You have probably seen it, you get into your hotel room, and there are placards that describe how you can help them “save the environment” by any of a number of actions that include:
- Not changing the bedding daily
- Reusing your towel
- Turning off lights and television while not in the room
All great things, and I do all of them (in fact, I virtually NEVER watch TV in my hotel room. Just got out of the habit years ago and forget that it is even there anymore).
The one that bothers me the most is the reuse of towels. I alway hang them on the hook to signify that I will use it again. At home, I typically wash my drying towel once a week, so two or three days of use is neither “gross” nor a problem for me.
However, probably 90% of the time, the cleaning staff replaces the towel anyway. So much for environmental consciousness. It makes you wonder what else they are not doing.
(For the record, the best experience was the Shiodome Hotel in Tokyo. There is a card you put on your pillow to signify re-use of the bedding, and in return you get a “You are so AWESOME” card. I have one taped to my office door.)
