Last year, according to Visit Florida, 122.4 million tourists visited the Sunshine State. What most of those visitors did not know was that they were visiting the state that ranks No. 1 in the United States for total acres of lakes classified as impaired for swimming and aquatic life (873,340 acres), and second for total lake acres listed as impaired for any use (935,808 acres). This is according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). Chances are you will not find that data on the Visit Florida home page. The name of the report is “The Clean...

It is almost every day now that I learn about a new resort or eco-lodge with sustainability at its core. In this case, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, one of the world’s leading luxury hospitality companies, announced plans for an innovative resort concept focusing on highly customizable itineraries led by personal guides, sustainable design and programming inspired by the nature and history of Mexico. The new luxury tented resort will be an expansion of the existing Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita in an untouched enclave within the Resort community. Set to open in late 2022, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta...

I have written and posted articles about C-PACE financing before. I recently received an article from Petros PACE Finance, LLC and would like to share it with you but first a refresher on what C-PACE is. According to Petros, C-PACE is a long-term financing product secured by a property tax assessment that provides developers with a more affordable alternative to mezzanine debt and equity. In Washington, this low-cost funding can be used for qualifying seismic improvements, energy and water efficiency, renewable energy and energy storage, fire protection, flood readiness and similar work for hotel, office, retail, industrial, apartment, mixed-use and...

Greenbuild is the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual conference and trade show. USGBC just released its sustainability report from the 2021 event held at the San Diego Convention Center. Click here to view the report. It includes data on such things as waste diversion rate (80 percent), carbon impact per participant (413.27 pounds), and the amount of food donated (1,150 pounds). Informa, the parent company that produces the Greenbuild International Conference + Expo, has seven sustainability objectives for Greenbuild: 1. Move toward a zero-waste event. 2. Empower stakeholders to drive change in their industries. 3. Improve sustainable sourcing and procurement. 4. Improve event overall...

Which appliance emits more fibers into the atmosphere? A washer or dryer? Previous research has shown that washer agitation loosens fibers from clothing that ultimately ends up in the environment. Now a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters in early January 2022, and referenced by Treehugger in a recent post, shows that tumble dryers are even more guilty of releasing microfibers into the environment, particularly when clothes are dried at high temperatures. The authors of the study, “Microfibers Released into the Air from a Household Tumble Dryer," wrote that because vented air is usually not...

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, just announced it has been named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for 2022. Presented by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider, the annual list recognizes Wyndham as a top employer, with team members highly likely to recommend the company to both family and friends. To determine the rankings, Forbes and Statista selected employers through an independent survey applied to more than 60,000 American employees across 25 different industries. The evaluation was based on...

A bill now being considered by the Hawaii legislature would prohibit lodging establishments from providing personal care products in small plastic bottles within sleeping room accommodations, any space within sleeping room accommodations, or bathrooms used by the public or guests. The bill, HG 1645, establishes fines and civil penalties for those who do not comply. According to the bill, the use of single—use toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments contributes to plastic waste locally and globally. California and New York have recently passed laws that prohibit hotels, bed and breakfast homes, and short-term vacation rentals from providing single-use personal...

Green Lodging News has reported on illegal fishing and overfishing in the past—in fact as recently as this past October. It is important that every buyer of fish be aware of the problems as well as the certifications that ensure properly caught fish. Just yesterday, Oceana released a new report showing that the illegal seafood trade, fueled in part by U.S. demand, is hurting local fishing communities around the world. Oceana says this demonstrates the need to expand traceability and transparency requirements for all seafood imports. The United States is the world’s largest seafood importing country, yet around 60 percent of...

Hotel and hostels made from shipping containers are becoming more common. Tomorrow, the Pad, a boutique hotel with hostel-style rooms and a high-end mountain modern design, will open its doors officially in the heart of Silverthorne, Colo. along the banks of the Blue River. The Pad began welcoming guests for a soft opening in late November. As the first newly constructed boutique hostel in the Rocky Mountains, The Pad incorporated 18 upcycled shipping containers into its environmentally friendly construction and design. The Pad is on track to becoming the first Colorado-based lodging company to attain B Corporation certification. Do a search using “shipping container” on...

During September and October 2021, Deloitte polled over 2,000 C-suite executives across 21 countries to examine business leaders’ and companies’ concerns and actions when it comes to climate change and environmental sustainability. Climate weighs heavily on the minds of the world’s executives. However, there is also a disconnect between ambition and impact. Organizations are struggling to implement actions that demonstrate they have embedded climate considerations into their culture and have the senior leader buy-in and influence to effect meaningful transformation. The report further explores the disconnect between ambition and impact as well as steps CxOs can take to start...