ORLANDO, FL "“ August 17 /CSRwire/ "“ Marriott Vacation Club, the premiere timeshare brand of Marriott International (NYSE:MAR) and the recognized worldwide leader in vacation ownership, is not allowing a single key card to go to waste. Resorts have begun replacing the 1.2 million plastic key cards purchased annually with those made of 50 percent recycled material, saving approximately 4 tons of plastic from being dumped in landfills.

The new key card is just one of many advances the brand has made to help reduce its global environmental footprint. More than 800,000 guest arrival pieces, which are printed annually in the U.S. and distributed to Owners and guests upon check-in, are now printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and purchased from an FSC certified paper merchant. The FSC is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests, ensuring that the paper meets strict standards in each step of the paper production and printing of the collateral.

Furthermore, Marriott Vacation Club resorts have switched to pens made of 74 percent pre-consumer recycled material. More than 1.5 million pens are purchased annually, which equates to approximately 9 tons. Each eco-friendly pen has 1.2 miles of write-out, allowing the pen to be used longer before it is eventually discarded.

"Continuing to eliminate more waste from landfills and find innovative ways to 'green' our supply chain only strengthens our commitment to being an industry leader in environmental stewardship," said Dirk Schavemaker, senior vice president of resort operations for Marriott Vacation Club. "We firmly believe that it is our responsibility to demonstrate how responsible resort management can be a positive force for the environment."

The more than 50 Marriott Vacation Club resorts worldwide have installed energy efficient lighting, low-flow showerheads and toilets, and participate in a robust resort-wide recycling program. In addition to the corporate senior-level green committee established to lead division-wide environmental efforts at Marriott Vacation Club International's corporate headquarters, each Marriott Vacation Club resort has formed its own "green team" which carries out and oversees environmental efforts at the site level. Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) began the journey to reduce the division's carbon footprint in February 2008 with the launch of its MVCI Green Initiative at its corporate headquarters with continued roll-out to its corporate offices and resorts worldwide.

About Marriott Vacation Club

Marriott Vacation Club is the recognized worldwide leader in vacation ownership with a program highly regarded for its quality and unique flexibility. Celebrating 25 years of providing unforgettable vacations, Marriott became the first branded hospitality company by nearly a decade to enter the timeshare industry in 1984. Marriott Vacation Club continues to expand with a diverse portfolio of more than 11,000 timeshare resort villas throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Today, more than 395,000 Owner families around the globe own their vacations "the Marriott way," offering options to exchange weeks with priority within the Marriott Vacation Club portfolio or within Interval International's global system of more than 2,400 resorts in over 75 countries, trade their week(s) for Marriott Rewards points, or rent their week(s). For more information, please visit www.marriott-vacations.com. For nightly rentals, please visit www.marriott.com.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 3,200 lodging properties in 66 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and had approximately 146,000 employees at 2008 year-end. It is recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the 100 best global brands, by FORTUNE(R) as one of the best companies to work for, and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2008, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $13 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.

Marriott Vacation Club

Marriott Vacation Club

Marriott Vacation Club is a worldwide leader in vacation ownership and the signature timeshare brand of Marriott International. In 1984, Marriott became the first branded hospitality company to enter the timeshare industry, adding its signature quality, service and hospitality expertise.

Marriott has a long history rooted in serving every community it has a presence in. The company's "Spirit to Serve" philosophy also carries over to the environment. Marriott Vacation Club's commitment to social responsibility and being "green" dates back to its inception with the first Marriott Vacation Club resorts on Hilton Head Island. Today, Marriott Vacation Club is more focused than ever on demonstrating how responsible development and resort management can be a positive force for the environment.

For more information, please visit www.marriottvacationclub.com/newsroom. For nightly Marriott villa rentals, please visit www.marriott.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MarriottVacClub.

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