6.28.2005 ET

(CSRwire) TORONTO - Today, sustaining your travel habit is about more than reservations, a detailed itinerary, exotic locations and credit card access. Across a growing number of urban retreats and idyllic resorts, it's about living the good life while doing what's good for the planet. To encourage those natural instincts, Fairmont Hotel's & Resorts award- winning Green Partnership has teamed with the Los Angeles-based Environmental Media Association (EMA), a non-profit that connects Hollywood, the environmental community and consumers.

On Sunday, the new partners took time out from their respective day jobs of running luxury green hotels and pitching environmental messages to the TV and movie industry, to host a star-studded "Green Power Baby Shower" at Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar. Attended by a multi-generational celebrity mix that included "Meet the Parents" actress Blythe Danner, plus Noah Wyle, Laura Dern and Ming-Na, all with families in tow, the event brought eco-chic to everything from safe cleaning to family travel.

Demonstrating that green truly has gone mainstream, the sponsors also covered a lot of ground. Alongside early advocates like Whole Foods Market, Silk soy, and Begley's Best cleaner from actor-advocate Ed Begley Jr., trendsetters like Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher also discovered recent global entries including the Toyota Prius, Johnson Seafarms, Ltd.'s introduction of their U.K. salmon, and The Fairmont Mayakoba, opening on Mexico's Riviera Maya this fall.

"Fairmont has always had a strong sense of place, a real pioneering history and a genuine connection to the environment and the communities around us," said Jeff Senior, the company's senior vice president of marketing & sales and one of Sunday's event panelists. "As longtime leaders in the green travel movement, our goal has been to demonstrate that style and enjoyment can co-exist happily with conservation and awareness."

"Aligning our Fairmont Green Partnership commitment with an organization like EMA is relevant to our brand heritage; more importantly it speaks to a growing passion of our guests. We're very excited about having the support of the entertainment community to encourage everyone to choose wisely, live respectfully and travel well."

Given Fairmont hotels' popularity as a backdrop for 75-years of major feature films including "Notting Hill" and "Cinderella Man," and frequent support of shoots in protected areas and UNESCO world heritage sites, the company will collaborate on EMA's efforts to green Hollywood sets. Guests who explore the Fairmont Green Partnership will be provided with information about EMA and a behind the scenes glimpse of how environmental storylines get scripted for hit shows and movies like "According to Jim," Will & Grace," "The Day After Tomorrow" and the critically acclaimed "Crash." While plans for more events and special green travel packages get underway, Fairmont will also help raise funds and awareness at the annual EMA Awards show in Los Angeles this October.

"This is a hotel company that goes above and beyond for their guests and the planet," EMA President Debbie Levin noted. "Fairmont buys green power, parks a Prius in their San Jose lobby to get guests thinking about clean air, teaches kids about bugs and baby sea turtles and lets elk roam free on their golf courses. They'll take you on a hike up a mountain to see bear tracks or to a city rooftop for their organic herb gardens."

"Like EMA, Fairmont and our other corporate partners understand that where we go, what we do and what we buy shows what we believe in and makes a difference for the planet," said Levin. "We also believe it can be simple, fashionable and fun."

The EMA partnership is one component of a broader Fairmont Green Partnership outreach and introduced this year. In January the company launched "Eco-Innovations," hotel-based green projects that "think globally and act locally," to develop environmental partnerships, learning and guest activities. Initiatives that are already earning notice include The Fairmont Orchid's "Room to Reef" campaign, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu's "Be My Beluga" theme, The Fairmont Chicago's organic "Shop With the Chef" package, and The Fairmont San Jose's "Clean Air Drive" to cut greenhouse gas emissions while starting talk about gridlock and gas consumption. Over a dozen more Fairmont Eco-Innovations are slated to launch by year's end.

"Since the 1880's Fairmont has encouraged and enabled our guests to explore unique surroundings and different environments," said Fairmont Environmental Affairs Manager Michelle White. "Then in 1990, we introduced the Fairmont Green Partnership to measure and reduce our environmental impacts. This partnership with EMA is another step in the right direction."

ABOUT EMA

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) mobilizes the entertainment industry in a global effort to educate people about environmental issues and inspire them into action. EMA was created in 1989, as a non-profit 501(c)3, with the simple but powerful concept that through television and film, the entire entertainment community could influence the environmental awareness of millions of people. By weaving environmental messages into entertainment programming and utilizing "celebrity" for positive role modeling, EMA continues to have a profound effect on how the public receives environmental information. http://www.ema-online.org.

THE FAIRMONT GREEN PARTNERSHIP

Introduced across Canada in 1990, the acclaimed Fairmont Green Partnership program is now growing in the United States, Mexico, Caribbean and Europe. This comprehensive initiative to minimize the impact of hotel operations on the environment addresses key issues including waste management, water and energy conservation, habitat protection, vendor relations, design, education and community outreach.

Featuring a collection of fabled castles, secluded lodges, storied meeting places and modern retreats, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts opens the doors to some of the world's most celebrated addresses. With locations throughout eight countries, our 44 distinctive hotels - including The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs and London's Savoy - promise travelers unparalleled settings, rich experiences and lasting memories. Future Fairmont Hotels & Resorts include The Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya (fall 2005), The Fairmont Cairo and The Fairmont Abu Dhabi Resort & Villas. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414.