NATIONAL REPORT—Much has been written about the many millions of partially used bars of soap and amenity bottles disposed of each year. Thanks to Clean the World and other nonprofits, a sizable amount of that waste is now being repurposed. But what about k cups, those little single-serve beverage (mostly coffee) pods used in Keurig Green Mountain brewers? According to research by data firm NPD Group, 40 percent of Canadian homes have a single-serving coffee brewer. In the United States that number is closer to 30 percent. An estimated 20+ billion k cups will be consumed in 2015. Many...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—A new employee residence in Old Faithful Village in Yellowstone National Park has received a Platinum rating by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program. The residence was built by concessioner Yellowstone National Park Lodges, operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts.The project is the first Platinum-rated certification achieved by a concession operator inside a national park. Platinum is the highest LEED certification level and accounts for only about seven percent of all LEED-certified projects.In order to achieve LEED certification, the project needed to meet stringent sustainability requirements in areas such...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced it is awarding more than $280,000 to 100 Hilton Worldwide properties and community organizations around the world as part of its Travel with Purpose Action Grant program. The grants are intended to support the development of local projects and strengthen the quality of life in the communities in which Hilton Worldwide’s hotels and offices serve. Now in its third year, the program has awarded over $500,000 to nearly 200 community projects around the world.     All of Hilton’s more than 4,350 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, as well as offices, were eligible...

DENVER—Showcasing more than a decade of leadership while taking on the challenge of climate change, global hospitality company Xanterra Parks & Resorts has released its 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, defining and measuring its innovative sustainability improvements. The report also announces ambitious stretch targets for the next decade.The report presents details of improvements measured against goals announced in 2004. The company tracks its environmental performance across all aspects of its operations using an ISO 14001 audited program launched in 2002.Xanterra entities include lodges, restaurants, tours and activities in national and state parks, as well as resorts, a cruise line,...

CHICAGO—United Airlines and Wyndham Worldwide are working together to reduce carbon emissions associated with corporate air travel. The hospitality company, which is one of the largest in the world, has agreed to become an official launch partner for United’s Eco-Skies CarbonChoice corporate carbon offset program. The Eco-Skies CarbonChoice program enables the airline’s corporate customers to track and offset the emissions stemming from their business travel and freight shipments on United at the enterprise level.“As the only U.S. airline to offer a corporate carbon offset program, United’s CarbonChoice program represents another way for us to broaden and partner with our...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels around the country are getting greener and more sustainable. For the most part, their emphasis has been on such things as reducing energy consumption, using less gas and electricity and using it more efficiently, along with transferring to cleaning solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment. But most recently, their big focus is on water…or, shall we say, the lack thereof. From dry California and several other areas of the United States to parts of the country that are what we could call “water rich,” hotel properties are looking into a number of ways to reduce...

NEW YORK—A certification program incorporating guidelines in unique areas such as Classical Feng Shui and environmental pyschology is beginning to gain traction within the hospitality industry. Launched by Certified Eco Designer Debra Duneier, Founder and President of New York-based EcoChi, LLC, the EcoChi 180° seal confirms that 18 guidelines have been met. In addition to the aforementioned Classical Feng Shui and environmental psychology, guidelines cover topics including energy efficiency, non-toxic materials and finishing, ergonomics, representing nature indoors, improved lighting, sound attenuation, creative workspaces, and green practices.Unlike other certification programs, guidelines can vary by project and are customized for each...

CHICAGO—More than a dozen leading, U.S.-based companies, including Hilton Worldwide, announced the formation of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, which has the goal of being the nation’s largest employer-led coalition committed to creating pathways to meaningful employment for America’s young people. The coalition has the collective goal of engaging at least 100,000 Opportunity Youth—16 to 24 year olds who face systemic barriers to jobs and education—by 2018 through apprenticeships, internships, training programs, and both part-time and full-time jobs. Additionally, the coalition will leverage existing collaborative efforts on the ground in a handful of cities to partner in building these pathways....

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.—Grand Pacific Resorts, a timeshare management company with three resorts in the Lake Tahoe area, presented the League to Save Lake Tahoe with a $1,200 check on June 15, 2015, to support the organization’s advocacy work. The presentation came at the conclusion of a two-day scavenger hunt involving four travel bloggers, who competed to raise funds for the environmental group and the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.“Preserving this beautiful area is important to us, our owners, and our guests,” explained Renee Wagner, RRP, Director of Marketing at Grand Pacific Resorts. “They come to our resorts in Tahoe...

ANAHEIM, CALIF.—Sixty years ago this month, Walt Disney dedicated his dream project: Disneyland—a land beyond the boundaries of the motion pictures with which he’d made his reputation, a park where families and guests of all ages could be immersed in worlds of fantasy and adventure.As part of its Diamond Celebration, the Disneyland Resort honored 60 years of that dream by announcing “Million Dollar Dazzle” at a ceremony at Sleeping Beauty Castle. Each month during the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration, the Million Dollar Dazzle Crew will surprise one or more local nonprofits that exemplify Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ Better...