The year’s end is a time to reflect on accomplishes made, setbacks experienced, and to set goals for the coming year. Looking backwards and forwards, I mostly try to be an optimist. Fortunately, in our industry that is easy to do with the majority of the news I receive from suppliers and hotel companies being positive, uplifting, and at times inspirational.
Whether at a conference, trade show, or just sitting at my computer, I am often confronted with the goodness of our industry. Perhaps it is a technological advancement, a “wow” moment in green design, the introduction of a plastic alternative, or a community event or effort that benefits hundreds, perhaps thousands of people.
As 2025 ends, I must thank all of those who share their good news with me throughout the year. It truly makes my year. I hope that these stories uplift you as well.
Every now and then, the cruelty of mankind emerges in our news. I think of the hoteliers who were murdered this year. This holiday season, be sure to support the families of the victims of such violence. Pray for their healing. Sometimes it will not be easy but strive to be a light in the darkness for your customers, colleagues, and community.
Never Back Off from Ambitious Goal Setting
It is hard to put politics aside when you cover the environment, but I try to do that as best as I can, knowing that nobody can stop our industry from setting and meeting audacious sustainability goals. Never back off from ambitious goal setting and work.
It is easy to go negative when you read about the state of our planet—global warming and climate change, the pollution of the air and water, the wiping out of species, the bleaching of coral, etc. Use such news as a motivation to have a positive, transformative impact—one person, one property, one company at a time.
In 2026, Green Lodging News will turn 20 years old, and I will soon publish my 1,000th weekly e-newsletter. Continue to follow my work in the weeks and months ahead and never hesitate to share your good news—or bad. I will continue to do the same. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Green Lodging News Adds Xela Pack & DrinkMore Custom Water to Product & Service Directory
Green Lodging News has added Xela Pack to the “Amenities/Packaging” category of its Green Product & Service Directory and DrinkMore Custom Water to the “Water/Sustainably Packaged” section of the Directory.
Xela Pack PaperBottles offer a truly sustainable alternative to plastic bottles and tubes for amenities like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and more. With only a very thin poly layer, each PaperBottle reduces plastic use by about 92% compared to traditional bottles. Guests will also appreciate the tamper-evident design, which is significantly more hygienic and secure than dispensers. Beyond the PaperBottle, Xela Pack provides secondary packaging options such as door hangers, turn-down cards, kits, bags, and boxes. All items can be custom-made for your brand or specific properties, helping you stand out and enhance guests’ perception of your property and your sustainability efforts. Call (734) 944-1300 or e-mail info@xelapack.com. What is a Xela Pack? Environmental Impact. Xela Pack for Amenities.
DrinkMore Custom Water can produce a 12oz sleek or 16oz digitally printed can in whatever design format you desire. The cans are digitally printed at HartPrint, where the ink-to-can printing technique eliminates needs for sleeves or stickers. Each eco-friendly can is filled with purified water that won the Best Tasting Water in the World at the 35th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition! DrinkMore Water is a small but mighty business that has been producing purified water products since 1993. For more information, visit this website, call (240) 606-7438, or e-mail mike@drinkmorewater.com. DrinkMore Custom Water can mockup a digital sample of what your can will look like in a day.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in our Green Supplier Spotlights!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes the Wednesday Green Supplier Spotlight and Thursday Green Suppliers Spotlight. Green Supplier Spotlight features just one vendor and Green Suppliers Spotlight features multiple vendors. Click here for a Green Supplier Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Both e-blasts that reach 17,688 subscribers have been built to generate quick leads. A report is sent a week after each e-blast that includes the number of e-mails sent, number of opens, and number of click-throughs. Contact Glenn Hasek at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com for more information.
Planning Advertising for 2026?
In addition to the Spotlight ads described above, Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for other advertising spots for 2026. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. The Green Lodging News website last month welcomed 55,000 different visitors and experienced 247,000 page views. Interested in receiving a 2026 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlights currently stands at 17,688. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,634 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has more than 1,200 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
I love this line: “have a positive, transformative impact—one person, one property, one company at a time.”