VIRGINIA BEACH

The future has arrived for the Virginia tourism industry, and it involves eating potatoes... with potatoes.

It's called "Spudware," biodegradable cutlery made of 80 percent potato or corn starch. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center has started using the Earth-friendly alternative in its cafeteria.

That's one of the changes the aquarium made to have the "Virginia Green" logo grace its door. But businesses don't have to go that far to win the state's seal of approval for their Earth-friendly ways.

Friday, the state tourism industry used Virginia Beach and the aquarium as the launching point for its virginiagreentravel.org Web site. It's the transmission it hopes will drive the Virginia Green initiative, which promotes environmentally friendly practices within the tourism industry.

Statewide, tourism brings in about $17.7 billion per year. Virginia Beach tourism yields about $1.4 billion.

"Virginia Beach has been a leader making Virginia Green a priority," said Tamra Talmadge-Anderson, spokeswoman for the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Of the launch's timing, she said: "Industry awareness and consumer demand has hit a critical mass."

That is to say, consumers and convention planners could care less about recycling containers or potato-based forks 10 years ago, but they do now.

Last week, Laura Wood Habr said an eco-centric builder's group chose her restaurant, Croc's, because of its green ways - straws made from a corn byproduct, straws made of recycled paper. Croc's, on 19th Street, was the first restaurant in the state to be certified Virginia Green.

"We have so many customers come up and thank us," she said. The cost is about 30 percent more for the green goods, but Wood Habr insists "it'll pay for itself later."

To win the Virginia Green designation, a business must meet a list of conditions from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, which vary depending on the industry. Restaurants must recycle bottles and grease, swear off Styrofoam and conserve energy and water. Hotels have to offer recycling bins and encourage guests to re-use towels and linens beyond the first night of their stay.

In addition to Croc's distinction, the Beach has the first green convention center and the first large-scale green event - the Shamrock Marathon. A "Virginia Beach Green Team" is recruiting more restaurants, hotels and attractions. Thirty-two are on board.

John Warren, (757) 221-5114, john.warren@pilotonline.com