Kermit the Frog was right: It's not easy being green. However, that doesn't mean groups can't have green meetings in Spokane. With the recently expanded Spokane Convention Center and many of the city's hotels stepping up their efforts to be environmentally responsible, quite the opposite is true.

The Spokane Convention Center's expansion is one of the first buildings in the Greater Spokane area to be awarded U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design (LEED) certification, making it the third such convention center of its kind to be so designated. The convention center expansion is powered entirely with "green power," and the installation of energy-saving systems has reduced energy consumption by 40 percent annually. Indigenous, drought-resistant landscaping elements help to conserve water. Certified "green" cleaning products are used whenever possible, and efforts are made to reduce the amount of paper utilized in the facilities' offices.

Hotels, too, are doing their part. Bear Creek Lodge has converted an old boiler to use wasted oil and installed new insulating windows, and Pheasant Hill Inn and Suites, a Magnuson Grand Hotel, recently implemented a paper and cardboard recycling program along with a new sprinkler system, compact fluorescent lighting, and a timed sprinkler system. Nearly $40,000 worth of new boilers installed at the Courtyard by Marriott Spokane Downtown mean more efficient water heating at the hotel; new, energy-efficient rooftop units and sliders have been added as well. The property is the only hotel in Spokane to have been designated an Energy Star Labeled Building.

At The Davenport Hotel and Tower, sensors shut off cooling and heating controls when guests leave their rooms. Many rooms have a similar function for lighting controls, and paper towels in the property's restrooms have been replaced with cloth towels. Four new composting bins now grace the DoubleTree Hotel Spokane City Center. Among other efforts, the hotel has undergone an audit in an effort to earn Green Seal credentialing. A comprehensive green initiative at Motel 6 Airport calls for the recycling of cans, plastic, glass, paper, cardboard, and batteries; water efficient shower heads, energy-saving lighting, and environmentally friendly cleaning products are also in use at the property.

Finally, in addition to recycling, Oxford Suites has worked with energy provider Avista to develop an energy conservation plan. Red Lion River Inn and the Red Lion Hotel at the Park have installed energy sensors in their guest rooms heat and air conditioning systems and utilize compact fluorescent lighting in guest bathrooms. Shilo Inn Spokane uses non-toxic cleaners and low-wattage bulbs.

Spokane at a Glance
Meeting Facilities: Following the completion of a 100,160-square-foot exhibit hall last summer and the renovation of the existing space in March of 2007, the Spokane Convention Center offers a collective 500,000 square feet of meeting and convention space including 23 meeting rooms. The center also features a 25,310-square-foot ballroom and a 2,700-seat performing arts theater.

Number of Rooms: More than 3,000 downtown; an additional 3,700 within a 15-minute drive.

Attractions: Riverfront Park, Gardens at Manito Park, River Rafting Davenport Arts District, The Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, historic Davenport Hotel, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane wineries, Mt. Spokane Centennial Trail, Cat Tales, Green Bluff, Rockin' B Ranch Cowboy Supper Club, antique district on Monroe, Spokane Symphony, live theater

For More Information: Contact the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau at (888) SPOKANE, or visit its Web site at www.visitspokane.com.