Just a few years into my time as a lodging industry journalist—1992—the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Energy Star program. This was during the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Since then, according to EPA, the program has grown to encompass tens of thousands of organizations, utilities, and state and local governments who have partnered with the government to save energy and reduce emissions. With their help, EPA works to identify and dismantle the unique market barriers that prevent progress, and to provide the information and stability that private markets need to thrive. The environmental impacts are...

Would you support the idea of your guests paying more daily room rate taxes to help mitigate the impacts of climate change in your area? A first of its kind in the U.S., that is exactly what will happen in Hawaii after Governor Josh Green signs SB1396, creating the climate impact fee, or “green fee,” that will help the islands to mitigate the impacts of climate change and the roughly 10 million annual visitors it welcomes to its shores. SB1396 will increase the state’s portion of the Transient Accommodation Tax collections from 10.25 percent to 11 percent as of January...

Since I first entered the lodging industry in 1989, I have come across thousands of new products and technologies. It must have been around 2002 that I first encountered Excel Hand Dryer’s XLERATOR Hand Dryer. I will never forget the first time I placed my hands below it. It was unlike any other hand dryer experience I had up until that time. The air power seemed jet engine strong and unforgettable. I walked away impressed, knowing that company owner Denis Gagnon and his son William had a winner on their hands. I suspect you have experienced one of the XLERATOR Hand...

Green certifying lodging establishments is of course very common these days with the burden on property ownership/management to carry out the initiatives required for certification. But what if the tables were turned and it was the tourists who were asked to be certified before visiting a destination? That is what Discover Puerto Rico is trying to do with The Green Path, an innovative new microsite empowering visitors to become certified “Responsible Travelers” through engaging educational content and immersive storytelling rooted in sustainability. The Green Path was just launched on April 22—Earth Day. “The Green Path was first ideated in August 2024,...

A very happy Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22. I have been contacted by numerous public relations representatives pitching individual property and company success stories for this special day. (See Velas Resorts article as one example.) It is great to see so many in our industry giving so much attention to Earth Day—first celebrated April 22, 1970. Earth Day’s 2025 theme is OUR POWER, OUR PLANET, calling for everyone to unite around renewable energy so we can triple clean electricity by 2030. Green Lodging News frequently highlights renewable energy success stories and has a section on its website for properties that have deployed...

It is amazing to me that I still run across folks in our industry who still don’t understand the size and impact of the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. (AAHOA). According to AAHOA, its 20,000 members own 60 percent of the hotels in the United States. AAHOA members have the power to push forward sustainability efforts in our industry in a big way. As franchisees and independent hotel owners, AAHOA members do participate in a wide range of mandatory and voluntary sustainability initiatives. In this space I have challenged AAHOA, as an organization, to more publicly formalize its green efforts....

Green hotel certification got a boost this past week with Green Key Global’s rollout of its Green Key Ready program. Green Key Ready was first announced at the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AHLA) Responsible Stay Summit on March 27. Green Key Global, a well-established certifier of green lodging establishments for several decades, is owned by AHLA and Hotel Association of Canada (HAC). Green Key Ready provides hotels with a structured, accessible and cost-effective steppingstone toward Green Key Eco-Rating certification. Gary Graham, Director of Operations & Program Development, Green Key Global, says Green Key Ready addresses what were barriers to...

I attended the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Responsible Stay Summit in Washington, D.C. this past week. The day-long event was held at the Four Seasons Washington D.C. Approximately 150 attended this third annual meeting that featured some of our industry’s leading sustainability champions. Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO, AHLA, welcomed attendees and summarized AHLA’s various green initiatives under the Responsible Stay umbrella. “Responsible Stay has grown significantly since 2022, when it was launched,” Maietta said. “It has become an essential force at AHLA.” The core focus areas of Responsible Stay include energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and responsible...

I will be attending the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s third annual Responsible Stay Summit on Thursday, March 27. Be sure to watch for coverage on Green Lodging News. The event is being held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, D.C. Up to 150 are expected to attend. I attended the event last year as well. I am looking forward to this learning and networking opportunity. (Click here for preview article.) AHLA has been very active in recent years in making it as easy as possible to run a sustainable hotel. At the core of its Responsible Stay initiative is...

World Water Day is Saturday, March 22. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is also about taking action to reduce your property’s water consumption. Green Lodging News dedicates a section of its website to water conservation. There are currently more than 1,200 articles in that section that is filled with hundreds of water conservation best practices and ideas. What steps have you taken to reduce water consumption? Can you do more? Reducing water consumption is one of the cornerstones of every company’s overall sustainability initiative. The 2030 Agenda...