With the summer winding down it is time to make your reservations to attend this fall’s green conferences and trade shows. The first event on the calendar is the Mid-Atlantic Green Hospitality Conference from September 15 to 16 at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Del. The itinerary for the inaugural conference is still being assembled but many of the details can be found by clicking here. Highlights include a farm-to-fork dinner and many educational and networking opportunities with industry peers and suppliers.The Lodging Green + Sustainability Conference & Expo is set for October 28 to 30 at...

Touché! That’s what came to mind when reading Airbnb’s recent press release touting the reduced environmental footprint of the travelers booking places to stay through its website. According to the San Francisco-based company, which says more than 17 million travelers have used its website since its founding in 2008, in North America, Airbnb guests use 63 percent less energy than hotel guests. I was a bit taken aback that Airbnb, with its research partner, Cleantech Group, had actually thrown out a specific number like 63 percent. But hey, what do I know?Airbnb and Cleantech Group came to their conclusion...

For quite some time, hotel investors and others have been trying to determine whether or not spending money on smart “green” building and efficiency can lead to a higher average daily rate (ADR) and more revenue per available room (RevPAR). This discussion has particularly taken place when involving hotels that have been put through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process. Is it really worth the time and money to get a building LEED certified? From an efficiency standpoint there is no doubt that it is but what about from an ADR...

In doing research for an article on multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) this past week, I spoke with two experts, each of whom expressed significant concerns about being quoted. Talking about products with chemicals that trigger health problems is apparently risky business. Chemical companies, eager to protect their own interests, have large legal teams and must watch the Internet closely. My goal in my research is to identify what hoteliers are doing wrong that causes issues for folks with MCS, and what they can do better to make their properties safer havens. Briefly, MCS involves severe sensitivity or allergy-like reaction...

The just released Orlando Destination Sustainability Report is proof that a destination’s green story—from the airport to the rental car to the hotel and beyond—can successfully be condensed into a document of great value to all travel stakeholders. The report should be considered a best practice to emulate by your city. The report was commissioned by Green Destination Orlando (GDO) and is a co-production of GDO, Greenview and the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, along with 40 to 50 community volunteers. A lot of work was also put into the report by city and county...

It is hard to believe but it was eight years ago this week that Green Lodging News went “live.” As I celebrate eight years of reporting on the green side of lodging, I have to thank all of the many thousands of you who have faithfully followed my publication during that time—whether through the website, weekly e-newsletter, Facebook or Twitter. A big thank you also goes out to the many suppliers who have supported Green Lodging News. Those partnerships have been invaluable. Be sure to support those vendors with your business.The Green Lodging News site, during its first month...

The survey was not hospitality-specific but the results apply to our industry. What I am referring to is Nielsen’s recent online “Doing Well by Doing Good” poll of 30,000 consumers that sought to learn how passionate consumers are about sustainable practices when it comes to purchase considerations, which consumer segments are most supportive of ecological or other socially responsible efforts, and the social issues/causes that are attracting the most concern.According to the survey, more than half (55 percent) of global respondents said they are willing to pay extra for products and services from companies that are committed to positive...

I often get requests for the latest list of Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified hotel projects. Thanks to the folks at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), I now have the latest list. If you would like to see that list, just let me know by e-mailing editor@greenlodgingnews.com and I will send it to you.  There are now 273 LEED certified hotel projects. Forty-four are marked in USGBC’s records as “private” so I can only slice and dice a list of 229. The majority of LEED certified hotels are in the United States—167, followed by 11...

Since first writing about the use of reclaimed wood in hospitality projects a couple of years ago, I have noticed a lot more suppliers offering this type of wood in furniture and flooring. At last month’s HD Expo, for example, I learned about a company from my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio (Rustbelt Reclamation) that makes furniture from wood harvested from old buildings prior to their demolition. A quick search of my database of companies revealed almost 20 companies offering reclaimed wood products.In the coming week I will be revisiting reclaimed wood, chatting with suppliers, and writing a new article...

I recently blogged twice about a new online Electric Vehicle (EV) Travel Guide put together by the Arizona Office of Tourism. The guide provides multiple suggested itineraries that combine statewide destinations with available charging locations and includes an Arizona state map, emergency contact information, weather averages, and elevation charts to help EV drivers plan their Arizona road-trip adventures. The guide also includes a list of hotels that make charging available to overnight guests. I blogged first about the guide because I was impressed by the fact that such a marketing tool was published. I blogged again about it because...