Victoria, B.C., August 31, 2010 – The Hotel Association of Canada has awarded The Fairmont Empress the prestigious 5 Green Key award through the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.  Recognized as the fourth Fairmont property to achieve this prestigious ranking, The Fairmont Empress becomes the only hotel in Victoria, BC to achieve this honour.

The 5 Green Key rating exemplifies the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility throughout all areas of operations. The hotel embraces cutting edge technologies, policies, and programs that set the international standard for sustainable hotel operations. The Fairmont Empress embodies a very active Green Committee who works assiduously to identify sustainable practices from all aspects of the hotel’s operation.

“It is a true honour to be awarded this distinction and a genuine reflection of our hotel’s commitment to giving back to the local community”, raves General Manager, Martin Leclerc. “We strive to be outstanding neighbours through our actions and it just makes good business sense to do the environmentally right thing. I always remember today we borrow from our children’s future”, he adds.

In 2009, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts committed its portfolio in the United States to becoming members of the Green Key Eco-Rating Program. Signifying the evolution of the program from its Canadian roots to one that serves the needs of conservation-minded properties across Canada and the U.S, the cornerstone of the program is its focus on sound sustainable practices for the lodging industry.  For more information on Green Key or to register your property, visit www.greenkeyglobal.com.

Some key eco practices currently in place at The Fairmont Empress:

• A multi-departmental Environmental Committee, also known as the “Green Team”, has been assigned responsibility for directing and coordinating environmental initiatives within the hotel and community.
• The hotel sponsors, celebrates, and participates in local, national, and international environmental events including Bike to Work Week, an incentive to purchase monthly transit passes, a hotel-wide initiative to reduce energy consumption for Earth Hour, and the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
• The hotel provides charitable donations to various environmental organizations including contributions of excess materials, untouched food items, and the support of endangered species.
• Employees are provided training and education for environmental awareness and identifying departmental and hotel-wide best practices.
• The hotel monitors all Green House Gas emissions and purchases carbon creates to offset emissions. All Fairmont hotels proudly participate in the WWF’s Climate Savers Program with the intention of reducing emissions more than 20% of 2006 levels by 2013.
• In 1990, the Canadian properties pioneered the Green Partnership program—a comprehensive commitment to minimizing each hotels’ impact on the planet. Accompanied by a guidebook on sustainable best practices in the lodging industry, the Green Partnership has been endorsed by Dr. David Suzuki.

“Being green is eco-chic”, boosts Green Team president, Michael Yarr. “In addition to being exemplary role models, being green saves the hotel money”. Yarr, whose day job is the Controller, led a revolutionary hotel-wide waste audit with an independent company that proved successful in saving the hotel $18,000 in waste hauling annually.  The Hotel’s current recycling programs divert 28 tonnes of material monthly from landfill in addition to saving 476 trees, 92.4 cubic yards of landfill, 42,560 liters of oil, 784,000 liters of water and 114,800 kW hours of electricity. As Victoria’s iconic harbour front hotel for the past 102 years, The Fairmont Empress proves it is possible for this jewel of the West Coast to be around for another century with its eco-loving care of Mother Earth.

ABOUT THE GREEN KEYS ECO-RATING PROGRAM

The Green Key Eco-Rating Program ranks, certifies and inspects hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable “green” operations. The program was developed for the Hotel Association of Canada by a leading environmental engineering firm. Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental self assessment that allows each participating property to benefit on several fronts – cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry.

FAIRMONT’S GREEN PARTNERSHIP

With a long commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible tourism, Fairmont is a sponsor of the National Geographic Mission Programs as well a member of the WWF global Climate Savers program. For decades, Fairmont’s Green Partnership has been the company’s award-winning environmental program focused on minimizing the impact of hotel operations on the environment. In addition to publishing “The Green Partnership Guide”, a “going green” handbook used by its hotels and others in the hospitality industry, initiatives include recycling and organic waste diversion in the hotel’s kitchens, purchasing sustainable seafood, a green conferencing solution dubbed Eco-Meet, retrofitting energy efficient lighting, creating rooftop herb gardens at properties worldwide, and redistributing gently used goods and food to those in need.  For more information on Fairmont’s Green Partnership program, visit www.fairmont.com/environment.

ABOUT THE FAIRMONT EMPRESS

The Fairmont Empress majestically rises over Victoria’s Inner Harbour. This luxury hotel showcases the spirit and energy of Vancouver Island in grand style. With turn-of-the-century beauty, The Fairmont Empress resort regally captures the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era, while the facilities and services meet the needs of today’s traveler. Whether it is world renowned Afternoon Tea, the newly renovated Fairmont Gold, 18-holes of world-class golf or a soothing treatment in the award winning Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Empress, this luxury castle on the coast in Victoria offers the perfect escape from the stresses of a hectic lifestyle. From exhilarating ocean-bound whale watching safaris, epicurean-rich local cuisine to picturesque garden and vineyard tours, you will be awestruck by the countless experiences The Fairmont Empress, Victoria and Vancouver Island has to offer! For more information or reservations, please call 1-250-384-8111 or visit www.fairmont.com/empress.

ABOUT FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS

With over 60 distinctive hotels, including the iconic Fairmont San Francisco and Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai, and more in development, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a global hospitality brand known for its warm and engaging service and culturally rich experiences.  Located in coveted worldwide destinations, its unrivalled collection of classic hotels imbue a sense of heritage, sophistication, and social importance, and are often considered destinations in and of themselves.  Fairmont is also committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with 95 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont and Raffles branded residences, estates and luxury private residence club properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit www.fairmont.com.

If you have fruit trees producing more fruit than you know what to do with please consider calling Life Cycles, whose volunteers will come and pick the fruit for you and donate it to the Mustard Seed Food Bank and other agencies.

Getting rid of your excess fruit before it rots will also avoid a plague of pesky wasps invading your yard!

Call Life Cycles Fruit Tree Project at 250-507-3810 or visit www.lifecyclesproject.ca/

Tourism Victoria and Vancity have partnered together to offer visitors to British Columbia’s capital city 100% Canadian made, 100% Victorian designed reusable shopping bags made from 100% recycled material.The bags will be handed out to visitors at the Visitor Centre 100% free.

This morning, the first bag was handed out along with a celebration of the artist who designed the beautiful logo on each of the bags. Kathy Guthrie, a local Victoria resident and visual artist/calligrapher was the chosen winner for her design. Kathy’s submission included this comment: “In my design I used a variety of hand drawn lettering styles and stylized drawings to depict some of the many things Victoria has to offer.  I enjoy making my art designs fun to look at and can envision happy people shopping with this design on their reusable bag!”

What makes this project even better is that even the ink is earth-friendly. Earthlimits is a small family owned Victoria business that produces earth awareness usable products. They focus on using a combination of fair labour, organic cotton and water based inks to provide top quality products that are gentle on our planet and its people. They collaborate with other small Canadian businesses to provide goods that are strictly 100% manufactured and printed in Canada.

Tourism Victoria is now contributing to the greater cause with more impact than ever demonstrating and promoting sound environmental practices. Tourism Victoria encourages visitors to use the cloth instead of plastic bags while shopping in Victoria and back at home. Furthermore, the bar has been set for local businesses to jump on board and offer their guests a reusable bag option.

The tourism industry as a whole in the Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island region are continuously raising the bar in Sustainable Travel. As locals we are all so proud of who we are and where we live. Most of us don’t even think about it anymore, we just grab our cloth shopping bags from the cupboard just as we grab our keys from the key rack on our way out to the grocery store. This routine has simply become a part of who we are.

I feel obliged to mention that I work for Tourism Victoria but that doesn’t mean that I’m any more proud of this initiative than I would be as a citizen reading the paper. We are all locals first. The vision of a sustainable city is one that takes every individual to actualize, and we really are getting there, one-step-at-a-time.

Last week at Tourism Victoria’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony held at the Inn at Laurel Point, we crowned the 2009 Environment Award winners. These awards recognize the efforts to preserve the environment for the benefit of residents and visitors alike, and for seeing the future through the eyes of tomorrow’s children. Tourism Victoria presents three Environment Awards each year at the organization’s Annual General Meeting.

Congratulations to our 2009 Environment Award Winners!

Individual: Jennifer Davies

2009 Environment Award - Individual

Jennifer Davies is a dedicated member of the community currently expanding her business – The Hair Garden Salon- due to a demand for her services. Jennifer offers an eco-friendly salon environment that focuses on using natural products that are gentle and non toxic. Natural hair dyes, makeup, skin care and even cleaning supplies are just a few things you can find at the Hair Garden. Jennifer is affiliated with such groups as The Green Collective, which offers a chance for the Vancouver Island community to choose eco-conscious products and services. She continually participates in the effort to promote environmental awareness and donates generously to several local events and charities. Jennifer is a leader in the green initiative and will continue to be a role model for business women, environmental efforts and Entrepreneurs alike!

Corporate: Maple Leaf Adventures

2009 Environment Award - Corporate

Maple Leaf Adventures is designed from inside out as an ecotourism organization: in a 360- degree view of the company, every action should have low/no impact on the environment, enhance conservation, support local communities and educate. Maple Leaf Adventures donates at least 1% of gross sales to coastal conservation – the first cruise company in the world to be part of 1% For The Planet. Canada and BC, along with the Wilderness Tourism Association(WTO), have recognized Maple Leaf as a steward of the environment. Maple Leaf donates hundreds of hours a year to foster ecotourism, including working with government on behalf of operators, serving in wilderness tourism organizations, and co-founding the Commercial Bear Viewing Association, to develop a responsible bear viewing industry and guides. Maple Leaf trips have no impact on coastal habitat. Voluntary conservation programs include bilge filtering, holding tanks, recycling, underwater noise reduction, and the ultimate fuel conservation: sailing. Maple Leaf Adventures is proving themselves as leaders in proving that ecotourism is a fun, inspiring – world-leading industry in BC – and that you can design a prosperous business while preserving the environment!

Organization: Fisherman’s Wharf Community Association

2009 Environment Award - Organization

The Fisherman’s Wharf Community Association is the official organization of the approximately 50 residents who live in the 33 float homes at Fisherman’s Wharf. They have a sincere respect and appreciation for their unique marine environment and actively work towards Environmental stewardship. The Environmental Committee has been active for 3 years in its work towards seeking an increased connection to the environment and adopting practices that promote a greener and more environmentally respectful lifestyle. The committee identifies four areas that they actively pursue their desire to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible. Through community education, lifestyle, gardening and transportation they are proving a green lifestyle is rewarding both personally and globally.

We here at Tourism Victoria are very extend our most sincere congratulations to all of the 2009 award winners. For more information on the awards and to read about the Miracle Award Honouree, you can visit www.tourismvictoria.com.

We are taught in life that taking responsibility for our actions is always the right thing to do. In this post I’ll use Victoria’s Inn at Laurel Point as a fine example of leadership within the tourism industry in doing just that.

Recently, one of Victoria’s finest resorts announced that they are now British Columbia’s only Carbon-Neutral Property. This is wonderful news, and not just for Victoria! Before I list a bunch of reasons why this is a huge step in the right direction, you may be wondering what exactly does this mean?

Well, after some investigative internet research I have learned that declaring oneself as Carbon-Neutral is NOT just buying one’s way out of polluting the environment, nor is it just a slick marketing tactic. It’s a commitment. In fact, it is first and foremost, the responsible way to acknowledge that there are certain environmental impacts that cannot be avoided while conducting a business.

Let’s talk about Offsetters (this is the company that the Inn at Laurel Point has partnered with in order to declare themselves as Carbon Neutral). As referenced on www.offsetters.ca, “Offsetters helps individuals and companies understand, reduce, track, and offset their climate impact – in that order”.

First, Offsetters and the Inn at Laurel Point work together to determine the property’s carbon footprint (ie: the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions caused by their business). Using an Offset Calculator of sorts, a dollar figure is then determined (in this case, 500 tonnes annually at $20 per tonne = $10,000) and the Inn at Laurel Point invests this dollar figure into Offsetters. I’d also just like to add that you can bet your bottom dollar that the number of annual visitors to the resort was considered in the process… thus every visitor to their resort is participating in this initiative at no additional cost!

In turn, Offsetters now invests these dollars into initiatives that are able to reduce the amount of GHG entering the atmosphere. (In attempt to keep my word count down, you can check out the projects right here) In essence with every project, Offsetters facilitates the feasibility and environmental and social benefit of emerging energy saving technologies. This is big stuff, really big stuff, considering one of the most globally accepted concerns is the environment!

I’d like to congratulate the Inn at Laurel Point for taking the first step on behalf of the accommodation sector in British Columbia. The transportation industry has been doing this for a while now (see Harbour Air Seaplanes) but one can only imagine the amount of extra considerations, steps, research and commitment this property has taken to get this far. I take my hat off to them in hopes that others will see the benefit beyond their bottom line!

If you are curious to see what other steps the Inn at Laurel Point has made in their commitment to environmental, economic, and social responsibilities check out www.laurelpoint.com.

Furthermore, the other day I read a neat blog entry on http://green.tourismvi.ca that discussed new proof that sustainable and green travel options are deemed important to travellers themselves. Travelling is often a time for us to nurture our soul and rejuvenate our minds. It is refreshing to see that travellers are now aware of the implications of their leisure time activities and are willing to follow this through with environmentally sound travel decisions.