Home Green Hotel Focus Historic Pfister Hotel Earns Travel Green Wisconsin Certification

Historic Pfister Hotel Earns Travel Green Wisconsin Certification

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MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Travel Green Wisconsin, a voluntary certification program that recognizes tourism businesses for reducing their environmental footprint through eco-friendly practices, recently announced that the historic Pfister Hotel has earned certification. Developed by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Travel Green Wisconsin program is the nation’s first “green” travel program sponsored by a state tourism agency. Today more than 200 businesses have been certified.

The Pfister Hotel received a Travel Green Wisconsin score of 63 points, which was more than double the number of points required to earn the certification. Among the highlights from The Pfister’s checklist of eco-friendly practices: compact fluorescent light bulbs are being used throughout the hotel; Energy Star light fixtures, windows and appliances have been installed throughout the hotel; low-flow bathroom fixtures have been installed in the guestrooms; and a linen reuse program, which allows guests the option of reusing towels and bedding, is in place.

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. 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 evaluates and certifies Travel Green Wisconsin applicants.

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 200 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.

Go to the Pfister Hotel and Travel Green Wisconsin.

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