Years ago—2009 I believe—AAA announced that it would recognize properties that have been eco-certified with a bright green “ECO” icon in its 2010 TourBook guides. As time rolled on, that program faded away, but I reported on it because when AAA announces just about anything, you must listen. The organization has more than 62 million members and there are currently between 24,000 and 27,000 hotels in the AAA Diamond Program at any given time. Chances are that your property is Diamond rated. This past June AAA announced that it had enhanced its housekeeping evaluation to include objective, scientific validation of...

I have written about many hotels, resorts and convention centers that have beehives on site. Bees are mentioned in about 80 articles on Green Lodging News, and I have to say that seeing a honeybee in nature is one of the greatest privileges given the struggles they have had in recent years. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, more than half of North America’s 4,000 native bee species are in decline, with 1 in 4 species at risk of extinction. Do what you can to encourage the presence of bees on your property—whether having a beehive or hives...

It was a big news week this past week with numerous announcements of interest. First, according to Bloomberg, beginning on September 22, Google began labeling hotels as “Eco-Certified” in its global search results, with a leaf-shaped icon next to the hotel’s name. “Clicking on the ‘About’ tab will detail the property’s specific sustainability practices, such as having water use audited by an independent organization or using energy from carbon-free sources,” Bloomberg says. “The new feature relies on 29 certification programs to do the hard work of establishing a hotel’s green credibility; the property must have an array of sustainability measures...

This past week Marriott International released its 2021 Serve 360 Report presenting data from 2020 and demonstrating its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts toward the company’s 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals. Due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the travel industry and Marriott, the company experienced a sharp decline in hotel occupancy, which is reflected in its economic, social impact, and environmental performance and progress against its Serve 360 Goals. The industry pays attention to what Marriott does for many reasons, especially given its size—more than 7,642 properties and growing and 321,000 associates—but also because of its history...

I have written about the use of hydrogen fuel cell systems in hotels before but unfortunately, they remain a rarity in our industry. I am sure cost tops the list for not using such systems. That is why it was a no brainer this past week to write about the Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu REI Hotel in Kawasaki City, Japan. (See article.) The 186-room property is run by 100 percent renewable energy. Thirty percent of the energy is derived from hydrogen. Seventy percent of the energy is derived from food waste generated renewable energy. Since transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy...

Most of you have probably never heard of Singita but it is a company with concessions, reserves, lodges, and camps located in some of Africa’s most pristine wilderness areas. Singita’s commitment to safeguard the precious wildlife and communities of these areas is entrenched in three core pillars: Biodiversity, Sustainability and Community, and it has been helping to preserve Africa’s wildlife and wilderness for the past 28 years. “As an ecotourism and conservation brand, Singita is unwavering in its commitment to preserve and protect Africa’s wilderness for future generations,” the company says on its website. Less than two weeks ago, Singita announced...

I have reported on the work of the Castell Project before. It is a nonprofit that implements initiatives that enable companies and their female employees to fully benefit from workforce participation. Earlier this year they released their Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership report. In that report it was stated that only one woman enters hotel development compared to 9.2 men. Interestingly, two large franchising companies—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Choice Hotels International—recently made announcements having to do with the advancement of female hotel ownership. Kudos to them both. First, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced a new program, “Women Own the Room” designed...

Two recent personnel announcements will have a significant impact on two companies heavily involved in green hotel/resort management. First, Raul Leal took over as CEO of SH Hotels and Resorts this past week. Starwood Capital Group is the parent company of SH Hotels and Resorts. Leal was previously CEO of Virgin Hotels for a decade until he stepped down in March. He will now oversee several brands underneath the SH umbrella, including 1 Hotels, Treehouse Hotels and Baccarat Hotels and Resorts. 1 Hotels launched in 2015 as a luxury brand with a strong focus on sustainability, including no paper or...

There will be those who deny it, even in our own industry, but climate change is the most important issue of our time and now is the time to take action to limit it. (What is your hotel or group of hotels doing about it?) I am sure many of you caught the news, but the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report was released on August 9 and what IPCC reported was frightening—with a small dash of hope. For this column I would like to share the entire IPCC press release: Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s...

My family and I just returned from a week of vacation in New Mexico. I love the West and it was a great opportunity to visit natural destinations as well as businesses. We ate out the entire time and one thing I encountered repeatedly was over portioning of food. At an eatery in Santa Fe, I ordered a chicken dish that easily could have fed several people. Perhaps you have encountered this trend in your travels? “When eating at many restaurants, it’s hard to miss that portion sizes have gotten larger in the last few years,” the CDC says. When vacationing,...