DENVER—The Green Meeting Industry Council’s (GMIC) annual North American conference not only has a new name, the Sustainable Meetings Conference (formerly the Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference), but also a new 2010 conference theme: Scaling It Up! GMIC selected Denver for its natural beauty and, most importantly, for its strong group of committed leaders who strive to make sustainable practices the standard within the meeting and event industry. With facilities such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Renewable Energy Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge restoration, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver and the great...

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.—Building on its successful Destination Earth environmental sustainability program, Destination Hotels & Resorts has created a new platform for all group and meetings business which is built on green practices to reduce waste, conserve water, better manage energy output and more. “A ‘green’ meeting will now be standard throughout all group, meeting and conference center properties in the Destination collection,” said Mark Hickey, senior vice president of operations for the company. “Basic principles of waste reduction, water conservation, as well as sustainable food and beverage practices are among the customary meeting offerings. However, there are different shades of green...

RICHMOND, VA.—Virginia has introduced a new green-themed vacation giveaway celebrating the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th anniversary. The Virginia “Go Green on the Blue Ridge Parkway Sweepstakes” offers a chance to win a family road trip. Participants can win a seven-day, six-night vacation for four, complete with airfare, a hybrid rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and overnight stays at Virginia Green hotels, resorts and cabins. The sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents 21 and older and runs through November 1, 2010. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which covers 469 miles of scenic byway from Shenandoah...

FAIRFIELD, N.J.—Green & Black’s Organic chocolate, a division of Cadbury, is now offering an individually wrapped chocolate disc specifically designed for the hospitality and food service industries—thanks to Strategic Green Incentives, a division of NouveautesUSA, Inc. In addition to the chocolate amenity, Strategic Green Incentives has designed a Towel Reuse Program with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate. Strategic Green Incentives is focused on creating programs that prompt travelers to participate. Customized and co-branded tent cards and postcards distributed with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate carry the message that supports a property’s sustainability initiative while reducing water and energy costs. Distributed...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—Yellowstone’s newest gift store has a single purpose: to inspire visitors to help protect national parks. Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, gift shops, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, has converted its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products. The store was dedicated January 7, 2010. Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, spoke at the dedication and gave a keynote address following the event. The event was also attended by some of the...

SEATTLE—Bell Harbor International Conference Center has completed a one-year research study to calculate its carbon footprint, in an effort to become a more eco-friendly meeting and event destination. As a result, Bell Harbor is better prepared to work with groups to identify ways to reduce an event’s carbon footprint and ultimately lessen its impact on the environment. “As Seattle’s premier conference center, we are happy to be leading the charge in making greener meetings available to our guests,” said Greg Werry, general manager of Bell Harbor International Conference Center. “Our waterfront location on beautiful Puget Sound is a constant reminder...

LAS VEGAS—JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa has created a new wedding package for Summerlin weddings that is considerate to the planet and that offers unique entertainment, menu and décor options for brides and grooms. The all-new Eco-Chic Wedding Package featured at JW Marriott’s Las Vegas wedding venues includes nuptials celebrated on the resort ground’s attractively designed gardens and waterscapes. Natural garden chairs made of maple complement the earthy tone of the ceremony. The celebration continues inside or out with unique décor items including floor length linens made from recycled glass or luxury burlap to adorn the tables,...

DALLAS—Meeting Professionals International Foundation, in cooperation with AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions, recently announced the beginning of the Events for Communities of Sustainability (ECOS) Project, an in-depth, project-driven platform for enhancing sustainable meetings. The ECOS project, which premiered in Canada in the fall, is a framework to support sustainability in the meetings and business events industry. This one-of-a-kind project will focus on four significant areas including: food, water, shelter and education. The program also supports MPI’s commitment to the U.N. Global Compact and all eight Canadian chapters have voiced their commitment to participate in the program. “We are extremely excited at the...

HORSHAM, PA.—Green Key Global, the exclusive provider of the Green Key Eco-Rating Program (“Green Key”), and Travelocity have partnered to recognize green hotels and resorts. Travelocity, the online travel website, will include Green Key members in its Green Hotel Directory; likewise, those hotels will also be tagged with an “Eco Friendly Hotel” symbol within Travelocity’s hotel shopping path. Green Key, the first program of its kind to rank, certify and audit hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable “green” operations, is a joint venture between LRA Worldwide, Inc. and the Hotel Association of Canada. Green Key has been...

SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS—As part of its Travel for Good program, Travelocity announced the launch of a sustainable travel microsite on its own website. Travel for Good is Travelocity’s program that encourages sustainable travel. On the new microsite, customers can find information about the Green Hotel Directory, the carbon offset program, and volunteer vacations. The Green Hotel Directory boasts more than 700 eco-friendly hotels from around the world. Plus, Travelocity is the only major online travel company that flags green hotels within the general shopping path. This means that customers can easily spot green hotels at a glance—and even compare prices between...