At a ceremony held at the Statehouse on November 29^th, Vermont Governor Howard Dean recognized the following properties for having achieved Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State designation this year:

Located in a beautiful Vermont setting, the Inn at Essex has country inn charm and luxury hotel service. Their considerable care is extended not only to their guests, but to the environment as well. Gas fireplaces are equipped with timers to reduce gas usage. Guests are encouraged to, as they themselves put it, "help save Mother Earth by reusing towels and thereby conserving water and cleaning chemicals". Additionally, the towels are off-white in order to avoid the need for bleaching. Management and staff at The Inn at Essex strive to reduce the environmental consequences of their operations and their guests' stay by using bulk-metered laundry and cleaning supplies; by purchasing and using products with recycled content; and by conserving water with low-flow showerheads, low-flush toilets, and faucet aerators.

Located in downtown Montpelier only one block from the State House, The Capitol Plaza Hotel offers beautiful accommodations and superior service to its quests, while simultaneously employing many environmentally conscious practices. Their waste reduction efforts include purchasing recycled-content products, using bulk-metered laundry detergent, offering guests the opportunity to contribute to a hotel-wide recycling program, and they donate partially used soaps and shampoos to local shelters. A towel reuse option allows guests to help conserve water and a new heat pump system enables them to conserve energy. The Capitol Plaza Hotel is a property where commitment to pollution prevention and conservation of natural resources is clearly evident throughout the business operations.

Located in Burlington, The Clarion Hotel greets guests with an in-room message that explicitly states their environmental commitment to using environmentally preferable products that are biodegradable or that contain recycled content. It also makes evident their commitment to environmentally responsible waste disposal. Each guestroom has a blue recycle bin that includes information about what can be recycled and urges guests to participate in their recycling efforts. They conserve water with toilet aquasavers, with sink aerators, and by encouraging guests to conserve water and chemical cleaning products by taking advantage of their towel and linen reuse program. The Clarion's virtually odor-free pool is safer for swimmers and for the environment because chlorine has been replaced with bromine, a less hazardous sanitizer. The Clarion Hotel's environmentally sound practices help them to reduce their own and their guest's use of non-renewable natural resources and to minimize the amount of solid waste that would otherwise go to a landfill.

Located in Manchester and with breathtaking views of Mount Equinox, the Equinox Resort Hotel provides an exceptional opportunity to connect with the environment - and contribute to its protection. At the Equinox, a comprehensive composting program reduces the amount of solid waste needing disposal and mimics nature by converting organic waste into a finished compost that is used to fertilize gardens and grounds. Toxics use reduction initiatives at the Equinox have significantly decreased the use of toxic chemicals and hazardous materials throughout the property. A sampling of these initiatives include their avoidance of bleach in their laundry facility by installing an ozonation system, an antibacterial ionization unit that eliminates the need for chlorine in the pool, and the practice of integrated pest management strategies in order to reduce pesticide usage on the golf course.

Located in the heart of Stowe, the Green Mountain Inn offers guests the perfect blend of modern comfort and country elegance. As an historic hotel, the Green Mountain Inn has a long-standing commitment to preserve and protect the unique natural resources that their guests have come to Vermont to enjoy. They practice energy conservation by replacing incandescent lights with compact fluorescents, insulating water pipes, installing motion sensors on exterior lights, and using a solar cover on their year-round outdoor pool. The Green Mountain Inn composts kitchen waste and bails and compacts cardboard for recycling.