Choice Hotels and Its Franchisees Highlight Commitment to Environment in Celebration of Earth Day
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Choice Hotels and Its Franchisees Highlight Commitment to Environment in Celebration of Earth Day
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Category: Worldwide
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2011-04-21
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) today announced a number of efforts it has undertaken to underscore its ongoing commitment to the environment. These initiatives are in support of the company's Room to Be Green environmental protection program and in honor of the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, being celebrated Friday, April 22, 2011.
At the hotel-level, the company has significantly increased the number of hotels in its Room to Be Green program to over 1,300 hotels. Since the program launched in 2009, these hotels have achieved significant reductions in energy and water usage, measurable in billions of kilowatt hours and millions of gallons of water. According to the American Hotel & Lodging' Association's (AH&LA) Green Task Force calculations, through this optional program, participating owners and operators can save an average of approximately $7,000 in annual utility costs through energy and water conservation, and recycling and waste reduction. Hotels that support the green practices of Choice's Room to Be Green program are recognized on ChoiceHotels.com by a special symbol.
At the corporate level, the Choice Hotels International Foundation has made a donation to the non-profit American Forests. This donation will allow for the planting of a tree for each of the company's 1,600 full-time domestic associates.
"As we celebrate Earth Day, we recognize the tremendous need to support our environment and we are extremely proud of the efforts of our franchised properties and our associates in this arena," said Kelly Kane, executive director, Choice Hotels International Foundation. "We are excited about the opportunity to continue to expend significant energies toward ongoing efforts to engage our guests, associates and franchisees in efforts to protect our environment."
The Room to Be Green program is a core pillar of the company's Room for Responsibility program, which focuses on areas where Choice Hotels associates and over 6,000 global franchised hotels can have an impact on the communities in which they live and work.
Earth Day also marks the first anniversary of the Choice Hotels Music initiative, which has donated tens of thousands of dollars to charitable organizations in its first year. This innovative program supports signature causes and artists by introducing new music to millions of listeners using the power of the company's leading edge marketing and distribution channels. Each song directly benefits a featured cause or charity through donations per download from ChoiceHotels.com, and all music is produced to the artist's creative specifications and remains the ownership of the artist.
About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 495,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As of December 31, 2010, more than 500 hotels were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 40,000 rooms, and more than 100 hotels, representing approximately 9,000 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in 18 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.
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