BOSTON—Significant price spikes in the energy attribute certificate (EAC) and carbon offset markets have many companies wondering whether environmental commodities are the right way to reach their goals, asking: is carbon offsetting worth it? These tools that many companies have come to rely on to achieve carbon neutrality have become much more expensive than they may have originally budgeted for. Pair this with headwinds in the renewable energy PPA market, and the question of how to reach goals gets even more complicated. Now, companies are faced with an impossible dilemma that is putting both their financial risk tolerance and their moral...

NATIONAL REPORT—Biodigesters that reduce food waste to grey water have been effectively used by hotels for many years now and for good reason. According to Power Knot, a supplier of 10 different models of biodigesters, the machines greatly reduce the cost to dispose of waste food, reduce the size, quantity, and smells of trash bins, eliminate flies and rodents that may be attracted to garbage bins containing waste food, save time and injuries of employees carrying trash outdoors, and allow one to weigh and dispose of food waste in one machine. According to Orca, a supplier of four different...

ATLANTA—The 2022 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild will bring attention to carbon reduction strategies through the application of simulation and modeling over the entire building life cycle. Co-sponsored by ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA, the conference will take place September 14 to 16 in Chicago and will also be offered virtually. The theme of the conference, “Better Buildings, Less Carbon: Supporting the Transition to a Clean and Just Climate,” focuses on research and methodology for minimizing operational carbon in buildings. “The recent changes in the world energy markets and evolving regulations continue to increase demand for improved performance of our building stock,” said Conference Vice Chair John Bynum. “The...

NEW YORK—Selina, the fast-growing lifestyle and experiential hospitality brand targeting millennial and Gen Z travelers, issued its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance, or “ESG” report, with robust reporting of tangible progress made in 2021. With environmental and social consciousness in its DNA and “impact” among its five core values, Selina’s operating philosophy fuels ESG initiatives rooted in care for the planet, starting with its host communities. In 2021, the company focused on setting a baseline for achieving its long-term ESG goals, putting in place a comprehensive infrastructure to enhance its mission and measure its impact on people and the planet....

LAS VEGAS—Earlier this year, Sands released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which included plans for its corporate responsibility program for the next five years and three new ambitions the company is targeting to achieve by 2025. Under the Planet pillar, Sands aims to achieve its science-based target of a 17.5 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2025. Sands’ goal to achieve this reduction in carbon emissions aligns with the company’s low-carbon transition strategy and reflects one of the five key environmental issues Sands has prioritized to reduce its impact. Sands’ multi-faceted low-carbon strategy focuses on addressing energy efficiency, renewable...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) announced it has established September 1 as National Hotel Employee Day in the National Day Calendar. National Hotel Employee Day will be celebrated annually to thank hotel employees for their hard work and dedication and recognize the integral role they play in our nation’s travel, tourism, and hotel industries. This year, National Hotel Employee Day will take on added significance, as hotels across the nation are working to quickly fill more than 120,000 open hotel jobs. To attract more talent, hotels are offering current and prospective employees higher wages, with better benefits, and more flexibility than...

ATLANTA—IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, announced partnerships with two leading anti-human trafficking organizations, ECPAT-USA and Polaris, to strengthen the company’s on-going efforts against trafficking and support survivors. The launch of these engagements coincided with the United Nations’ July 30 observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, designed to call attention to the millions of individuals who are trafficked each year. Through support of ECPAT-USA and Polaris’ programs, IHG will amplify awareness of the prevalence and dangers of human trafficking through education and advocacy. Senior advisors from both organizations will also join IHG’s anti-human trafficking steering...

SAN DIEGO—Sycuan Casino Resort announced the addition of low-carbon technologies at its casino location in San Diego. The project includes 40 Level 2 chargers, 5 DC fast chargers (DCFC), and a 250-kilowatt (kW)/560 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in progress. This project supports California’s goals of achieving five million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030 and 250,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2025. Additionally, a project of this size is estimated to deliver approximately 490,000 electric miles, which is equivalent to saving 22,000 gallons of gas each year and thereby avoiding 431,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually. This project is just another step the organization...

COSTA RICA—Managed by Aqua-Aston Hospitality, Botánika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton, a premier eco-resort is now open. Located beside two of Costa Rica’s most prized natural jewels—Corcovado National Park and the Pacific Ocean’s Golfo Dulce—Botánika Osa Peninsula is set across 21 acres of lush flora and fauna. The resort provides travelers an unspoiled rainforest escape with well-appointed residence accommodations, upscale dining outlets, a 100-seat event space, along with rainforest-inspired experiences at the resort’s Clubhouse, neighboring Crocodile Bay Marina and the new Botánika Science and Nature Center. Activity guides curate unforgettable recreation experiences and excursions throughout the Osa Peninsula. Guests...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Seal recently announced a prohibition on any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in all Green Seal-certified cleaning and personal care products. Products certified to Green Seal’s updated standards will be verified to be PFAS-free and to meet one of the highest benchmarks for safety and environmental protection in the marketplace, the group announced. Green Seal’s standards have prohibited long-chain PFAS formally classified as hazardous. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that short-chain PFAS have the same harmful health and environmental effects as the legacy PFAS they are replacing. Green Seal’s updated cleaning and personal care product standards now prohibit...