July, 2008
All About Retreats announces it's First Green Retreat Award Recipients!
Realizing that necessity is the mother of invention and that change motivates change, All About Retreats has ventured into the role of environmental advocate, and is encouraging and challenging their Members to adopt and practice environmental responsibility in their meeting hospitality business.
AAR co-owner, dawna Foreman says: "All of our Members are located in natural settings, which has been a primary criteria for a listing on All About Retreats since 1998. Now, let's raise the bar and commit to transforming our ways of being a business in service to the many retreat guests, who are in attendance to learn how to challenge their outmoded beliefs and habitual behaviors that no longer serve them!"
Quoting from The Necessary Revolution by Peter Senge, Foreman adds: "The era of denial has ended and we must implement revolutionary - not just incremental - changes in the way we live and work."
Drawing upon their own values for clean water, air, energy and nature conservation and waste reduction, inspired by appreciation of the natural environment in Vermont, where All About Retreats is based, the company did their own "green audit" and posted the All About Retreats Green Statement on their website.
We continue to make small changes in how we live and work, in an effort to provide a model for our 100 plus retreat and conference center members. Further, we challenge our members to adopt and practice environmentally responsible measures:
- Natural resource conservation practices
- Creating and or maintaining their natural setting
- Waste reduction and energy saving practices
- Promotion of the use of local goods and services as is practical and feasible within their geographic locale
- Culinary services that offer clients a choice of organic and/or local foods
On July 14th, AAR contacted the first Green Retreat Award recipients: Trinity Conference Center in Connecticut, Essex Conference Center Retreat in Massachusetts and Headlands Institute in northern California. Each center is distinguished by the Green Award insignia in their respective facility listing and will display the insignia on their website, announcing their green practices to potential customers.
"Our hope is that more of our Members will adjust their current business policies and practices to earn the Green Retreat Award within the next 6 months. As the calendar turns to 2009, may each and every AAR member employ environmentally responsible practices!"
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