The hotel industry is the 4th biggest user of power in the U.S., and management is getting wise to the costs savings of energy efficient technology.

States including Vermont, Michigan and Florida are working with hotels to develop energy efficiency guidelines to be certified green, according to the Distributed Energy.

The payoff in investing in energy efficiency is substantial and immediate.

California officials cite EPA statistics indicating that for every dollar invested in making a lodging facility more green through energy-efficient lighting upgrades, the facility reaps $6.27.

Six times the payback is hard to disagree with. From heating and air conditiong to water reuse, hotels have an array of inefficiencies to address.

With all of the billions to be spent by the federal government on alternative energy, wouldn't we be better off spending on education for industry and consumers on how to become more efficient? Not using energy is more efficient than searching for fossil fuel alternatives. People should be doing this on their own, but an education campaign from the EPA would help.