The Orchard Hotel earned certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

San Francisco has long demonstrated dedication to green environmental practices. The conservation efforts of John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club and for whom Muir Woods are named, date back to 1892.

Peace activist and San Francisco resident John McConnell established the United Nations Earth Day in 1969, and Alice Waters pioneered the movement to use sustainable, organic food grown and produced locally, thereby supporting local farming and  lessening the impact on the environment.

In the past two years, San Francisco banned plastic bags and passed a mandatory recycling and composting ordinance.

So, why am I writing about all of this on the Uptake lodging blog?

Because the trickle down effect of this environmental consciousness has resulted in a number of “green” hotel initiatives.

Let’s start with the Orchard Hotel receiving the prestigious LEED-EB (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design – Existing Building) certification. The Orchard is San Francisco’s only hotel to earn this honor, the second hotel in California, and the fourth in the world with this certification. LEED-EB is the U.S. Green Building Council’s leading edge system for operating buildings dedicated to whole-building cleaning programs, recycling, maintenance, and systems upgrades.

In 2007, the Orchard Hotel’s sister property, the Orchard Garden Hotel, was awarded LEED-NC, the green certification designated for “New Construction.” It was the first hotel in the city to earn this honor, third in the United States, and fourth hotel in the world with this certification. Major props to the Orchard sisters!

Other hotels have followed suit, adopting green practices to help the impact on the environment. These include the Parc 55 Hotel, Hotel Palomar, The Mosser, and the W.

San Francisco continues to be on the cutting edge, embracing practices to make the city cleaner and greener.

Photo credit: Orchard Hotel