"There’s a new place for travelers to rest their heads in Encinitas, a city along the Pacific Ocean 25 miles north of San Diego. The Alila Marea Beach Resort collaborated with sustainable-tourism advisory group Earth Check to ensure it contributes zero waste to landfills in the next five years. Some of the tactics Alila employs: no single-use plastic water bottles and composting all unused food and paper products. Four EV charging stations allow guests to plug in their vehicles, and visitors can borrow electric bikes to explore Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a beach community within Encinitas known for its surf spots. The 130 guest rooms, with Pacific Ocean or lagoon views (some with patio firepits), use the property’s smart LED system that turns lights off when areas are not in use, which is estimated to reduce energy consumption by 80 percent." - Kathryn Romeyn