MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MINN.—Almost 270 million pounds of cooking oil is difficult to comprehend but that is the amount taken out of the waste stream in 2021 by Restaurant Technologies, Inc. (RT). RT is one example of a company that has automated the cooking oil-management business while also closing the loop on it. Restaurants and other food and beverage operations manage their cooking oil in different ways. In one typical scenario, according to Diana Geseking, General Counsel and Secretary for RT, a restaurant will purchase jugs of oil from an oil producer. These jugs, also known as JIBs (jug-in-box) are sometimes...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that registration for the 2023 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo is now open. This year, Greenbuild will take place in USGBC’s hometown of Washington, D.C., from September 26 to 29 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. With new education, events, partners, and experiences, the Greenbuild conference will mark a significant milestone in the green building movement, as the site of USGBC’s 30-year anniversary celebrations. “We have a lot to commemorate at Greenbuild—not only is it USGBC’s 30th anniversary, we also plan to debut the next version of the LEED green building...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.—Since 2018, Orlando-based Legacy Vacation Resorts has been relentless in their pursuit of purpose. Committed to using travel as a force for good, LVR has taken impressive measures to become not only one of the most responsible travel options in the world, but also one of the most regenerative for the environment and their local communities. This is thanks to their status as a Certified B Corporation, a high-standard business certification representing a company’s commitment to creating positive social and environmental impact, from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. Originally...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International and BetMGM announced a five-year contract extension with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) and its industry-leading responsible gaming program, GameSense. The program, which BCLC first licensed to MGM Resorts in 2017, enhances MGM Resorts’ and BetMGM’s guest and customer service models by focusing on positive, transparent, and supportive conversations with players about how to gamble responsibly. “Through our partnership and collaboration with BCLC, we’re proud to set the standard and do our part to ensure that gaming is an enjoyable experience,” said Bill Hornbuckle, CEO & President, MGM Resorts International. “As the industry expands, we will...

NATIONAL REPORT—Water is a lifeforce, essential for humans to exist. However, when it comes to construction water is both friend and foe. When water is harnessed and contained it enables modern plumbing, facilitates cleaning and maintenance activities on jobsites and once a building is operational, can serve as a source of art and entertainment. The added value of water is multi-fold when it is utilized to enhance the design aesthetic of a structure and the well-being of the people who use the building. There is a reason that humans crave spending time in the mountains, near streams, waterfalls, lakes, and...

VISTA, CALIF.—During the pandemic, we learned several good restroom habits that kept us healthy. However, public health officials are concerned that many of these protective measures are now being tossed out the window. “Even when restroom surfaces look clean, they may be little more than a Petri dish,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc. marketers of no-water urinals. “With so many surfaces, counters, knobs, and handles in public restrooms, it’s hard not to come in contact with surface contaminants.” Making matters worse, toilet and urinal plume—the releasing of germs and bacteria into the air when toilets or urinals are flushed—continually...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Vacationer has posted its Sustainable Travel Survey 2023. Click here to see it. The survey was conducted before Earth Day 2023 to find out how Americans feel about sustainable travel, how many are willing to spend more money to travel sustainably, how many plan on making more eco-friendly decisions when planning travel, and what the most important factor is when booking travel. Unfortunately, the results show sentiment is down this year compared to last year. The anonymous survey included 1,017 American adults over the age of 18 and was conducted online using SurveyMonkey’s interface/audience from March 1, 2023, to...

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.–Soul Community Planet (SCP), the holistic hospitality company dedicated to providing sustainable and wellness-focused hospitality experiences, has announced the acquisition of the Albion River Inn, a luxury boutique hotel located in Mendocino County on the Northern California coast. The property, to be renamed the SCP Mendocino Coast Lodge, marks the brand’s fourth coastal California property. The SCP Mendocino Coast Lodge will be operated in conjunction with the nearby SCP Mendocino Inn & Farm, which SCP acquired in June 2022. SCP Mendocino Coast Lodge will be reimagined as a chic, upscale coastal lodge. It also will feature a farm-to-table...

ST. PETE BEACH, FLA.—TradeWinds Island Resorts—the Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resort—recently donated $21,000 to the Florida Disaster Relief Fund, a result of the resort’s “Shore to Shore” give back program supporting response and recovery activities for communities impacted by Hurricane Ian. From October through December 2022, the TradeWinds donated $20 per room, per night to the Florida Disaster Fund from guests participating in the “Shore to Shore” program. The Florida Disaster Fund is the state’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities as they recover during times of emergency or disaster. “Our guests responded in a big way to the...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—From innovative technology to conserve energy and water to even more ambitious diversity goals for hotel ownership, the 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report released by Choice Hotels International, Inc. highlights significant new steps that should cut utility costs, save time for franchisees, and increase the company’s ESG commitments. “Choice Hotels International shares a uniting belief that tomorrow will be even better than today, and we are committed to building that better tomorrow,” Choice Hotels International CEO Patrick Pacious says in the report. “As one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, we are building on more than 80...