A new green hotels program comes to the South

The State of South Carolina has just launched a new certification program for the hospitality industry called the South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance. The program is aimed mainly at hotels, motels and restaurants; providing a means for establishments to boost awareness by demonstrating what they are doing to help protect and preserve the state’s environment.

The program is a joint effort between the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and South Carolina Hospitality Association.

“Each of us—government, business, industry and individuals—must do our part to help protect South Carolina’s environment,” said DHEC Commissioner Earl Hunter. “This program presents a unique opportunity for the hospitality industry to lead by example through the use of smart, sustainable, cost-effective practices that help conserve natural resources, save energy and reduce pollution.”

The South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance is a free, voluntary program designed to help the hospitality industry reduce the environmental impact of its operations while recognizing and certifying facilities for environmentally friendly efforts with an annual certification.

According to Hunter, DHEC’s role in the partnership is to offer free, confidential assistance on a variety of issues such as waste reduction, recycling, composting, conserving energy and water, green cleaning, and environmentally preferred purchasing. DHEC’s assistance also includes site visits, workshops and a comprehensive series of best management practices fact sheets.

Tom Sponseller, president of the South Carolina Hospitality Assn., says that those hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars that participate in the Green Hospitality Alliance have all the tools available to help improve their environmental footprint, but also have a website to let consumers be aware of their efforts to sustain the environment.

“More consumers are looking to support businesses that exercise sustainable business practices to help protect our environment, and the Green Hospitality Alliance was designed to not only encourage hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars to be more earth friendly, but to let the consuming public be aware of those businesses that actually engage in green practices.”

The South Carolina Hospitality Association reviews all certification applications and rates facilities—from One Palmetto Tree to Three Palmetto Trees—based on a facility’s green practices. Already, 18 hotels, resorts and restaurants have been certified in the Alliance, two of which earned Two Palmetto certification.

For more information, visit www.GreenHospitalityAlliance.com.

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