BROOMFIELD, COLO.—RockResorts, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts with nine locations, is rolling out a formal green meetings program. From e-brochures and paperless check-in procedures to organic cuisine, RockResorts has made it easier than ever for planners to support or host environmentally-friendly meetings. To assist meeting planners and attendees in reducing the environmental footprint of their meetings, RockResorts has launched a carbon calculator on its website that allows planners to determine the impact their meeting attendees will have on the environment, including the transportation, lodging and details of the event itself. The luxury resort company has in place “green” service...

HARTFORD, CONN.—Yet another state will soon have its own green lodging program. Thanks to the efforts of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, Connecticut Green Lodging will launch in May. The program is being put together with the assistance of Peter Cooke, program manager for Maine’s Green Lodging Certification Program. The Connecticut program will mirror the one run in Maine but will be modified to meet Connecticut state government requirements. According to Kim Trella, supervising environmental analyst for Connecticut’s DEP, planning started two years ago when hoteliers in the state lobbied...

ANNAPOLIS, MD.—Thayer Lodging Group, an Annapolis, Maryland-based private equity real estate investment firm with a portfolio of 14 hotels, announced they will double their inventory of PURE Allergy Friendly rooms from 280 to 560 this year. Thayer has Pure Allergy Rooms in each of its hotels. Based on Thayer’s 2008 financial report, the group reported 171 percent cash on cash return for the PURE room investment. “These are remarkable figures, especially during tough economic times,” says Frederic V. Malek, co-chairman, Thayer Lodging Group. “In 2008, we generated incremental cash flow of $438,000, which increased the value of our hotels...

PITTSBURGH, PA.—Approximately 180 people attended the Greening the Hospitality Industry conference from February 24 to 26 at the LEED Gold certified David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The event was organized by the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and attracted hoteliers, meeting planners, government representatives and others with a stake in the green meetings industry. Even with the turnout that was lighter than hoped for, GMIC still had plenty to celebrate. In 2008, it increased its membership by 320 percent and now has 345 members in 20 countries with three chapters in formation (Atlanta, Chicago, Florida/Caribbean). Many...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—ASTA recently provided assistance to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in launching its new publication, “Getting There Greener: The Guide to Your Lower Carbon Vacation,” by translating the group’s findings into real-world examples of carbon-friendly vacations that consumers could take without sacrificing fun or excitement. “This guide is a useful tool for travel agents looking for hard data on the carbon cost of various types of travel,” said Chris Russo, ASTA president and chair. “By utilizing this data, travel agents are better equipped to assist those clients wishing to reduce the carbon imprint of their vacations.” At UCS’s recent...

MCLEAN, VA.—The demand for affordable meetings is increasing, especially with continued budget cuts due to the current recession. Today planners are dependent on reliable and affordable partners as they are still tasked to produce high-quality events while often working with a smaller budget. Planners will find these partners and other affordable solutions at the Ninth Annual HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America at Chicago’s Navy Pier, April 1 to 2, 2009. Affordable Meetings offers attendees the opportunity to choose from 24 educational seminars and workshops designed to offer in-depth coverage of important industry topics including sustainability, budgeting, contracts, event planning, and...

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA.—Put a Trump International Beach Resort hat on a walking planet and what have you got? Globie, the resort’s new mascot who is helping to lead the property’s Planet Kids and Planet Little Kids programs. Unlike some mascots who do not talk, Globie is a speaking mascot and helps educate the resort’s young visitors about environment-related issues ranging from recycling to pollution to non-native plants. Along with Planet Kids counselors, Globie participates in skits and there are plans to send the mascot to area schools, events and camps. Tom Card, director of recreation at the resort in...

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF.—A new company, Cozy Green, is providing new life to old hotel towels and linens. Cozy Green utilizes spent hotel pool towels, spa towels and linens to create logo recognized, contemporary retail products. Ideally, the company seeks towels with logos on them, and then “upcycles” them to new branded product for their hotel partners. Cozy Green specializes in totes, hooded sweatshirts, slippers, pillows and recently introduced pet beds. These products could replace the standard robe and slippers currently found in hotel rooms. “Our business model is to create a partnership with resorts which clearly meets their sustainability goals,” according...

NATIONAL REPORT—If you have a top 10 list of “to do” items to green your property, there is a good chance key cards are not on that list. Traditional plastic (PVC) cards carry a high environmental price tag. PVC, of course, is an oil-based product and when incinerated releases harmful dioxins. In the environment, dioxins tend to accumulate in the food chain. The higher in the animal food chain one goes, the higher the concentration of dioxins. Left to rot in a landfill, PVC cards can take centuries to biodegrade. Fortunately, a number of suppliers have emerged in the...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—EcoRooms & EcoSuites, a leading certification and marketing resource for green hotels in the United States and abroad, has unveiled a newly-redesigned logo and website. The new look highlights the growing role of sustainability in the hospitality industry while also offering travelers a more user-friendly online experience, helping them more quickly and easily locate the greenest hotels on the planet. “We expect 2009 to be a huge year for EcoRooms & EcoSuites, and in the growth of consumer awareness regarding green lodging options,” says Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality and founder of EcoRooms & EcoSuites. “As consumers...