'I Love New York' Green Campaign in Soft Launch Mode - By Glenn Hasek

The 'I Love New York' logo, one of the most famous icons ever created for a tourism campaign, has gone green.

The new green heart is part of a new “Green Heart NY” campaign and website that was soft launched on Earth Day by the New York State Department of Tourism. The program was put together with the support of the New York State Department of Economic Development and the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association (NYSHTA). The new website includes links to green lodging establishments, green restaurants, eco-certified attractions such as Niagara Falls State Park and the Empire State Building, information on eco-friendly transportation, and comments from New Yorkers who have taken steps to help keep their state green.

The list of green hotels and inns is the culmination of a two-year pilot program run by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (click here to learn more). Properties throughout the state have been certified through the Audubon GreenLeaf program. It emphasizes energy and water conservation and waste reduction. Properties can earn from one to five green leaves based on their efforts. Only those properties earning at least three leaves are listed on the Green Heart NY site. According to Kelly Rabideau, project director for Green Heart NY, listing Audubon GreenLeaf certified properties is just a beginning.

“If a property has gone through another certification program, we are open to including it,” Rabideau says. “We want to keep building the program.”

Eateries Certified by Green Restaurant Assn.

Restaurants certified by the Green Restaurant Association are also included on the site. New York currently has more Certified Green Restaurants than any other state in the United States. The top 10 New York green attractions are listed. Site visitors can check out the Roosevelt Baths & Spa, Storm King Art Center, or Adirondack Park. At the Niagara Falls State Park section, one can learn about what steps have been taken to green up that historic attraction. Examples include a trolley fleet that runs on compressed natural gas and solar lighting at Cave of the Winds.

Green transportation options include Amtrak, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car which offers fuel-efficient vehicles and a Carbon Offset Program.

Rabideau says there are plans to expand the site’s functionality so that travelers can plan their own green getaways. Hundreds of green destinations still have to be added to the site. Response to the website launch so far has been strong thanks to a successful public relations and social media effort.

For more information on Green Heart NY, click here.

This article first appeared on the Green Lodging News website. To sign up to receive the weekly Green Lodging News newsletter, go to www.greenlodgingnews.com. Glenn Hasek can be reached at [email protected].





Source: Green Lodging News / Nevistas


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