LONDON—The home of the only British canal boat in North America, a more than 1,900-property strong Green Hotel Directory, an Earth Guest program by one of the biggest hospitality chains in the world, and an initiative to reduce building on China’s famous Mount Huangshan are showcased on a new website launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The Best Practice Gateway, which can be accessed from www.wttc.org, currently features more than 20 case studies from around the world, which together help to illustrate the travel and tourism industry’s leading role in sustainability. “Travel & Tourism can be an...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts has launched its new Echo website, VailResortsEcho.com, to better educate and engage guests and employees about the company’s comprehensive sustainability efforts aimed at protecting the natural resources that surrounds the resorts and helping build stronger communities. Vail Resorts Echo encompasses environmental stewardship, charitable giving and community engagement. “We are thrilled to launch the new Echo website,” says Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer for Vail Resorts. “The new site provides a wealth of information on Vail Resorts’ goals and ideals of our entire corporate stewardship effort for our stakeholders. Making the Echo information accessible to everyone...

BURBANK, CALIF.—Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) has announced the 2010 recipients of nearly $1.5 million in grants to protect vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems around the world. The funding enables nonprofit organizations to provide support for more than 45 species across the globe—from protecting the critically endangered Sumatran rhino in Indonesia, to tracking northern jaguars in the foothills of Mexico, to studying the threats of the endangered green sea turtle. “As part of Disney’s longstanding commitment to the environment, the work supported through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is more important today than ever in helping preserve our planet’s most precious...

BOSTON—Spend some time chatting with Brian Gorski, director of engineering at the 498-room Hyatt Regency Boston and you will quickly understand how the all-electric hotel has been able to slice its annual power consumption by a whopping 42 percent—from 12.3 million kilowatt hours of usage per year to 7.1 million. The drop in energy consumption did not happen in just one year but over a time period of approximately 10 to 12 years when approximately $3 million was spent on improvements in infrastructure, equipment and other systems to improve energy efficiency. NStar, the Massachusetts-based, investor-owned electric and gas utility,...

GAITHERSBURG, MD.— The Holiday Inn Gaithersburg was recently presented with the prestigious “Gaithersburg Environmental Award” by the Honorable Mayor Sidney Katz and Gaithersburg City Council for their outstanding efforts to improve the city’s environment. Awarded each year, the City of Gaithersburg seeks to show appreciation and recognize members of the community for giving back to the environment, while encouraging others to get involved in making the city a greener place to live, work and play. The Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg completed an extensive environmentally-friendly landscaping renovation in October of 2009. More than 90 percent of the surrounding property was modified...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Fairmont Washington, D.C. has awarded a contract to Boulder, Colo.-based Renewable Choice Energy to offset 100 percent of the hotel’s electricity use. The three-year contract calls for Renewable Choice Energy to supply the 415-room Fairmont Hotel with more than 9.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by wind farms across America. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have been dedicated environmental stewards since 1990 with the development of the company’s comprehensive Green Partnership program, designed to minimize the hotels’ operating impacts on the environment. “Every business has a responsibility in the community to be environmentally conscious,”...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The luxury amenities used by guests at The New York Palace Hotel will have a second life in third world countries. The luxury Manhattan hotel added to its corporate responsibility initiatives by implementing an innovative soap-recycling program. “Reducing environmental impact is a priority for us, and Clean the World’s ability to recycle discarded soap was a simple solution for our ‘reduce waste’ team,” said Elvir Dervisevic, director of housekeeping. The New York Palace Hotel is the first hotel in the New York Metropolitan area to join the Clean the World program. Whitney Hoover, an independent sustainability consultant, and Cecile...

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.—Less than two months remains before the West Coast Green Lodging Conference. The event will be held at the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from August 22 to 25. The conference, directed toward hotel general managers, chief engineers, innkeepers and owners, will address the reasons for going green, how to do it, the financial impact (return on investment), the public relations and marketing benefits, and the ways in which the community benefits. The event will begin on Sunday, August 22 with a welcome reception. On Monday, August 23, the day...

NEW YORK—Emirates Hotels & Resorts’ long term commitment to sustainability and the environment through its hotels and resorts portfolio was recently rewarded with one of the most prestigious global awards in the travel and tourism industry. Emirates was honored with the Conservation Award at the 2010 World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit, held this year in Beijing. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are the WTTC’s highest-profile global accolade, recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism development, conservation and biodiversity protection. Within the Emirates Group, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts (EH&R) portfolio encompasses three major conservation projects spread across...

LAS VEGAS—Diamond Resorts International, a leader in the hospitality and vacation ownership industries, announced its mid-year assessment of Club Ride Commuter Services, one of its sustainability programs. The free program sponsored by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada helps commuters find alternative ways to get to work, thus reducing traffic congestion, and improving air quality and mobility. Diamond Resorts International team members participate in Club Ride at Diamond’s global headquarters by carpooling, taking transit, walking, or riding bikes and motorcycles when traveling to and from work. These alternative commute modes promote a healthier personal lifestyle while benefiting the environment. “We...