QUITO, ECUADOR—There is a new destination for experiencing natural beauty, biodiversity and eco-adventure in the Ecuadorian Andes: the Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve. Located two-and-a-half hours west of historic Quito, this 3,000-acre reserve protects a small slice of the Tumbez-Chocó-Magdalena biodiversity “hotspot,” and will be home to a new retreat called Mashpi Lodge, new on the heels of its sister property Casa Gangotena that opened in Quito Old Town in October. This lodge has been designed as a springboard for exploring the biodiverse world of its reserve. A private getaway only accessible to its guests and located on a high plateau,...

FRANKFURT, GERMANY—A campaign to reduce overall waste output from the IMEX in Frankfurt trade show, whether recyclable or not, has seen waste levels drop significantly over the past three years. The total amount of waste generated went down from 167 tons in 2009 to 121 tons in 2011, a reduction of 28 percent. As part of its commitment to improved environmental management and protection, IMEX organizers have worked closely with the management team at Messe Frankfurt to implement a series of waste reduction measures over the years. Year on year IMEX has also set itself waste reduction targets in...

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y.—Gauthier’s Saranac Lake Inn in Saranac Lake, N.Y. is the recipient of the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association’s (NYSH&TA) 2012 Good Earthkeeping award. The inn will be recognized at the Association’s 2012 Stars of the Industry Gala & Awards Banquet at the Hotel Albany, an affiliate of Hilton (formerly the Crowne Plaza Albany) on Monday, March 5. The Stars of the Industry awards program honors employees of the hotels, motels and tourism-related businesses throughout the state who best represent the quality service and spirit of the hospitality and tourism industry. “Every year, the state’s hospitality industry nominates...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—This past October was a landmark month for the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC). It was then that the nonprofit turned five years old. SFC is a nonprofit coalition of materials suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and designers committed to promoting sustainable practices in the home furnishings industry. While focused on home furnishings, different elements of SFC cross over into hospitality—e.g., suppliers, designers, and the criteria by which furnishings are deemed sustainable.“Many of our manufacturer, supplier and designer members also work in commercial,” says Susan Inglis, executive director and founding member of SFC. “All of our members are companies that...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—LEED-certified existing buildings are outpacing their newly built counterparts, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). As of last month, square footage of LEED-certified existing buildings surpassed LEED-certified new construction by 15 million square feet on a cumulative basis. “The U.S. is home to more than 60 billion square feet of existing commercial buildings, and we know that most of those buildings are energy guzzlers and water sieves,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Greening these buildings takes hands-on work, creating precious jobs especially for construction workers. Making these existing buildings energy and water efficient...

NEW YORK—ECPAT-USA recently announced that Wyndham Worldwide has become the latest major hospitality company to take a stand against the commercial sexual exploitation of children by signing the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct (The Code).The Code, an industry driven responsible tourism initiative in collaboration with ECPAT International, funded by UNICEF and supported by The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), specifically focuses on the protection of children from sexual exploitation in the travel and tourism industries. While The Code has been signed by more than 1,000 travel industry members worldwide, Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, is only...

LAS VEGAS—Green Chips, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing Nevada’s identity as a sustainable destination, received a $50,000 grant from the Caesars Foundation to help launch its Convene For Green initiative website in 2012. The Convene for Green initiative was launched in March 2011 as a grassroots program to encourage renewable energy and conservation projects in Southern Nevada. The new website will serve as an educational platform, discussion forum and support center for businesses, nonprofits, residents and Las Vegas visitors. “As the founding sponsor of the outreach and online community programs for Convene for Green, the Caesars Foundation has been an...

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA—In a move designed to further enhance its sustainability program, Hilton Worldwide has launched a major environmental initiative at its three hotels in South Africa. More than 17,000 energy saving lights, including new replacement LED globes, are being introduced at Hilton Sandton, Hilton Durban and Hilton Cape Town, with considerable economic and environmental benefits. The move to the new lighting globes is expected to result in a drop of energy consumption of more than 2,600,000 kWh annually and a reduction of CO2 emissions by a significant 2,700 tons per year.“The demand for energy in South Africa is...

LAS VEGAS—Crystals Retail & Entertainment District at CityCenter has earned Gold sustainable design awards from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the global trade association of the shopping center industry. The awards were earned in ICSC’s annual U.S. Design and Development Awards competition. “Crystals is an integral part of CityCenter and was created with a vision to bring a new level of environmental consciousness to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International that co-developed CityCenter with Infinity World Development Corp. “As one of the world’s largest sustainable developments, CityCenter’s environmental responsibility...

BURLINGTON, VERMONT—Increasing recycling, implementing a food waste collection program for composting, and increasing green purchasing have allowed the 309-room  in Burlington, Vermont to reduce its environmental footprint, save money on disposal, and to be recognized as a Green Hotel through the Green Hotels in the Green Mountain State Program (also known as the Vermont Green Hotels Program).In April 2009, the Sheraton Hotel agreed to work with the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC), the Vermont Green Hotels Program, and EPA New England to increase its overall recycling, initiate a food waste diversion program, and to increase and document its green purchasing...