New EcoRooms at Lake Powell Resort

I have a love/hate relationship with Lake Powell. I love the recreational opportunities provided on this enormous reservoir, but I hate big dams on big rivers. There is a cause-and-effect thing going here. The Glen Canyon Dam, which chokes off the Colorado River just upstream from the Grand Canyon. The huge dam, built nearly half-a-century ago when sensibilities were different, caused water to back up behind it, creating Lake Powell. This man-made lake offers all manner of recreational opportunities, notably some of the best houseboating in the land. It is second in size to Lake Mead, near Las Vegas, that backed up behind the Hoover Dam. Both are engineering wonders but, by today's standards, environmental errors.

I try not to think about the splendor that lies beneath the deep blue water. Glen Canyon is said to have been every bit as magnificent as the Grand Canyon. The late David Brower, long-time executive director of the Sierra Club and founder of Friends of the Earth and the League of Conservation Voters, regretted until his dying day that he had not battled the government about the building of the dam. He didn't fight it. The dam was built. And what some call "Fake Powell" was created. Still, Lake Powell is a spectacular place, with the water lapping against tawny cliffs, dramatic spires and wonderful coves to explore.

The lake provides ample room for houseboating, kayaking, fishing, jet-boating and more. For those who prefer not to houseboat or camp but who want to be at water's edge, there's Lake Powell Resort, beautifully situated and offering killer views of the Lake and, alas, the smoke-spewing Navajo Nation Electric Plant. When I stayed at the resort in May 2006, the rooms were uninspiring with standard motel decor. Such a spectacular setting, whether one approves of it or not, deserves classier accommodations.

Now, ARAMARK, which manages the resort, has upgraded some rooms. Called Green Leaf EcoRooms, and designed for guests with special health and allergy concerns, they also appeal to someone like me who just wants hotels to do their part in protecting the environment. These EcoRooms at Lake Powell Resort feature more than a dozen energy-efficient, water-efficient, waste-reducing, non-toxic or biodegradable products -- worthy of Green Leaf certification from TerraChoice Audubon Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program.

These EcoRooms feature bathroom flooring made from recycled glass and select ceramic materials, bathroom counter made from recycled glass terrazzo, carpet made from 25 percent post-consumer and 25 percent post-industrial materials to and carpet pads made from 100 percent recycled material, energy-saving lightbulbs, dispensers for soap and shampoo to cut down on waste, energy-saving sliding glass doors and water-efficient fixtures (including toilets). It's my kind of room -- and while nobody asked me, I think they should all be that way.

I applaud any individual or corporate efforts at preserving our planet, and against the background of Lake Powell and all that is wrong with it -- dramatic beauty and recreational pleasure notwithstanding -- these EcoRooms merit even more kudos.