Each year has its landmark days—days on which we celebrate or
remember a solemn occasion. Earth Day, April 22, is one of those days for both.
Yes, Earth Day is a day to celebrate the progress our industry has made in
energy, water, waste, cleaning, air quality, etc. Yet, April 22 is also a
strong reminder of how far our industry still must go to reduce its negative
impact on our planet.
Rather than address the challenges we face in this column, I would like to
share some of the more positive Earth Day news that has crossed my desk in
recent weeks. If your company or property is doing something unique for Earth
Day, Earth Week or Earth Month, share it with me at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
One of Italy’s most renowned family-owned hospitality groups, Bettoja Hotels
Collection, announced the removal of all plastic bottles beginning on
Earth Day—in the minibars and the restaurants located in their three hotels in
Rome: Hotel Mediterraneo, Hotel Massimo D’Azeglio and Hotel Atlantico. Bettoja Hotels
Collection will invite its guests to honor this commitment to the environment
and will turn off the lights for one minute in the halls of all three hotels at
6 p.m. on April 22. In addition, Ristorante Massimo D’Azeglio will
dine by candlelight and soft lights on Earth Day.
ADA International, in support of bees, has launched a SaveTheBees! Initiative for
Earth Day, with more details to follow in the coming weeks.
Ames Boston Observes Earth Month
The Ames
Boston Hotel, a luxury boutique property located in the heart of Boston’s
financial district, will host a series of eco-conscious events throughout April
in observance of Earth
Month. The hotel recently became one of only a few Boston hotels
to receive its Green
Key certification, a distinction given to hotels for meeting certain
eco-friendly standards and sustainability efforts, and it will celebrate the
special honor by giving local environmental organizations a platform at its
“Wednesday Sips” events in April.
The month of events kicked off on March 30 when Ames Boston Hotel participated
in Earth
Hour, an annual worldwide event that encourages companies,
homeowners, and others to turn off their lights for an hour. Beginning this
past week, local eco-friendly organizations, such as the Charles River
Watershed Association, Mass
Audubon, and the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life,
will be present at the hotel’s “Wednesday Sips” events. Donation jars will also
be available for guests to contribute to each organization’s cause.
Ames Boston Hotel’s Earth Month celebration will culminate with its
participation in the 20th
Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on April 27. The hotel
will lead a team of employees, partners, and other eco-conscious Bostonians in
helping clean up the Charles River, one of the city’s true environmental
treasures.
Two hotels, the Hyatt
Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey (Calif.) and Hotel Felix Chicago have created
the following promotions:
- The Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey will give out a “Plant Your Pencil” to the first 100 guests who check in on April 22. The pencils come in five different herb varieties including Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Cherry Tomatoes and Mint.
- The Fireplace Lounge will be dimmed from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to save electricity.
- A special acoustic guitar player will entertain guests.
- The Lounge will feature menu specials appealing to locavores, vegetarians, and vegans using both locally grown and organic ingredients.
- The hotel will offer wine by the glass with Twisted Roots green, sustainable wine.
Hotel Felix Chicago Earth Month Opportunities
- Earth Day, Earth Stay: Starting at 12 p.m. CDT, April 2, the discounted Earth Day room rate of just $20.19 per night (exclusive of the Chicago hotel tax), was available to people who reserved a room for a stay on Earth Day, April 22, 2019. Guests were encouraged to visit www.hotelfelixchicago.com and use promo code EARTH. The offer was available to the first five reservations.
- Green Groups Save Green: During Earth Month, eco-friendly group bookings will receive 22 percent off the best available rate if they provide proof of any way they reduce their carbon footprint, such as their corporate recycling program. This special discount is available only for new group bookings in April, May and June 2019.
- Be Green and Tweet Green: Hotel Felix will host a Twitter giveaway during Earth Month to encourage travelers to tweet their green tips. Anyone who is passionate about the environment can tweet how they are being green for a chance to win a two-night stay at Hotel Felix (some restrictions and blackout dates apply). The person who tweets the most tips to @HotelFelix with #GreenFelix during April 2019 will win. Management will determine if there is a tie. The giveaway started at 9 a.m. CDT, April 1 and runs until April 30 at 5 p.m. CDT. The winner will be announced by 12 p.m. CDT, May 7, 2019.
- Earth Month Instagram Giveaway: From April 22 to 30, 2019, guests and Chicagoans can enter the Hotel Felix Instagram giveaway. To enter, guests must share a new photo on Instagram showing how they’re green and tagging @HotelFelix and #HappyNaturally. Entrants have a chance to win a two-night stay at Hotel Felix and a $100 gift card to Troquet River North, the delectable French bistro adjacent to the Hotel Felix lobby. Management will select a winner by 12 p.m., CDT, May 7, 2019. Full giveaway details will be available at www.happynaturally.com.
Green Spa Network to Share Green Tips
For the month of April 2019, the Green Spa Network will promote sustainable acts by using the hashtag #JustOneThing. The organization will share tips that anyone can incorporate in their everyday practices to support change and help improve the health of the planet. GSN employees and industry leaders have been asked to answer the question, “What Does Earth Day Mean To Me?,” as well as provide a #JustOneThing tip to share with the GSN community.
GSN announces the re-launch of the Action Initiative, the GSN Tree Planting Initiative, in partnership with WeForest, to mobilize the spa and wellness industry to plant 1 million trees. Thanks to the support of the vital community a total of 72,383 trees have been planted. This effort is premised on the critical and urgent need to regenerate the earth using trees’ natural abilities to reverse climate change.
Green Lodging News Welcomes Vios Spa Group to Directory
Green Lodging News has added Vios Spa Group to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Consultants/Spas/Wellness category. Vios Spa Group is a consulting group providing quality standards, education, and certification. Shelley Lotz, Principal of Vios Spa Group, has 30 years of experience in the spa/wellness industry as an owner, educator, and esthetician. She wrote Green Spas and Salons: How to Make Your Business Truly Sustainable and is a contributing author of the textbook Milady’s Standard Esthetics Fundamentals. She is also a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor. The Vios Certified Sustainable Spa is a global certification recognizing spas as leaders in sustainability + standards. Consumers can locate Spas with Healthy Standards at certifiedsustainablespas.com. Contact shelley@certifiedsustainablespas.com to find out more.
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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.
An All-New Advertising Opportunity!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, announces the launch of Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to almost 20,000 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs. The Green Suppliers Spotlight e-blast will also be available in the Suppliers Spotlight Archive section of the Green Lodging News website.
Planning Advertising for 2019?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2019. Many excellent spots are available on our new website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2019 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
