LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.—Walt Disney World Resort senior vice president for operations Erin Wallace announced that all Disney owned and operated hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort will become smoke free by June 1, 2007. The policy also applies to all Disney Vacation Club Resorts. With more than 20 Disney owned and operated resorts, this represents the largest single site resort complex to institute this type of smoking policy change. “We make adjustments to our operations based on guest demand,” Wallace says. “This policy complements our efforts to provide our guests with the healthy living options they...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts recently accepted the IMEX Green Meetings Award for its efforts in environmental responsibility and stewardship. Through its commitment to GreenPath, a nationally renowned system of environmental management, Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts received the Silver IMEX Green Meetings Award for hosting a green meeting for the Sierra Business Council (SBC) conference at Curry Village and Yosemite Lodge at the Falls in Yosemite National Park. The conference, held in November 2006, featured many green initiatives and used many environmentally friendly products. Measurable achievements at the SBC conference included 50 percent...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is erecting a new milestone in the march toward a greener government. Now the agency plans to turn its meetings green. EPA is changing its acquisition rules to give preference to facilities that consume less and manage their resources in environmentally positive ways. The rule change was effective May 1. For the first time, EPA will consider environmental achievement along with such factors as price and past performance when buying meeting and conference space. The new regulation is a step toward giving priority to hotels and conference centers that demonstrate green progress....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that projects seeking certification under the LEED Green Building Rating System can now earn “Innovation in Design” points by using the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) program for certified building products, as well as products certified by other established systems. C2C assesses products on a number of criteria, such as the use of safe and healthy materials; design for material reuse and recycling; efficient use of energy and water throughout production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility. The C2C design paradigm was developed by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart,...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International announced that its first Cambria Suites hotel has opened in Boise, Idaho. Like all future Cambria Suites properties, it will be 100 percent nonsmoking. Cambria Suites hotels are designed for guests who want to take their lifestyle with them when traveling, and hotels feature a stylish design that is more intimate than traditional hotel décor, with guest suites that are 25 percent larger than standard hotel rooms. The 119-suite Cambria Suites Boise Airport hotel is owned and operated by The Summit Group Inc., a hotel developer focused on developing, managing, and owning mid-market...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—In celebration of National Arbor Day, Friday, April 27, Doubletree Hotels has launched a month-long “Pledge to Plant Challenge” by encouraging America to help plant 50,000 seedling trees. The initiative is an extension of the brand’s environmental education and preservation efforts. Together with The National Arbor Day Foundation, the hotelier is challenging Americans to “think trees” in an active effort to re-green America and reinforce the importance of trees in our everyday lives. By visiting www.doubletree.com/thinktrees between now and May 31, those making a personal pledge to plant may receive two of their very own seedling...

NEW YORK—Greenhouse 26, the first green boutique hotel in New York City, will open at 132 W. 26th St. in Spring 2008. Blending first-class amenities with progressive environmental initiatives, Greenhouse 26 will apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status, establishing that hotels of all sizes can be successfully green. Sustainability has been an integral part of the development and design process for developers Jack Ancona, who has been in the New York City real estate industry for over 50 years, and Flatiron Real Estate Advisors LLC. With the belief that outstanding design is inherently...

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—More than 500 hotels and counting. That is the number of properties that have signed up for the Hotel Association of Canada’s (HAC) Green Key Eco-Rating program. According to Anthony Pollard, president of HAC, another 450 are in the pipeline and a total of 1,200 should be signed up by the end of the year. The program, which rates hotels with from one to five green keys, with five keys being the best, has been blossoming of late for several reasons. “In Canada, the No. 1 issue by far is the environment,” Pollard says. The...

PHOENIX, ARIZ.—Aramark Parks & Resorts, a division of Aramark Harrison Lodging, announced that it has offset 100 percent of its traditional energy consumption with alternative energy solutions at its national and state park managed properties—selecting Earth Day 2007 to commemorate its first year of sustainable energy use. “Aramark Parks has continually developed cutting edge environmental and greening initiatives,” says Bruce Fears, president of Aramark Harrison Lodging. “Since protecting and preserving the environment is a personal passion of mine, it has been extremely rewarding to have participated in developing such innovative Aramark programs including PlanetEVERgreen, Green Suites EcoRooms; Sustainable...

NATIONAL REPORT—Six prominent spas are forming a network dedicated to bringing environmentally sustainable operating practices to the burgeoning spa industry. The Green Spa Network (GSN) seeks to help spas and spa professionals reap the financial and social benefits from implementing environmentally friendly business practices. The intention of the organization is to synergize greening efforts among network members as a way to support spas in reducing their ecological impact, while improving energy efficiencies and reducing operational costs. With nearly 14,000 facilities generating $9.7 billion in annual revenues, spas are a leading leisure industry and naturally suited to be at...