Name: Laura Abshire Title: Director of Sustainability Policy and Government Affairs Organization/Location: National Restaurant Assn./Washington D.C. Years in Position: 5+ years Primary Responsibilities: “I view my role as someone who is increasing education around sustainability—monitoring everything around the sustainability space and how it impacts our members.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “The NRA has done a lot of work linking sustainability efforts with restaurateurs and their daily operations. Raising awareness and inspiring action has been a very big accomplishment.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “There is so much more work to be done to educate members on sustainability. The lack of infrastructure for...

LONDON—International hotel group Deutsche Hospitality is bringing its highly regarded responsible business credentials to collaborate on sustainability with 12 leading hotel groups as it joins the International Tourism Partnership (ITP). The Germany-based group has a history dating nearly 90 years and includes Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts, IntercityHotel and Jaz in the City. The company has a long commitment to environmental and social responsibility and is pleased to join the world’s leading hotel groups to work together at ITP’s table to tackle the most critical issues affecting sustainable growth. Announcing their membership in ITP, Thomas Willms, COO of Steigenberger Hotels AG said:...

KOHLER, WIS.—Kohler Co. announced a 15-year agreement to purchase 100 megawatts of wind power per year from the Diamond Vista wind farm located near Salina, Kansas. Enel Green Power North America will construct the project this year and will be the long-term owner and operator of the nearly 300 MW wind project. Enel acquired Diamond Vista from Kansas-based renewable energy developer Tradewind Energy. “We are pleased to partner with the Diamond Vista Wind Project to play a leading role in reducing fossil fuel usage to power the U.S. electrical grid,” said Rob Zimmerman, Director of Sustainability at Kohler Co. “This project...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Pürlin to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Linens & Towels category. Through its integrated closed-loop, recycling system Pürlin’s laundry-free linens satisfy the hospitality industry’s need to provide safe clean linens while protecting the environment. Pürlin allows guests to rest comfortably knowing that they’re the only ones to ever sleep on Pürlin’s soft, hypoallergenic, single use sheets. Utilizing the same man-made micro-fiber technology safely used in baby diapers and personal hygiene products for over 30 years, Pürlin simulates cotton without the use of dyes, pesticides,...

FIJI—Six Senses Fiji will feature 24 one- and two-bedroom pool villas all with private pools, decks and outdoor showers. The property will offer a range of culinary and beverage options including two restaurants and a café, plus an outdoor pizzeria and grill and two bar options. Reservations are being accepted at Six Senses Fiji following confirmation that the property is on track for its scheduled opening. The hosts of Six Senses Fiji look forward to welcoming guests on April 14. Sustainability is reflected throughout the resort which will be 100 percent solar powered by the largest microgrid in Fiji using...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, the direct-to-consumer and omni-channel leader in both flooring and decking, has launched seven new bamboo floors, including two made for herringbone style installations. All new floors feature a solid Fossilized bamboo construction—Cali’s proprietary manufacturing technique yielding the world’s hardest floors with Janka hardness scores of up to 5000+. The two new Herringbone styles—Riverwood and Outer Banks—both bear a smooth wood grain, with Riverwood wrapped in a subtle storm cloud gray and Outer Banks glowing from a calming palm brown. Outer Banks also comes in a traditional 6’ length plank with tongue-and-groove milling. The four additional new colors—Bourbon...

SAN FRANCISCO—Visa announced its commitment to use 100 percent renewable electricity across its global operations by the end of 2019. As part of this commitment, announced in conjunction with this week’s Climate Leadership Conference in Denver, Visa is joining the RE100 initiative, a collaborative, global platform developed by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP to increase demand for and delivery of renewable energy. “We are proud to play a role in driving the adoption of renewable energy,” said Al Kelly, CEO of Visa Inc. “For Visa, this announcement is an example of our longstanding commitment to operate as a responsible, ethical...

NEW ORLEANS—The construction of an eco-friendly green roof over the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center was the topic of a scientific exercise conducted during the 50th annual American Geophysical Union Fall Conference held recently. The exercise drew members of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Thriving Earth Exchange (TEX), and officials from the New Orleans Convention Center. Discussion revolved around ideas for how best to help the earth using the 1.8 million square feet of roofing the Convention Center plans to replace in the coming years. The scientists were asked, “When is a roof more than a roof?” Raj...

ATLANTA—UPS announced it plans to deploy 50 plug-in electric delivery trucks that will be comparable in acquisition cost to conventional-fueled trucks without any subsidies—an industry first that is breaking a key barrier to large scale fleet adoption. The company is collaborating with Workhorse Group, Inc. to design the vehicles from the ground up, with zero tailpipe emissions. “Electric vehicle technology is rapidly improving with battery, charging and smart grid advances that allow us to specify our delivery vehicles to eliminate emissions, noise and dependence on diesel and gasoline,” said Carlton Rose, President, Global Fleet Maintenance and Engineering for UPS. “With...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels spend about 6 percent of their operating budget on energy. Smaller lodging establishments will probably spend less in absolute terms, but roughly the same amount when measured as a percentage of overall operating costs. Energy efficiency projects and solar panels can both reduce these energy costs by a substantial amount, and each offers different savings and costs. When deciding whether to pursue a solar energy system or an energy efficiency project, it’s important to always consider your budget, goals, and business needs. It’s generally more expensive to invest in a solar energy system than it is to invest in...