Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Best Western Central Plaza
Fredericksburg, VA

Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of Virginia’s tourism industry. Virginia Green has established "core activities" specific to each sector of tourism, and these practices are considered the required minimum for participation in the program. However, Virginia Green encourages its participants to reduce their environmental impacts in all aspects of their operations, and this profile provides a full list of all their “green” activities. These are the activities that guests / customers can expect to find when they visit this facility.

Best Western Central Plaza

The Best Western Fredericksburg is a hotel consisting of 108 rooms. It has a lovely seasonal outdoor pool and a fabulous deluxe continental breakfast served each morning from 6:00AM to 10:00AM.

The Best Western Fredericksburg wants to reduce its carbon footprint on the environment. The hotel is committed to ensuring quality and and renewable resources to guests as well as to the facility.

Virginia Green Activities

This facility pledges that they:
Offer optional linen service
- Have signage in each guest room explaining the linen reuse procedures 
- Change linens only upon request 
- Train housekeeping staff on our process for optional linen service  
- Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals 
- Line dry linens whenever possible 

Recycle
- Have in place clearly marked recycling bins or provide convenient drop-off locations for guests to recycle: 
- Glass Bottles 
- Plastic Bottles 
- Aluminum cans 
- Office paper
Other items recycled by the facility: 
- Printer/ copy machine toner cartridges 
- Cardboard 
- Batteries 

Reduce solid waste
- Track overall solid waste costs 
- Use bulk soap dispensers instead of individual soaps/shampoos in guest rooms 
- Instruct housekeeping staff to save and reuse unopened items 
- Donate excess food from events 
- Have an effective food inventory control system to minimize waste 
- Provide condiments, cream and sugar, etc. in bulk 
- Use water pitchers to minimize the use of single-use bottles 
- Remove facility and staff names from junk mail lists when possible 
- Reuse scrap paper for notes 
- Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) 
- Make double-sided photocopies and avoid making extra photocopies 
- Use electronic correspondence and forms when possible 
- Use latex, low or no-VOC paints 
- Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents 
- Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles 
- Minimize use of pesticides and herbicides in landscaping 

Use water efficiently
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Have installed low flow faucets and showerheads (use less than 2.5 gallons per minute) 
- Use microfiber technology mops 
- Have minimized our lawn area 
- Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers 

Conserve energy
- Track overall energy bills 
- Have individual thermostats for each room; ensure they are correctly adjusted 
- Regularly perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system 
- Keep office doors and windows closed if HVAC system is on 
- Use natural lighting (i.e., open draperies and raise shades whenever adequate light from windows is available) 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms 
- Have installed compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and canned lighting 
- Have installed LED Exit Signs 
- Have installed directional (downward-facing) lighting in parking areas and other outdoor areas 

Offer a green events package
- We do not host conferences or events 

Best Western Central Plaza    Best Western Central Plaza

For more information on Best Western Central Plaza, see www.bestwestern.com or contact Casey Treon at Bwfst1@aol.com or (540) 371-5050.

For more information on the Virginia Green program, see www.deq.state.va.us/Programs/PollutionPrevention/VirginiaGreen.aspx.

Virginia GreenVirginia Green is a partnership supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

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