The Virginia Living Museum has been recognized with two distinguished honors at the 2024/25 Virginia Green Travel Star & Leader Awards. The museum received the Virginia Green Travel Star Award for “Most Innovative Green Projects” for its Recycling Revamp initiative led by the museum’s Green Teens, and museum staff member Deanna Orr was honored with the Green Team All-Star Award for her outstanding leadership in sustainability efforts.
These prestigious awards, presented by the Virginia Green Travel Alliance, recognize the museum’s exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable tourism practices. The Virginia Living Museum stands among just ten tourism operators statewide to receive the program’s highest honor, the Virginia Green Travel Star Award.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Green Teens for taking on this project,” said Olivia Lacher, Education Volunteer Manager. “Their solution has already seen an increase in successful recycling in the 5 months since its implementation.”
“It is an honor to have our work recognized by the Virginia Green Travel Alliance,” said Deanna Orr, Conservation and Ambassador Animal Manager at the Virginia Living Museum. “My goal is to continue expanding our sustainability initiatives so the Virginia Living Museum can lead by example and encourage our visitors to make eco-friendly choices in their daily lives.”
The awards were presented at the 12th Annual Virginia Green Travel Conference on March 20, 2025, at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. The museum is was also awarded 3rd place in the 3rd annual Virginia Green Travel People’s Choice Award, determined through a social media contest.
The Virginia Green Travel program is a partnership between the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia State Parks, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, and the Virginia Green Travel Alliance. The program has certified more than 1,200 businesses and partner organizations that have voluntarily committed to green practices.
(VLM Green Teens Team: Braxton Creekmore, Molly Elliot, Kira Mosher, Addy Noble, Ariana Wells, Karina Balsley, Libbie Hospodar, Lilia Perreault, Thomas Yu, Hali Willis, CJ Brandao-Traxler, Joanna Fallejo, and Aysia Forbes.)
