Press Releases Ocean's Reach Goes Green Ocean's Reach Receives Green Designation What the Green designation means to our guests

OCEAN'S REACH LEADS THE GREEN WAY ON THE ISLANDS OF SANIBEL-CAPTIVA

On July 17, 2008 Laura Comer, Florida DEP Sustainability Initiatives Coordinator and Gordon Romeis, DEP Environmental Administrator, led the official bestowing of the Green Lodging certification to Ocean's Reach Resort Condominiums (see Press Release).  Guests of Ocean’s Reach have been asking us to join the green lodging bandwagon, and the Guest Services staff, the "green team," has been working for this certification since February, 2008.

It's a big deal. Ocean’s Reach is the first and only on both Sanibel and Captiva to achieve the One Palm benchmark - which was given to Manager Andy Boyle by Comer as they stood under the symbolic one palm frond in the shaded Ocean’s Reach picnic and garden Grove.

Ocean’s Reach celebrated with an award ceremony, party complete with hors d’oeuvres and strawberry mango cheesecake by award-winning Jacaranda, and tours of the prestigious green resort.  All the important city celebrities showed up to mark the event: Tamara Pigott, Deputy Director of the Lee County Convention & Visitor Bureau, Sanibel Mayor Mick Denham, Chamber Executive Director Ric Base, and City Manager Judie Zimomra each shared stories and a few words of praise and encouragement for other island properties to join the eco-friendly efforts launched by Ocean’s Reach. Zimomra noted that she stood on this property in August, 2004 and could not have imagined the fine destination it had become after its near total devastation by the hurricanes of Charley and Francis.

In attendance were vendors who were key to our ability to go green. Also in attendance was a contingent from the Lee County C &VB, including Suya Davenport, Executive Director, representatives from the Sanibel-Captiva Board of Directors, banks and real estate companies. Ocean’s Reach Association Board President Judy Jaastad was on hand to open and close the presentation, chat with Mayor Denham and Executive Director Base, and document the goings on for all the owners of Ocean’s Reach.

In accepting the plaque award and Florida Green Flag, Boyle thanked the vendors, owners and staff while noting that Ocean’s Reach had a good start on going green, by rebuilding Ocean’s Reach following Hurricane Charley with the installment of tankless hot water heaters, low flow toilets and shower heads, for example. It was then a simpler matter to convert to the new low energy fluorescent light bulbs, environmentally safe cleaning products, recycled paper, to adopt a low impact fertilizer program for the lawn and shrubs, and other details that earned Ocean’s Reach the certification.

Following the event, Boyle commented, "A year ago the staff set a goal to be more involved with the ecological conservancy efforts of the islands.” I think we've accomplished that and more."

Congratulations to Andy, Dru and Charlie for all the work it took to put this in place and to Dru for handling the details of the event that went off smoothly and professionally.

Judith Jastaad 7/17/2008

Ocean's Reach staff and Florida DEP staff proudly announce Ocean's Reach as a Green Lodge--the first and only on Sanibel-Captiva Islands	Ocean's Reach receiving the official Florida Green Lodge flag from the DEP

Our guests are very pleased that recycling is available at Ocean's Reach.

Read Dru's "Tips to Go Green" at...