Students WorldwideInspired to Become Treehuggers in Celebration of 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and 138th Anniversary of National Arbor Day

Doubletree Hotels and the Arbor Day Foundation Celebrate Two Important
Environmental Holidays with Commemorative Planting of 25,000 Trees and
Interactive Educational Initiative with 10,000 Students in 175 Cities Worldwide
MCLEAN, Va.--(Business Wire)--
Earth Day officially turns 40 today and National Arbor Day in the U.S. turns 138
next Friday, April 30. To celebrate, students around the world are making
eco-friendly changes at home and honoring the unique, life-giving attributes of
trees and Mother Earth in their own communities. As part of Doubletree Hotels`
"Love Your Trees. Love Your Community. Love Your Earth." initiative in
partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, students from California to China,
are learning about the importance of conserving trees while reinforcing their
commitment to the environment by planting trees in their own schoolyards and
neighborhoods. The month-long campaign is culminating with Great Community
Treehugger Celebrations during the last two weeks of April to commemorate two of
the most important environmental holidays.

The "Love Your Trees. Love Your Community. Love Your Earth." campaign is part of
Doubletree`s award-winning Teaching Kids to CARE community outreach program,
which encourages awareness about key social and environmental issues through
educational activities and fosters a sense of activism, empowerment and reward
among students. Activities will take place with more than 10,000 grade school
students at participating Doubletree hotels in more than 175 cities worldwide
between now and April 30.

"Teaching Kids to CARE encourages our Doubletree volunteers to mentor students
in celebrating and understanding the significance of the natural environment.
Through a series of fun and interactive activities, lessons and challenges, we
hope to inspire kids to build a lasting relationship with nature," said Mary
Beth Parks, vice president - brand marketing for Doubletree Hotels. "Students
will receive some simple ideas on how to make environmentally friendly changes
in their homes and communities, to foster awareness, stewardship and,
responsibility in their everyday lifestyles."

This Doubletree Teaching Kids to CARE spring campaign educates students on the
significant role trees play in providing shelter, food, clean air and so much
more, for humans and animals. To adopt a lifestyle that supports the
preservation and conservation of trees, thousands of students are pledging to
complete a series of "Tree Task of the Day" activities. From creating a
recycling bin at home to creatively repurposing paper bags, students will become
green living advocates and serve as inspiring examples for their family and
friends. In addition, students will be encouraged to explore their outdoor
surroundings by observing the indigenous trees in their neighborhoods and local
parks, developing an appreciation and dedication for taking care of the world`s
natural wonders.

In recognition of Earth Day and Arbor Day, Doubletree hotels and their partner
schools will participate in Great Community Treehugger Celebrations worldwide,
expressing love for local trees by showering them with a big embrace to generate
a collective hug from students around the world. For their environmental
empowerment, students will receive an "I Hugged a Tree" sticker and an Honorary
Tree Hugger certificate to commemorate their caring deed.

To further demonstrate commitment to environmental awareness and to honor this
new generation of young tree planters, Doubletree Hotels has pledged funding for
a commemorative planting of 25,000 trees for a series of reforestation projects
with the Arbor Day Foundation. Many participating Doubletree Teaching Kids to
CARE teams also are providing students with the hands-on experience of planting
trees to help restore and preserve the natural world around them, with seedlings
from the Arbor Day Foundation.

Founded in 2002, Teaching Kids to CARE is a community-based outreach initiative
that has connected local Doubletree hotels with more than 150,000 students in
local elementary schools and youth organizations. Teaching Kids to CARE educates
children about the importance of making environmentally and socially conscious
decisions for their community and their world at the earliest ages. Doubletree
Hotels and the Arbor Day Foundation have enjoyed a longstanding relationship
through Teaching Kids to CARE activities since 2004.

"It is important today`s children learn about the many benefits of trees in
their everyday lives and what environmentally friendly actions they can take to
make a positive difference in their backyards, communities, local parks and the
earth at large," said Matt Harris, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The
efforts of the Doubletree Hotels Teaching Kids to CARE program continue to help
inspire future generations of citizens and leaders to plant trees and connect
with nature in a meaningful and powerful way."

Photos and information about participating hotels and special Teaching Kids to
CARE events during the last two weeks of April will be posted regularly on
Doubletree Hotels Twitter and Facebook newsfeed sites beginning today, which are
available to the public at www.twitter.com/doubletreehtls and
www.facebook.com/doubletreehotels.

For more information about environmental awareness and social responsibility
programs by Doubletree Hotels, please visit our Think Trees website at
www.doubletree.com/thinktrees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization
of more than one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant,
nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its
programs can be found at www.arborday.org.

About Doubletree Hotels and Hilton Worldwide

With a growing collection of contemporary, upscale accommodations in more than
220 gateway cities, metropolitan areas and vacation destinations worldwide,
Doubletree hotels and resorts are distinctively designed properties that provide
true comfort to today`s business and leisure travelers. From the millions of
delighted hotel guests who are welcomed with the brand`s legendary, warm
chocolate chip cookies at check-in to the advantages of the award-winning Hilton
HHonors guest reward programme, each Doubletree guest receives a satisfying stay
wherever their travels take them. To make reservations at any Doubletree hotel,
travelers may visit our website at www.doubletree.com.

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging
sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites
and mid-priced hotels. For more than 90 years, Hilton Worldwide has been
offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service,
amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of
providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are
comprised of more than 3,500 hotels in 81 countries and include Waldorf Astoria
Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites
Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2
Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the
world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors. For more information about the
company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com.

Doubletree Hotels
Thomas Wingham
703.883.5315
thomas.wingham@hilton.com
or
Cohn & Wolfe
Sasha Fedulow / Katie Wittenburg
415.365.8552 / 310.967.2900
sasha.fedulow@cohnwolfe.com / katie.wittenburg@cohnwolfe.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010