The annual HD Expo + Conference will be held this coming week from May 6 to 8 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Hundreds of exhibitors will be on hand, 86 of which have indicated their products will have a sustainability focus (Air Purification Systems, Building Materials, Energy Efficiency, Green Products, Recycled Materials, Water Conservation). The educational sessions will include: Trends in Wellness: Where We Are Today, May 6, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. New Life: Case Studies in Renovation + Adaptive Reuse, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Rethinking the Norm: Socially Sustainable Hotels, May 6, 4 p.m....

Last week I attended the AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans. One of the most interesting companies I came across at the trade show was AdReach. The company makes it easy for upscale properties to supply affordable water to guests in Tetra Prisma Aseptic 330mL cartons made from 63.4 percent renewable plant-based materials. All paperboard used in the cartons comes from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests and other controlled sources. The recyclable cartons include a plant-based cap that is also recyclable. A lodging establishment must commit to purchase at least 1 pallet (2,304 cartons) per month for 12 months....

With Earth Day just eight days away, I have been hearing from many PR agencies pitching locations/companies around the world for Green Lodging News stories. Here is a selection that were cited as having green initiatives worth writing about: Ananda in the Himalayas–Garhwal Uttarakhand, India Ananda in the Himalayas is celebrating its 25th anniversary by reinforcing its commitment to sustainable luxury through initiatives that support both local communities and the surrounding natural ecosystem. The retreat is deepening its focus on community-led sustainability in 2025 by relaunching the Ananda Institute in partnership with Ambuja Foundation. This partnership offers vocational training in hospitality and...

Hard Rock International casinos, hotels and cafes worldwide celebrated Earth Hour 2025 on Saturday, March 22. Earth Hour is a global movement created by World Wildlife Fund that encourages countries, businesses, individuals and iconic landmarks around the world to take action to protect nature. This year, 130+ Hard Rock properties filled the time with guest activities free of electricity, to reinforce the importance of prioritizing sustainability and reducing energy consumption, while connecting guests to mother nature through all five senses. Activities included 25+ nature-inspired dinners, 40+ live acoustic music performances, 25 community cleanups, 13+ tree planting events and more that dedicated 50,000+ total hours...

Travel industry leaders remain committed to action around sustainability but require more support, according to data from Travalyst, the not-for-profit organization founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Travalyst’s Five-Year Milestone Report includes survey data from travelers and industry leaders in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as insights on the coalition’s efforts since its 2019 launch and moving forward. The survey of travel leaders revealed that the “industry is committed to action, despite a challenging context,” the report said. In fact, more than nine in 10 travel industry leaders said they agree that governments should ensure companies in the space report...

Earth Month is the 30-day period commencing March 22 for Earth Hour, a global initiative designed to encourage actions that lead to positive environmental change, and culminating April 22, the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, bringing communities, businesses and individuals together to celebrate the planet and create a more sustainable future. Peregrine Hospitality, a full-service hospitality company that combines precision, agility and an ownership mindset in managing world-class resorts and hotels, announced special programming and events across several of its luxury resort, boutique and select service hotel properties in celebration of Earth Month. “Sustainability efforts have been underway across our portfolio...

Almost two years ago, the Arbor Day Foundation surpassed a tree planting milestone, having helped to plant 500 million trees over the organization’s then 51-year history. Green Lodging News, as well as hotel brands such as Marriott, Wyndham and Doubletree, have publicly supported the Arbor Day Foundation in the past, helping them reach their Sequoia-size goals. Recognized as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to planting trees, the 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have found homes in cities, forests and neighborhoods in more than 50 countries worldwide. The Arbor Day Foundation just announced it is celebrating its newest cohort of the Evergreen Alliance, a collective of...

Ethisphere recently released its annual list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. This is the 19th year Ethisphere has honored organizations with the designation of World’s Most Ethical Companies. Numerous familiar suppliers, Ecolab and Trane Technologies for example, made the list this year. Only one hotel company, however, appeared. That company is Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and it was recognized for the third consecutive year and fifth time overall. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts submitted an application to Ethisphere and paid a processing fee to, at least partially, cover the administrative costs of the thousands of hours experts spend gathering and...

Sharing your profits with your employees is certainly one way to build loyalty to your company. I suspect that is exactly what is happening at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. In recognition of 2024 record-breaking results at the property and in appreciation for the team members who made it possible, the leading Boardwalk entertainment casino resort has awarded $10 million in bonuses to both union and non-union team members. Team members attending the Hard Rock Atlantic City Town Hall gatherings heard news they are sharing substantial bonuses, as they have for each of the past six years. In addition to the bonuses, many team members...

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the leading authority on green building and the global developer of the LEED green building program, released its annual list of the Top 10 States for LEED. Massachusetts ranked first in 2024 based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year, improving their showing from 2023. Massachusetts topped the ranking with 4.95 LEED-certified square footage per capita. After Massachusetts, the top five states were Illinois (4.017 certified square feet per capita), New York (3.438 certified square feet per capita), Washington state (3.03 certified square feet per capita) and Maryland (2.775 certified square...