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KEY WEST - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today
welcomed Old Town Manor & Rose Lane Villas in Key West to the Florida Green
Lodging Program. The hotel is the fourth in Key West and 42nd for the state. The
Florida Green Lodging Program is a voluntary state initiative that provides the
lodging industry with technical assistance, and encourages hotels and motels to
adopt cost-saving green practices that reduce waste and conserve natural
resources.
“We are proud to be a part of the Old Town Manor reaching this milestone,”
said DEP South District Director Jon Iglehart. “The benefits to the environment
are many, and there are frequently savings in operational costs. Florida Green
Lodges are a great example of good environmental policy being good fiscal policy
as well.”
Built in 1887, the Old Town Manor & Rose Lane Villas is one of Key West’s
most historic bed and breakfast properties located in the heart of Key West. The
Old Town Manor, under its new ownership and management, implemented green
practices by purchasing recycled paper products, high-efficiency light bulbs,
installing photo sensors for outdoor lighting and using environmentally sound
cleaning products. To reduce waste, the bed and breakfast instituted a towel and
linen reuse program and uses the Internet to minimize paper usage, During
today’s celebration, Old Town Manor & Rose Lane Villas served food on banana
leaves instead of plates and distributed canvas gift bags filled with
environmentally friendly products, including water bottles and compact
florescent light bulbs.
“It’s not just our ethical responsibility to minimize our impact,” said Runi
Goyal, co-owner of Old Town Manor. “It’s a business decision to become a
sustainable enterprise. Travelers are requesting it, and soon more will demand
it. There is a lot more we can do – this is just the beginning.”
On July 13, at his Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change,
Governor Crist signed three executive orders initiating state energy-use
policies, including one that requires state agencies and departments to hold
meetings and conferences only at hotels with Green Lodging designation starting
January 1, 2008, whenever possible. The Summit was a bold first step to explore
groundbreaking technologies and strategies that will place our state at the
forefront of the growing worldwide movement to reduce greenhouse gases.
Launched in March 2004, the Florida Green Lodging Program establishes
environmental guidelines for hotels and motels to conserve natural resources and
prevent pollution. As reward for designation, Florida is recommending Green
Lodges to companies and trade organizations seeking environmentally conscious
lodging and convention facilities. With the addition of the Old Town Manor &
Rose Lane Villas, the program has 42 hotels designated, with more than 120
applicants.
For more information about the Florida Green Lodging Program, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging. For more information about Old Town Manor,
visit www.oldtownmanor.com.
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