Hotel and Restaurant Online Recycling Guide

Green Resources for the Hospitality Industry

Green Seal
Green Seal is the independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the environment by promoting the manufacture and sale of environmentally responsible consumer products. It sets environmental standards and awards a "Green Seal of Approval" to products that cause less harm to the environment than other similar products. Green Seal now has a certification for individual hotels. The organization has also produced Greening Your Property, a comprehensive environmental purchasing guide for hotels published by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association.
Contact: Mark Petruzzi, (202) 872-6400

Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)
CERES is a non-profit coalition that works in partnership with companies toward the common goal of corporate environmental responsibility worldwide. Corporate partners include Coca-Cola, General Motors, and American Airlines. CERES partners have recently initiated a program to give preference to green hotels when booking conferences.

Meeting Professionals International
Meeting Professionals International has created a resource guide on Green Meetings for its membership and the industry.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Green Conference Initiative (EPA/OPPT/EPP)
EPA is currently developing conferencing information to help planners and suppliers provide green options for conference planning. Information dissemination will be provided via an interactive web-based tool, which will allow planners and suppliers to navigate through energy and money saving options for coordinating their own environmentally friendly event.

U.S. General Services Administration - Planet GSA
The Planet GSA effort strives to green the government's practices in various areas of procurement and operations. Planet GSA is currently developing a Meet Green program for government employees that plan meetings and conferences.

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG)
COG produced a seminar on Green Hotels and Restaurants in February 2001 and a guidebook specifically on recycling in these establishments. Consult the web page for additional links, information and downloads.