Starr Pass Switches Off for Earth Hour

Tucson Resort to participate in Earth Hour 2009

Tucson, AZ – The Sonoran Desert is just one part of our wonderful world and JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa takes great lengths to ensure its preservation and survival. Continuing on its path to being one of the greenest and most environmentally friendly resorts in the world, the property is adding Earth Hour 2009 to its extensive eco-resume. The focus of Earth Hour is to raise environmental awareness about the Earth’s escalating climate crisis.

Starr Pass will go dark by turning off their lights for one hour, Earth Hour, on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. Starr Pass’ goal is to help draw attention to one of the world’s most-discussed and debated environmental issues: global warming.

The founders of Earth Hour, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), have set a target of one billion Earth Hour participants, a list of whom will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. Out of those billion supporters, JW Marriott Starr Pass is the shining star of the Southwest!

Over the past few years, Starr Pass’ environmental impact has been strong. The resort aims to preserve and uphold its unique surroundings by implementing environmental-friendly culinary and golf initiatives, “green” housekeeping, community partnerships, land donations, and more.

Starr Pass’ Arnold Palmer Signature Gold Course is the only course in Southern Arizona to earn the designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses for its high degree of environmental quality on the greens.

Earth Hour is a global climate change initiative founded by WWF. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. to show their support for action on climate change.

The event began in Sydney in 2007, when two million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people, including several Fairmont hotels around the globe, participated. In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach out to 1 billion people in 1,000 cities.

Join JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa and turn off your lights! For more information on the resort, please visit http://www.jwmarriottstarroass.com/.

About JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Having been named to Travel + Leisure World’s Best Hotels Top 500 List two years running (2008, 2009), Starr Pass draws on the beauty of its mountainous location. The resort incorporates the natural desert as its landscape design theme. With 575 spacious guestrooms, 88,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, five restaurants, a 20,000 sq. ft. spa, four separate pools, a lazy river and water slide, an Arnold Palmer Signature golf facility consisting of 27 holes and practice facilities and 888 underground and covered parking spaces, the resort boasts of being not only the largest resort in southern Arizona but also the only true eco-resort in Tucson. This eco theme extends to its Primo restaurant that serves only organic and jet fresh fish, its Hashani Spa, which uses natural desert plant oils and its direct access to the Tucson Mountain Park for fabulous hiking and mountain biking trails. To quote Bill Marriott, “you can build all types of amenities but it would be impossible to duplicate what Starr Pass has, the Tucson Mountain Park.” The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa is located at 3800 W. Starr Pass and can be reached directly by calling (520) 792-3500. Please visit http://www.jwmarriottstarrpass.com/.

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