Starwood goes dark for Earth Hour

Read more about: Australia, cities, climate, climate change, Earth Hour, energy reduction, events, Hotels, LEED, power, Sheraton, Starwood, Westin, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

With only 3 days to go, Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will in fact be participating in this year’s Earth Hour – the hour-long, climate change awareness event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – to send a powerful global message about the importance of environmental sustainability and caring for the planet.

On March 28, hundreds of Starwood hotels spanning all of the chain’s brands (St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element) will turn off their lights and take other energy-saving measures for one full hour, underscoring the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

In more than 90,000 hotel rooms, guests staying in participating Starwood properties will be encouraged to turn off the lights.

“Given the size and scope of Starwood’s business operations, we have the opportunity to make a significant positive difference in the health of the environment,” said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Our participation in Earth Hour symbolizes our commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our business operations through the adoption of greener design, construction and operating practices.”

Starwood hotels will take several momentous measures, including turning off exterior signage lighting, dimming or turning off non-essential interior lighting, using candlelight in appropriate public areas such as restaurants and bars, and informing guests about the hotel’s observation of Earth Hour through in-room voicemail messages and guest room television messages. Additionally, hundreds of Starwood hotels around the world are coordinating supplementary awareness events such as walk-a-thons in their local communities, public candlelight unplugged concerts, and guest receptions featuring signature green cocktails.

In 2006, Starwood debuted its Element brand – the first major hotel brand to mandate that all U.S. properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification. Starwood is rolling out initiatives that aim to conserve energy and water, reduce waste and enhance indoor environmental quality for Starwood guests and associates alike.

Earth Hour began as an awareness effort in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when more than two million homes, businesses, and the city’s biggest landmarks shut off their lights for one hour, resulting in a significant energy reduction across the city. Quickly evolving into a global phenomenon, Earth Hour drew an estimated 50 million people in 35 countries and 370 cities in 2008, and this year one billion homes, businesses and countries are expected to take part.

For more information and video on the genesis of Earth Hour visit www.earthhour.org.

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