I posted an article this past week on Tom Rhodes, NC (North Carolina) GreenTravel Initiative Program Manager. I had an opportunity to meet Tom at a conference a number of years ago. One of my readers suggested Tom as someone I should profile in our Personnel Profile section. Of course Tom was a great choice. Any kind of city, regional, state or national green lodging recognition program is only as good as the person or people behind it. Tom is a very good reason North Carolina’s GreenTravel Initiative is such a success.
For those of you not familiar with the NC GreenTravel Initiative, it is a program that was developed through a partnership of the North Carolina Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (NCDEACS), The Center for Sustainability at East Carolina University, Visit North Carolina and the Waste Reduction Partners program. It was launched toward the end of 2011 and allows businesses to be certified and recognized as green businesses, meaning they have accumulated enough points for their best practices as noted in the Application for Recognition.
Businesses can reach one of three levels through the NC GreenTravel Initiative: one dogwood blossom, two dogwood blossoms, or three dogwood blossoms. Of the 64 certified lodging destinations (31 hotels, 33 B&Bs), 20 have achieved the three dogwood blossom rating, 34 have earned a two dogwood blossom rating, and 10 have earned one dogwood blossom.
Many Types of Businesses Welcome
One of the things that makes the NC GreenTravel Initiative unique is its acceptance not only of lodging establishments but many other types of businesses as well. The program is open to parks, attractions, festivals and events, restaurants, welcome centers, breweries, wineries and other green businesses. Rhodes says farms will also soon be eligible to participate. Similarly, Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland and Wisconsin also welcome many types of green businesses into their programs.
Participating businesses in North Carolina benefit from improved environmental and operational savings and from marketing exposure as well. Tom told me, “They receive a free listing on our website, along with a link to their website. They get door decals, window clings. They get a certificate from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and a free listing in the NC Travel Guide. We also feature businesses on our Facebook page.”
Another aspect of the program I found unique is the program’s volunteer support. There are 62 retirees in North Carolina who volunteer their time to do site assessments covering water, waste and energy. “They provide the service at no cost,” Tom says, adding that some of the volunteers previously worked for NC DEACS and now offer their services as a result of a partnership with Waste Reduction Partners.
As with any program that is part of state government, funding is always a challenge—there is no fee to participate in the NC GreenTravel Initiative. No matter the challenges, Tom and his team have found a way to build one of the most successful green travel programs in the country. I would love to see more programs like the NC GreenTravel Initiative.
Green Lodging Survey Coming Soon!
The Green Lodging Survey, coordinated by Green Lodging News and Greenview, will launch in early June. Watch for more details soon. Tens of thousands of green lodging establishments around the planet—primarily those in the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia—will be encouraged to benchmark their sustainability practices. Click here for more details.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
