Environmentday 2011

World Environment Day Celebrations

2011 | Archive

HAI Celebrates "Green Week" 5^th - 10^th June 2011

This year India was the first time global host of World Environment Day, and marked the occasion with a week of colorful events across the country , led by the Hon'ble Minister for Environment and Forests in India, Jairam Ramesh and UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner

Since its inception in 1996, at Hotel Association of India, it has been an annual ritual to commemorate the "World Environment Day" in a very special way. Each member hotel of the Association observes with great enthusiasm and with the involvement of employees, guests, vendors and the local community alike, a "Green Week". The 5^th of June 2011, marked the launch of the 14^th HAI Green Week Celebrations. Throughout the week initiatives to spread awareness about environment conservation were taken at several member hotels across the country.

Gifting of plants, plantation drives, cleanliness drives, poster competitions, wearing of "save our earth" badges, slogan development, screening of movies, observing of "Earth Hour", conducting of workshops, are some of the activities undertaken at many hotels.

The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group merits a special mention in this year's celebrations for creating an interesting online feature - Plant a tree at the Push of a Button, where for each new LIKE on The Lalit Facebook Page, the group will plant a tree. With every click on www.facebook.com/thelalit.hotels.palaces.and.resorts, a tree is planted by the group. So anyone across the globe can "click" plant a tree. The Lalit in New Delhi, created a unique feature in its lobby - a long graffiti wall where guests were seen writing their comments, suggestions and views on the environment and its protection.

Some other hotels which outshone are The Trident Kurla Bandra in Mumbai, The Oberoi in Bangalore, le Meridien in Kochi and The Regant Lake Palace Hotel in Kollam.

The Trident in Kurla organized an Environmental Quiz among its employees which generated the best slogan which reads "With Nature we can H.O.P.E (Help our people exist)
The Oberoi in Bangalore put up a skit and its Engineering Department also created a model of a windmill as a source of clean and renewable energy.

Few glimpses of the Celebrations follow and the vision of sustainable growth and development continues to inspire and guide the Indian Hospitality Industry as it strides forward.