Hopkin was honored for his outstanding environmental initiatives at Blue Horizons Garden Resort in conjunction with the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) and for his contributions to promoting environmental stewardship in Grenada.

�I am extremely honored to receive this award from EAST because I recognize and appreciate the importance of sustaining our natural surroundings for the future,� said Arnold Hopkin, owner, Blue Horizons Garden Resort. 

�Grenada is a lovely, picturesque destination renowned for its soaring peaks and green valleys, beautiful waterfalls, pristine beaches, shimmering Caribbean Sea, colorful flora and fauna, exotic birds, and so much more, and I advocate practices that will continue to enhance this precious commodity,� he added.

Hopkin receiving this award from EAST comes on the heels of Blue Horizons Garden Resort having achieved successful completion of the Green Globe 21 Benchmarking process, which means the property can now proceed to the next step � securing the coveted Green Globe 21 Certification.  Blue Horizons became the second resort on Grenada, behind its sister property Spice Island Beach Resort, to achieve this distinction.

Following are just a few examples of environmental practices instituted at Blue Horizons Garden Resort that paved the way for the property achieving the Green Globe Benchmark distinction:

• Creation of a fully-organic composting heap
• Introduction of energy-saving toilets in 100 percent of the rooms
• Installation of an ozonator in the swimming pool so less chlorine is used
• Creation of more garden beds above existing soil so plants can thrive
• Planting of more drought-resistant flora such as bougainvillea, buttercup and oleander so less water is used particularly during the dry season
• Guest involvement in various capacities � establishment of a towel reuse program, asking guests to separate garbage into appropriate bins (instructions provided in all rooms), and requesting that they turn off the air-conditioner when leaving rooms
• Staff training program in every department to ensure the highest possible health and hygiene standards