It is a great idea and worth replicating at your hotel—a Sustainability Fair. The Fairmont Washington, D.C. will hold its eighth annual Sustainability Fair on Friday, August 25 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the hotel’s Colonnade Room. Diana K. Bulger, Area Director, Public Relations for the 413-room property, has been involved in all eight fairs. At first it was called the Green Fair, she says. Today it is an event that draws from 200 to 300 people. “Every year it gets bigger,” Bulger says. The fair is the idea of the hotel’s sustainability team. “We are always trying...

BRUSSELS—Radisson Blu is the winner of the 2017 IMEX-GMIC Innovation in Sustainability Award with its Blu Planet program, the responsible business initiative of Radisson Blu hotels around the world. The IMEX-GMIC award celebrates inspiring brands that drive sustainability forward through innovation, collaboration and idea sharing. “We are determined to help protect the Earth’s priceless water supply,” says Inge Huijbrechts, Vice President of Responsible Business for the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “We launched Blu Planet to conserve water and help bring safe drinking water and sanitation to communities in need. Blu Planet is a key pillar of our group’s Responsible Business...

BRYCE CANYON CITY, UTAH—Over the past 13 years, Ruby’s Inn has raised $700,000 for the Bryce Canyon National History Association through its “Dollar Check-Off” program. The program allows guests to give back while visiting the famous Bryce Canyon National Park. “Ruby’s Inn, my family and I wouldn’t be where we are today without Bryce Canyon National Park,” Lance Syrett, General Manager of Ruby’s Inn said. “My ancestors didn’t plan to start a hotel, but they ended up opening Ruby’s Inn so everyone could experience Bryce Canyon’s beauty. This is the reason why we do the dollar program today, to help preserve...

NATIONAL REPORT—To determine what’s important to travelers when selecting a vacation or business trip location, a recent survey of 1,000 men and women in the United States was conducted by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS) for Imprint Plus, a leading manufacturer of customized, eco-friendly, name badge and signage systems. When asked if they preferred to stay at eco-friendly establishments, an overwhelming 71 percent of the respondents reported that it was important. The survey also reported that breakfast included in the rate was considered to be an important offering in selecting a place to stay by 41 percent of the...

FAIRFIELD, CONN.—Hilton Hotels and AtmosAir have partnered together, bringing the “purest” fitness center into the guestroom. Called Five Feet to Fitness, this new room type includes more than 11 pieces of fitness equipment and accessories that make it easier for travelers to work out privately in their own guestrooms. Instead of just placing workout equipment into a hotel room, Hilton Hotels has ripped out carpet and put down performance flooring that you’d find in the world’s best fitness center. In order to maximize the hotel guest’s workout and breathing space, Hilton Hotels have also included AtmosAir filters in these...

NATIONAL REPORT—The survey that is the basis for the annual Green Lodging Trends Report has launched and will remain open through 7 p.m. EST June 20. Click here to participate! The Green Lodging Trends Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. Participants benefit from a free compare report—an opportunity to learn how their property is aligned with best practices, and where it is behind among peers locally and worldwide. Participants also have an opportunity to discover new innovative practices that hotels are...

Allow me to move away from green lodging this week—although it does impact green lodging—and write a bit about communication. Phone communication. You remember, the kind that Alexander Graham Bell invented? (“Mr. Watson--come here--I want to see you.”) Perhaps this rant will not solve a thing but if one person is affected positively by it, I will consider it a success. My main rant: What is it about talking on the phone that scares so many people today? And I mean run for the hills level of scared. Are people just so busy that they cannot take even a...

DALLAS—Kimberly-Clark, a leader in sustainably-made personal care products, announced a unique three-year agreement and collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing products that use fiber from responsibly managed forests. As part of the new “♥ YOUR  PLANET” (“HEART YOUR PLANET”) campaign, the company will display WWF’s iconic logo on its paper towel, facial tissue and toilet paper products sold in North America. |This initiative is part of an eight-year partnership between the two organizations, and is a natural next step in advancing responsible forestry through consumer education and engagement. The WWF logo will be...

BRUSSELS—Radisson Blu, the hotel brand driven by innovation and design, is launching Blu Planet for Meetings, making meetings carbon-free at Radisson Blu hotels worldwide by the end of the year. The selected First Climate carbon offsetting projects contribute to fighting global warming and support the UN Sustainable Development goals. “Since the COP21 climate accord, an increasing number of corporations are concerned about fighting climate change and about reducing their carbon footprints, also when they plan meetings,” says Inge Huijbrechts, Vice President of Responsible Business for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “We know that face-to-face meetings are crucial to business success. Research...

One Green Deed Spawns Another Book Covers Author’s 20-Year Quest for Sustainability and the Inspiring People Behind It One Green Deed Spawns Another is a new book written by green manufacturing consultant, David Mahood. It entails his quest for sustainability and conversations with the sources of his inspiration. If you had one green deed you’d like to see heeded, adopted, and passed on, what would it be and why? The book is a compilation of the answers to that question in the context of a 20-year journey. From green architecture pioneers to green product pioneers, from natural fiber farmers to worm...