Iaphet Elli  |
| Conrad New York |
NYC
& Company CELEBRATES EARTH DAY BY RECOGNIzING SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS in
tourism AROUND nEW YORK CITY
—Hotel Rooftops, Attractions and
Landmarks Lead the Way in
the City’s Green
Initiatives—
New York City
(April 22, 2015)— In celebration of
Earth Day, NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and
partnership organization, today recognizes several attractions, restaurants and
hotels that lead in green initiatives around the City. Coinciding with today’s
Earth Day celebrations, NYC & Company will host a panel discussion with its
membership on sustainability at Tavern on the Green in Central Park.
Guest speakers from Broadway Green Alliance, Con Edison, Department of
Sanitation, Empire State Building, InterContinental New York Barclay and
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center will spotlight their commitment to a
“green tourism” industry.
“New York City has long been at the forefront
of sustainability efforts among major cities around the world,” said Fred Dixon,
NYC & Company’s president and CEO. “Today’s event is more proof that our
City’s tourism industry is committed to keeping our City green and preserving
our planet.”
Many of the City’s hotels have incorporated green
initiatives that help benefit both the visitors’ experience and the environment.
The New York Hilton Midtown’s 16,000-square-foot green roof supports
local farms and locally grown plants, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by
the hotel and reducing cooling costs. Conrad New York’s “smart
luxury” efforts are featured in its signature restaurant ATRIO, using
vegetables grown from their rooftop garden. Environmentally friendly paint and
LED lighting led to the hotel earning the LEED® Gold for
New Construction Certification.
During the summer and fall, the
InterContinental New York Times Square harvests around 60 pounds of honey
annually thanks to its two beehives that hold close to 60,000 bees. The
landmark Waldorf Astoria New York, besides being famous for movie
appearances, is also known for its beehives, which help produce its “Top of the
Waldorf Rooftop Honey” and is even featured in some of their cocktails.
Delegates attending meetings and conventions this year at the Javits
Center will notice significant changes thanks to a $463 million renovation
completed in 2014. More than 6,000 high-performance, fritted glass panels were
installed, along with a 6.75-acre green roof, the second largest of its kind in
the United States.
Several New York City restaurants have also taken a
stand on going green. Le Bernardin, a four-star seafood restaurant, has
implemented the use of biodegradable straws and tasting spoons in their kitchen,
as well as a Swedish proprietary system to ultra-purify their water. At the end
of the night, the restaurant donates unused fruit, bread, pastries and fish to
City Harvest for distribution to shelters around NYC. Telepan, known for
its crispy potatopierogiesand house-smoked brook, uses ingredients found in greenmarkets located around
the City. Partnering with local farmers and purveyors, Angelica’s Kitchen
ensures that the ingredients used in their dishes are part of a sustainable
agriculture.
New York City’s iconic Empire State Building has
also taken viable efforts to decrease its impact on the environment. The famed
skyscraper saw all of its 6,514 windows refurbished, along with the installation
of brand new building management controls and a computer-driven LED light
system. These improvements led to a reduction of energy use by 38% and reduced
carbon emissions of 105,000 metric tons.
On May 1,
the Whitney Museum of American Art in the Meatpacking District will
unveil its new home, designed by architect Renzo Piano. This unique space uses
reclaimed old-growth pine to cover 60,000 square feet of flooring, an advanced
building management system and a three-tier shade system that controls how much
light comes through its windows and skylights.
Combining
technology with sustainability, the Metropolitan Museum of Art utilizes a
wireless environmental sensor network that adjusts the lighting and temperature
of the rooms holding its art collection. This smart system, provided by IBM,
reduces the museum’s energy costs and also extends the life of its artwork.
In the Bronx, the
250-acre New York Botanical Garden’s 30,000 trees help clean the air and
capture storm water. The Garden also switched its buildings and trams from oil
to natural gas, greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Museum of the
Moving Image in Queens, which showcases the art, history, technique and
technology of media, reopened in 2011 as a LEED®certified building,
complete with energy-efficient LED lighting that enhances the look of the façade
and interiors of the museum.
For
the nature enthusiast, there are green tours and nature walks taking place
throughout the City. Turnstile Tours’ Urban Ecology Tour explores the
65,000-square-foot Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm while also teaching visitors
about the importance of the City’s waterways.
Visitors
to Staten Island, NYC’s greenest borough, can participate in group hike sessions
and educational opportunities. Nature enthusiasts can learn from the
Greenbelt Conservancy about the importance of the 2,800-acres of
parklands and connected trails known as the Greenbelt. Also in Staten Island,
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden educates visitors at
their environmentally-friendly two-acre Heritage Farm, all while increasing
awareness about the importance of eating locally.NYC & Company’s
board of directors has a sustainability committee led by Hervé Houdré, Regional
Director of Operations & General Manager of InterContinental New York
Barclay and an expert in the field of sustainability. Leaders of the committee
come from all industry segments around New York City.
About NYC &
Company:
NYC & Company
is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of
New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout
the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image
of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.