As one of Chicago's most important industries and one that operates 24 hours a day, the environmental impact of the city's hotel industry is not insignificant.  The Chicago Green Hotels Initiative was instituted in 2007 to provide resources, best practices and training to hotels seeking green certification. To date, 14 Chicago hotels have been certified by Green Seal, a Washington, D.C.- based non-profit agency whose environmental standards are recognized nationwide as credible, transparent and increasingly relevant in fostering positive business practices and improving overall quality of life. 

Green Seal certified hotels adhere to stringent standards of energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling and waste reduction, and environmentally-conscious practices, like using bio-degradable and Earth-friendly cleaning products and providing optional linen/towel reuse programs for guests. Chicago currently has more Green Seal certified hotels than any other city in the U.S., and many more currently seeking certification. For more information about the Chicago Green Hotels Initiative, please click here.

Information on this Green Chicago page has been compiled by the Chicago Office of Tourism, in collaboration with the City of Chicago Department of the Environment and other partner agencies.