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The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays.  I love getting together with family and friends to celebrate America’s independence with good food, icy drinks and lots of laughs while we watch the night sky light up with fireworks. 

And speaking of independence – this time from an energy perspective – I think we have a lot more to celebrate this 4^th of July than we did last year.  Sure, hospitality has taken a hard hit in 2008-09 because of the recession.  But when I consider all the ways the industry has stepped up to help bring America closer to energy independence over the past year, I feel mighty proud indeed.

In spite of the economic downturn, more hotels than ever before are implementing green initiatives.  More hotels than ever before are investing in green technology.  More hotels than ever before are pursuing LEED and other meaningful certifications.  All that adds up to a huge reduction in the hospitality industry’s carbon footprint this year… and we’re just getting warmed up! 

For example, take a look at some of the great properties, awesome products and fine folks profiled in this issue of EcoGreenHotel’s newsletter:

• Learn about a New York City property that found ways to implement major upgrades AND maintain a positive cash flow from Day One.

• Meet a green hospitality champion whose simple philosophy has made his hotel the most energy efficient in his region.

• Check out a cool eco-friendly product for your hotel’s closets that will grab and hold your guests’ attention – and their clothes!

• Browse an info-packed new web site that helps eco travelers make better, more informed lodging choices.

• Read about a state green lodging program that vows to survive following drastic budget and staff cuts.

• Visit a San Francisco hotel that’s won more accolades than they can count – and they’re just getting started!

Does your green hotel have some good news to share?  We’d love to include it in our monthly newsletter, which is distributed to thousands of subscribers worldwide.  Drop us a line at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and tell us about it, and we may highlight it in an upcoming issue!

This month’s EcoFeature Green Hotel:

Joie de Vivre’s Hotel Carlton – San Francisco’s First LEED-EB O&M Gold Certified Eco Hotel!

A few weeks ago, we told you how San Francisco’s Good Hotel, which is part of the Joie de Vivre collection, decorated its property using repurposed and recycled materials. 

Well, Joie de Vivre has caught our attention again.  Another one of its stellar properties, Hotel Carlton, has just become San Francisco’s first LEED-EB O&M Gold Certified hotel, and the first in the country to earn certification under the US Green Building Council’s newly-revamped rating system designed to address the needs of existing buildings. 

Hotel Carlton is a historic 161-room property located near Union Square and the Theatre District.  The hotel is non-smoking and pet friendly, and features an eclectic international decor.  Its restaurant, Saha, offers Arabic fusion cuisine created with organic ingredients whenever possible. 

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TerraCurve.com – Responsible travel news, places, people and events

Looking to find the best eco-sensitive Italian Riviera tour – one that combines great cuisine, awesome wine, nature hikes, cultural activities and meaningful volunteer opportunities?   Or perhaps you’re curious about which airlines have the best carbon-offset programs, or which hotel chain has LEED-certified facilities in your chosen destination city?

You don’t have to spend countless frustrating hours surfing the Internet… look no further than TerraCurve.com!

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This Month’s EcoGreenHotel EcoFeature: 

EcoHangers: The smart way to connect with eco-conscious customers!

Who would have thought that something as simple and inconspicuous as a clothes hanger could have such a powerful impact in your eco hotel?

The good folks at Hanger Network, that’s who!

At EcoGreenHotel, we’re always on the lookout for cool, environmentally-friendly products for the green hospitality industry.  That’s why we were especially excited to discover EcoHangers by the Hanger Network.

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This Month’s EcoFeature Green Hospitality Employee:

Eldio Gomes – Director of Engineering at the Hyatt Dulles in Herndon, VA

As part of EcoGreenHotel’s partnership with Atlantic Energy Solutions, my team and I have been traveling across the country conducting free environmental audits of U.S. hotels since May.  At every property we’ve audited, we’ve been gratified to meet a lot of dedicated green hospitality folks doing great things for their hotels and for the environment. 

But there’s one guy we recently met at an audit whom we just can’t stop talking about – Eldio Gomes of the Hyatt Dulles.  We believe that Eldio really “gets it” when it comes to the sustainable hospitality movement.  Educated in Brazil with a degree in mechanical engineering, Eldio joined the Hyatt family in 2002.  He became engineering director at the Hyatt Dulles in 2004, where his first move was to ensure that all the equipment was running at peak performance to improve energy efficiency.

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EcoGreenHotel Consulting is a total solution offering a wide range of services to the green hospitality industry including, environmental support, green hotel consulting, green certification processing and green hotel marketing.

Free Environmental Audits Uncover Major Funding Opportunities for U.S. Hotels to Go Green

After decades working in the hospitality industry, I’ve seen many trends come and go. But a few years ago when climate change really started to come into focus and people began talking about ways to create a sustainable hospitality industry, I knew that eco-hospitality was not going to be just another passing fad.  It was here to stay, and rightfully so.

And these days, with all the attention being paid to the environmental and economic benefits of cutting energy consumption, it’s a rare hotelier who has not at least considered implementing a sustainability initiative at his or her property. But many never get beyond the wishful thinking stage, because the process can seem so daunting – and expensive.

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•         Green Hotel Consulting

•      Environmental Support Program

•        Our Green Hotel Team

For more information on EcoGreenHotel Consulting send us an inquiry.

EcoGreenHotel has created EcoGreenHotelStore.com, an online purchasing program that will source and provide environmentally friendly products, sustainable packaging and the most earth friendly distributing practices. EcoGreenHotelStore will assist hotels and resorts with a purchasing program that will allow properties to obtain sustainable products in the most environmentally efficient way as possible.

Send an email to info@EcoGreenHotel.com