Step this way to get your daily fix of green news, eco product launches and videos delivered by email.
Dear SmartPlanet, Is there any common definition of what an 'eco lodge' is? If not, what should I look for in an eco lodge? Are there any standards? David, Carlisle, UK.
There's no hard and fast definition of an eco lodge, but they do share a bunch of common traits.
A lodge is generally built using wood, and an eco lodge does it sustainably. That means the wood comes from a carefully managed source where trees are replanted and wildlife is protected.
Beyond timber, eco lodges can vary considerably -- not least because an eco lodge should fit in with the local environment and use resources specific to the location.
Around the Lincolnshire eco lodge, for example, the flat landscape of the Lincolnshire fens creates enough wind power to generate electricity for the lodge. There's also an abundance of organic produce from the local farms, which customers can pre-order. In contrast, the Shankwood Lodge, tucked away in Lake District woodland, offers a secluded spot to fish and get off-grid.
A good starting point to find out the lodge's shade of green is the Green Business Tourism Scheme which dishes out gold, silver and bronze awards according to the business' level of environmental commitment. Expect nothing less than a gold award in an eco lodge. That said, not all lodges choose to be accredited, so you may have to do some investigating yourself.
First, check out where the lodge gets its energy. An eco lodge should be off-grid as much as possible, but sometimes the odd appliance or emergency back-up requires mains electricity. This should, of course, come from a renewable source. Most lodges use solar panelling for electricity like the ecocabin in Shropshire. For hot water and central heating, the lodge in Lincolnshire holds a fabulous wood-burning range that even slow-roasts your veggies while you're out.
It goes without saying that any green business should support its local environment and conservation should be top of the list. The owners will be dying to tell you all about the resident fox, or the community of bees. They will also encourage you to arrive by public transport or bicycle.
All supplies to an eco lodge should be locally sourced. We're not talking apples from New Zealand here, more like organic fruit and vegetables from down the road or even from the back garden.
Eco lodges should be toxic- and chemical-free zones. The delicate rainwater harvesting and reed bed sewage systems rely on natural flows of water, so all cleaning supplies should be biodegradable and gentle on the environment like the stock at the Yorkshire eco-lodges.
Above all, staying at an eco lodge should help you see things a little differently. Whether you turned green back in the day or you're just starting out on a sustainable lifestyle, a lodge should have the power to take you off-grid and give you a real eco escape away from it all.
Check out our Leisure Reviews for more in-depth verdicts on eco lodges.
Do you have a green shopping dilemma? Want an eco debate settled? Or want to know what a environmental buzzword really means? Email us on green@smartplanet.com and we'll do out best to help out in an upcoming Ask SmartPlanet.
Please note: Your email address must be entered but will not be displayed
Please note: All submitted content becomes the sole property of CNET Networks UK and may be used, edited or rejected at CNET Networks UK's sole discretion. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks UK, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
Step this way to get your daily fix of green news, eco product launches and videos delivered by email.
