BRADENTON, FLA.—Visitors to Florida’s Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, and on the mainland, in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, have discovered the destination’s commitment to green lodging. Known collectively as Florida’s Gulf Islands, the area has 29 hotels and resorts participating in the Southwest Florida Water Management District water conservation program, and 11 other properties that are certified Green Lodging by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Together these properties offer a variety of recycling and towel and linen reuse programs, and utilize eco-friendly cleaning agents, Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient light bulbs. A few select accommodators, however, have...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—A leading light in hospitality is about to go dark. But just for an hour—and for a good cause. For the second year, hundreds of hotels in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. portfolio will participate in Earth Hour, the global environmental awareness event created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to send a powerful global message about the importance of environmental sustainability and caring for the planet. On March 27, from Beijing and Brussels to Baltimore and Buenos Aires, Starwood hotels flying brand flags, including St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four...

CORAL GABLES, FLA.—The Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) and Confederación de Organizaciones Turísticas de América Latina (COTAL) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to jointly support both institutions’ initiatives that promote the sustainability of the Caribbean tourism industry. As a first joint project, the agreement provides the potential for an initiative to raise awareness of the use of regulations to apply in visits to areas declared as World Heritage sites or protected national parks. To achieve this goal, operators as well as tour guides will be trained to teach tourists the importance of conservation ecology, provide information to...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands Corp., a leading international developer of multi-use integrated resorts, has launched its Sands Eco 360° Global Sustainable Development program. The program’s launch was highlighted by an announcement that the company’s Venetian Resort and Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas have achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Existing Buildings Gold as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s building certification program. The combined Venetian, Sands Expo, and Palazzo Las Vegas, which in 2008 received LEED for New Construction Silver certification, now comprise the largest LEED building in the world. “The launch of...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts across the globe will raise awareness and funds to protect endangered fish throughout the month of April. Chefs in Fairmont dining rooms will demonstrate to diners how good the alternatives can be by highlighting their favorite sustainable seafood entrees. Dining room guests will be invited to donate $1 (or local equivalent) to the National Geographic Society (NGS) in support of ocean conservation and the restoration of living marine resources. Fairmont’s commitment to ocean sustainability means working with reputable suppliers who purchase fish that are resilient to fishing pressure and harvested in ways that limit damage...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—What do organizations representing building safety professionals, energy and lighting engineers, green building practitioners, architects and technical standards developers have in common? They have all come together to green the nation’s built environment by establishing a comprehensive model green building code designed to rapidly advance green building practice across the United States. The International Code Council (ICC), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) just announced the launch of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), representing the merger of two...

NATIONAL REPORT—Whether for disposing of trash or for holding items purchased in a hotel or resort gift shop, bags—unless they are used over and over again—have historically been a detriment to the environment. There are not a lot of things that are created just to be thrown away but most bags fall into this category. Plastic bags account for 10,000 tons of landfill space in the United States. It takes a thousand years for a plastic bag to naturally degrade. Less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled each year. Plastic bags are blamed for the annual death...

BEREA, KY.—Berea College announced that Historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant, a regional landmark owned and operated by the college, has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), making it the first LEED certified hotel in Kentucky as well as the Appalachian region, and one of 21 LEED Gold or Platinum hotels in America. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system was designed by USGBC to encourage and facilitate the development of more sustainable buildings and is the nation’s preeminent certification program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently welcomed the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center into the Florida Green Lodging Program. The 1,406-room resort is one of the largest in the state to participate, and the first in Osceola County’s popular Kissimmee resort corridor. In addition, the resort announced the upcoming rollout of a new guest communications program, called “We’re Eco-Logical,” designed to share the spirit of the resort’s eco-friendly initiatives with guests and meeting planners, while encouraging them to take an active role in the programs. “Together with the citizens of Osceola County, we have created...

Are you interested in creating healthier work environments? Using your garment or textile care budget to support truly environmentally friendly services and technology? What about adding an additional item to your checklist for becoming a green hotel? The Problems with Traditional Dry Cleaning Able to dissolve most organic materials, perchloroethylene (commonly known as perc or PCE) is the most widely used dry cleaning solvent nationally. It has been estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency that approximately 85 percent of cleaners use PCE as their primary solvent. However, some studies suggest that long-term frequent over-exposure to organic solvents such as PCE may...