PHILADELPHIA—ARAMARK hired 17 young professionals for the 2012 ARAMARK Environmental Sustainability Internship Program. The program provides participants with hands-on job experience as they help implement environmental solutions for ARAMARK clients at schools, universities, businesses and other locations in the United States and United Kingdom.In partnership with the Student Conservation Association (SCA), ARAMARK engages young people who are interested in careers that have a positive social and environmental impact. The young people also gain a practical understanding of how environmental sustainability operates within a business environment.“We recognize that our workforce is evolving and changing and we are looking at ways...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Grand announced the completion of its $160 million room and suite remodel in the hotel’s main tower, marking a major milestone in the resort’s “Grand Renovation.” The remodel, which began in October 2011, includes 3,570 Grand King and Queen guestrooms and 642 suites of varying types including the Skyline Terrace and Skyline Marquee Suites.In keeping with MGM Grand’s commitment to sustainability, the newly remodeled rooms and suites incorporate environmentally responsible elements including LED lighting; improved thermostats and solar shades to better manage temperature and guest comfort; upgraded faucets and showers; and bath amenities that are 100 percent...

LOS ANGELES—CBRE Group, Inc. announced the launch of the Real Green Research Challenge (RGRC), a four-year, $1 million commitment to fund leading-edge sustainability research and innovation relating to commercial real estate. The program was unveiled at The Climate Group’s Climate Week NYC. CBRE is accepting submissions for research proposals, with the goal of developing solutions to the industry’s critical environmental challenges.“We’ve seen growing market awareness of commercial buildings’ impact on the environment,” said Bob Sulentic, CBRE’s president. “This has inspired new thinking and innovation in sustainability research. However, people with good ideas often lack financial support and access to...

CHATTANOOGA, TENN.—Outdoors-oriented travelers headed to the Chattanooga area for rock climbing, bicycling, kayaking and other activities can now stay in a hostel that is officially among the world’s greenest. Opened in June 2011, The Crash Pad just recently earned its LEED Platinum designation. According to the hostel’s owners, Max Poppel and Dan Rose, The Crash Pad is the only hostel on the planet to earn LEED Platinum. Only three other lodging establishments in the United States have earned LEED Platinum through the U.S. Green Building Council.Located on one acre in downtown Chattanooga, The Crash Pad sits on a site...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented its 12th annual Green Power Leadership Awards to 24 Green Power Partners and three suppliers for their achievements in advancing the nation’s renewable electricity market. For most municipalities, electricity usage is the single-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By using green power, communities and businesses can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create local jobs, and improve public health.In the Green Power Partner of the Year category, Hilton Worldwide was chosen along with the City of Austin, Texas, Microsoft Corp., and the University of Oklahoma.“Our 2012 Green Power Leadership Award winners have...

LOS ANGELES—MindClick SGM announced that Marriott International will spend 75 percent of its 2013 furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) budget with suppliers that are part of the MindClick Hospitality Sustainability Performance Index (HSP Index). The HSP Index measures suppliers’ corporate social responsibility, environmental operations, and product sustainability efforts.Marriott is incorporating MindClick’s supplier scorecard as an integral solution in greening its global supply chain, following a year as a member of the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium. Led by MindClick, a sustainability consulting firm, Consortium members worked together to establish a supplier sustainability rating system for the hotel industry.“Utilizing the MindClick...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced the launch of the new e-publication, “The International Voluntourism Guidelines for Commercial Tour Operators,”, which has been developed through a collaborative research project supported by the Planeterra Foundation. The e-publication was launched at TIES’ annual international conference, the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC), held in Monterey, Calif., September 17 to 19, 2012.“We are thrilled to announce the new Voluntourism Guidelines and to share this comprehensive tool with our members around the world,” said Dr. Kelly Bricker, TIES Chair. “Our aim is to positively contribute to the growing field of voluntourism by...

ITHACA, N.Y.—A new report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of Hotel Administration focuses on how hotels report their carbon footprints. Many hotels have developed their own carbon reporting policies, but the global hotel industry has yet to agree on a standard. This new report helps frame the discussion by analyzing materiality, or the importance of specific greenhouse gas sources.In response to stakeholder and customer requests, hotel companies are developing mechanisms to communicate to guests their “carbon footprint,” or the quantifiable environmental impact of their operations. The industry is seeking common guidance on how...

DENVER—Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ operations in Yellowstone and Petrified Forest National Parks have received Environmental Achievement awards from the National Park Service (NPS). Yellowstone’s Mammoth Hotel Dining Room was recognized as a winner, and Petrified Forest’s free e-waste recycling service received an honorable mention.According to NPS, these awards are presented to “teams (units, groups of NPS employees, or a combination of NPS and non-NPS personnel) and partners (concessioners, contractors and cooperating associations) who demonstrate exceptional accomplishments toward the overall goal of preservation and protection of the resources under our stewardship.”“I salute our Xanterra employees in Yellowstone and Petrified Forest...

NATIONAL REPORT—The hospitality industry is poised for a boom in the use of combined heat and power systems (CHP) due to the low cost of natural gas and the high and ever increasing cost of electricity. Hotels are a natural match for CHP due to their high baseload demand for energy and the ability to efficiently use the heat generated from these systems by offsetting hot water, heating and air-conditioning loads. In addition, CHP technology has become more reliable, remains comparably inexpensive, and creates efficiency. The spark spread is the difference between the cost of burning natural gas for...