SEATTLE—After eating an evening meal of fish and chips, tourists in Juneau who retire for the night at the Westmark Baranof Hotel may find themselves warming their toes in a room partially heated by the oil used to cook their food. The Baranof collects the town’s used vegetable oil to help heat the hotel. Environmental benefits from using vegetable oil include releasing fewer pollutants into the air, recycling of carbon already in the system and a reduction in carbon output. In addition, businesses in Juneau have found a reliable way to dispose of unwanted cooking oil without running afoul...

NATIONAL REPORT—Discarded mattresses can take up a significant amount of landfill space, do not degrade well, and can create a dangerous “soft spot” in a landfill, according to Terry McDonald, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County (SVDP), located in Eugene, Oregon. That’s why SVDP created its DR3 mattress recycling program. DR3 stands for “divert, reduce, reuse, recycle.” The program’s centerpiece is a 26,000-square-foot mattress recycling facility in Oakland, Calif., that serves Alameda and San Francisco counties and seven surrounding counties. If SVDP is in Oregon, why did it set up a recycling program in...

KEY WEST, FLA.—Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa is officially the first “Green Certified” resort complex on Key West. The Florida Green Lodging Program has bestowed Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa the One Palm designation, acknowledging the resort as the first in the Keys to hold such a distinction. The award arrives on the heels of a recently completed $11 million renovation that complements the resort’s greening goals with a spa-inspired, “tropical modern” design. The resort’s One Palm status was officially recognized by the state of Florida in a celebration held on property on December 10. The mayor of...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—In the tradition of the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards (IRHA) is the world’s most prestigious awards ceremony recognizing the best value, moderate, and luxury travel establishments that go above and beyond industry standards. IRHA is currently seeking green hotels to submit entries that show how they are reducing their carbon footprint through smart design, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, on-site power generation, and more. IRHA just announced its list of sponsors. The list includes companies such as Michelin Maps & Guides, Villeroy & Boch, Fodor’s Travel Guides, The Chocolate...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is used by everyone—from facility managers to operations contractors. An often-overlooked detail in the green building discussion is the enormous size of the existing building market—some 80 times larger than the new construction market. Most of the existing buildings that dot our land and cityscapes are operating with little efficiency in terms of energy and water, and are negatively impacting CO2 emissions. Making our existing buildings smarter and more efficient will have a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance is a tool for greening...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Continuing on many of its company-wide environmental initiatives, Vail Resorts intends to return RockResorts to its original legacy of leadership in protecting the natural environment that serves as the setting for each one of its iconic resorts. RockResorts announced that it will be launching comprehensive sustainability initiatives across the full spectrum of its operations in the coming months, including energy and water conservation, renewable energy, construction, guestrooms, meetings and events, cuisine, local community outreach, education and guest activism. “The mission of our company is Extraordinary Resorts, Exceptional Experiences,” says Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts. “What defines each...

PARADISE ISLAND, THE BAHAMAS—This month, Kerzner International will conclude its $1 billion Phase III development here with the opening of its newest tower, The Reef Atlantis. The new 497-key tower will offer guests home-like accommodations and amenities—with the beach as a backyard—while instigating conservation and protection of the world’s oceans. Through a partnership with Kerzner Marine Foundation (“KMF”), Kerzner’s nonprofit foundation that fosters the preservation and enhancement of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, education and community outreach, The Reef will be the main driver of an important new concept in travel called Blue Tourism. It will offer guests of...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Planning is underway for the 2008 Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference. The event will be held February 19 to 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver in British Columbia. The conference is targeted at the following industry types: association, independent and corporate meeting planners, convention and visitors bureau staff, conference center managers, hotel catering, sales and management staff, city and urban planners, transportation providers, and exhibition producers and decorators. The conference is the third of its kind. Previous events were held in 2005 and 2007. It is being organized by the Portland, Ore.-based Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC). The...

THE BAHAMAS—There have been many changes in the few years since “travel” and “sustainable” first appeared in the same sentence. Emerging technologies coupled with mounting consumer demand have given us green travel options from luxury ecolodges (that have a negligible impact on their ecosystems) to carbon-neutral resorts, tours and airlines. A new leader in this green revolution is Star Island, a private-island destination currently under development in the Out Islands of the Bahamas. When it opens its doors in late 2009, its mix of high-luxury and high-sustainability could be the talk of the travel industry and the inspiration for...

ATLANTA—Ever wonder how energy- and environmentally conscious the hotel guests next door are? According to a recent survey, they are likely reusing their towels, turning off the lights when they leave and recycling, if given the chance. The nationwide survey of 701 people was conducted by A Closer Look, Inc., an Atlanta-based market research company focused on the hospitality industry. “Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said it is important to them that the hotel where they stay follows green practices, and those surveyed are more than willing to do their part,” says David McAleese, CEO of A Closer Look....