December 19, 2006

This holiday season, the Department of Environmental Quality is encouraging travelers to stay at one of Michigan's Green Lodging facilities. The DEQ and the Department of Labor and Economic Growth launched the new Green Lodging Michigan (GLM) program this fall that encourages hotels, resorts, motels, and bed and breakfast locations to implement environmentally friendly and cost-saving practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption and waste, and protect Michigan's air quality.

GLM is a voluntary and non-regulatory certification program offered to hoteliers at no charge. DEQ and DLEG provide technical assistance to those who are interested in implementing "green" strategies and earning certification. The GLM program certifies facilities based on environmental initiatives such as air quality, energy efficiency, solid waste reduction, toxic waste management, water conservation, purchasing and communication. There are three levels of certification: Partner, Steward, and Leader, which can be earned by completing a self-assessment checklist and achieving a minimum number of requirements and points.

For more information about the Green Lodging Michigan program and a list of current program partners, visit the website at http://www.michigan.gov/greenlodging.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"