With all the green talk going on these days in the travel industry, consumers need to smarten up about marketing spin. It seems that every hotel, resort, and attraction is boasting about being green. Dig a little bit, however, and you quickly discover that there are actually a gazillion shades of green. Case in point: To be accepted in the Virginia Tourism Corporation's Virginia Green program, a hotel or resort must:

• offer an optional linen service (sheets and towels are not automatically changed every day)
• provide the opportunity for guests to recycle cans, bottles, etc.
• have a water conservation plan
• use energy efficient lightbulbs and appliances
• offer a green package to events organizers 

It's a start, but unlikely to impress too many eco-minded consumers (or school kids, for that matter). After all, many hotels and households in America have been implementing these practices for some time already. Does simply doing what's expected really make a hotel green?

Compare that to the ambition of Element, a soon-to-be launched hotel brand extension from Westin which sets out to be the first truly green hotel chain. Element hotels will:

• use "green" materials, from roofing that reflects heat to organic paint & carpeting
• give preferred parking to hybrid cars
• use shampoo/conditioner dispensers to eliminate all those mini-bottles
• use low-flow sink faucets and dual flush toilets (which is estimated to save 4,350 gallons of water per room each year)
• use CFL light bulbs will reduce energy consumption

Happy Earth Day!