Home News & Features WLA Selects Pilot Companies for Greening Washington Program

WLA Selects Pilot Companies for Greening Washington Program

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SEATTLE—The Washington Lodging Association (WLA) has selected Best Western Peppertree Inns and Columbia Hospitality as the two pilot companies to participate in its Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry Program. Each pilot company will receive consulting assistance from WLA’s professional partner, Cascadia Consulting Group, to implement new environmental practices, and measure and market their successes. Open houses and workshops will be held to showcase the hotels’ efforts and share the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public.

Columbia Hospitality’s participating properties include Salish Lodge & Spa, Snoqualmie; Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Seattle; and Talaris Conference Center, Seattle. All four of Best Western Peppertree Inns’ properties, located in Spokane, Liberty Lake, Auburn and Omak, will participate as pilots.

Columbia Hospitality’s vice president of operations, Lenny Zilz, comments, “This project is a unique opportunity for us to take our green initiatives to the next level, and further our corporate commitment to employee well-being and community service.”

Best Western Perspective

“We are honored to be selected as one of the two pilots,” says Rita Santillanes, owner, Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington. “I look forward to sharing our properties’ green successes with the Best Western North America Design Committee, where I am an active member, while bringing input from the Design Committee to WLA’s efforts.”

“When we launched the Greening Program, we planned to work with two pilot properties,” says Jan Simon Aridj, WLA president and CEO. “Thanks to the response and commitment from Columbia Hospitality and Peppertree Inns, we are further leveraging our grant resources for an even greater impact.”

The Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry Program, funded by a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology, is intended to help hotels throughout the state save money, maximize marketing opportunities, and capture new business, while being better environmental stewards for the benefit of their staff and their local communities. The program will result in case studies documenting the actions and outcomes at the seven pilot properties, and will provide the industry with Web-based resources and educational forums.

Go to WLA.

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