Chesapeake Green was presented with the Green Travel Chapter of the Year award for 2016 to recognize efforts for protecting the environment and promoting green tourism in Virginia. Chesapeake is proud to be a participant in the Virginia Green Certification, a statewide initiative that strives to reduce the environmental impacts of Virginia's tourism industry. Dozens of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and events in the city participating in the program have implemented environmentally responsible practices that include energy and water conservation, and glass, plastic and paper product recycling.
The award was presented at the Virginia Green Travel Conference and Travel Star Awards Celebration in Charlottesville, Virginia, on February 17, 2017 at the Darden School of Business Conference Center at the University of Virginia. First Lady Virginia Dorothy McAuliffe stated at the Awards Luncheon, "The Governor and I want to congratulate these incredible Virginia Green businesses that are working every day to protect our natural resources and promote green tourism opportunities in Virginia. These environmentally conscious destinations are part of what makes Virginia such an appealing place to visit for people from all over the country and the world."
The Virginia Green program is run through a partnership between the Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, and the Virginia Green Travel Alliance. The program encourages green practices in Virginia's tourism industry, and it has nearly 1,700 partner organizations that have self-certified their green commitments while continuously improving their environmental programs.
