While it is important for hotels and resorts to put green initiatives in place, there are things that you can do to make sure that your stay at Las Vegas hotels is more environmentally friendly.

How often do you change your sheets at home? Not every day. How many towels do you use per week? Most people don’t use seven. So, why would you do these things at a hotel? The following are some of the ways that you can help make a normal hotel greener.

1. Instruct housecleaning not to wash your sheets for stays that are less than a week.
2. Turn down the A/C when you are not in the room. Treat your hotel room like you are paying the bills and turn off unnecessary lights. Close the drapes to keep the room cooler when not in use.
3. Rather than taking baths, opt for short showers to save water and energy. Filling up the bathtub can waste several gallons of water.
4. Refill your own water bottles. Even though many hotel rooms offer an endless supply of water bottles, refill your own to save on garbage and water waste.
5. Use the hotel van instead of renting a car or use public transportation if you are staying in an area that offers accessible ways to move around. This will help save gas and reduce carbon emissions.
6. Request that mini bottles of shampoo and soap not be replaced until they are completely empty. Some hotels will even replace bars of soap everyday.
7. Participate in the hotel’s recycling program if one is offered.
8. Unplug electrical devices that are not being used. There is no need for the blow dryer or coffee maker to be plugged in if it is not in use. Just by being plugged in these devices are draining precious energy.
9. Leave the pen, paper and other freebies behind. Most people can’t wait to snag the free pen for the ride home, but doing so means that another will have to be placed there. Leaving these items behind will make a long term difference in the environment.
10. Send a note to the hotel manager after your stay detailing all of the small things that could be put in place to make the hotel greener. Many times hotels want to be more environmentally friendly, but they are unsure of what small things that they could do to help the cause.