SALEM, ORE.—Travel Oregon, in partnership with Sustainable Travel International (STI), will give more than $36,000 to projects throughout the state that improve the environment, support local culture and enrich the destination for future visitors through the Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund (OTPF). Travel Oregon and STI also announced a new group of recipients for funds to be distributed in 2015 and 2016.OTPF is the first statewide program of its kind. The goal of the program is to improve experiences for visitors and locals by connecting them to participating businesses that directly improve and enhance Oregon communities.“Travel Oregon continually strives to...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced that it will cease serving shark fin and stop accepting new orders for shark fin dishes by April 1, 2014. The ban covers all restaurants and food and beverage (F&B) facilities operated by its 96 owned and managed properties across Asia Pacific.In December 2012, the company first removed shark fin from menus across all restaurants and F&B facilities operated by its managed properties in China and Southeast Asia, only serving it on request. This action helped pave the way for a ban, which first took effect in Southeast Asia on September 1, 2013 and then...

TORONTO—A number of Best Western Hotels in Eastern Canada now feature on-site electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that are designated either exclusively for hotel guests or are open to the public. More than 20 Best Western hotels across Ontario provide this green-leaning amenity. These new EV charging stations have created havens for eco-tourists and the sustainability-inclined. Of the 20 EV charging stations in Ontario, 17 are set 50 to 98 kilometers, or 30 to 60 miles apart along the Highway 401 corridor.“It is exciting to see so many Best Western hoteliers embrace this program and make it increasingly easier...

BRANDENBURG, KY.—If you are staying at the Southern Grace Bed & Breakfast in Brandenburg, Ky., and can’t finish your tasty breakfast, don’t even think about throwing your food scraps in the trash. The approximately 70 chickens—free range chickens—will be more than happy to eat what you cannot. According to Theresa Padgett, owner of the 15-acre B&B with her husband David, all food scraps are either fed to the chickens or composted. The plate-to-chicken approach to waste management is just one of the ways the B&B owners work to lighten their property’s impact on the planet. In the garden that...

RESTON, VA.—The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) is expanding its commitment to promote sustainable environmental practices by recognizing dealers and retailers who sell cabinets certified by the KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). Through a new Authorized ESP Dealer recognition program, retailers and dealers who sell ESP-certified cabinets are able to utilize a new, distinctive and proprietary logo in their advertising and promotional efforts. The new logo will help increase awareness of the ESP program and its environmental benefits, as well as facilitate brand recognition among customers.“The Authorized ESP Dealer program responds to growing consumer interest in products that are...

LAUCALA ISLAND, FIJI—Amidst dramatic rainforest-laced landscapes and coconut plantations, the Fijian private island resort Laucala Island sets the gold standard for the “farm-to-resorts” movement. The resort’s new Executive Chef, Anthony Healy, creates signature cuisine by foraging for the freshest ingredients across the island and taking advantage of the island’s plentiful indigenous produce and livestock. Organic produce is grown on a 240-acre hydroponic farm with 15 different types of fruit, 35 varieties of vegetables and more than 50 Fiji Vanilla plants. Additionally, 80 percent of the island’s seafood is caught within a mile of the shore to preserve the natural...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Green Meeting Industry Council has announced highlights of their ninth annual Sustainable Meetings Conference taking place in San Francisco April 15 to 17, including a diverse array of sustainability leaders and activities exploring the best practices in the green event industry in San Francisco and beyond.The 2014 conference program will feature combined short presentations with large and small group collaborations integrated as a whole. The keynote presentation, “The Value of Sustainability Across Brands, Organizations and Sectors,” will address the big ideas around sustainability, while subsequent sessions will address specific challenges in hosting green meetings. Speakers include pioneers...

MCLEAN, VA.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide’s mid-tier, all-suite hotel brand designed for modern business travelers and extended stay guests, announced the opening of its 29th hotel, Home2 Suites by Hilton Baltimore/Aberdeen. This marks the second Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified hotel in the brand’s portfolio. “We are excited to unveil our third property in the greater Baltimore area,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Home2 Suites by Hilton. “This market has proven to be a great fit for our Home2 Suites brand and we felt like Aberdeen was a perfect location for our brand. We...

NAPA, CALIF.—The Inn on First announced that it has been successfully recertified by the Napa County Green Business Program, qualifying as a green business. The Green Business certification is good for three years and is given to businesses that meet green business standards. This means that The Inn on First has conserved resources and prevented pollution through its environmental conservation efforts. It has also met the environmental compliance requirements. Because of the positive efforts, The Inn on First will now enjoy public promotions through the Green Business Program. It will also receive positive public recognition from its peers and...

ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced that IHG Green Engage, the online sustainability program used by more than 2,600 IHG-branded hotels worldwide, is now recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council under its LEED Volume program and Green Key Global (GKG) as providing streamlined pathways to certification. IHG is the first hotel company to provide an approach to precertification for new-build hotels under the LEED 2009 for New Construction rating system. This is IHG’s second LEED designation—IHG was also the first hotel company to provide LEED precertification for existing hotels.Globally recognized sustainability certifications like LEED and GKG could ultimately improve...