CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Green Hotel Certification as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Green Hotel Certification offers an independent, on-site and auditor-based certification program for the hospitality industry. Based on internationally recognized documents provided by the United Nations, European Union as well as ISO (9001/14001), the certification concentrates on three areas: Energy and Environment, Corporate Responsibility and Conservation. The online program eliminates paperwork and keeps the property up-to-date at all times. Call (310) 929-7460, e-mail Guido Bauer at gbauer@greenhotelcertification.com, or go to www.greenhotelcertification.com.

In a previous column (click here) I detailed how to make it known you’re “green” during your trade show experience. I covered the trade show booth, general marketing tips and effective ways to disseminate your information in a green way. You’ll next need to get the word out and create a buzz (more PR functions); these can be done through announcements, events, and so forth. Just make sure they are green. Prior to exhibiting at a trade show or consumer show, you need to get the word out about your company and the fact that it will be exhibiting green. If...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Albert Einstein said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” As a leader in the hospitality industry, Minneapolis-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide is setting an example and influencing others by promoting healthy lifestyles through a 100 percent smoke-free environment. The four most-recent hotel members to join FreshStay’s ranks of more than 3,500 guaranteed smoke-free properties around the United States, Canada and the world, are affiliated with Carlson’s hotel brands. These new members include: Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis; Radisson Hotel Central Dallas; Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown; and Country Inn...

HONOLULU, OAHU—Ushering in the green of spring, starting May 1, the Outrigger Condominium Collection will present guests with a free amenity—a reusable “green” travel tote—providing an earth-friendly alternative to single-use paper and plastic bags. The new complimentary tote will be presented to guests staying a minimum of two nights at any of Outrigger’s resort condominiums in Hawaii, allowing them to explore the islands in style while protecting and preserving the state’s resources. “Our goal is to help reduce the millions of plastic and paper bags headed for Hawaii landfills while at the same time creating a more convenient vacation experience...

MCLEAN, VA.—The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association has signed on to become a 2008 Distribution Partner for The Green Events Source Book. As a distribution partner, HSMAI will be distributing copies of the multimedia resources guide to an estimated 3,000 meeting planners at three upcoming U.S. conferences: Affordable Meetings Mid-America at Chicago’s Navy Pier April 9 to 10; Affordable Meetings West at the Long Beach Convention Center June 11 to 12; and the National Conference and Event Technology Expo in Washington D.C. September 10 to 11, 2008. In addition to exhibiting at the conference, Green Events Source founder Deborah Popely...

SAN FRANCISCO—Michael Pace, general manager of W San Francisco, announces the kickoff of ECOLICIOUS—the first of a number of new eco-fun programs designed to put W San Francisco’s best green foot forward in 2008. ECOLICIOUS puts the W spin on organic-chic cocktailing, with a groovy green organic drink menu and delicious farm-to-table bites. San Francisco scenesters and green-thumbs alike will delight in this hip new eco-chic cocktail mixer. “We know that people in San Francisco like to have a good time when they get off of work, but we also understand that they like to do what they can...

CHEVY CHASE, MD.—Beginning April 1, guests at Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts around the world can volunteer their time to improve and assist the local community where they are vacationing. The program, called “Give Back Getaways,” offers guests a variety of opportunities from helping to protect endangered sea turtles in Cancun, Mexico, to helping with renovations and landscaping at the Children-Hospice SONNENHOF, which offers support for children with critical illnesses in Berlin. Give Back Getaways is the most recent opportunity to volunteer under Community Footprints, The Ritz-Carlton social and environmental responsibility program. “We have come to recognize the interest many of...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—As the price of gas approaches $4 per gallon in parts of the country, travelers are taking notice. For the fifth year in a row, BedandBreakfast.com members are putting money where guests need it most—in their gas tanks. Guests who fill up on hearty breakfasts at participating B&Bs will find themselves treated to their own fill-up through the BedandBreakfast.com “Tanks a Lot!” promotion, in which inns offer free gas to B&B travelers. Knowing that travelers are increasingly interested in traveling green, BedandBreakfast.com members have crafted a number of creative offers to reward guests for conserving gas and to...

DENVER—RockResorts, a luxury hotel company with a long-standing tradition of emphasizing the natural settings of its resort locations, is launching a brand-wide Green Weddings initiative beginning this summer. From the majestic mountains of Vail to the authentic adobes of Santa Fe, couples can now say “I Do” at a RockResort without saying “I Don’t” to Mother Nature. Those exchanging their vows at the nine unique RockResorts properties will do much more than just recycle the cans attached to their “Just Married” signs. Celebrating this special day at a RockResort offers shades of green sure to satisfy and make a difference...

KISSIMMEE, FLA.—Gaylord Hotels and The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) welcomed Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center into the Florida Green Lodging Program. The 1,406-room resort is one of the largest in that state to participate, and the first in Osceola County’s popular Kissimmee resort corridor. In addition, the resort announced the upcoming rollout of a new guest communications program, called “We’re Eco-Logical”, designed to share the spirit of the resort’s eco-friendly initiatives with guests and meeting planners, while encouraging them to take an active role in the programs. “Together with the citizens of Osceola County, we have created one...