Time for a Real Green Hospitality Association?

Since launching Green Lodging News in the summer of 2006, I have been hoping that someone would come along and launch a green hospitality association that would act as a true association--one that not only asks for membership dues but also represents its members at the national and international level at industry events and that assists in the development of green product and lodging standards. The Green Hotels Association has been around for about 15 years but it is mostly a website/publishing company that aims to educate and bring business to green properties. There is certainly nothing wrong with that but I have never seen the organization represented at a single national or international event.

I have also seen no evidence that the association intends to begin interacting with the American Hotel & Lodging Association or guiding the industry in one way or another when it comes to governmental policies, green building, green lodging certification, etc. In fact, according to the Green Hotels Association website, the organization does not recommend certification--especially if it costs money.

There is now an American Green Lodging & Hospitality Association. I just contacted the founders to learn more about their intentions. Stay tuned. Based on their website, it looks like the organization's goal will be to educate and help the industry become more sustainable. Certainly a worthy goal. The site says membership information will be available in the coming months. The site already has some helpful links on it. I applaud the efforts of the founders to start an association but I will remain skeptical about its success until there are more people involved and there are hotel companies supporting it. (See the association's Facebook page.)

The American Hotel & Lodging Association does have a Green Task Force which has been doing some excellent work. But is what they are doing enough? My take is that there needs to be something much bigger than a committee representing the interests of green hoteliers and innkeepers. Your thoughts?