This past week I was invited to moderate a panel discussion at an inaugural Climate Week event at New York City’s Javits Convention Center. The overall event was very well attended. The title of the session I moderated: “Responsible Hospitality for a Sustainable Stay.” The travel and tourism track was organized by NYC & Company, the destination marketing organization for New York City.
Climate Week NYC was the largest climate week in the world. Concurrent with the sessions focused on various aspects of travel and tourism were sessions on green roofs, sustainable aviation and more.
Did your city hold a similar event during climate week that included an emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of travel and tourism? If so, I would love to hear about it.
New York City has done a lot over the years to reduce its impact, but it has a long way to go, as do we all. Here is what I learned during my brief time at Climate Week NYC:
- New York City is on track to attract a record 67 million visitors this year. That will equate to a lot of carbon emissions.
- New Yorkers, thanks to the use of public transportation and other efforts, have one-third the carbon footprint of other Americans.
- Recent legislation requires that a “sustainable roofing zone” be included atop all new commercial buildings in New York City, and for buildings undergoing certain major alterations. The law defines a “sustainable roofing zone” as “areas of a roof assembly where a solar photovoltaic electricity generating system, a green roof system, or a combination thereof, is installed.”
- The NYC Carbon Challenge is a voluntary leadership initiative and public-private partnership between the NYC Mayor’s Office and leaders in the private, institutional, and nonprofit sectors who have committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent or more over 10 years. Since 2015, 19 leading hotels in New York City have joined the NYC Carbon Challenge. All together these hotels represent more than 10 million square feet, accounting for over 12,000 rooms.
- Starting in 2024, landlords of buildings over 25,000 square feet must retrofit buildings with new windows, heating systems, and insulation that would cut emissions by 40 percent in 2030, and double the cuts by 2050.
- A total of $30 billion is being invested in three area airports. The shuttle bus fleet serving the airports will be all-electric next year. In coming years there will be a train link between Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport.
- The Port Authority will have 600 to 750 electric vehicles in the next few years.
- New York City has a closed loop system for recycling paper.
- As of January 1, 2019, Styrofoam became illegal.
- As of March 2020, plastic bags will no longer be given out by grocery and other stores.
- Food waste is one-third of the commercial waste in New York City. The goal of the donateNYC Food Portal is to reduce the amount of edible food sent to landfill by businesses and nonprofits by facilitating efficient, hyper-local food donations to organizations that can use or redistribute the food.
- The New York Aquarium ended its contract with Coca-Cola because the company did not offer water in non-plastic bottles.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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 editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, announces the launch of Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 21,921 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2019?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2019. Many excellent spots are available on our new website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2019 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
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