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RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET AWARD
The hospitality industry sprinting to help
save the world -
THE CHALLENGE:
The tsunami and Katrina - how can one forget? Mudslides,
Earthquakes.
Images of rapidly melting glaciers. Wildfires. Flooding. Drought. Spread of
tropical diseases (SARS, Bird Flu and others) to temperate areas.
Scientists report the clearest evidence yet that global warming is real --
and that human industrial activity is largely responsible for it. The
scientific consensus establishing the climate crisis is now overwhelming.
Projected impacts range from increased intensity of hurricanes to the
melting of glaciers and ice shelves around the world, the de-stabilization
of Greenland and the West Antarctic ice sheet, the melting of the arctic
ice cap, the spread of tropical diseases into new latitudes, the
acidification of the world’s ocean waters, increased drought and soil
moisture evaporation, increased incidence of wildfires, increased flooding
and vulnerability of coastal regions from sea level rise and associated
storm surges, destruction of coral reefs, increased species extinction, and
deaths from heat waves.
Al Gore, who has made environmental activism a key component of his life
since running for president in 2000, calls climate change and global
warming a "planetary emergency." In his award-winning documentary on global
warming and climate change, "The Inconvenient Truth" , he showed photos of
rapidly melting glaciers in Antarctica and raised the very real possibility
of devastating effects on rising sea levels. Parts of Florida would be
covered in water, New Orleans would be virtually nonexistent and several of
the smaller Caribbean islands would vanish. "We are witnessing a collision
between our civilization and the Earth," Gore said. This is backed up by
scores of scientists.
The world's population explosion, which by 2050 will reach 9.1 billion,
travel and tourism has increased the demand for energy, water and food and
has contributed to the problem of global warming.
WHO MAY PARTICIPATE?
The hospitality industry covers a wide ranging number of services and
activities. It includes travel related services such as lodging,
restaurants, food services and convention centers. Also included are
entertainment services including golf courses, sports arenas, amusement
parks, movie theaters, play houses, concert venues, tour services, and
national and state parks, to name but a few. Meeting planners, show
organizers, tour operators and other hospitality, travel and meeting
professionals are also included. The hospitality industry, in its many
formats, is a sector in which pollution prevention practices can have both
an immediate and long-term impact.
These awards were based on the outstanding and innovative programs
of these organizations. An actual race will be held on the Great Wall of China
in February, 2008, prior to the Helping Hands Mission, to raise awareness and
encourage more programs like these.
The Race To Save The Planet Award Committee reviewed 27 projects
and selected 3 for the 2007 awards. Our 2007 awardees are:
- 2007 AWARDS
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- In recognition of its
revolutionary eco-friendly air-conditioning system operates with the deployment
of a 7,874 foot pipe (the deepest ocean pipe in the world) to a depth of 3,000
feet off the reef of Bora Bora. Cold sea water (5°C)
is drawn from the ocean's depths and fed into a cooling station. From there, the
water is sent through a pipe system parallel to a closed circuit of fresh water
that travels around the entire establishment. The sea water cools the fresh
water which, in turn, cools the premises it flows through, saving 90% of the
electricity consumption. The return water is re-routed to a
depth of 197 feet to avoid hurting the fish and coral.
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- In recognition of its overall environmental
stewardship program in 25,000 rooms located at 50 diverse resorts and
urban destinations across 10 countries, where under the innovative
leadership of hotel-based Green Teams, 26,000 employees have taken on
the role of environmental stewards helping protect the habitat,
resources and culture of the places where people work, live and play.
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Organic School Project
In recognition of its efforts to instill positive habits in
schoolchildren. Children and teachers garden in on-site neighborhood
organic gardens and learn about the food cycle from the farm to the
plate. They discover wholesome foods in an integrated learning classroom
setting that is complimented by a comprehensive curriculum that teaches
children the
importance of recycling and composting.
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- 2003 AWARD
- in recognition of its outstanding program to
preserve the corals that provide the foundation for some of the most prolific
ecosystems in the world. Deep sea corals are also important for pharmaceuticals
and biotechnology. Corals are already being tested to produce antibiotics; pain
killers; and medicines to treat cancer, AIDS, asthma, and heart disease.
Furthermore, corals are important recorders of climate change. Living hundreds
to thousands of years, coral colonies allow researchers to study, discover, and
confirm changes in the climate over the centuries. When essential ancient coral
habitat is indiscriminately destroyed , an irreplaceable treasure is lost. It
will not recover in our lifetime, if ever. That is why Domina Coral Bay Resort's
efforts are worthy of recognition.
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