BOULDER, COLO.—EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com (EFH) has connected eco-conscious travelers with the best green hotels for many years. This Earth Day, EFH announces the release of a significant site upgrade, making both finding and promoting sustainable hotels even easier.“Staying in hotels that follow sustainable, earth-friendly practices is a great way for those who support today’s Earth Day events to help improve the environment year round,” said Patrick McClear, president of HealthyStays.com, LLC, which owns and operates EFH. “It not only reduces their footprint when they travel, but it also sends a message to hotels that their green efforts are important to their...

SAN FRANCISCO—When visitors to San Francisco see the colorful new banners on display around Moscone Center, they’ll know the city is welcoming them. What they won’t know is that they’re being welcomed in a far more environmentally-friendly way as a result of a new fabric that’s being used to make the banners.As part of their commitment to the environment and sustainability and in keeping with the City’s efforts overall to be more green, the San Francisco Travel Assn. is in the process of installing banners made of an eco-friendly material called EkoFlex, from AAA Flag & Banner.“San Francisco Travel...

MIAMI—The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. announced that two new Caribbean destinations are offering the award-winning Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program. Reflecting the popularity of the environmental program’s first collaboration with The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, it’s now available at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, in addition to the newly launched first Reserve in the Americas, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.The pioneering program, which emphasizes education and respect for environmental sustainability, is exclusively crafted for each diverse landscape and culture, designed for guests to explore the world’s natural wonders and heighten getaways with innovative environmental education and activities. Through eco-adventures,...

HONOLULU, HAWAII—Aqua Hospitality is donating a portion of room reservations on Earth Day to celebrate a number of green improvements throughout its collection. Aqua Hospitality’s hotels and resorts will be doing their part to care for the oceans via room reservation donations to Hui o Koolaupoko, an organization whose mission is to protect ocean health. One dollar from each reservation booked on Earth Day (Monday, April 22) will go toward helping Hui o Koolaupoko’s programs for monitoring ocean conditions and watershed health by working with various stakeholders on natural resource coordination and community education. Bookings for April 22 can...

CHICAGO—This month, Earth Month, Hotel Felix Chicago will roll out the green carpet with free eco-friendly events and activities for Chicagoans and guests alike. Located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Hotel Felix is Chicago’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified hotel.The Earth Month activities include but are not limited to: •    Earth Day, Earth Stay: To kick off Earth Month on April 1, Hotel Felix will offer an exclusive Earth Day room rate of $20.13 plus tax for the first 10 people who book a room for Earth Day, April 22, online using promo code EARTH....

DESTIN, FLA.—Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa has received the 2013-14 Green Meetings Approved by ConventionSouth certification from ConventionSouth magazine, a leading national resource for meeting planners holding events in the South.The annual certification program evaluates and recognizes properties for their green meeting initiatives and the ability to help meeting planners meet their own green meeting objectives.“We’ve worked long and hard on our sustainable practices and green initiatives, and are excited to have our efforts recognized with this certification,” said Gary Brielmayer, general manager of Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “From water reduction and energy conservation,...

BOSTON—The Lenox Hotel in Boston will embrace the upcoming Earth Day by offering a month-long program of green amenities, services and an overnight package designed to keep Boston green.Starting April 1 and continuing through April 30, The Lenox Hotel will offer guests a “Green Dreams” package that includes an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s Heaven on Eleven Pure rooms, a sustainable breakfast in City Table restaurant, an eco-tour of the hotel with the property’s Director of Green, access to the hotel’s book lending eco-library and a guaranteed carbon neutral stay. As part of “Give 5% Keep Boston...

NATIONAL REPORT—On a winter’s day when the temperature in the Washington, D.C. area soared into the 70s, the ASAE Convene Green Alliance (CGA) took an adventurous group of 20 meeting professionals and industry partners on a behind-the-scenes “Green Safari” tour of the sustainability program at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View, one of only three LEED Gold certified hotels in Virginia. Participants received bandanas to wear and were greeted by Renaissance associates dressed in pith helmets and safari gear to set the theme for this unique learning format. The Green Safari demonstrated how the property earned LEED Gold status and how it...

MILL VALLEY, CALIF.—Auberge Resorts has announced environmentally focused offerings at each of its luxury resorts across North America that will encourage guests to share in the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. Each property is introducing a new collection of Earth Month guest experiences kicking off during Earth Hour on March 23 and available throughout the month of April.“Environmental preservation is intrinsic to the Auberge Resorts brand; our mission is to preserve the essence of place in each resort location and allow our guests to experience that cultural and environmental connection at each destination,” said Mark Harmon, CEO, Auberge Resorts....

LOS ANGELES—As part of the company’s rebranding initiative, Mars Air Systems is launching a clean new website to engage customers through interactive videos, information portals and client case studies. The website also now serves as an industry resource for new laws, studies and programs related to energy-efficient air curtains. In addition, Mars has developed a new logo to reflect its overall vision and purpose—Mars: atmosphere is everything.Mars has redefined its mission to be the company others want to do business with by: •    cultivating an open, honest, and passionate culture for its employees; •    offering the broadest selection of high-quality,...