Nature's Corner
Colette Bachand-Wood, TravelNewEngland.com, August 2007 (excerpted)
Boston's Doubletree gets award – The Doubletree Guest Suites Boston has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance. By earning the award, the Doubletree is using at least 35 percent less energy than average buildings. Doubletree is managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Starwood's ELEMENTS to be green – When Starwood Hotels unveils its new brand of extended stay hotels in 2008, "eco-etiquette" will be part of the design. The new ELEMENT hotels will make environmentally friendly choices intuitive for guests through features based on research showing guests are now demanding sustainable practices when they travel.
"No one wants a lecture on the environment when they travel," said Sue Brush, senior vice president at Starwood. "The idea behind ELEMENT is to make smart choices intuitive and to support our guests' sustainable lifestyle so we can simultaneously accommodate our guests and the environment."
Among ELEMENT'S green features will be shampoo and conditioner dispensers to eliminate multiple mini-bottles. Bathrooms will have low-flow sink faucets and dual flush, low-gallonage toilets. Floors in the hotels will include carpets with 100 percent recycled content; art will be mounted on walls using bases made from recycled tires and low VOC paints will improve air quality. Guest rooms will have recycle bins and use compact florescent lamps that maximize natural light.
EPA's meetings go green – Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was planning to make all its meetings green by giving preferential bookings to hotels and conference centers which consume less and manage their resources in environmentally positive ways. The EPA spends about $50 million annually on travel and says that it hopes other government agencies will follow its choices in demanding green meeting spaces.
The EPA has developed a 14-point checklist to evaluate hotels and conference centers. Among the questions it will ask are whether a facility has a recycling program, a linen re-use program, bulk dispensers, energy efficiency programs, water conservation programs and other green initiatives. More information about the EPA's Green Meetings Program can be found at www.epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings.
Summer harbor walks – The Boston Harbor Association has two more guided Harbor Walk tours scheduled this summer along the Boston waterfront. On August 16, the tour will cover the Charlestown Waterfront with views of the harbor and discussions of the rich history and culture of the area. (Take the Boston Harbor Cruises 5:15 p.m. shuttle from Long Wharf to Pier 4 dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard.)
On September 12, the Harbor Walk tour will be in East Boson with a tour from Maverick Square to Piers Park. The guided discussion will include information about the area's sites slated for redevelopment and the East Boston Greenway. The tour meets at 5:15 pm in front of Dunkin' Donuts in Maverick Square.
VT motor coach company goes CO2 neutral – The Morrisville, VT based Lamoille Valley Transportation (LVT) company has become the first carbon-neutral private motor coach company in the world. LVT has been part of a pilot program with the University of Vermont related to sustainable transportation. This summer, the University is scheduled to introduce its first sustainable transportation certification program based on its work with LVT.
Last month, the company was involved with the Udall Foundation on a 26-city eco-journey called the Udall Legacy Bus Tour to promote sustainable transportation. The bus was in Boston and other New England sites last month.
Norm Prive is owner of the 10-bus fleet of LVT which began using biodiesel in 2006 and in January of 2007 took their environmental initiatives one step further by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
The company, which offers charter service throughout New England, has seen a dramatic increase in bookings over the past year which they attribute to people looking for greener alternatives.