Breathing Easily
A Philadelphia Sheraton clears the air for hotel guests
The "Do Not Disturb" signs hanging on the doors at the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square Hotel in Philadelphia are made of recycled materials, as is the toilet paper in the bathrooms and the carpet on the floor.
The Sheraton, which requires its customers to sign a waiver vowing not to smoke in the building, boasts that it's the nation's most environmentally friendly hotel. It's the first hotel to receive the Green Seal of Approval from Green Seal, a Washington-based environmental organization.
Barry Dimson, environmental consultant and co-owner of the property, which has been open for three years, says the hotel industry will eventually follow his lead and become green. "Our hotel is an early adapter to a trend -- a trend that's coming. It's inevitable," he says.
The hotel's air filtering system removes allergens, including pollen, and bacteria. All furniture has been finished with a catalyzed lacquer process that eliminates the off-gassing of toxic chemicals. The sheets, pillows and mattresses are all made from 100 percent unbleached, organic cotton that is said to adjust to an individual's body temperature.
Dimson says the hotel's high air quality has elicited the most positive response from its guests, some of whom, he says, don't need to take their allergy medicine while staying there.
"When you walk into the hotel, you feel away from the city," he says, "like you're on a mountaintop somewhere."
For more information, contact the hotel at 215-546-9400; www.sheraton philadelphia.com
-- Mike Morris
A compromise on snowmobiles
Snowmobile makers and users were apparently no happier than environmentalists about a new government compromise that limits but doesn't ban the vehicles from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.
The proposal, released recently by the Interior Department, would limit the daily number of snowmobiles to no more than 1,100 for both parks and the connecting parkway, starting in December 2003. But only half that number would be allowed to pass through the West Yellowstone entrance, the most popular access.
As many as 1,650 snow machines putt through the parks on a busy weekend. A snowmobile ban had been proposed by the Clinton administration to protect air quality and wildlife in the two parks. Rather than applaud the compromise, however, snowmobile rental companies complained that it would halve their business.
Expansion in Las Vegas
The Venetian hotel-casino is about to reach the top of a 25-story tower, adding one-third more rooms to the Las Vegas Strip resort.
Topping-out ceremonies are planned this month for the new 14-story, 1,013-room tower being built atop an existing 11-floor parking structure. The expansion, slated for completion by June, also includes parking and a $45 million addition to the Venetian Congress Center and the Sands Convention Center. At 4,049 rooms, the Venetian will rank third in the world by room count, behind the 5,034-room MGM Grand and the 4,524-room Luxor, all on the Las Vegas Strip.
Contact the Venetian at www.venetian.com; 877-883-6423.
THE ART OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
A new museum exploring art in children's literature from around the world has recently opened in Amherst, Mass. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is a 40,000-square-foot facility (left) housing three galleries, which will feature rotating exhibitions of works by national and international guest artists and by Eric Carle, who helped found the museum. Carle is the author and illustrator of more than 70 books, among them the 1969 classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
A 130-seat auditorium will be the site of performances, films and lectures, and a reading library will offer a comfortable setting for reading and storytelling. Information: 413-586-8934; www.picturebookart.org.
-- From wire reports