The Best Western Casa Ojai Distinguishes Itself As Green Suites Certified

The Best Western Casa Ojai, in the serene foothills of the Los Padres Mountains of Ventura County, is doing their share to protect the environment, thanks to a host of environmentally enhanced products from Green Suites® International, an environmental product and program supplier to the lodging industry.

On April 1, the Best Western Casa Ojai launched the "EcoRoom® Accommodation Program" converting each of their 45 guestrooms into healthier, more environmental "EcoRooms". They are the first property in the area to do so. The guestrooms will now feature more than a dozen different environmental products including compact fluorescent light bulbs; water efficient showerheads and sink faucets; L.E.D. nightlights (according a study at Livermore Laboratories, 40% of all travelers leave bathroom lights on as nightlights); non-toxic cleaning chemicals; a linen reuse program; and Natura brand liquid soaps, lotions and shampoo products offered in shower and vanity dispensers. Each dispenser states that use of it may "eliminate over 1000 amenity packages a year from entering our landfills," adding that the liquid products are biodegradable, hypoallergenic and not animal tested.

The EcoRoom® Accommodation Program crowns another in a series of environmental initiatives. The Best Western Casa Ojai uses recycled office supplies such as ink toner and printer paper, and offers a 5% discount on the stay for owners of electric and hybrid certified vehicles. They run their in-house commercial washer with environmentally safe detergents, and all of their usable hotel items are donated to local non-profit organizations instead of being tossed in a landfill.

Jim Johnson, General Manager for the Best Western Casa Ojai a subsidiary of Ojai Hospitality Group, Inc., sees that going green will not only benefit his property but also the community and his guests. "We talk a lot about win-win opportunities, but this is a win-win-win-with the environment, the guest, and our bottom line all being positively affected.”

Dan Bornholdt, President of Green Suites® International estimates that the Best Western Casa Ojai hotel will save 30 percent to 70 percent on the cost of amenities, 20 percent to 40 percent on water, 30 percent to 70 percent of energy, 10 percent on waste and 10 percent on labor. He bases these numbers on the 3000 hotels they have supplied in the company's 16 year history.

Due to their participation in the EcoRoom® Accommodation Program, the Best Western Casa Ojai has also received a 4-leaf rating (another first for the area) as part of the Green Suites®' Green Hotel Certification

Program. This program aims to recognize hotels for the positive green initiatives they've performed, while simultaneously challenging the hotels' competitors to step up their environmental performance.

In an era when environmental consciousness is increasing in response to greater demands on our environment, green initiatives are vital to maintaining social responsibility in all industries, and the hospitality sector is no exception. As a Green Suites® Certified Green Hotel, the Best Western Casa Ojai is ahead of the curve in recognizing this and putting green values into practice.

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