The year 2019 was an interesting one in the green lodging world, with many of the stories having to do with the elimination of plastic (straws, single use amenity bottles, water bottles, etc.) or other types of waste reduction. The year started off with Sandals Resorts International eliminating Styrofoam across its Caribbean resorts and finished with the launch of Shepherd Eco, a new sustainable hospitality brand with waste reduction as a focus. What Green Lodging News articles posted in 2019 were read the most? Here is a top 10 list with a brief description of each article. 1.  Creative Alternatives to...

As reported on Green Lodging News, Hilton just announced the expansion of its food donation initiative to all its 300 managed hotels across the United States and Canada. The company expects to donate nearly 100 tons of food over the next year—enough to feed more than 160,000 people—while also diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills. As part of its Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals, Hilton is aiming to reduce food waste by 50 percent (baseline year 2017). According to Hilton, approximately one-third of food is wasted worldwide, yet global food insecurity remains endemic. It is estimated that...

First this week: In last week’s articles, “Research Conducted for Clean the World: Bacterial Contamination Common in Refillable Dispensers,” and “New Research Much Fuel for the Fire in Ongoing Dispenser Debate,” Clean the World CEO and President Shawn Seipler incorrectly used the word “fecal” to describe the bacteria contained in the refillable dispensers that were part of a study conducted by the University of Arizona. Those mentions have since been corrected. The Executive Summary of the larger report on dispensers to be published next year was a hot topic of conversation this past week. It would be great to see...

As you consider whether to implement dispensers in your guestroom bathrooms, or what type of dispenser to install, consider the results of a new study conducted on behalf of Clean the World (CTW). CTW gave Green Lodging News exclusive access to the Executive Summary of the report that should be available in its entirety in early 2020. Research conducted by the University of Arizona (UA) showed a 100 percent bacterial contamination rate in refillable dispensers that contain shampoo, body wash, conditioner, hand soap, or lotion. Of 82 samples taken, 63 (76 percent) yielded bacterial numbers greater than 1,000 colony-forming units...

I am dating myself with this reference but the song “Try a Little Kindness” was on my mind (gentle on my mind?) this past week. The song was a hit for Glen Campbell almost 50 years ago. I thought about the song for this reason: our industry’s endless acts of kindness. Maybe I hear more about them this time of the year, I don’t count, but they never grow old. Sometimes the gesture is small, sometimes enormous, sometimes the gesture is even a bit self-serving, but they all help make this world a better place. I will never have...

There were two notable restaurant industry reports released this past week: Restaurant Industry 2030: Actionable Insights for the Future, and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ sixth annual Culinary & Cocktails Trend Forecast. The first report, issued by the National Restaurant Assn. (NRA) in partnership with American Express and Nestlé Professional, examines the key indicators shaping the future of the industry, identifies the most and least likely developments over the upcoming decade, and considers possible disrupters outside the industry that could transform it. The Kimpton report reveals the most anticipated and innovative dishes, flavors, ingredients and philosophies that chefs and bartenders...

The Boutique Design New York (BDNY) and HX: The Hotel Experience trade shows wrapped up this past week at the Javits Center in New York City. While HX looked the smallest it has ever been, together with BDNY the two shows were formidable to cover. On my radar this year was what was newsy and new. Here then is what I found most interesting at this year’s shows: The Humble Co. featured its bamboo toothbrushes, natural toothpaste and other products. The toothbrush handles are made of easily biodegradable bamboo and the bristles out of nylon, a durable material that degrades...

“Let’s make it years not decades,” a report detailing the results of a survey of 10,442 companies, created in collaboration with PwC, WiH2020 and UKHospitality, recently found that men still hold most of the top jobs in HTL (hospitality, travel and leisure). The current pay gap is 7.6 percent compared to 8 percent last year. According to the report, the gender gaps reflect the fact that there are far more men than women in the best paid senior positions (CEO and CFO in particular) and technical roles (e.g. airline pilots) and far more women in low paid and unskilled jobs...

In a span of 10 days, four important trade shows will take place around the United States. I will attend the first two: BDNY and HX: The Hotel Experience. BDNY and HX will take place November 10 to 11 at the Javits Center in New York City. Watch for coverage following the trade shows on Green Lodging News. Together, the two shows will feature 950 exhibitors featuring products ranging from amenity dispensers to energy management controls to recycling containers. BDNY and HX evolve every year. I have attended almost every show since 1989 and always look forward to seeing...

It was 12 and one-half years ago that Green Lodging News first reported on a supplier-driven textile recycling program. It was then that Valley Forge Fabrics introduced its FRESH: Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards (for) Hospitality program. FRESH fabrics are made with synthetic yarns derived from post-industrial and post-consumer recycled products. Because of their unique construction, FRESH fabrics are recyclable. As part of the FRESH launch, Valley Forge promised the pickup and delivery of FRESH fabrics to a recycling facility at the end of their life cycle. Fortunately, textile recycling did not stop with Valley Forge Fabrics and over the years...