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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Green Team Making Headway in Conserving Resources and Energy in Daily Operations
HONOLULU, HI (March 29, 2011) - The Kahala Hotel & Resort was awarded a Green Business Certification by the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) for excellence in their effort to be a “green business.”
The Green Business Program is a partnership between the Department of Health, DBEDT, and the Chamber of Commerce to encourage Hawaii businesses to operate in an environmentally responsible way. The program helps businesses go beyond compliance to conserve energy, water and other resources, and to reduce pollution and waste. The program also seeks to create opportunities for industry members to share information on the implementation of programs that save money and conserve dwindling natural resources.
“At The Kahala, we are constantly seeking ways to take action on the direct and indirect environmental impacts of our business operations by reducing our energy and water consumption, educating and inspiring our staff and guests to support the environment, and addressing environmental challenges through innovative initiatives in a variety of areas,” says General Manager Thomas Pauly.
The Kahala’s “Green Team” is led by Controller Khara Markham and Chief Engineer Cory Vasconcellos and includes staff members from every department in the hotel, from housekeeping and the kitchen, to sales & marketing and the front office. Their strategy has been to examine all areas of the hotel’s operating systems to determine where conservation efforts can be established to conserve water and energy consumption, reduce solid waste, comply with all environmental regulations, and employ good housekeeping and operating practices to prevent pollution.
“We recognize and take seriously our responsibility to reduce the consumption of water, waste and energy in the hotel and to lessen our impact on the community and the planet,” said Markham. “We are proud to be one of the leading hotels in Hawaii when it comes to incorporating conservation and sustainable operating practices.”
The Kahala first embraced the Green initiative in 2009 and has since integrated many new strategies that support and encourage responsible tourism and sustainability. To receive a Green Business Certification from DBEDT, the hotel had to adopt numerous Green Business Standards, which included monitoring and recording energy usage and waste generation, incorporating green training opportunities for employees, communicating environmental efforts to hotel customers, and assisting other businesses to become part of the Green Business Program. Among the various other initiatives upon which The Kahala has established in support of going “green” include:
GREEN GARDENS: The Kahala Herb Garden occupies only a small parcel of land but grows a wide variety of fresh herbs and edible blossoms such as basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Executive Chef Wayne Hirabayashi uses the garden’s bounty daily in creating culinary delights w
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