bleaches cost no more than standard products.

A little warmer, a little cooler.
About 47 percent of the average household's annual energy bills stem from heating and cooling. Every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer will reduce air conditioning bills by about 2 percent. Lowering the temperature by one degree in winter will save you 3 percent on heating bills. Regular maintenance and a tune up every two or three years will keep your heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, system operating efficiently, saving energy and money. A programmable thermostat -- excellent for a family that spends a good part of the day at work or school -- will shave 10 percent off your bill.

Switch to cold water.
Almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Save money and energy. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use.

Get picky on phosphates.
Pick laundry detergents without phosphates, which deplete the oxygen in water and as a result kill aquatic life. And while you're at it, buy only powdered detergent in cardboard packaging as opposed to a liquid in plastic packaging. The liquid contains water, which you already have, so it takes more fuel to ship that heavier container of detergent and water, not to mention the energy and petroleum used to manufacture the plastic container. The cardboard container also requires energy and resources to produce, but many are now made from post-consumer recycled paper and the trees they originate from are a renewable resource.

Clean air filters.
Check air conditioning filters monthly to either clean or replace them. This will help the unit run more efficiently. Better yet: buy a permanent filter that can be washed and re-used. This will save you money over the long run and keep all those disposable filters out of landfills. If your unit is outdoors, check to make sure the coils are not obstructed by debris, plants or shrubs.

Install a programmable thermostat.
If your house is empty for long periods of time while your family is at work or school, a programmable thermostat may make sense. It allows you to use less heat or air conditioning when you're away from home or sleeping.

Buy a power strip.
Did you know that your appliances use electricity even when they are turned off? It's called a phantom load, or vampire power. As much as 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics and small appliances is used while they're turned off, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Ohio Consumers Council estimates that it costs consumers $40 to $100 a year.

Turn off the lights.
Unplug electronic appliances.
When not in use, DVD players, televisions, stereos, printers, scanners and other appliances continue using a small amount of power.

Buy organic.
Organic products are grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides and processed without the addition of synthetic chemicals. Ingredients also aren't irradiated or genetically modified. Synthetic chemicals come from crude oil and require more crude oil to manufacture. In addition, the farmers growing your organic choices won't be adding those petrochemicals to the soil, and you won't be ingesting trace amounts with the food. One test by the Organic Consumers Association, or OCA, found traces of 38 pesticides and herbicides in a popular cereal.

Buy foods produced locally.

Support 'green' businesses.

Seek 'green' lodging.
Business travelers can decamp in "green" comfort, thanks to the growing number of eco-friendly hotels, luxury resorts and lodgings that are minding their carbon footprint.

Use rechargeable batteries.
The average person owns about two button batteries and 10 more common (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) batteries. Some 3 billion batteries are sold annually in the U.S., averaging about 32 per family or 10 per person. Americans throw out approximately 179,000 TONS of batteries per year. The problem isn't just the amount of the waste but the mercury, lead and other toxic chemicals that batteries contain.

Use digital cameras.
Some 686 million rolls of film are processed each year and the solutions used the make the prints often contain hazardous chemical that require special treatment and disposal.

Eat 'green.'
No, not by grazing at the salad bar, but by patronizing those restaurants, bars and coffee houses that practice energy and water conservation, recycle, serve organic food, and use tree-free, biodegradable products.

Reuse hotel linens and towels.
You probably don't change your sheets and towels every day at home, so why do it while you're away? One towel change per week ought to be plenty.

Pack lightly.
Every additional 10 pounds per traveler requires an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel per year, which is enough to keep a 747 flying continuously for 10 years.

Go for glass.
The energy required to produce a single 12-ounce aluminum can from virgin ore is enough to produce nearly two 12-ounce glass bottles. So the next time you buy a six-pack of beer, opt for glass bottles over aluminum cans.