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Whether an industry announcement, or a hotel accomplishment, Green Lodging News reports on the most up-to-date news and offers a unique perspective on trends—all with the purpose of making your company more profitable. Got news or a story idea to share? We frequently post contributed articles here. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

News & Features

Home News & Features
Whether an industry announcement, or a hotel accomplishment, Green Lodging News reports on the most up-to-date news and offers a unique perspective on trends—all with the purpose of making your company more profitable. Got news or a story idea to share? We frequently post contributed articles here. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Delaware North Receives Park Service Award for Yosemite Composting Program

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK—Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts has received a top 2011 environmental achievement award from the National Park Service (NPS) for initiating a comprehensive composting program for Yosemite National Park. Delaware North operates Yosemite’s visitor services, including lodging, dining, recreation, retail and transportation services as a national park concessioner. The global hospitality management and food service provider launched the composting program in August 2009 to expand its longstanding recycling efforts at the park. Through November 2010, Delaware North’s composting initiative diverted 216 tons of organic waste—including food waste and paper products—from Yosemite’s kitchens and restaurants to Mariposa County’s...

Green Building Conference & Expo Headed to Toronto

TORONTO—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual conference and expo is making its way to Toronto next week to celebrate “what’s next” in green building. Greenbuild is the world’s largest green building conference and expo and is expected to make an economic impact of $26 million CAD, bringing 25,000 delegates from more than 115 countries to the event. A release from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre earlier this week also stated that Greenbuild will generate a positive impact on the local economy of more than $58 million from delegate spending. Toronto was selected by USGBC as the host city for...

Sheraton San Diego Launches Food Waste Recycling Program

SAN DIEGO—The Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina expanded its commitment to sustainability and green practices with the official launch of a comprehensive food waste recycling program. The hotel’s food scraps are now diverted to the City of San Diego’s Greenery, where restaurants and hotels are able to turn breakfast, lunch and dinner leftovers into renewable products, including compost. In mid-summer, the Sheraton teamed with Waste Management of San Diego (WMSD) to implement a comprehensive program aimed at diverting 100 percent of its food waste and capturing the majority of the recyclable commodities from its waste stream. With their sights...

Russia’s Northern Caucasus Resorts Addresses the Environment Impact of Its $15 Billion Project

SOCHI, RUSSIA—The state company responsible for developing the world’s largest mountain skiing resort system in southern Russia at a cost of $15 billion has publicly unveiled the draft policy principles and advisory council concept that will guide its efforts toward reconciling planned economic development with the requirements of an ecologically sensitive region, which will also host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. “The North Caucasus is one of the last untouched mountain areas on the planet and represents a unique natural treasure for Russia and the rest of the world,” said Alexei Nevsky, CEO of OJSC Northern Caucasus Resorts Company (NCRC)....

Casino Del Sol Resort Certified Green by AH&LA

TUCSON, ARIZ.—As the biggest opening to hit Tucson since Sol Casinos launched Casino Del Sol 10 years ago, the Casino Del Sol Resort, Spa and Conference Center knows the expectations are high. Seeking to not only meet those high expectations, but raise them, Sol Casinos announced its 215-room, 161,000-square-foot resort, opening on November 11, 2011, has earned inclusion in the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association’s Certified Green Lodging Program. To become certified under this program, properties must achieve a minimum of 150 points in 15 categories, which outline green initiatives in every aspect of the property, from the administrative offices...

LEED 2012 Includes Updates to Materials & Resources Category

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) next update to the LEED green building program, coined LEED 2012, will include updates to the Materials & Resources (MR) credit category. The updates reflect thousands of write-in comments received through the first LEED public comment period and include changes to existing LEED credit categories as well as two new credit categories, Integrated Process (IP) and Performance (PF). The second public comment period for LEED 2012 wrapped up on September 14, 2011. Public comment periods are part of the continuous development process of the LEED program. The Materials & Resources (MR) credit category,...

Wyndham Named 100 Best Company by Working Mother

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, has again been named one of the 100 Best Companies by Working Mother magazine. The annual list recognizes top companies providing family-driven programs and benefits, with 100 percent of this year’s winning companies offering flexible hours, telecommuting, paid maternity leave, and employee assistance programs. “We are a family-oriented company providing great family travel experiences, so it is only fitting that we are also one of the best places for working moms to build their careers,” says Mary Falvey, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Wyndham Worldwide. “With more than...

PKF Hospitality Research: U.S. Hotel Utility Costs Under Control

NATIONAL REPORT—After two years of declining revenues and profits, U.S. hotels turned the corner in 2010. According to the 2011 edition of Trends in the Hotel Industry published by PKF Hospitality Research (PKR-HR), the average hotel in the nation achieved a 4.8 percent increase in total revenue during 2010. While 70 percent of the properties in the Trends sample enjoyed an increase in total revenue in 2010, only 60 percent were able to convert that into more money on the bottom line. Previous analysis conducted by PKF-HR has found that hotel managers struggle to control costs during the initial stages...

Maroon 5 to Headline Opening Celebration at Greenbuild

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Grammy award-winning band, Maroon 5 will perform for more than 25,000 members of the green building community at the upcoming Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Greenbuild, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, will take place October 4 to 7 in Toronto. “We’re thrilled to host one of music’s biggest bands, Maroon 5, for what will be an unforgettable evening of inspiration and celebration,” said Kimberly Lewis, vice president, Conferences & Events, USGBC. “The green building community has so much to celebrate, and there is no better place...

Buttermilk Falls Inn Opens Henry’s Farm to Table Restaurant

MILTON, N.Y.—The recent opening of Henry’s Farm to Table restaurant at , in the 300-year-old Hudson River-side hamlet of Milton, N.Y., completes the property’s evolution from charming bed and breakfast to country chic resort—one with a decidedly green sensibility. The new contemporary American 60-seat dining destination restaurant embraces the locavore movement by sourcing locally to showcase the bounty of the Hudson Valley. Indeed, Henry’s Farm to Table reflects its name literally since much of the produce and eggs used by executive chef Paul Kelly comes from Buttermilk’s on-site 40-acre working organic farm—Millstone. Daily, Chef Kelly’s team harvests organic greens, vegetables,...