June 5 marks a very important day to encourage environmental awareness - it's called World Environment Day. I've told you before about many of our global initiatives like our partnership with the Brazilian state of Amazonas and our efforts to reduce fuel and water consumption globally. While efforts like these are in place at our properties, many of our Marriott hotels around the world have taken it upon themselves to create their own local initiatives to help protect the environment. Let me share some of these fantastic efforts.
In the Middle East, where we just announced that we will be more than doubling our number of properties, the associates at the Amman Marriott hotel planted trees to establish the "Marriott Forest" on a piece of land provided by the Jordanian Desertification Society.
Also in the Middle East, our Marriott Executive Apartments and our Courtyard by Marriott hotel in the Green Community of Dubai are doing some great things. They have created an organic garden in a special landscaped area. Each associate who wants to take part is given one meter of the garden to tend. The property's goal is to produce over 100 kilograms of fruits and vegetables each month, which will be cooked and served in the hotel. Other hotels around the globe are also beginning to grow their own organic gardens as this is becoming a very popular trend.
And here, in the U.S., our hotels are working within their communities, too. The associates at the Evergreen Conference Center and Resort in Georgia frequently participate in clean-ups of roads and shore lines. The hotel is even working on developing written water conservation plans to help manage state water levels as they continue to adjust to local drought restrictions.
In other regions of the world, Marriott hotels are implementing great environmentally friendly practices, too, like our Sanya Marriott Resort in China that has installed solar panels. Our Melbourne Marriott hotel in Australia had the distinction of being named the first green five-star hotel in Melbourne. The JW Marriott Mumbai hotel in India was named The Most Environmentally Friendly Hotel of the Year in India last year. And the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront and Philadelphia Airport Marriott both achieved Green Seal certification.
All of these are terrific examples of what's called "glocal" - thinking globally and acting locally. That has always been the model we've followed at Marriott and now our hotels are applying that philosophy to protect the environment.
I'm Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.
Celebrating World Environment Day
Mr. Marriott:
Love your creativity in the word: "glocal"-"thinking globally and acting locally."
Posted by: Juliette Adams | 09/01/2010 at 08:25 AM
PS. we use home agents from the disability community and senior citizens for our call centers....we also work as consultants for organizations to convert to home-sourcing..homeadvantagecrm.com
Posted by: Nan Harris | 06/09/2008 at 08:56 AM
Congratulations on acting on you commitment. I believe Marriott will lead the way for the hospitality industry. My company practices a sustainable business model called home-sourcing...its green,socially responsible and saves a huge amount on call center overhead. For the hospitality industry or any industry that relies on reservations its a wonderful way to work.Thanks for the good work!
Posted by: Nan Harris | 06/09/2008 at 08:50 AM
Thanks for taking the time to write! I am a BYU student attending the Marriott School of Management. We appreciate you carrying out on a wonderful legacy of the Marriott family.
Posted by: nick bassett | 06/04/2008 at 02:29 AM
I am so happy to hear that your company is acknowledging the need to care for the environment.
Posted by: Jennefer | 06/04/2008 at 01:27 AM
Nice post. Come to know a lot about the environment day. It is indeed necessary to protect our environment from the pollution and growing global warming. I am sending cards to make people careful on environmental pollution and request them to resist them. You may also send cards to your near and dear ones to make them concern about the environment day. Link is the following:
http://www.123greetings.com/events/world_environment_day/?pos=HPDCA_10
Posted by: Cathrina Jones | 06/02/2008 at 06:43 PM