The continued greening efforts by Harrah’s have paid off, as the resort company recently earned seven gold medals from Travelife, an organization that promotes sustainability in tourism. Gold medals were doled out to several of Harrah’s Las Vegas properties, including the Rio, Caesars Palace, and Bill’s Gambling Saloon.
The medals are designed to reward properties that make an effort to minimize negative impact on the environment, take advantage of locally-based companies when selecting vendors, and make a concerted effort to hire locally based individuals to better the social lives of people within the community.
Travelife is an organization set up by the European Union through the Federation of Tour Operations to advise travelers on companies and hotels that make efforts towards greening their company. Harrah’s was the only gambling-related company to receive accreditation for multiple Las Vegas resorts, taking home eight total medals. The gold medals went to the Rio, Caesars Palace, Bill’s Gambling Saloon, Flamingo, Paris, Bally’s, and Harrah’s, while Imperial Palace received a silver medal.
Gary Loveman, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harrah’s, commented on the honor in an official press release from the company: “I’m proud that each of our resorts in Las Vegas achieved this distinction. We’ve invested heavily in sustainability at Harrah’s and made it a core business principle that drives business strategy and operations.”
According to numbers found in Harrah’s press release, the company has launched more than 110 conservation projects across its numerous properties. These efforts have resulted in the reduction of 77,850 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Some of the projects include the installation of water filtration systems in Harrah’s restaurants to cut down on bottled water use and the implementation of a new Las Vegas laundry facility that severely cuts down on the number of gallons of water used each year.
Even the Harrah’s-owned World Series of Poker (WSOP) is taking part in sustainability efforts. An eco-friendly poker table designed by EGM Green was put on display as part of the 2008 WSOP festivities. The table was made of 98% sustainable materials and was awarded to that year’s Main Event Champion, Peter Eastgate. The table was auctioned off for charity this past July at the Friends of Eastgate fundraiser. Casinos that install the EGM table can earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits.
Harrah’s has also received several other green honors over the past year, including an Environmental Quality Award, which is the highest level of recognition bestowed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Harrah’s partnered with the EPA last year to take part in the Climate Leaders project and recently teamed up with the organization again for the Water Wise project.
In September, the casino conglomerate announced it would be joining forces with Dell, SC Johnson, Starbucks, and Wrigley to form “Team Earth.” Run by Conservationists International, the team is designed to bring together corporations, non-profit organizations, scientists, and educators to discuss environmental issues.
