[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Being responsible stewards of the Earth’s resources is always a priority to employees of Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa. During Earth month in April the entire enterprise participates in celebrating the previous year’s Code Green achievements. Code Green is an award-winning, company-wide environmental initiative of Caesar’s Entertainment Corporation, the parent company of Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino.
In 2007, Caesar’s adopted sustainability goals for its properties, including targets for carbon emissions reduction, energy conservation, renewable energy use, reduced water consumption, alternative fuel use, and recycling. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino celebrated Code Green for the entire month of April. On Earth Day, Harrah’s even showcased a slot machine powered by a manual bicycle. Other Code Green events included an Adopt a Highway Cleanup, an employee gardening event, a clothing drive, and a shredding event, which netted 1,668 pounds of paper to be recycled. The clothing recycling drive took place on Wednesday, April 12, and collected 3,503 clothing items totaling 1,908.5 pounds. Items were donated to Against Abuse, a Pinal County social service organization.
Employees and guests were encouraged to participate in recycling drives, with collection bags available in guest rooms and recycling drop-off sites located throughout the property. A plastic bag drive on April 1st through April 3rd encouraged guests to recycle grocery store plastic bags. Guests could enter a giveaway for an electric car, and electric car charging stations are available on site. Visitors and guests could also take photos at the Code Green selfie kiosk in the hotel lobby. The hotel gift shop offered environmentally-friendly merchandise, including “tree free” greeting cards. Code Green awareness extended to the debut of a Code Green cocktail in The Lounge, and even a Code Green donut at the on-site Dunkin’ Donuts. The stage in The Lounge was illuminated in green for the entire month of April. During Code Green, Harrah’s Ak-Chin also participated in Clean the World, a program that collects and donates used soap from hotel rooms, so that it can be recycled and re-used. The Clean the World organization estimates that 1.5 million children around the world lose their lives to diarrheal diseases, which could be prevented by washing their hands with soap. Clean the World distributes over 30 million bars of recycled soap worldwide.
Recycling is a priority for Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino all year long. In 2016, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino generated 769,783 pounds of recycling and waste prevention. These efforts are all part of its Code of Commitment and reflect its focus on environmental sustainability and energy conservation.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Carolyn Sostrom is a long-time Arizona resident who loves desert sunsets, warm weather, Zumba, and the Western lifestyle. She attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and then Arizona State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Similarly to the protagonist in *The Devil Wears Prada*, Carolyn moved to New York City right after college. She started working for the fashion magazine company Conde Nast but never transitioned to the dark side. After a few years, she left New York in the rearview mirror and returned to her home state, taking a reporter job at the *Apache Junction Independent*. With over 30 years of freelance writing experience, Carolyn especially enjoys writing about community events and profiling individuals who are making a difference in their communities. She had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of cowboy personalities for an article she wrote for the *Scottsdale Independent* about the history of DC Ranch and its roots as a working ranch. Now, her Western adventures with CLN have her diving into the rugged automotive scene, exploring the trucks and rigs cowboys rely on for work, home, and play, a niche where grit meets horsepower. She works at Raising Special Kids, a nonprofit resource center for families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Carolyn also volunteers with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix. Carolyn believes that everyone has a story, and she loves connecting with others to hear their stories. She’s dedicated to ethical journalism and accurate reporting, which shines through in her storytelling.
