BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA—Kimberly DeLape, whose passion is bettering mankind through environmental preservation, children, and the arts, announced that a portion of the proceeds from sales of a new Caribbean sustainable luxury resort community, Emerald Monkey, will be donated to UNICEF. The announcement was made as native workers on the resort’s island, Isla Pastor, Bocas Del Toro, worked in preparation for the new eco-luxe villas, signaling the emergence of an idyllic five-star community that will complement and sustain itself from its environment. “As we strive toward our goal of creating the first-ever ‘carbon neutral footprint’ luxury resort community and to...

HARTFORD, CONN.—Yet another state will soon have its own green lodging program. Thanks to the efforts of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, Connecticut Green Lodging will launch in May. The program is being put together with the assistance of Peter Cooke, program manager for Maine’s Green Lodging Certification Program. The Connecticut program will mirror the one run in Maine but will be modified to meet Connecticut state government requirements. According to Kim Trella, supervising environmental analyst for Connecticut’s DEP, planning started two years ago when hoteliers in the state lobbied...

SAN DIEGO—In an effort to support and enhance its local farming communities, Loews Coronado Bay Resort recently announced the introduction of “Farmers, Foragers and Fishermen,” a seasonal dinner series that allows guests to dine with the folks who produce, harvest and catch the ingredients they enjoy on a regular basis. “We believe today’s dining experience extends far beyond chefs and wineries,” said Ellen Burke Van Slyke, Loews Hotels’ corporate creative director of food and beverage. “It starts with the source—the farmer—and these dinners are designed to showcase them and their similar passion for sustainable practices.” Similar to a winemaker’s dinner, “Farmers,...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Rosen Hotels & Resorts announced that its three Orlando convention properties—Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek—are the first hotels in Central Florida to achieve Two Palm status in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging Program, and were numbers eight, nine and 10, among only 11 total Two Palm hotels in the state of Florida. The three properties were among the first 50 properties—the top one percent in Florida—to receive One Palm designation in 2007. The newly achieved Two Palm designation certifies that the hotels have increased energy conservation and pollution prevention measures since their...

LOS ANGELES—With the probability increasing for the first mandatory reductions in imported water supplies throughout Southern California in nearly a generation, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors nearly doubled funding for the agency’s conservation and rebate programs to keep pace with burgeoning demands. Metropolitan’s board authorized an additional $20 million for regional programs offering consumers and businesses rebates for installing water-saving devices and providing financial incentives to public agencies to make conservation investments. “The unprecedented water supply situation facing Southern California and the rest of the state will not be solved with one or two hearty storms,” said Metropolitan board...

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—As part of proposed budget cuts for the coming year, the State of Florida is suggesting a major reduction in the size of the Florida Green Lodging Program. If the cuts are approved, four full-time employees (three in Tallahassee and one in the Central District) would lose their jobs. According to Peter Goren, program director for Florida Green Lodging, two half-time positions would also be eliminated in Jacksonville and Fort Myers. One full-time employee would be retained to serve as the sole source for technical assistance for Florida properties wishing to participate in the program that now has...

BERLIN—Hilton Hotels Corp. announced the addition of Denizen Hotels, a global lifestyle brand, to the Hilton Family of Brands. Appearing throughout the world in international social epicenters, Denizen Hotels will cater to globally-conscious travelers. “We are thrilled to welcome Denizen Hotels into our portfolio of brands,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton Hotels Corp. “While we continue to operate in a challenging macro economic environment, the addition of Denizen Hotels demonstrates our commitment to continuing to invest in our long-term growth. Denizen Hotels, a lifestyle brand that will attract business and leisure travelers across cultures and generations and...

BURBANK, CALIF.—The Walt Disney Company announced a landmark set of strategic environmental goals and challenging three to five year targets to reduce emissions, waste, electricity and fuel use, and its impact on water and ecosystems. The goals are part of Disney’s 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the company’s approach to critical corporate responsibility issues ranging from charitable giving to nutrition and from online safety for kids to workplace diversity. “Disney’s enhanced corporate responsibility efforts make our brands and products more attractive, strengthen our bonds with consumers, make the company a more desirable place to work and build goodwill in...

SAN DIEGO—In a voluntary, proactive approach to water conservation and environmental stewardship, Barona Creek Golf Club, recipient of the Bronze Signature Sanctuary Certification from Audubon International, announced an ambitious turf reduction project that will lower irrigation and maintenance needs to enhance its conservation of natural resources. Don King, Barona Creek’s executive director of golf operations, says the project will eliminate alternate tee boxes and convert 10 to 12 acres of out-of-play turf to waste bunkers or more natural landscape. These measures will address several important environmental issues ranging from reduced fuel and energy consumption to the use of fewer...

NATIONAL REPORT—Historically, owners of lodging establishments throughout the United States and Canada have ignored the sun as a source of potential energy to heat water. Whether because of concerns about cost or misperceptions about how solar thermal technology works, solar hot water heating systems are rare. That is all beginning to change, however, thanks to improving technologies, tax incentives and rebates, creative financing, better education about solar thermal heating, an increase in the number of developers interested in building to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, and an increase in the number of qualified vendors that sell...