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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.

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.

Marriott UMUC Inn and Conference Center Releases Recycling Results

ADELPHI, MD.—The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Inn and Conference Center by Marriott announced significant savings from its recycling and composting programs implemented in February 2008. At the program’s one-year anniversary, the UMUC Inn and Conference Center has figures showing that it has significantly reduced its waste stream. In 2008, approximately 28 tons of trash per month (336 tons per year) left the hotel, as compared to 2007, with 37 tons per month (444 tons per year). Of the 336 tons, 10 percent is recycled (glass, metal, paper, cardboard), 32 percent is composted (food scraps, plant materials), and...

UCS Calls on ASTA to Assist in Promoting Green Travel Guide

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—ASTA recently provided assistance to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in launching its new publication, “Getting There Greener: The Guide to Your Lower Carbon Vacation,” by translating the group’s findings into real-world examples of carbon-friendly vacations that consumers could take without sacrificing fun or excitement. “This guide is a useful tool for travel agents looking for hard data on the carbon cost of various types of travel,” said Chris Russo, ASTA president and chair. “By utilizing this data, travel agents are better equipped to assist those clients wishing to reduce the carbon imprint of their vacations.” At UCS’s recent...

Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Honored for Electricity-Reducing Initiatives

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK—The Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort in Death Valley National Park has received an award from “Flex Your Power,” California’s energy efficiency and conservation campaign, for the resort’s successes in “Peak Demand Response.” The Peak Demand Response award recognizes Furnace Creek’s successes in reducing peak power use and protecting California’s power grid during periods of high demand by shifting electrical consumption, shutting down systems, and taking immediate conservation action. Of the 10 award winners taken from applicants across California, Xanterra was the only tourism company recognized. In partnership with Southern California Edison, the Furnace...

Commitment Letter Boosts Employee Participation at Hyatt Property

Are you unhappy with the rate of employee participation in the green initiatives at your property? You have done everything you can to make the programs work but are just not getting enough buy-in? Too many don’t recycle? Too many room attendants replace towels and linens even when guests say it is O.K. not to? You may want to try what the green team at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge is doing. As part of an ongoing educational effort to make all current and new employees aware of the many green programs under way at the property, employees are asked to...

NRA Announces 2009 Kitchen Innovations Award Recipients

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. announced the recipients of its prestigious Kitchen Innovations (KI) Award for 2009. This year’s awardees will give the restaurant and hospitality industry new, state-of-the-art solutions to enhancing productivity, saving energy and water, speeding up prep and cooking times, and maximizing space and functionality in the back-of-the-house. All the KI products will be showcased in an interactive demonstration area at the 2009 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at Chicago’s McCormick Place, May 16 to 19. “Cost-saving, fast, multi-functional, flexible, efficient—these are all adjectives we look for when choosing new equipment and they describe each of this...

Doubletree Hotel Palm Beach Receives Florida Green Lodging Designation

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.—The Doubletree Hotel Palm Beach Gardens announced that it has become an official member of the Florida Green Lodging Program. This voluntary state initiative by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the lodging industry with technical assistance encouraging hotels to adopt cost-saving “green” practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. To become a designated member of the Florida Green Lodging Program, hotels must implement a series of sustainable practices. These practices include, but are not limited to, water conservation measures through low flow plumbing fixtures, a linen reuse program, and energy efficiency achieved by...

Marriott’s Offsetting Program Supports Brazilian Rainforest

BETHESDA, MD.—In a move to help improve the climate, Marriott International, Inc. is launching a new way for guests to “green” their hotel stays. Now, when guests book rooms on Marriott’s website, they can offset the carbon generated during their stay for as little as $10, or $1/day for 10 days. As part of Spirit To Preserve, Marriott’s five-point environmental strategy, guests can contribute to a Brazilian rainforest preservation fund already supported with a $2 million commitment by the company. “Conserving rainforests—the lungs of the Earth—is one of the most important things we can do to improve the climate,” says...

One Thousandth Motel 6/Studio 6 Property Incorporates Green Features

DALLAS—Motel 6 recently announced the opening of its 1000th Motel 6/Studio 6 property and the first corporately-built and owned location to feature the new “Phoenix” room design. The property in Biloxi, Miss., showcases the chain’s room of the future, with a modern, European boutique-style design. This event also represents a rebirth for Motel 6 in Biloxi, as the original location was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In addition to its modern styling, the Phoenix design also incorporates a number of green and environmentally friendly features, such as wood-effect laminate flooring made of 80 percent pre-consumer recycled material, as well...

Delta Chelsea Hotel Receives HAC’s Energy & Environment Award

TORONTO—The Delta Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto was selected as the winner of the 2008 Energy & Environment Award by the Hotel Association of Canada. This award is given to a lodging property that has developed a culture towards integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. The Delta Chelsea has been at the forefront of hotel waste management through its strong partnership with Turtle Island Recycling. It has exceeded both industry standards and municipal targets in landfill diversion. While the City of Toronto set a target of...

Sustainability Among Topics Covered at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Event

MCLEAN, VA.—The demand for affordable meetings is increasing, especially with continued budget cuts due to the current recession. Today planners are dependent on reliable and affordable partners as they are still tasked to produce high-quality events while often working with a smaller budget. Planners will find these partners and other affordable solutions at the Ninth Annual HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America at Chicago’s Navy Pier, April 1 to 2, 2009. Affordable Meetings offers attendees the opportunity to choose from 24 educational seminars and workshops designed to offer in-depth coverage of important industry topics including sustainability, budgeting, contracts, event planning, and...