Earth Week was a busy one with numerous significant announcements. First, Marriott International, Inc. announced it has verified its near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). SBTi is a global climate action organization that develops tools that allow businesses to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets in line with data-driven methodology. Marriott is the largest global hospitality company to receive approval for both near-term and long-term science-based targets. Marriott has committed to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050. With over 8,800 properties in 139 countries and territories,...

A birthday, which I celebrated recently, is one of those days when I tend to reflect more than other days on how far I have come in life and how far I have to go to the finish line. What if the Earth could do the same? April 22, Earth Day, is certainly one day to think about that. Last week it was reported that for the 10th consecutive month, Earth in March set a new monthly record for global heat—with both air temperatures and the world’s oceans hitting an all-time high for the month. Climate scientists attribute most of...

Within the Renewable Energy All Stars section of Green Lodging News, I list lodging establishments that have invested in wind, solar, geothermal, or hydroelectric technologies. In all the years I have been building those lists I have never come across a property with systems in three of those four categories. So, a big shout out this week to Dominion Properties for its Hotel Verdant which has solar, geothermal and wind. I wrote and posted an article about the downtown Racine, Wisconsin hotel this past week. It was Dominion Properties’ Co-Principal Michael O’Connor who filled me in on all the great...

I attended the AAHOA Convention & Trade Show this past week. According to AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association), almost 6,400 of its 20,000 members were in attendance. For those of you not familiar with AAHOA’s clout, it is the largest hotel owners association in the world. Its members own 60 percent of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.4 percent of the nation’s GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA Member-owned hotels, earning more than $51 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.1 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality...

April 1 is the beginning of Earth Month with Earth Day being the highlight on April 22. What are you planning? I would love to know. To mark Earth Month, Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, Wyndham Palmas, the Friends of El Yunque Foundation, and the United States Forest Service announced the signing of a donation agreement that will provide a simple way for tourists to directly support El Yunque National Rainforest in the promotion of its educational programs, conservation, and recreation. Under this agreement, guests of Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Rainforest, Beach and Golf Resort and Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort will have the...

Bigger than the Taylor Swift effect on our industry? Cosmically speaking, for sure. The upcoming total solar eclipse is definitely stirring up a lot of reservation activity across the U.S. Who knew that a show put on by our own solar system could have such an impact? For those of you who have been in “the dark” about the eclipse, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun on April 8. In the U.S. the path of totality, where the moon will “cover” the sun in its entirety, will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT and end...

A big chunk of the U.S. hotel industry, over the last six to seven months, has demonstrated a strong commitment to rolling out electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The big question is: Will owners/franchisees get on board? First, in early September, Hilton announced that it has expanded an agreement with Tesla that will result in up to 20,000 Tesla Universal Wall Connectors being installed at 2,000 hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico beginning this year. Second, also in September, EV Connect announced an agreement with Marriott International to simplify EV charging for its properties and guests. With EV Connect, Marriott properties...

Trade show and conference season is heating up once again with many events offering opportunities to both learn from speakers and panel discussions and shop for new supplies to build your hotel’s green story and make it more efficient and healthier at the same time. This week’s International Sleep Products Assn. Expo kicks off March 12 in Columbus, Ohio and will run through March 14. The Expo’s 248 exhibitors will display just about every type of bedding, mattress, and pillow imaginable, and more. One highlight: a session entitled, “Navigating the Road to Sustainable Sleep: Best Practices in Sustainable Manufacturing.” The Mattress...

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) was in the news numerous times this past week and for good reason. It held its second annual Responsible Stay Summit on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. On the same day it announced a partnership with the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) to operate the Green Key Global hotel sustainability certification program in the U.S. and Canada. One day earlier, AHLA and Procure Impact launched a Dignity of Work Pledge aimed at creating 100,000 hours of paid employment for underserved populations, which supports responsible sourcing practices. Let’s call it a very good week for AHLA and our industry. (By...

Earth Hour and Earth Day have been recognized and marked by many in our industry over the years. Earth Hour this year will be Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m. your local time. Earth Day is April 22. What are you planning to mark these occasions this year? I would love to know. Earth Hour was first launched in 2007. This year the folks behind Earth Hour are aiming for “The Biggest Hour for Earth,” highlighting the current climate and nature crises. The first Earth Day was in 1970. The official Earth Day theme this year is “Planet vs. Plastics”. Earth...