Keepin’ It Green at Walt Disney World Resort
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Nov. 4, 2013 – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently renewed the Green Lodging designation for all the Disney-owned and operated resorts in Florida. This three-year distinction is a way to recognize hotels that help protect Florida’s natural resources through efforts that reduce waste, conserve water and energy, improve air quality and raise awareness of environmental conservation.
“Our goal is to use resources wisely and reduce our impact on the environment,” said Becky Grieser, manager of environmental integration for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Our participation in the Florida Green Lodging program is a valuable demonstration of that commitment, and it’s something we are very proud of.”
To receive this designation, Walt Disney World took several steps to conserve resources:
- Walt Disney World Resorts reduced waste by printing in-room guest information onrecycled paper and recycling room key cards.
- Resorts switched to energy-efficient lighting, kept an eye on thermostats and turned off unused lights and equipment.
- Through the Disney Harvest program, unused prepared foods from resort kitchens havebeen collected and distributed through the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. More than 1,000 local children are fed weekly through this program.
- Gently used soaps, shampoos, conditioners and lotions were donated to Clean the World, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to sanitizing and redistributing these materials to families in need. In 2012, Cast Members helped recycle more than 128,000 pounds of hygiene products that were reprocessed into 393,00 soap bars.
- Merchandise locations use recycled shopping bags and packaging materials.
Walt Disney World resorts represent the largest number of Green Lodging-designated hotels in the state. Disney’s BoardWalk Resort was among the first statewide to receive this classification when the program began in 2004.
