Rhode Island, the Ocean State, is known for its miles of beautiful coastline and pristine natural resources. Ranked as one of the Top 10 Greenest States by Forbes magazine, RI's hospitality and tourism industry is now on the forefront of preserving those resources.
The PWCVB in conjunction with the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and statewide hospitality and tourism organizations have created the Rhode Island Hospitality Green Certification Program.
This innovative self-certification program assists hospitality and tourism businesses with attaining green performance standards, focusing on energy and water conservation, waste minimization and recycling, and sustainable operating and purchasing practices. Participants are required to complete a workbook measuring their current business practices, and qualifying partners receive Green Hospitality Certification.
Training and education are at the core of this initiative, and provide our industry partners with the resources to achieve this certification.
This program has been nationally recognized, receiving a Travel Industry Association NCDO Destiny Award and an Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Merit Award.
We are proud to announce that the following PWCVB members (as well as the PWCVB itself) have received Rhode Island Hospitality Green Certification:
All Occasion Transportation
Brown University Dining Services
Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Crossings
Eleven Forty Nine Restaurant
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Gregg's Restaurants
Hemenway's Seafood Grille & Oyster Bar
Hilton Garden Inn Providence/Warwick
The Hotel Providence
Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel & Spa
Newport Hospitality, Inc.
Newport Marriott Hotel
NYLO Providence Warwick Hotel
Pranzi Catering
Providence Biltmore Hotel
Providence Marriott Downtown
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
Renaissance Providence Hotel
Rhode Island Convention Center
Rue De L'Espoir
Westin Providence
If your business would like more info. on how to receive Green Certification, please click here.
The Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC) Makes Green Initiatives a Priority:
The RICC recycles about 62.5% of its total waste, including bottles and cans, food and beverage and show floor cardboard, and administrative office paper. High- output, high-wattage lighting fixtures have been replaced in the garages, and the new fixtures operate on daylight and occupancy sensors. Emergency stairwells feature upgraded lighting and occupancy sensors. More than 400 incandescent light fixtures have been replaced with fluorescent fixtures in the Center's Ballroom, which use approximately 5-10 times less wattage.
Air handler filters for various air handlers are changed semi- annually rather than annually to improve air flow, resulting in energy savings. Green chemicals are used in the RICC's water treatment program. Plans for future improvements include replacing more than 300 fixtures in the connector tunnel between the Westin Hotel and RICC, looking into the use of "green" light bulbs and/or solar energy, and using more green products for cleaning and maintenance.
Did you know?
Using 1,000 disposable plastic spoons consumes more than 10 times more energy and natural resources than manufacturing one stainless steel teaspoon and washing it 1,000 times!
- It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than to make it from raw materials
- Recycled steel uses 60% less energy
- Recycled plastic uses 70% less energy
- Recycled glass and newspaper uses 40% less energy
Source: National Recycling Coalition, Inc.
10 Tips for a Greener Hotel
Implement a recycling program.
Install water-saving devices for all showerheads, toilets and faucets.
Encourage recycling in guestrooms.
Use dispensers for soaps, shampoos and lotions.
Set up a linen and towel reuse program.
Switch to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting.
Install programmable thermostats in guestrooms.
Use motion sensor lighting in rooms that aren't used regularly.
Add key-activation for guestroom electricity.
Shut blinds, turn off lights, and turn down the heat or air conditioning in empty rooms.
Source: Convention Industry Council's 2004 Green Meetings Report
How to Make Your Meeting More Eco-Friendly
- Use reusable dishes, silverware, linens and decorations.
- Choose local, seasonal or organic food and beverages.
- Donate left-over food to a local soup kitchen.
- Provide attendees with mugs to use for coffee and water.
- Use reusable or recyclable signage.
- Post electronic copies of handouts and presentations on your Web site.
- Avoid over-packaging giveaways.
- Donate leftover giveaways to local shelters or schools.
- Collect plastic name tag holders for reuse.
- Encourage attendees to recycle by handing out "I was caught green-handed" buttons. The goal is that all attendees get "caught" recycling by the end of the meeting.
Sources: Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report & National Recycling Coalition, Inc.
One small decision can make a tremendous impact on the environment. A meeting planner opting for china rather than disposables for a five-day event, which serves 2,200 people breaks, breakfasts, lunches and receptions, prevents 1,890 lbs., NEARLY A TON, of plastic from being deposited into a landfill.
Source: Convention Industry Council's 2004 Green Meetings Report
