I spoke yesterday with the representative of a company that is developing a customizable water product that will be available in a carton to the entire lodging industry soon. Water is sold in a paper carton like cartons you purchase milk or orange juice in. Compared to plastic and glass, the carbon footprint of a carton is significantly less. It biodegrades much faster than plastic while still being recyclable. The carton I learned about has no BPAs or VOCs. I was sent some images of cartons that had been customized with photos of hotel properties on the outside and...

If you are still looking for another reason to support clean, renewable energy, you should pay attention to new research published in the European Heart Journal. According to the authors of an article entitled, “Cardiovascular disease burden from ambient air pollution in Europe reassessed using novel hazard ratio functions,” particulate air pollution’s impact via the bloodstream on heart disease and strokes is responsible for twice as many deaths as respiratory diseases. According to the study’s authors, “Our results indicate a much higher disease burden than previously assumed....Furthermore, there is still little mention of air pollution as a risk factor...

You may never see another one like it. The $15 million Fairfield Inn & Suites Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana is built to look like a barn. According to nwi.com, Fair Oaks Farms opened the 99-room hotel to cater to wedding guests, those attending special events, and others. Before the new Fairfield was completed, there were no hotels in the immediate vicinity for overnight visitors and wedding parties to lodge. The hotel is directly connected to the farm-to-fork Farmhouse Restaurant and a u-pick-it apple orchard is expected to open soon. a u-pick-it apple orchard that's expected to...

The Ethisphere Institute has just released its list of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies. This year marks the 13th year for the list. The 128 honorees span 21 countries and 50 industries and includes 16 first-time honorees and eight companies that have been named to the list every year since 2007. Only two hotel companies made this year’s list: Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. To determine its list, the Ethisphere Institute evaluated a company’s Ethics and Compliance Program, Culture of Ethics, Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility, Governance, and Leadership and Reputation. Each category is evaluated through a combination...

Almost a year ago, Green Lodging News published a blog post detailing the efforts of several companies in Hawaii to urge guests to use reef-safe sunscreens. A recent study by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) strengthens the case for using these types of sunscreens. The study detected an extensive amount of sunscreen chemicals in seawater that could pose a risk to human health. The study found the chemicals can cause abnormalities in and kill the offspring of zebrafish by entering the food chain. As the genetic structure of zebrafish resembles that of humans, the results imply that these contaminants...

As reported today on Green Lodging News, Greenview has just released its Green Lodging Trends Report 2018. The Report highlights and summarizes responses to 115 survey questions in these categories: Energy Management, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Health & Wellness, Back of House, Communications, Staff Involvement, Community Involvement, and Climate Action & Certification. I highly recommend reading through the report. There is a wealth of information in it and I will be writing about it again in my upcoming Publisher’s Point of View column. The Trends Report is by far the leading global lodging report on sustainability. One of the strengths...

Two Earth holidays are coming up soon. First, Earth Hour is planned for Saturday, March 30 at 8:30 p.m. local time. Second, Earth Day will be held on Monday, April 22. What is your property or company planning for these two occasions? They are perfect opportunities to showcase your sustainability initiatives and to volunteer to help a local school or other organization. You may even want to have an Earth festival, as some properties have done in the past. Or, extend the celebration over a week’s time. Earth Hour is more conducive to a turning out the lights, lighting...

Microplastics, commonly found in our oceans, are less than 5 millimeters in length and are a hazard to marine life. Microplastics (and microbeads) have gotten a lot of publicity in recent years but did you know that microsynthetic fibers can be hazardous as well? Microsynthetic fibers are small plastic particles within the category of microplastics that are fibrous in shape. If your laundry is used to wash anything made from synthetic fibers like polyester, you are releasing microfibers down the drain—fibers that can make their way past treatment plants and into the water that animal and sea life consume. If...

Fortune just released the its annual “World’s Most Admired Companies” list. Six companies were listed in the “Hotels, Casinos, and Resorts” category. Topping the list in that category is Marriott International, followed by Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Hyatt Hotels, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts. As of this morning, three companies had issued press releases about their achievements: Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts. To develop the “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, Fortune collaborated with partner Korn Ferry Hay Group on the survey of corporate reputation. They began with 1,500 candidates, which included the 1,000...

As I am writing this, the U.S. federal government is in its 26th day of shutdown—the longest on record in U.S. history. If you have been following the news, you know that personnel essential to the smooth flow of tourists to and within the U.S. have been impacted greatly. Last week, Brian Crawford, AHLA Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, urged the Congress and the Administration to re-open the federal government and move forward on important issues of the day. The shutdown is of course not good for anyone in our industry. I visited the EPA ENERGY STAR website this...