The City of West Hollywood has announced the winners of its inaugural Green City Awards, an effort to “recognize projects and practices that demonstrate excellence in environmental sustainability.”
There are three award categories. Those categories and the winners are”
- Individual: Mike Carter for his “Monarch Sanctuary Project.” That project is an effort to preserve the monarch butterfly by encouraging people to purchase plants — both native milkweed and nectar — to help increase the monarch butterflies’ feeding and breeding locations.
- Business: DoveHill Capital Management LLC for the 1 Hotel West Hollywood. That hotel, at 8490 Sunset Blvd., features two urban gardens and the hotel itself celebrates nature in everything from planters to the reception desks and the lobby area, with wood coming from logs sourced within 50 miles and “resulting in an exceptionally light carbon footprint.”
- Non-Profit Organization: The West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition’s “Safe Streets for All Project.”
That project’s goal is “to make safe, complete and sustainable streets available to all by promoting bike-oriented services, advocacy, education and projects that benefit all road users.” The Coalition has provided input on city planning projects, hosted programs on bicycle safety and road use laws, and advocated for the use of bicycles.
The Green City Awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. as a part of the Public Facilities Commission’s annual televised meeting. The event will be held virtually via teleconference and it will be broadcast live on WeHoTV and on Spectrum Channel 10 in West Hollywood.
Here’s my issue with 1 Hotel being green, the uber wealthy who frequent it live such outsized carbon footprint lives. For example, watch how many gas guzzling SUVs, exotic race cars, and large cars pull up to its valet. Also consider the jet setting aspect, the frequent travel (especially leisure). While I appreciate the hotel taking great steps towards sustainability, in the scheme of things, it is just lipstick on a pig. IMO. Just driving up the hill to Sunset already has a larger carbon footprint. Brake dust is also a pollutant.