Virginia State Parks is receiving the Virginia Green Travel Star Award for Most Innovative Green Projects and its commitment to environmental excellence in 2017.

The Virginia Green Travel Star Awards Luncheon is Friday at the Fifth Annual Virginia Green Travel Conference. The conference will be hosted by the First Lady of Virginia Pam Northam and Virginia Tourism Corp. CEO Rita McClenny. It will be held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

Representatives of Virginia State Parks submitted several projects that qualify them for the award including replacing soap and plastic bottles in cabins and bathhouses with convenience products such as shampoo and environmentally friendly dispensers, converting vehicles to natural gas, purchasing electric vans and golf carts to replace gas powered trucks, vans and all-terrain vehicles, using battery operated leaf blowers and other small tools in place of gas powered tools and testing the use of a propane lawnmower at one park.

“Many of the green initiatives Virginia State Parks are using are developed and implemented by the Alternate Energy and Cabin Management working group, which include park staff at all levels” said State Parks Director Craig Seaver. “Being recognized for our hard work and commitment to being mission compliant is a true honor.”

The Virginia Green program will recognize 35 Virginia tourism businesses for outstanding efforts to protect the environment and support green tourism in Virginia. “We are incredibly proud to recognize Virginia State Parks as a Virginia Green Travel Star,” said Virginia Green Travel Alliance Executive Director Tom Griffin. The Virginia Green program is a partnership between the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Tourism Corp., the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, and the Virginia Green Travel Alliance. The program encourages green practices in all sectors of Virginia’s tourism industry.