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...

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYO.—To entice meeting planners to conduct environmentally friendly meetings and conventions, Grand Teton Lodge Co. has introduced a “Go Green, Get Green” meeting package at Jackson Lake Lodge. With the package, meeting planners can earn up to an 8 percent rebate to their master account for hosting a green meeting. Meeting planners will be able to select from a list of eco-friendly elements to incorporate into their program, and the rebate will be calculated based on the number of these components they choose. Some of the choices include: • Printing registration materials...

SEATTLE—Two Seattle area hotels have been saving money and the environment, thanks to a host of environmentally enhanced products from Green Suites International, a California-based supplier of environmental products and programs to the lodging industry. “We’ve been using Green Suites’ EcoRoom products for more than two years at two of our hotels, and we know we’ve saved money and made some friends because of our environmentally sound practices,” says Howard Cohen, general manager of the Best Western Executive Inn and Best Western Loyal Inn, both in Seattle. “We are saving water and electricity, and keeping thousands of small...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Renaissance Hotels & Resorts is making it easier for travelers to be “green” and save some green, by offering complimentary parking to all guests who drive hybrid cars. Current hybrid cars can get up to 60 miles to the gallon and generate lower greenhouse gas emissions than vehicles with standard gas-powered engines. Effective now through December 31, 2006, guests staying, attending a meeting or dining in a restaurant at a participating Renaissance can park their hybrid for free. “We think this is a fun and constructive offer to our guests who are helping the environment by driving...

SHARON, MASS.—The Green Restaurant Assn.(GRA), a national nonprofit organization now 250 restaurants strong, is helping restaurant operators around the United States take a big bite out of energy and other costs through its Certified Green Restaurant program. The Sharon, Mass.-based nonprofit provides consulting services to restaurateurs interested in helping the environment while cutting costs at the same time. GRA was first established in 1990. In addition to consulting services, it provides education and public relations support. The core of its operations is its Certified Green Restaurant program. To become certified, participants join GRA and then undergo an assessment to determine...