LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, located in Lake Placid, N.Y., has achieved what only one other resort property in the world has: a 5 Green Leaf Rating from Audubon International and the Audubon Greenleaf Eco Rating Program. The resort was recently notified of the honor after a lengthy review process. It is the only property in the United States to have achieved a 5 Green Leaf Rating. Only one other property in the world has achieved a 5 Green Leaf Rating: the Aurum Lodge in Alberta, Canada.
The announcement was made at the Golden Arrow on March 3, 2010. Among those present were Kevin Gallagher from Audubon International and president of Green Leaf Environmental from Ontario, Canada, Dan Murphy, president of the New York State Hospitality and Lodging Association, and Jeff Sama, director of Environmental Permits and Pollution Prevention from NYSDEC, who also serves as the chairperson for the NYS Green Hospitality and Tourism Council.
Audubon International first gave the Golden Arrow a 3 Green Leaf Rating in 2006. In spring of 2008 the resort was the first in the United States to have achieved a 4 Green Leaf Rating. Since then The Golden Arrow has worked diligently in their quest to become a respected leader in sustainable tourism.
Success Due to Employee Participation
“Our entire team has worked extremely hard to achieve the 5 Green Leaf Rating from Audubon International,” said Jenn Holderied one of the owners of the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort. “Every member of our staff has searched diligently to find innovative, yet responsible ways that we can make the resort more sustainable while enhancing the guest’s experience. We would not have been able to reach this lofty goal without the dedication and commitment of the Golden Arrow employees.
“The tourism industry is in a unique position to influence and educate a large number of people about the importance of living gently on the Earth,” Holderied added. “If even a small percentage of the guests who stay at the Golden Arrow each year return home and make one change in their daily lives, such as recycling or using reusable bags when shopping, it makes a large impact and influences others around them. Now imagine if every hotel in New York State had a green program and a percentage of their guests went home and made a small change in their lives. The effects could be tremendous. Lake Placid is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled areas in the world. We feel grateful to live in this incredible environment and feel obligated to do what we can to protect it.”
Based on the criteria for the Audubon Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program, a 5 Green Leaf rated hotel is a world leader and innovator of eco-efficiency and clearly demonstrates leadership in the industry on green and sustainable practices. The Audubon Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program was launched in Canada in 1998 to meet the lodging industry’s desire to provide quality guest services, while minimizing its impact on the environment, and was one of the first eco-rating programs in the world for the lodging industry. Being a part of the Audubon Green Leaf Program confirms a commitment to water conservation, waste minimization and energy efficiency. The Audubon International rating program identifies and rewards lodging facilities that are environmental leaders throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Properties are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 Green Leafs. Audubon International and Greenleaf Environmental Communications, Inc. administer the program jointly.
Go to The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort and Audubon International.
