PALM BEACH, FLA.—The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that The Breakers Palm Beach has joined the Florida Green Lodging Program. The voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving green practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. “By participating in the Florida Green Lodging Program, The Breakers Palm Beach Hotel is raising industry standards,” says Colleen M. Castille, DEP secretary. “In addition, its dedication is conserving Florida’s natural resources for residents and visitors alike.” The Breakers Palm Beach Hotel is reducing water consumption by not...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Westin Hotels & Resorts has teamed with celebrity jewelry designer Mauri Pioppo to create a talisman necklace in support of smoke-free living. The Renewal Talisman will raise awareness of the benefits of going smoke-free, especially for women and girls, and provide a tangible way for women to share their support for a smoke-free lifestyle with their loved ones. Westin created the piece to celebrate its own commitment to breathing free, made in December 2005 when it announced it would become the first major hotel chain in North America to go smoke-free. While women are embracing...

AMERICAN CANYON, CALIF.—Imagine a hotel with the sound of birds chirping on a green roof, swans gliding across a half-acre lagoon and koi swimming in a pond. Designed to appeal to eco-tourists who want luxury and comfort, Napa Valley’s first environmentally sustainable hotel, Gaia Napa Valley, will open next month. Cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technology was used in its construction and will be applied in the daily operations. Gaia Napa Valley will offer the ultimate experience of harmony with nature. The hotel is pursuing gold LEED certification. The lagoon has its own eco-system, is surrounded by a lush...

Selling a green image, product or service has become trendy in the past few years. At least one survey has shown that travelers are more apt to stay in properties that are environmentally friendly. That is good news for all of us. That does not mean, however, that being green is an easier sell than anything else. It still requires an investment of time and dollars to get the word out to potential customers. As publish and editor of a green publication, I get to learn about hotel companies that are doing everything they can to reduce their...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts Inc. and the National Forest Foundation have partnered together to raise money for conservation projects in the White River National Forest in Colorado and the national forests of Lake Tahoe Basin in California and Nevada, where Vail Resorts operates its five mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly. Throughout the 2006-2007 winter season, Vail Resorts will offer guests at its five mountain resorts the opportunity to participate in a special fundraising effort by contributing $1 on season passes, $1 on online lift ticket transactions, and $1 per room night at its Colorado-based...

SAN JUAN, P.R.—The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) has updated its logo and corporate identity, following the approval of the board of directors during the organization’s annual industry conference (CHIC 2006) in Miami. The new brand image reflects the changing Caribbean tourism industry. “An organization’s logo is its face to the world,” says Alec Sanguinetti, director general and c.e.o. of CHA. “After 46 years without making any change of substance to our image, we decided it was time to have a significant makeover, mainly to better reflect today’s Caribbean hotel and tourism sector.” Sanguinetti says the new image...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—The Commercial Division of Moen Inc. introduces its new Heavy-Duty Two-Handle Commercial Faucet Series. The ADA-compliant products include center set and widespread lavatory faucets, bar and pantry faucets, a kitchen faucet and a vandal-proof shower head with an adjustable spray angle. “The creation of this series was based on extensive field research conducted with decision makers and facility managers from around the country,” says Allen Talley, Moen’s director of commercial marketing and product development. “This heavy-duty series was made to be responsive to real-world scenarios in a variety of public spaces and applications. For example, to...

MIAMI—The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has added the Four Seasons Hotel Miami to the Florida Green Lodging Program. The voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving green practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. “Green lodges take the initiative to conserve resources and protect the environment,” says DEP Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “By adopting innovative green practices, Florida’s environmentally sensitive lands are preserved for future generations.” The Four Seasons Hotel Miami reduces water consumption by using technologically advanced showerheads, faucets, spray nozzles and toilets....

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Westin Hotels & Resorts is marking the six-month milestone of its smoke-free conversion in North America with Breathing Lights installations in its lobbies nationwide. The artistically designed projections count the number of fresh breaths taken by each Westin guest each day. The design can be viewed by guests and visitors to Westin lobbies nationwide, or by visiting www.westin.com/breathe. Westin became the first major hotel chain to convert all of its smoking rooms in North America to smoke-free late last year, investing more than $3 million in its initiative. The move comes as part of Westin’s...

Green Lodging News, as a publication name, works. I am biased, of course, but it is not a name that I spent hours or days thinking about. And, I certainly did not need to hire a consultant to come up with it. Green Lodging News is about as basic as you can get. I suspect a reader does not think about anything other than environmental industry news when reading it or hearing it. It is simple without being misleading or causing any confusion; it is what it is. Names take time to establish. That is why companies spend...