Our coastal city has long taken bold steps to be a more sustainable place to live, work and visit. Santa Monica’s reputation as a destination that places the environment first is extending across the globe, as the city continues to be acknowledged as a global leader in sustainability with several prestigious awards and recognitions.
National Geographic named Santa Monica as one of 25 Cities Committed to Going Zero-Waste. Santa Monica has long been committed to protecting the environment and our precious oceans. Recognized with a number of other international cities, National Geographic cited Santa Monica’s Zero Waste Strategic Operations Plan, adopted in 2014, as well as its goal of 95 percent diversion from landfills by 2030.
In the travel and tourism industry, Santa Monica has also recently been recognized as a destination that allows travelers to “go green.” To this end, Santa Monica was named the leading Eco-Friendly Green Destination by the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, the premier award honoring the best in travel.
At just 8.3 square miles, the ability to get around without a car is the top reason hotel guests choose to stay in Santa Monica. In fact, 83% of overnight hotel guests don’t use a car to get around once they’ve arrived. Visitors are able to move around the city via 113 miles of bikeways, public bike share programs, electric scooter and bike rentals, Metro Expo Line, Big Blue Bus, and the electric Free Ride Shuttle.
For travelers who are eco-conscious, the city offers numerous ways to protect the destination and environment while visiting. Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT) worked with the City of Santa Monica’s Sustainable Works team to create the Santa Monica Green Business Certification Program, an official certification program to grow a vibrant and healthy green economy. To date, nearly 60 local businesses have become Green Business Certified including hotels, restaurants and attractions. Additionally, 10 of our hotels have been honored with a SQA, or Sustainable Quality Awards, recognizing businesses that are successfully putting sustainable practices into action. The SQAs are produced in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and Sustainable Works.
For more information on how to “go green” in Santa Monica visit: https://www.santamonica.com/go-green-santa-monica/.
