Did you know that by leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your hotel door you will help save over 6,000 gallons of water? That’s the amount of water used by the average 150-room hotel in a month.

Staying in a hotel is usually a treat, and often expensive, so when people book a room they want to make sure they get their money’s worth. This means long, hot showers; clean, crisp linen changed daily and temperature controlled at the touch of a button. All wonderful little nuances that make a stay so luxurious, for some.

But what about the waste?

The environmental impact from staying in hotels is quite astounding.

The infographic below shows that hotels contribute 60 million tons of CO2 emissions annually due to wasteful practices and oblivious guests. Yet, if all the hotels in the US were to go green, reducing their emissions by just 10%, it would be the same as planting 1.1 million acres of pine trees.

The hotel industry is starting to change their practices, led strongly by demand from consumers. People are asking more about green credentials, what practices are in place and what hotels are doing to minimize their impact on the environment. But it’s not just up to the hotels. It’s up to consumers, too. To show your support for a change in practices in hotels, not just in the US, but anywhere, question hotel’s housekeeping practices.

What have you done to make your hotel stays greener? Share with us in the comments section below.