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EcoStay celebrates Fort McMurray's greenest hotels with Earth Day promotion - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

EcoStay celebrates Fort McMurray's greenest hotels with Earth Day promotion

Apr 19th, 2010 6:05 AM

Media Release Attn: Community, Hospitality, Environment and Business Reporters and Editors EcoStay celebrates Fort McMurray's greenest hotels with Earth Day promotion EcoStay is proud to announce that nine Fort McMurray Hotels have joined the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) endorsed EcoStay program. The AHLA has partnered with EcoStay to deliver the carbon capture portion of the StayGreen Alberta initiative. StayGreen Alberta was developed by the AHLA to help hotels, motels and campgrounds around Alberta reduce their environmental impact through education, industry best practices conservation and offsetting programs. "This partnership between StayGreen Alberta and EcoStay provides our members with an effective, easy way to become eco-friendly corporate citizens," Dave Kaiser, AHLA President & CEO remarked. "Preserving the environment is everyone's responsibility, and we're doing our part." "Fort McMurray hotels have been quick to embrace the movement towards green accommodations" says Marcel Berube of the Fort McMurray Hotel & Lodging Association (FMHLA). The Atlific Group (Vantage, Clearwater, Merit, Franklin and Nomad) as well as Fort McMurray's Radisson, Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, Super 8 and Quality Hotel are all now official EcoStay properties. In addition, the Fort McMurray group will be collaborating with Keyano College to investigate options for energy conservation, building technologies and design, waste management, recycling, and staff training needs in a local green transformation initiative. Other participating AHLA member EcoStay hotels include the High Country Inn Banff, Best Western Heidelberg Inn Lethbridge, Chinook Motel Lethbridge and Best Western Calgary Centre. On Thursday, April 22, all EcoStay participating properties around Alberta will double the carbon offsets they buy for each guest's stay in celebration of Earth Day, resulting in an estimated environmental impact equivalent to removing 13,000 cars from the road for a day.. Under EcoStay, these hotels' greenhouse gas emissions will be measured annually using an industry specific methodology developed in collaboration with CSA Standards Climate Change division. The carbon offsets purchased under the program all come from projects located within the province of Alberta that are registered on the CSA Standards GHG CleanProjectsTM Registry ensuring ISO 14064-2 reporting and independent ISO 14064-3 verification. Hotels are also empowered to undertake on-site and community based initiatives to conserve energy and lower emissions. "Each year, the average 150 room Alberta hotel emits 440 cars' worth of greenhouse gasses," said Christina deVries, Director of EcoStay. "Through the EcoStay program, hotels can actually offset their net emissions to zero." Details about the EcoStay program are available at: www.ecostay.ca For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact: Christina DeVries Director of Marketing and Communications, EcoStay 289.360.3027 cdevries@ecostay.ca The EcoStay Program supports Canadian hotels in their effort to take action against climate change. Participating establishments add a per night EcoStay fee to each room to support environmental initiatives throughout the hotel, tracking and measurement of Hotel related GHG emissions and the purchase of emission-reducing carbon offset projects across the country-making each night's stay completely carbon neutral and good for the planet! The EcoStay program is a Stay Green Alberta/AHLA Strategic Partner Program. The Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1919 which represents a broad cross section of Alberta's accommodation and tourism industry. Its members are owners and operators of hotels, motels, inns, resorts, bed and breakfasts, lodges, and campgrounds. The AHLA's purpose is to support its members and strengthen Alberta's tourism and hospitality industry. Through its Four Pillars of Tourism Marketing, Member Value Programs, Human Resource Development, and Government Relations the AHLA strives to provide programs and services that enhance the economic prosperity and social fabric of the industry. The Fort McMurray Hotel & Lodging Association (FMHLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to provide a forum for accommodation providers to discuss issues and opportunities surrounding the industry in Fort McMurray. The association is a tourism partner in supporting initiatives to continuously develop our community as a viable destination for the future. Along with partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the city and other tourism associations the association will encourage free communication between stakeholders within the private and public sectors.