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August 17, 2009 - Days Hotel Downtown Grand Rapids
has earned Green Lodging Michigan (GLM) Leader certification from the
Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG), moving up
from the Steward level. Days Hotel Downtown
Grand Rapids was
originally certified in August 2008.
Green Lodging Michigan (GLM) encourages hotels, resorts, motels, and bed
& breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and
cost-saving ‘green' practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption,
protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally
preferred purchasing. There are three levels of certification: Partner,
Steward, and Leader which can be earned by completing a self-assessment
checklist and achieving a minimum number of requirements and points. The more
environmental initiatives a facility is doing, the higher the level of
certification the facility can potentially achieve.
"This accreditation is the mark of environmental responsibility of
hoteliers who are committed to "green" business practices that make
environmental and economic goals their top priority," said DELEG
Director Stanley "Skip" Pruss.
"Green Lodging Michigan is helping to ensure the viability of our
lodging facilities and the thousands of related hospitality jobs that stay in
Michigan.
Days Hotel Downtown
Grand Rapids'
commitment to preserving
Michigan's
environment is exemplary; becoming ‘greener' serves as a true model for the
hospitality industry to follow." Days Hotel Downtown Grand Rapids has
implemented additional environmental initiatives that earned higher
accreditation such as switching to low VOC cleaning products and air
fresheners, upgrading vending machines, exits signs, and office equipment to
Energy Star, installing automatic lighting controls, installing low flow
faucets and showerheads, adjusting purchasing standards on paper products to
30 percent or greater post-consumer recycled content, and using low
phosphorous detergents.
"My team and I are thrilled to have achieved the top level of Green
Lodging certification and will continue to accept the challenge of finding
ways to broaden our sustainability efforts," said Days Hotel General
Manager Ellen Markel. "Each day we are striving to educate our guests
and community of how easy it is to positively affect the environment."
Green Lodging Michigan is a joint effort between DELEG and the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to encourage the lodging industry
to conserve and protect the state's natural resources while increasing
marketability and lowering utility costs.
"Green Lodging Michigan has been an effective way of including hoteliers
in the effort to help
Michigan continue
as the leader in environmental beauty and abundant natural resources,"
said Steven E. Chester, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality.
Green Lodging Michigan is a voluntary and non-regulatory certification
program offered through the Michigan Energy Office in DELEG to hoteliers at
no charge. The Bureau of Energy Systems and the DEQ provide technical
assistance to those who are interested in implementing "green" strategies
and earning certification. The GLM program certifies facilities based on
environmental initiatives such as air quality, energy efficiency, solid waste
reduction, toxic waste management, water conservation, purchasing and
communication.
The Bureau of Energy Systems promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy
resource development to
Michigan's
residents, businesses, and public institutions. For more information about
the Green Lodging Michigan program and to download the GLM application packet
and self-assessment checklist, visit the websiteatwww.michigan.gov/greenlodging
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