PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment and can accumulate in the human body, are being phased out in consumer products thanks to legislation such as California Senate Bill 682. That bill cleared the state Legislature on September 13 and is now on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature. If Newsom signs the bill, California will join other states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont and Minnesota, that have banned the use of PFAS in cookware, cleaners, food packaging and other products. Often used in nonstick coatings and...

It has been more than 10 years now since the first 1 Hotels property opened in Miami Beach. Today there are 15 1 Hotels properties open—10 in North America, two in Europe, and three in Asia Pacific. Four more of the luxury lifestyle hotels are on the way—in the U.S., Mexico, France and Greece. This past week I posted news about the new 1 Hotel Copenhagen. The opening of a new 1 Hotel always catches my attention. 1 Hotels are owned and operated by Starwood Hotels, which is a sustainable hotel management company led by Barry Sternlicht and an affiliate of Starwood...

“We now live on a planet where the cheapest way to produce energy is to point a sheet of glass at the sun. This isn’t ‘alternative energy’ anymore—it’s the common sense obvious path.”—Bill Mckibben Let’s hear it for the sun. It will get “star” treatment on September 21—Sun Day. And yes, even though there are still those who categorize solar as “stupidity,” it is a proven clean, affordable technology that has been embraced around the U.S. and the world for a long time—much more so in recent years. One need look no further than a report from the U.S. Federal Energy...

I attended The Clean Show in Orlando, Fla. this past week. Held every two years, it is the premier event for the textile care and laundry industry. It was a great opportunity to learn how the industry is working to add energy and water efficiencies, reduce waste and pollution, and demonstrate its commitment to wellness. A number of companies found in our Green Product & Service Directory exhibited at the show. Click here to access the complete show exhibitor list. Two industry initiatives caught my attention at the show: the Clean Green, and Hygienically Clean certification programs. Both are managed...

“Wellness-Washing.” Have you heard of it? A cousin of greenwashing, whose origin is in hospitality, wellness-washing suggests an attempt at dishonesty or exaggeration of the steps a hotel is taking to provide a healthy environment and wellness options for guests and employees. According to WITT (Wellness in Travel & Tourism) and the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA), wellness-washing is common. That is one reason why the two organizations have partnered to launch the Core Wellness Standards for Hotels. And yes, it is another certification for hotel owners/operators to consider. See wittcertified.com. The article posted on Green Lodging News this past week provides more details, but...

With summer nearly behind us—my son has already been in school a week—it’s time to preview the next few months of the busy trade show/conference season. The season kicks off on August 23 with The Clean Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. (August 23 to 26). This event is a great opportunity to connect with companies ranging from laundry equipment suppliers to floor cleaning equipment suppliers. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can reduce energy and water consumption in your cleaning processes. Educational sessions will cover topics such as “Hygienically Clean, Clean Green and...

Almost three years ago I posted an article highlighting the many upsides to using biodigesters to break food waste down. In that article, I featured two companies whose machines reduce food waste to a liquid that can be disposed of safely in the sewage system. There are certain technologies for hospitality that are no brainers because of their fast ROI and effectiveness—LED lighting, guestroom energy management systems, ozone in the laundry, for example. Biodigesters certainly belong in that group. In my article posted this past week, I take another look at biodigesters. I found a dozen companies currently selling the machines...

It is getting toasty here in Tampa, Fla. On July 27, the temperature hit a record 100 degrees. The following day the heat index hit 119—another record. It was extremely uncomfortable just to be outside. I am sure the many thousands of tourists in the area felt the same. In June, in Boston, it hit 102 degrees. In Augusta, Maine: 100 degrees. Around the planet, the list of cities experiencing record temperatures this year is long. In Khvormuj, Iran on June 16 it hit a sizzling 126.9 degrees. As I am writing this column, it is a “cool” 109...

Announcements from The Conference Board in recent months, while not geared toward hospitality, should be of great interest to company executives in our industry—especially those impacting sustainability/ESG initiatives. The findings do not come as a surprise but are worth noting, nevertheless. According to a Conference Board survey of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies, just 432 large U.S. companies filed sustainability reports during the first half of 2025, a sharp drop from the 831 that did so during the same period last year. Andrew Jones, Principal Researcher at The Conference Board Governance & Sustainability Center, says the low number of reports likely...

My family and I just spent two weeks of vacation in Spain—Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian, Toledo, and Segovia. I had read about recent overtourism protests in Spain—with some squirt gun-wielding residents targeting tourists. We did not witness that but did come across some “tourists go home” graffiti in numerous locations. Overtourism has become a major problem in places like Barcelona where overcrowding, rising rents and displacement of residents have alarmed locals. Under pressure from citizens, Barcelona authorities announced a complete ban on short-term tourist rentals starting in 2028. This measure will cancel 10,000 tourist apartment licenses. It is one of...