Oldest Hotel in U.S. to Receive Green Seal Certification

Established in 1888, the legendary Hotel del Coronado near San Diego CA has achieved another milestone by being the oldest hotel in the U.S. to receive Bronze Level certification by Green Seal.

In accordance to Green Seal’s environmental management system, Hotel Del has made significant progress against the four pillars: climate change, waste, natural resources and health and wellbeing – achieving higher stands of care and stewardship for the environment, while delivering exceptional guest service.

Changes We’ve Made

•  Paper, cardboard, wood pallets, plastic containers, aluminum cans and glass are separated and
    recycled resort-wide.
•  The Del replaced all of its outdoor trash cans with dual-use receptacles: one side for recyclables
    and the other for non-recyclable trash.
•  Fry oil is also recycled and used in the production of biofuels.
•  A wide range of materials, including 75 tons of green waste, is recycled annually.
•  Batteries, florescent lights, computers and other items that require special handling are discarded
    appropriately to keep these items out of landfills.
•  Retrofit of every guestroom to energy-efficient compact florescent lights, saving over 640,000 
    kilowatts of power annually.
•  Implemented a state-of-the-art energy management system that controls the heating, ventilation
    and air-conditioning and a majority of the property’s lighting.
•  Most guestrooms feature ceiling fans to help cut back on air conditioning usage.
•  Irrigation systems have state-of-the-art programmers and the sprinklers all have low-flow, high
    efficiency heads.
•  The resort works with a leading pest control company to reduce the use of chemicals for pest and
    weed control.
•  The culinary team promotes local farmers and fishermen as much as possible and takes steps to
    control and minimize food waste for all meals and functions.
•  An on-site herb garden is used for fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs
•  The Housekeeping department utilizes vacuum cleaners specifically designed by the CRI (Carpet
    and Rug Institute) to reduce indoor air pollutants.
•  The Housekeeping basic chemical package is Green Seal Certified.
•  The resort donates leftover soap and bottled amenities to Clean the World, an organization that
    recycles and distributes these items to impoverished people world-wide.
•  Discarded linens are converted into cleaning rags and cook aprons by A&E Textile Recovery Inc.
•  Operating hours of the laundry start very early in the morning in order to save energy costs.
•  The marketing department uses soy inks and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper when
    creating resort collateral.
•  The Del formed a Sustainability Steering Committee, involving staff from all departments, to meet
    regularly to evaluate current programs and make recommendations.

Guest Involvement

Management also recognizes that guests have a role in the conservation efforts. Therefore, guests are encouraged to minimize water and energy consumption by refraining from having towels, sheets, etc. changed every day helping to reduce water consumption. We have estimated an annual water reduction of over 663,000 gallons with this cooperative program. Guests are also reminded to turn off air conditioning and lighting when not in the room.

“Conservation and environmental responsibility is everyone’s business,” says Gonser. “We are so proud that we’ve achieved our goal of being certified by Green Seal. We are always looking at new and innovative ways to improve these important and vital practices.”

About Green Seal

The Hotel del Coronado became Green Seal certified on March 28, 2011. The Green Seal Standard for Hotels and Lodging Properties, GS-33, is one of the most robust environmental standards in the hospitality industry. In order to receive certification, a hotel must meet and adhere to stringent standards. These include requirements in waste management, energy efficiency, water conservation, wastewater management and green procurement. A certified property’s records, processes and procedures are evaluated and an on-site audit of the property is conducted. Certified hotels submit to annual monitoring to assure continued compliance. For more information, visit www.greenseal.org.

The resort is also listed as an environmentally friendly resort on Greenty.com, the Green Travel Guide.

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