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FORT MYERS – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today
welcomed the Courtyard Fort Myers Gulf Coast Town Center to the Florida Green
Lodging Program. The property is the 219th in the state to be designated. The
voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with free technical
assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving “green” practices
that reduce waste and conserve natural resources.
“We are delighted to add the Courtyard Fort Myers Gulf Coast Town Center to
the growing family of designated Florida Green Lodging properties,” said DEP
South District Director Jon Iglehart. “McKibbon Hotel Management has established
themselves as a leader in this field by showing an unprecedented commitment to
the Florida Green Lodging Program.”
To become a designated member of the Florida Green Lodging Program, hotels
must implement a variety of green practices. These practices include, but are
not limited to, water conservation measures through low flow plumbing fixtures,
a linen reuse program, energy efficiency achieved by installing ENERGY STAR®
appliances and programmable thermostats. The waste reduction criteria are met by
providing the opportunity to recycle, purchasing items in bulk, purchasing
recycled materials and by recycling ink and toner cartridges. All designated
properties must also use green cleaners and high efficiency air filters.
“Our associates and leadership team at the Courtyard Fort Myers have worked
hard to achieve this important designation,” explained John McKibbon, McKibbon
Hotel Management’s chief executive officer. “The practices implemented through
the program’s comprehensive requirements help us to run our hotels more
efficiently and cost effectively, but more importantly, help us to preserve our
state’s precious natural resources.”
Launched in March 2004, the Florida Green Lodging Program establishes
environmental guidelines for hotels and motels to conserve natural resources and
prevent pollution. In 2007, 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 the Florida
Green Lodging Program designation as of January 1, 2008, whenever possible. With
the addition of the Courtyard Fort Myers Gulf Coast Town Center, the program has
254 designated properties and nearly 400 applicants. For more information about
the Florida Green Lodging Program, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging.
DEP’s Office of Sustainable Initiatives is comprised of three voluntary,
non-regulatory programs that assist Florida industry and citizens in protecting
the environment. The Clean Marina Program, the Florida Green Lodging Program and
the Florida Pollution Prevention Program offer a variety of services including
on-site assessments, consultations, speakers and workshops, all at no cost to
citizens or organizations. The goal of the Sustainable Initiatives programs is
to meet the needs of the present population without compromising resources for
future generations. To learn more about DEP’s Sustainable Initiatives, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/green/.
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