Join The Commonwealth’s Campaign to Promote Environmentally-Friendly Practices in Virginia’s Tourism Industry
Virginia Green is a partnership program between Virginia DEQ, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), and Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA). Virginia Green promotes practical pollution prevention techniques in all sectors of Virginia’s tourism industry.
If you joined the Virginia Green Travel program longer than 2 years ago and haven’t re-certified, you are now officially no longer Virginia green-certified. We are trying to be very flexible with our partners during this process, but the Virginia Green logo will be removed from your listings and search-filters with VTC absolutely by the end of 2019. You would also be asked to remove the Virginia Green logo from your facility, website and sale materials. So please re-certify! All of the Virginia Green Travel Certification information is found here – and you will see that there are now 2 levels of certification from which to choose.
Goals:
1. Reduce the environmental impacts of the tourism industry
2. Increase environmental awareness of the industry and its customers
3. Make the tourism industry more profitable through employment of green practices
Visitors to Virginia care about the environment and so does our Tourism Industry!
That is the main premise behind Virginia Green. It is a network of tourism-related organizations and programs that are committed to protecting and promoting the environment. Virginia Green Lodging was the first established program in the Virginia Green Network, but criteria are now being developed for all sectors of the tourism industry!
- Lodging
- Welcome/Visitor Centers
- Wineries
- Attractions
- Travel Organizations
- Partners
- Restaurants
- Conference Centers
- Golf Courses
- Campgrounds
- Convention Center
- Parks
- Events
Minimum “core activities” have been developed for each of these sector categories, and they are encouraged to become as “green” as possible! Virginia Green “profiles” are developed for each facility; therefore, “environmentally-savvy” guests can shop for the “green” amenities that they value!
Measurable Results:
Facts:
- A typical 100-room hotel uses 5.6 million gallons of water and 120 tons of trash a year and produces 3.6 million pounds of CO2 emissions through energy usage.
- 30% reductions in water and energy are easily achievable through simple P2 techniques and a good hotel recycling program can divert more than 50% of its solid wastes.
Virginia Green Results:
- Assuming that these facilities achieve similar results, the 100 Virginia Green Lodging facilities should achieve annually:
- 15 million gallons of reduced water consumption
- 100 million pounds of reduced CO2 emissions
- 3500 tons of reduced solid waste generation
- Assuming that we expect membership in Virginia Green to expand 4-fold in the next 2 years, the sky is the limit for achieving Environmental Improvements!
Benefits of joining
Facilities who join Virginia Green are those who realize that Virginia ’s tourism industry is closely linked to our beautiful Natural Resources. We all receive many benefits from protecting our environment, but here are some benefits that come directly from participating in Virginia Green!
- Listed on Virginia Green website and searchable through Virginia is for Lovers (www.Virginia.org/green/)
- Virginia Green Certificate for display at your facility
- Use of Virginia Green LOGO
- Virginia Green profile of your facility
- Increase patronage by environmental groups and environmentally-aware customers
- Save $$$ through cost savings measures which also reduce
For More Information:
Tom Griffin, Consultant to the Virginia Green Program
Greener Results Sustainability Services
804.986.9119; Tom@GreenerResults.com
