Starwood gets in on the Earth Hour festivities

Read more about: climate change, Earth Hour, events, Fairmont, Starwood

On Earth Hour, March 27, 2010, hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and become a global phenomenon.

For the second consecutive year, hundreds of Starwood Hotels & Resorts will participate in the global event created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to send a powerful global message about the importance of environmental sustainability and caring for the planet.

On the evening of March 27, Starwood hotels entire portfolio – including St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft, and Element – will turn off their lights and take other energy-saving measures for one full hour, underscoring the company’s dedication to environmental sustainability.

This year, in more than 90,000 hotel rooms, guests staying in participating Starwood properties will be encouraged to turn off the lights. Additionally, as they did last year, participating Starwood hotels will take the steps of turning off exterior signage lighting; last year, the darkened hotels offered striking visual imagery that provided an apt symbol of Earth Hour. Properties will also participate by dimming or turning off non-essential interior lighting, using candlelight in appropriate public areas such as restaurants and bars, and using in-room voicemail messages and in-room television messages to inform guests about Earth Hour observances.

Starwood is joining other industry leaders such as Fairmont, Kimpton and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in participation in this year’s call to action.

Guests take action

Starwood properties are coordingating Earth Hour awareness events, including community walk-a-thons, public candlelight “unplugged” concerts, and guest receptions featuring signature green cocktails.

“The enthusiasm we saw from our guests and associates last year made it clear how much they share our passion for sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Sandy Swider, vice president of global citizenship, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Considering that Starwood does business in every corner of the world, we have a terrific platform for sharing messages about the impact each one of us can have if we work together.”

Starwood itself made history when it launched Element Hotels, Starwood’s green trailblazer and the first major hotel brand to mandate that all properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for high-performance buildings. Across its entire portfolio, 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.

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