Sustainably Minded Destinations
Tuolumne County
In this pristine High Sierra county, preserving nature is paramount. Opportunities exist for groups to give back by participating in tree plantings, river clean-ups or trail work. Visit Tuolumne County, the local visitors’ bureau, also helps meeting planners create meaningful travel by working with local Certified B corporations, supporting local agriculture and community projects.
Fresno Green Team
The Fresno Green Team is committed to improving the environment and air quality for everyone in the Central Valley. Through this initiative, the group certifies local businesses that adhere to green practices. Meeting planners can contact the group to find certified green partners for their events.
Sustainable SLO CAL
Agriculture-driven SLO CAL is a leader in sustainability, from the nation’s first solar-powered movie theater to artisans committed to working with repurposed materials. The area’s wineries make perfect partners for meetings, and with over 50 wineries part of the SLO CAL Sustainable Wine Trail, it’s easy to find a producer committed to being green.
Partners in Palm Springs
The Palm Springs tourism industry is committed to sustainable meetings in the desert. The Palm Springs Convention Center uses solar power, motion sensors to reduce energy usage, sustainable plumbing and biodegradable service ware. By capturing 98% of food prep waste, the center saves 400 tons of waste annually. Resorts throughout Palm Springs also use composting systems and landscaping techniques to save water.
Go Green in LA
A sustainable meeting in Los Angeles starts with choosing a Green Seal-certified hotel. If you’re hosting a large event, rest assured that the Los Angeles Convention Center is one of the greenest convention arenas in the country. Meeting planners can further reduce their carbon footprint by going paperless, offering sustainably sourced food and drinks, recycling and encouraging guests to use public transportation throughout the city.
Standout Sustainable Hotels and Venues
LEED-ing Anderson’s Effort
As Northern California’s only LEED-Silver Certified hotel, the Gaia Hotel in Anderson is the ideal location for sustainable events. The property was constructed with FSC lumber, low VOC sealants and adhesives, sustainable plumbing, energy-efficient windows and LED lighting. Environmentally-forward landscaping surrounds the property; only green cleaning products are used. The hotel supports local farms and donates used furniture and household goods to non-profit housing agencies.
Mendocino Meetings
The Stanford Inn in Mendocino shows how luxury and sustainability can blend seamlessly. The hotel’s plant-based Ravens Restaurant is acclaimed for its gourmet vegan cuisine, with many ingredients from on-site certified organic gardens. The hotel features nine EV charging stations and a robust programming menu for meetings, including cooking and gardening classes, fitness classes and creative play shops.
Golden Green
Whether you’re looking to host an event for ten or over 10,000, the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento is your sustainable source. Home of the Sacramento Kings, the Golden 1 Center is the first indoor arena to be 100% solar-powered and to achieve LEED Platinum status. The center partners with 700 local farms and wineries to bring farm-to-table cuisine to your next event. The center’s impressive environmental record saw the Kings win the Sport for Climate Action Award for their arena.
Full Effort at Half Moon Bay
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay’s strong commitment to the environment means meeting planners have plenty of green options at the resort. From stunning silk flower arrangements to sustainably sourced seafood and a no-plastic approach to cutlery and water bottles, the hotel is mitigating the impact of meetings on the environment. Additionally, the resort has an aggressive composting and recycling program.
The Sustainable Jackpot
Golf courses are ironically not very “green.” But at Temecula Valley’s Journey, Pechanga Resort Casino’s golf course, millions of gallons of water are saved by collecting water from condensation created by turbines. The saved water is used to irrigate the course. Journey also uses high-tech irrigation to ensure only the amount of water really needed is used.
Green Programs Galore
As a member of the Beyond Green portfolio of hotels, sustainability is at the core of The Ranch at Laguna Beach. The Adopt a Channel program aids in the cleanup of the ocean, the Bottles to Bunkers turns discarded glass bottles into golf course materials, and its Hook to Harvest philosophy ensures that culinary ingredients are sourced locally and sustainably.
Anaheim’s Gold Star
The Anaheim Convention Center is the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast. It’s a testament to sustainability in large spaces, holding a LEED gold certification for its green efforts. The building generates 2.37 megawatts of clean energy through its solar array panels, operates with a high-tech HVAC to conserve energy, and uses consumables that meet strict LEED guidelines. The center is also committed to the community partnering with organizations like “Chefs to End Hunger,” which repurposes excess food to feed the hungry.
Carlsbad Hotel Commitment
Carlsbad’s commitment to sustainable tourism is led by some of its favorite hotels, including the LEED-certified Park Hyatt Aviara, Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach and Omni La Costa Resort. Each property employs energy-saving measures, sustainable design and responsible gastronomy to promote environmental stewardship.