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The State of California is recognized throughout the nation for its environmental beauty and its environmental leadership. Each of us has an important role to play in protecting this beauty and helping to conserve California's precious natural resources to ensure that its residents and businesses continue to thrive.
The California Green Lodging Program was developed, in part, to help the hospitality industry minimize their waste, conserve energy and natural resources, and to provide the industry with practical, real-world suggestions for sustainability practices that will improve their bottom line. The Program also provides well-deserved recognition for those facilities doing their part to help keep California green.
Effective September 2008, the Department of General Services (DGS) assumed the operation of the California Green Lodging Program from the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) who initially developed and operated the Program.
To apply for consideration for the California Green Lodging Program, please fill out and return the Hotel Survey (PDF, 38 KB). Once you complete the survey, DGS staff will follow-up by contacting you. The next step will be to perform a Field Survey (PDF, 335 KB) at your facility. Once the field survey is completed, program evaluation and scoring will be conducted.
Facilities that qualify for the program will be rated at one of two levels as noted below. (Also see the list of participating hotels.):
 Leadership Level. This is the highest level of program participation. Leadership level hotels achieved a minimum field survey score of 300. They have a written environmental policy in place and meet all seven of the program's criteria:
- Waste minimization.
- Reuse/recycling.
- Energy efficiency.
- Conservation and management.
- Waste management.
- Freshwater resource management.
- Hazardous materials management.
- Environmentally and socially sensitive purchasing policies.
 Participation Level. This is the entry level for the program. Participation level hotels are building their environmental green lodging programs. They achieved a field survey score of 250 to 300, and they might not have a written environmental policy in place. Participation level hotels meet some of the seven program criteria, and have three years from their date of enrollment to demonstrate continuous improvement and elevate their rating to the Leadership Level.
 Certification in Process. The hotel has submitted a hotel survey to apply for green lodging program consideration and is in the process of being certified.
DGS will assist hotels with marketing their facilities to State employees traveling on State business. DGS will also issue a program certificate to be displayed in the lobby, at the registration desk or any other prominent location at your hotel.
Thank you for your participation in this program. We look forward to your support and commitment to reducing waste, saving energy, water and California's other valuable resources through environmentally friendly practices in the hospitality industry.
Resources to Help You "Green Your Hotel"
- California Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency - This Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
- Energy Star for Hospitality
- Food Donations — Information about food waste management and donating food.
- Green Meetings — From the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. See also Greening your Meetings and Conferences: A Guide for Federal Purchasers
- Greening the Lodging Industry Program — This is a Green Seal Program. Green Seal is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsible products and services. See their standards for lodging properties.
- Holding a Green Conference — This source is from SustainableBusiness.com.
- International Tourism Partnership — The Partnership works to promote the highest possible standards of environmental and social management and responsible practices within the industry.
- Recycled-Content Product Directory — A Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) directory set up to assist individuals, small business owners, state agencies, and corporate buyers in the commitment to buy recycled.
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) "How can your business go green with SMUD?"
- SMUD "Serving Your Business"
- U.S. Green Building Council
- Waste Reduction in Hotels and Motels — A publication providing ideas for hotel managers to save money by reducing waste in housekeeping, grounds maintenance, food services, and supplies purchasing. It covers recycling and waste reduction at conferences.
- Waste Prevention Information Exchange (WPIE) — A Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) directory of informational resources for waste prevention.
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