CHESTER, VT—The Chester Innkeepers Association is the first Vermont innkeepers association to have all of its members designated as Green Hotels as members of the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership (VBEP), a state program that recognizes businesses that go the extra step in being environmental stewards. The association has created an environmental mission statement that is available on its website. The innkeepers have shown their commitment to reducing their environmental impact by conserving energy and water, and purchasing environmentally preferable products that close the recycling loop or reduce chemical use. Additionally, the inns communicate their environmental commitment to their guests,...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—Homewood Suites by Hilton, the international brand of upscale, all-suite, residential-style hotels, announced it has been honored by the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) with a Watlov Family Outstanding Service Award for the brand’s philanthropic support of the organization. Homewood Suites has partnered with NCH for more than two years in helping to raise funds, and hold clothing and linen drives. Additionally, Homewood Suites recently completed a short documentary on NCH, which will air on the in-room entertainment guide, LodgeNet, later this spring. “We are truly honored to be recognized by NCH for our work with the organization,”...

SAINT PAUL, MINN.—Minnesota’s travel and tourism industry is going to be getting much greener in coming months thanks to efforts on two fronts. The first initiative is a day-long seminar scheduled for May 13 at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront hotel. The purpose of the seminar is to help the area’s businesses prepare for the Republican National Convention (RNC) that will be held September 1 to 4 in Saint Paul. The second initiative is the formation of a Minnesota Travel Green Task Force. Its mission is to develop a travel green program aimed at increasing the environmentally beneficial...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is distributing a Green Assessment Survey to approximately 9,500 members, from which the association will evaluate and quantify current initiatives and determine a baseline for eco-friendly action. For each Green Assessment Survey returned, AH&LA will donate $1.00 to the National Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of Arbor Day on April 25. The three-minute survey includes a well-rounded series of questions on various eco-friendly initiatives including: • Specific recycling programs; • Eco-friendly vendor relationships; • Linen reuse programs; • Energy- and water-saving actions; and • Motivation for environmentally-friendly program implementation. Assessment Surveys will provide necessary feedback and real-world examples of various levels of...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its newest brand, ELEMENT hotels, will require all hotels brand-wide to pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification. With its first hotel debuting this summer and more than 20 hotels set to open by the end of 2009, ELEMENT will make history as the first major hotel brand to commit to LEED certification. Designed for longer stays, and consisting entirely of new-build hotels, ELEMENT is uniquely positioned in the industry to spur widespread green development. ELEMENT designated its first hotel, Starwood-owned ELEMENT Lexington, Mass.,...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service, is extending GreenPath, its award-winning sustainability and environmental system, to its worldwide operations. In a related announcement, Delaware North said it is naming John Huey to a newly created post of director of sustainability and environmental affairs. Huey was instrumental in the development and implementation of GreenPath, the company’s proprietary and award-winning environmental stewardship program, which began with Delaware North’s operation in Yosemite National Park, and is firmly in place at all parks and resorts, as well as Delaware North’s global headquarters. “Our unique approach at Yosemite National Park...

NATIONAL REPORT—Driven by increased environmental awareness, Americans are quickly moving to the greener end of the spectrum. Latest findings from Mintel, a leading market research company, reveal that more than one-third of adults (36 percent) claim to “regularly” buy green products. Just 16 months ago, only 12 percent said they “regularly” purchased green products. Furthermore, the number of people who “never” purchase green products has been cut in half over the past 16 months, according to Mintel. In August 2006, one in five Americans (20 percent) claimed to “never” buy green products. Now, only 10 percent of the population makes...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—The Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is offering a Scottsdale Green by Design Tool Kit to encourage members of Scottsdale’s tourism industry and business community to implement measures that will reduce their impact on the environment. From simple steps that can be taken immediately to ideas for larger-scale programs, the tool kit has everything needed to start greening a business today. Going green is a key factor in staying competitive and vying for lucrative tourism dollars. In 2007, a survey conducted by Orbitz to gauge U.S. travelers’ opinions revealed that 67 percent of Americans say the eco-friendliness of...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Willard InterContinental Hotel will celebrate Earth Day this year with a park cleanup and light bulb exchange. On April 22, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m., the Willard, with members of the National Parks Service, will spend the day across from the hotel in Pershing Park, where employees and community members are invited to help clean the park and learn some of the ways the Willard is working to reduce its environmental impact. These include a peak at some of the eco-friendly products used in the hotel. Also on Earth Day, I Spa at the Willard estheticians...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—The inaugural Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit will be held April 28 to 29 at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, Tenn. The summit, designed to kick off and honor the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is a partnership effort of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina and the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations, The University of Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area. Sustainable tourism is defined as sustaining the environment and historical and cultural heritage of a region, while simultaneously sustaining the...