Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown and Sustainable Tallahassee Honored for Green Initiatives

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Two local businesses took home the gold at the Sustainable Florida Awards this year. Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown and Sustainable Tallahassee, two organizations that strive to be stewards for the environment and advocates for Tallahassee’s community, received awards recognizing their efforts towards environmental sustainability.

The organizations were recognized by Sustainable Florida during their 2015 Best Practice Awards program. Sustainable Tallahassee won the Sustainable Florida Best Practice Award in the Nonprofit Category for its original and effective Community Carbon Fund. Four Points was awarded the Sustainable Florida Best Practice Award in the Large Business Category for their efforts in finding new and innovative ways to keep their hotel green.

From its launch, Four Points has engaged in environmentally conscious business practices.  The hotel maintained 96 percent of the building’s original structural elements during major renovations and recycled 79 percent of construction waste.  Four Points is also the first hotel in Tallahassee to receive LEED-certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The hotel engages in a multitude of environmentally conscientious practices including participation in national and global ‘green’ charities and events, donating compost to local youth gardens and urban farms, and using solar panels and a “green” roof to offset the urban heat island effect.

“We at Four Points are honored to be recognized by Sustainable Florida for our efforts to maintain green business practices and promote environmental sustainability in Tallahassee,” said Bo Schmitz, General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown.  “And we’re so thrilled to receive this award alongside Sustainable Tallahassee, a local nonprofit we greatly respect and admire.”

Sustainable Tallahassee was honored for its Community Carbon fund, one of Sustainable Tallahassee’s most successful initiatives. Donations to the Fund are spent locally for energy efficiency projects that lower energy use and utility bills for nonprofits that serve the community, and for capturing carbon with tree plantings. Both activities enhance environmental quality by reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions. The money saved by the nonprofits can be used to supplement the services they provide to the community.

“We’re immensely proud to receive this award from Sustainable Florida for our Community Carbon Fund,” said Jim Davis, Executive Director of Sustainable Tallahassee. “It has been a labor of love and everyone in the area can benefits from it. It not only supports actions to reduce carbon emissions in the Tallahassee area, but also enhances the economic and social health of the local community. The fund allows donors to ‘think globally, green locally’.”

The awards highlight both organizations continued commitment to environmental sustainability, recognizing Four Points’ for its green initiatives and business practices and Sustainable Tallahassee’s promotion of individual and community-driven efforts for environmental stewardship and economic vitality. These businesses are doing their part to keep Tallahassee green.

Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown is a Starwood hotel property and is locally owned and operated. The hotel received LEED certification for its superior environmental responsibility. One of the hotel’s main priorities is sustainable living and environmental awareness. For more information please visit: www.fourpointstallahasseedowntown.com

Sustainable Tallahassee is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity and participates in the Community Foundation of North Florida’s “FindLearnGive.org” initiative. Promoting environmental stewardship and economic vitality in our community through education and collaboration, they are a catalyst for individual, group, and community-wide actions that save water, energy and money, and optimize the sustainable use of resources. For more information please visit: http://sustainabletallahassee.org/