KOHALA COAST, HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND—Governor Linda Lingle, in partnership with the State Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, recently presented the 2005 Hawaii Green Business Award to Hilton Waikoloa Village. In attendance were Hilton Waikoloa Village resident manager Simeon Miranda, Hilton Hawaii regional public relations coordinator Tran Phan and Dolphin Quest director of education Beth Thomsen.
In a related presentation, Senator Lorraine Inouye (Senatorial District One) recently awarded Hilton Waikoloa Village a certificate of appreciation from The Hawaii State Senate, recognizing and commending the hotel and staff for receiving Hawaii’s Green Business Award and their outstanding commitment to conservation, waste reduction and pollution reduction efforts. In attendance were Hilton Waikoloa Village resident manager Simeon Miranda, assistant director of front office operations Keith Burhorn, marketing/public relations coordinator Meredith Wertz and hotel assistant manager Rolan Bautista.
The Hawaii Green Business Award is designed to honor environmentally conscious businesses that work for the sustainability of Hawaii’s natural resources. The Hawaii Green Business program is a partnership of public and private entities that voluntarily share information on management practices that save money and resources with government agencies and other businesses. The program also assists businesses to comply with environmental regulations.
Hilton Waikoloa Village received the prestigious Hawaii Green Business Award as recognition for going beyond compliances to conserve energy, water and other resources and to reduce pollution and waste through recycling and energy proficiency. The resort’s long-standing commitment to conserving the resources of Hawaii and initiative in developing and implementing effective infrastructures, standards and practices were also honored.
Hilton Waikoloa Village has raised the bar in conservation and recycling in the resort industry. The resort supports a number of recycling programs. In April 2005, Hilton Waikoloa Village implemented the HI-5 beverage container recovery program specifically for the resort in support of the state’s beverage container recovery program. Other efforts include the installation of a bailing press for efficient cardboard recovery, installation of low flow shower heads and ultra low flow toilets for water conservation, installation of T-8 lamps with electronic ballasts in fluorescent light fixtures and compact fluorescent lights in guestrooms to conserve energy.
Hilton Waikoloa Village team members and vendors are also involved in the community to promote responsible resource management and help keep Hawaii clean. Team members participate in the Adopt-a-Highway program and host an annual cleanup of the four-acre ocean-fed saltwater lagoon. Dolphin Quest Hawaii greatly contributes to the stewardship efforts of Hilton Waikoloa Village in several ways. In 2005, Dolphin Quest organized a total of 202 community service and school programs for 5,420 participants. In addition, Dolphin Quest incorporates conservation education daily in dolphin programs.
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