We've gone Green! | Franklin WI Green Hotel

MILWAUKEE/WISCONSIN (4/22/09) – Travel Green Wisconsin, a voluntary certification program that recognizes tourism businesses for reducing their environmental footprint through eco-friendly practices and the first of its kind in the country, has just announced that Staybridge Suites Milwaukee Airport South has earned certification. For more information about Travel Green Wisconsin, a partnership of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, visit www.travelgreenwisconsin.com. 

 

Highlights from the Staybridge Suites Milwaukee Airport South’s checklist include the preservation of the wetlands which surround the newly built property in Franklin, Wisconsin, their “Light Touch” housekeeping program, replacing only towels which the guest has requested and changing bed sheets on request or once per week, the creation of an underground water retention system using brick pavers in the parking lot and the staff’s commitment to the environmental initiative through their monthly “Green Team” meetings.  

 

In releasing the news, Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble made the point that serving the needs of eco-aware travelers is not only the right thing to do, it’s good for business. “Sustainability and profitability need not be mutually exclusive,” Trumble said. “All signs point to a burgeoning consumer demand for green travel in the nation, and the Wisconsin tourism industry is poised to serve this niche market, all the while continuing to grow tourism revenue for the state.” She went on to say that, “With our state’s history of land stewardship, it’s most fitting that Wisconsin lead the nation in this.”

 

To achieve certification, applicants must earn a minimum of 30 points from a checklist of basic requirements covering a wide range of “green” practices, including: waste reduction, reuse and recycling; energy efficiency, water conservation and wastewater management; air quality; wildlife and landscape; transportation; purchasing; and local community benefits. The Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, an independent third party, then certifies Travel Green Wisconsin applicants.

 

Staybridge Suites Milwaukee Airport South earned 70 points on their checklist of requirements, a recognition in itself, and intends on earning more points as they move forward.  

 

Since it was launched statewide in 2007, Travel Green Wisconsin has garnered its share of national media coverage, with stories appearing in USA Today, the Chicago Tribune and New York Times, and on CNN.  The program has certified more than 130 tourism businesses to date, including hotels, resorts, B&Bs, restaurants, retail stores, tour operators, nature centers, state parks, convention centers, golf courses, and a range of indoor and outdoor attractions.