WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congress passed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, sending the measure to President Biden for his signature. Congress also sent a captive wildlife protection measure—the Big Cat Public Safety Act—to the President to be signed into law as well. “Congress has taken shark fins off the menu,” said Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action, and the Center for a Humane Economy, in celebrating Senate passage Thursday night of the shark protection measure. The Senate passed the defense bill 83 to 11, following a similarly lopsided vote in the House. The Shark Fin...

SINGAPORE—In an article published earlier this week on Green Lodging News, the introduction to Greenview’s just released 83-page Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR) was summarized. In this article, Green Lodging News takes a deeper dive into the report, highlighting key results from this fourth GLTR. The GLTR is separated into 10 sections, with findings highlighted primarily in easy-to-read bullet-point format. The sections include Hotel Sustainability Basics, Management System, Community Impact, Health & Wellness, Responsible Consumption, Single-Use Plastic Elimination, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Energy Management, and Climate Action. The following are observations from each of the 10 sections, followed by highlights from...

When thinking about resorts leading in sustainability, you don’t often think about RV resorts but there are some with very green stories to tell—the Golden Village Palms RV Resort in the San Jacinta Valley in California, for example. The property has been certified as the only RV resort within the California Green Business Network. Golden Village Palms Green Practices The use of energy efficient lighting. The use of certified non-toxic laundry, cleaning and building maintenance products in non-aerosol containers to reduce pollution. The donation of previously used furniture, supplies and materials to local nonprofit organizations for waste diversion. The placement...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—Beginning this month, VITO Fryfilter Inc.’s new U.S. headquarters is Orlando, Fla. With the move, VITO Fryfilter also took the opportunity to add a new position to its ranks. After four years as the director of the UAE subsidiary of VITO, Sascha Geib resumes his former position as COO for the U.S. subsidiary, VITO Fryfilter, Inc. which was since left unoccupied. Geib will run the day-to-day operation of the highest revenue subsidiary of VITO. He will focus on the brand’s development and growth in the U.S. market and continuous optimization of work procedures within the organization. He will...

BANGKOK—Six Senses has always believed in taking guests beyond destinations into new experiences and cultures, so they feel the purpose behind their travels. But the past few years have provoked a renewed appreciation that exploration and escape go hand in hand with thinking about the impact this has on the environment and local communities. As a leading sustainability pioneer within the hospitality industry, Six Senses has set an audacious goal towards plastic freedom and committed to weaving long-term positive change into the fabric of every property. Following its pledge as a founding signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative in 2019,...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Sometimes the simplest inventions can save a lot of time, water, energy, and money. That has certainly been the case with PLATESCRAPE, a 4.5-gallon, portable tub that incorporates hot water, soap and two perfectly placed brushes to remove the food waste on plates. One simply dips a plate into the water between the two brushes to rid both sides of the plate of food remains. This ensures a clean plate prior to placement in a dishwasher and ultimately a sparkling plate that is used by a guest. Nate Stein, the CEO, and inventor of PLATESCRAPE, hatched the...

CHICAGO—Grounded in its ongoing efforts to inspire and empower travelers to pursue their individual wellbeing goals, World of Hyatt is introducing FIND, an experiences platform, through Hyatt’s industry-leading World of Hyatt loyalty program. With 200+ experiences across 85+ destinations in over 30 countries, the FIND platform is designed to complement members’ wellbeing journeys and meet them where they are. “We know travelers are eager to explore new destinations and are prioritizing their wellbeing now more than ever,” said Amy Weinberg, Senior Vice President, Loyalty, Brand Marketing and Consumer Insights, Hyatt. “The FIND platform allows for more opportunities to enhance World of...

MALDIVES—Award-winning Brazilian chef and restaurateur, Manoella “Manu” Buffara, has launched a new pop-up restaurant at Soneva Fushi, the pioneering barefoot luxury resort in the Maldives. Located at Fresh in the Garden, a treetop dining destination that overlooks the resort’s extensive organic island gardens, the 12-month pop-up is based on the concept of transformation and offers guests a rare opportunity to dine with one of Latin America’s most exciting culinary talents. Recently named Latin America’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best, Chef Manu is the Executive Chef and owner of her eponymous restaurant, Manu. Paving the way for gastronomy...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA.—Eco-minded boba tea enthusiasts nationwide are now able to enjoy their favorite beverage without using a straw that harms the environment. WinCup, Inc., the manufacturer of phade, the world’s first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable Caribbean blue drinking straw, has released a new bubble tea-sized straw for boba, smoothie and milkshake drinkers. The boba straw’s wider size is more suitable for thicker liquids while incorporating phade’s superior sustainable technology. Made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a meaningful new biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade straws maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic straws but will safely...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart announced the winners of its 125th Anniversary Celebration Contest—a giveaway of equipment prize packages, plus installation and up to one year of preventive maintenance. Tore Trupiano, owner of Mangia e Bevi in Oceanside, Calif., was the independent restaurant winner. Nicholas Angelakis, owner of Colonial Farms Gourmet Food and Market in Washington Crossing, Pa., won in the independent food retail store category. Both winners were chosen based on their commitment to local philanthropy and community outreach and will use their new Hobart equipment to further their missions. “We are honored to be able to support both of these owners and...