Calgary Alberta is home to some of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies, as well the ‘greatest outdoor show on earth’ the Calgary Stampede and western Canada’s largest museum, the Glenbow. When researching Calgary hotels, bear in mind that some have put more thought into their impact on the planet than others, and if you would like to reward the greener Calgary hotels with your business, you should put the following properties on your shortlist:

Calgary Marriott Hotel

Like its sister hotel in Vancouver the Calgary Marriott has been awarded an impressive 4 key rating , and as part of the same chain, their key environmental initiatives are the same, namely:

• Developing green hotel guidelines and building “greener” hotels
• Greening our supply chain and purchasing environmentally friendly products
• Engaging employees and guests to support the environmment through their actions
• Reducing fuel and water consumption by 25% per available room over the next 10 years
• Helping to protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest land in the Amazon

It’s also worth mentioning that more details about the Marriott chain’s environmental initiatives can be found on their corporate website, including the international organizations they have teamed up with and the environmental awards they have received.

110 9th Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta
Tel: 403 266 7331
Website: www.marriott.com

Sandman Hotel Calgary City Centre

An environmentally responsible hotel in the heart of downtown Calgary, the Sandman Hotel Calgary City Centre is also recipient of the 4 key rating from the Green Key Rating Program, whose environmental initiatives can be seen below:

We subscribe to the three “R’s” (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in all of our divisions. It starts with our construction sites and their ability to recycle as much material as possible from one site to another, right through to our restaurants who recycle cooking oils. In our hotels we even ask our guests to participate in helping to reduce excessive laundry requests.

With the combined recycling efforts of our laundries, restaurants and energy committees we are constantly trying to reduce, re-use and recycle. Annual reviews of our energy consumption, waste removal/recycling and in-house initiatives are conducted. New ideas and suggestions are distributed throughout the corporation for the express purpose of minimizing our impact on both the local and global environment.

888 7th Ave SW, Calgary AB
Tel: 403 237 8626
Website: www.sandmanhotels.com

Hyatt Regency Calgary

As well as holding a 4 key rating from the Green Key Rating Program, the Hyatt Regency Calgary were the first large hotel in Canada to sign up for 100% green electricity with Bulldog Power, Alberta’s only provider of 100% renewable energy.

700 Centre Street SE, Calgary, Alberta
Tel: 403 717 1234
Website: calgary.hyatt.com

Vancouver is a large and vibrant city with an excellent selection of hotels & accommodation, but if you are visiting Vancouver and would prefer to spend your money at a hotel with solid environmental policies in place, why not take a close look at the following properties:

The Listel Hotel

The Listel Hotel has an eco-initiative in place known as Environment Matters through which the hotel and its staff are commited to:

• Work diligently to minimize waste and conserve natural resources, particularly through water and energy conservation
• Comply with all applicable environmental legislation and strive to follow best environmental practices
• Make environmental considerations an important aspect of decision-making;
• Review the objectives of Environment Matters: Our Eco-Initiative annually;
• Build partnerships in our community in order to share our message, educate ourselves, effect positive environmental change, and raise awareness for our guests and colleagues;
• Promise to consider the opinions and feedback of our guests when examining our environmental programs and procedures;
• Identify areas for improvement and innovation and support the efforts of the Environment Matters committee

In addition to the above commitments they recently installed solar panels and a heat recovery system.

With the responsible measures the Listel Hotel has in place, it is no surprise that they have achieved a rating of 4 keys in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, and 4 green eco leaves from I Stay Green.

1300 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604 684 8461
Website: www.thelistelhotel.com

Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel

This property has also received an impressive 4 keys in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, and an overview of this award can be seen here.
Some of the Marriot’s key green initiatives are:

• Developing green hotel guidelines and building “greener” hotels
• Greening our supply chain and purchasing environmentally friendly products
• Engaging employees and guests to support the environmment through their actions
• Reducing fuel and water consumption by 25% per available room over the next 10 years
• Helping to protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest land in the Amazon

Further information about the property’s green initiatives can be found in their environmental practices document.

1133 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
Tel: 604 689 9211
Website: www.marriott.com

Hyatt Regency Vancouver

The Hyatt Regency Vancouver has also made it “easy to stay green” by achieving the 4 key rating in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia
Tel: 604 683 1234
Website: vancouver.hyatt.com

When researching green hotels in specific Canadian destinations we used a variety of information sources including the hotels’ own websites, which surprisingly were often less informative than some of the independent resources. Of the several websites dedicated to green hotels and lodging, we found ourselves drawn to the the following sites on a regular basis:

Green Key Eco Rating Program

The Green Key Eco-Rating Program requires hotels to complete a detailed audit relating to the environmental management of the property. The audit, which is completed online, consists of around 150 questions covering 5 operational areas relating to 9 areas of sustainable practice. Once completed, the hotel’s Green Key Rating is calculated by the system, along with a report of recommended improvements. This program is completely voluntary, and the audit is self-administered, however around 20% of the properties are subjected to an on-site inspection to verify the rating.
A search for member hotels by destination can be started from the home page, and a complete list of member properties can be seen here.
www.greenkeyglobal.com

Audobon Green Leaf Eco Rating Program

Hotels are given an eco-rating based on the results of a self completed survey which focuses on the 4 key areas of energy efficiency, pollution prevention, environmental management and resource conservation. The survey is examined by Audobon Green Leaf staff who then prepare an environmental performance report with recommendations for potential improvement. Within a year of receiving the eco-rating an on-site inspection is performed by Audobon Green Leaf staff to verify the rating.
A PDF list of their recognized properties can be seen here
http://greenleaf.auduboninternational.org/

I Stay Green

IStayGreen’s website allows you to search for hotels based on their ‘Eco Leaf’ rating as generated by the IStayGreen audit. You can also view the eco-friendly initiatives of any audited property which gives the property owner the opportunity to elaborate on some of these initiatives. Travellers are encouraged to submit environmental reviews for hotels they have stayed at, and the website also offers a hotel reservations service.
www.istaygreen.org

Welcome to LeaveNoTrace.com, an independent travel blog helping you choose environmentally friendly hotels and accommodation in some of Canada’s most popular cities and tourist destinations.
Over the coming weeks we will be traveling across Canada from west to east, starting in Vancouver, followed by the beautiful Canadian Rockies, onto the Stampede City of Calgary, and then across the country to Toronto, Montreal and the charming Quebec City.
En route we will be trying our best to highlight some of the green measures being taken by hotels and accommodation providers, and where appropriate we will also mention any restaurants and tour companies who differentiate themselves from the pack from an environmental viewpoint.
We hope the information you find on this blog will help you make informed choices when traveling in Canada – enjoy the journey!