WASHINGTON, D.C.—Earth Day Network, organizer of the world’s largest civic observance, has teamed up with Best Western International. In a year-long partnership just announced, Best Western will become a sponsor of the massive Earth Day event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 22.
“The theme of Earth Day 2012 is Mobilize the Earth, and Best Western has been mobilizing its hotels around the world to implement eco-friendly policies,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. “Because of their enormous size and influence in the industry, it’s an extremely important step.”
The event on the National Mall is the centerpiece of Earth Day in the United States and part of a vast network of Earth Day events around the world—from Rome to Rio, Beijing to Beirut. Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on the National Mall on April 22, joined by civic leaders, politicians and celebrities to galvanize the global environmental movement. The last Earth Day event on the National Mall, in 2010, boasted more than 250,000 attendees and attracted the likes of Sting, John Legend, James Cameron, Rev. Jesse Jackson and scores of other luminaries.
“We are excited to partner with Earth Day Network as green efforts are a big part of the future of our industry and an increasing differentiator for our hotel guests,” said David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western International. “Having nearly 4,200 hotels worldwide, we realize that even small changes made at each property can have a lasting positive impact on the environment.”
Best Western properties can support green initiatives in several ways, from having in-room recycle bins, low-flow shower heads, recycled paper, and linen re-use programs to geothermal and solar-powered hotels that actually sell power back to the grid. Best Western was the first mid-scale hotel brand to partner with Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, to provide hotels with the resources and tools to help them capitalize on the benefits of reduced energy consumption. Every Best Western hotel in North America is required to have a green program in place.
Go to Earth Day 2012 and Best Western.
