Underscoring sustainable hospitality and the importance of honeybees for the environment, InterContinental New York Barclay and The Center for Sustainable Design Strategies at Pratt Institute announced the launch of the Barclay the Bee comic series. Student artist Olga Andreyeva,a senior Illustration major at Pratt, has created sweet, savvy bees-in-the-city characters that playfully highlight the vital work of bees against the backdrop of their New York City home.

Printed locally on 100% recycled paper using non-toxic inks and renewable wind-powered energy, the comics, starting with book one, are for free to download from the hotel's sustainability blog New York Barclay Buzz and also available in print at the hotel for a $5 donation to support the Honeybee Conservancy.

The first comic book released in November 2013, introduces the reader to the Barclay Bee character as she goes foraging in the city. Together with her young hive mate Cami, Barclay collects nectar for the hive and meets various city characters, both insect and human.

An info graphic on urban beekeeping and honeybees developed by Communication Design student at Pratt, Nina Simoneaux, is on display both at the hotel and on the hotel's New York Barclay Buzz blog, along with background on the characters that make up Barclay the Bee's world.

Pratt's Center for Sustainable Design Strategies and Research (CSDS) is the centerpiece of Institute's commitment to support its schools, faculty and students in developing sustainable innovation. One of CSDS's key objectives is to create opportunities for Pratt students to apply their art and design skills to real-world projects with a sustainable mission. "The partnership with InterContinental New York Barclay underscores the hotel's commitment to support educational initiatives," said Carolyn Schaeberle, Assistant Director, Center for Sustainable Design Strategies, Pratt Institute.

Center for Sustainable Design Strategies

CSDS serves as a physical and virtual hub for Pratt Institute's commitment to educate environmentally responsible citizens. CSDS encourages the use of Pratt's campus as a living laboratory linking the classroom to campus initiatives. The CSDS houses a materials research center that supports faculty, students and alumni in the integration of sustainability into their professional lives. CSDS is also the home of the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation founded in 2002. For more information please visit csds.pratt.edu.

InterContinental New York Barclay - Sustainability in the City

The InterContinental New York Barclay practices a holistic sustainable hospitality program according to the principles of the Triple Bottom Line: economic prosperity, social responsibility and environmental protection. The Barclay is powered by 100% wind energy. Nearly all food offered at the Barclay is organic, seasonal, natural or local, including our popular Natural Power Breakfast. Striving to make our hotel as eco-friendly as possible, the Barclay has a waste management program which includes onsite composting, recycling and reduced paper consumption. Eight-five percent of the hotel's lighting is achieved with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. The InterContinental New York Barclay has "adopted" The East Side Community High School and has forged a partnership which links that school with Hatua Likoni School and orphanage in Kenya. The hotel's roof garden utilizing top soil from its onsite composting initiative grows fruit, vegetables and herbs for use in our culinary offerings, it also houses several colonies of Honey Bees tended to by the hotel's executive chef. Our hotel raises funds for Hurricane relief and many other causes such as domestic violence, hunger, animal shelters and Cancer fighting organizations. We look forward to adding many more initiatives to our Corporate Responsibility strategy in the years to come. InterContinental New York Barclay, 111 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017 Tel. (212) 755-5900. www.intercontinentalnybarclay.com ; Facebook: www.facebook.com/NYBarclay ; Twitter:@IC_NYBarclay

Barbara Bahny
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IHG