The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort has been named Hawaii’s first-ever carbon neutral resort. It is one of two resorts in the state to have earned the recognition. The resort, in collaboration with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI), has launched a plantation drive. As many as 100,000 milo legacy trees will be planted on site, making it the first endemic forest in the U.S. to be planted on resort grounds.
The tree-planting initiative will help absorb carbon emissions. It will also contribute substantially toward the restoration and long-term preservation of Hawaii’s most important native tree species. Guests can participate by sponsoring a legacy tree in The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort Forest to honor an individual, preserve the memory of a loved one, commemorate an event, or to help offset the carbon footprint of their stay. A Certificate of Planting will be provided to sponsors, along with a personalized Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, which sponsors can use to view their tree from anywhere in the world using HLRI’s digital TreeTracker technology.
As part of a larger sustainability initiative, Mauna Kea Resort—consisting of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort and the vacation rentals Mauna Kea Residences—has been implementing initiatives to bolster and foster awareness and respect for land, community and culture. A charitable fee is included in guests’ stays at at Mauna Kea Resort to support The Hawai’i Island Conservation Fund. The fund supports two non-profit organizations, namely The Nature Conservancy and Hawai’i Trust Fund, with a focus on the district of Kohala where the resort is located.
For more information, visit www.westinhapuna.com.
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