Mixed in the news this past week about mass shootings, demonstrations in Hong Kong, a congressional trip or non-trip to Israel, etc. was some very important news about our climate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that last month, July, was the hottest month on record for the planet. NOAA has been keeping records for the last 140 years. The year-to-date temperature for 2019 tied with 2017 as the second warmest January-July on record. During July, Arctic sea ice loss occurred at an average rate of 40,800 square miles per day, surpassing the 1981-2010 average of 33,500...

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS—Governor Albert Bryan Jr. recently made history with the signing of Bill No. 33-0043 into law, banning the importation, sale and distribution of sunscreen containing the “toxic 3 Os” of oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The legislation, which passed unanimously and was co-sponsored by eight senators lead by Senator Marvin A. Blyden and Senator Janelle K. Sarauw, makes the USVI the first to embrace the FDA’s recent announcement recognizing only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (mineral sunscreen) as safe and effective sunscreen ingredients. The USVI ban adds the ingredient octocrylene to the chemicals...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—The 1 million square meter, experience-packed JA The Resort has been awarded a prestigious sustainability accolade from the Dubai government and has been officially named Dubai’s “Most Sustainable 5 Star Resort.” The DTCM Sustainability awards were measured on five key performance indicators—Waste and Environmental Protection, Water, Energy and Carbon, Responsible Practices, Training and Awareness and Continuous Improvement. JA The Resort was announced as the winner, with the Cluster General Manager William Harley-Fleming crediting the dedicated Green Team for ensuring the smooth running of all sustainability and CSR efforts in the three-hotel experience resort. Highlights of the active sustainability program at...

NEW YORKI—Humanscale announced the release of its annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. Aligned with Earth Overshoot Day, the calculated date that marks when humanity has depleted its resources beyond Earth’s capacity to regenerate them within a given year, the report illustrates a conviction deeply held by the company’s CEO and Founder Bob King: less bad is not good enough. Since founding the privately held company as a young entrepreneur over 35 years ago, King has navigated with purpose and a respect for the planet that is evident throughout every aspect of the company. While many manufacturers aim to reduce...

ITHACA, N.Y.—The sixth annual Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking study finds that participating hotels generally have continued to reduce their energy and water use, although the energy intensity recorded by luxury hotels continues to be relatively high. With information from over 11,000 hotels, the study includes data from substantially more hotels than in all previous years. While the bulk of the data come from hotels in the United States, the study also recorded a greater international participation, with forty-eight nations and seventeen international brands represented. Participating hotels contributed information regarding their energy and water use, as well as greenhouse gas emissions,...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has released its 2018 sustainability report. The report emphasizes the company’s efforts to sustain ability, an endeavor to put people at the heart of its sustainability efforts—addressing planetary health and human experience at the same time. “We’re committed to leading by example, by staying true to who we’ve always been: A company founded on putting people first. A business built on integrity and powered by innovation,” stated Shaw Industries Chairman and CEO Vance Bell. “The definition of sustainability is broadening to include potential impacts on our human experiences, not only the importance of ingredients that go...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA—Sandals Resorts International announced that the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) has awarded the Sandals Foundation with 1st place for its outstanding efforts and practices in the Social Responsibility category at the 5th Annual CHIEF Awards. The CHIEF Awards were established to recognize successful practices in the following categories: Business Operations, Environmental Sustainability, Sales & Marketing and Social Responsibility. The Sandals Foundation rose above other resorts and hotels across the Caribbean region and took the win for its Whitehouse and Bluefields Solid Waste Reduction Project in Jamaica—a year-long project dedicated to educating and providing better solid waste...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has been named a finalist for the Ethical Corporation’s 10th Responsible Business Awards 2019—the world’s leading celebration of responsible business excellence—in three categories. Shaw is among a group of companies whose efforts to lead the change, innovation and technology that drives industries forward are being recognized. Selected from among companies worldwide, Shaw is being recognized for its achievements in: Circular Innovation—The award will go out to companies that have developed innovation in a circular initiative or project that has been enabled by technology. This award will celebrate innovation which moves the company from a linear to...

With the environment constantly at the forefront of the news as we continue to strive for a healthy planet, companies are thinking toward the future, adjusting their business models and making plans for the growing need for sustainable and “green” designs and buildings. A green outlook is critical, and with easily-implemented programs and strategies, environmental responsibility can be executed. One such way that hoteliers and designers can achieve this is to create a building that earns a Leadership in Energy Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The council has set criteria to earn certification through...

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is creating a plan for systematic development of community-based tourism as a viable niche and will present the details during the upcoming Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development. The event, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (#STC2019), is scheduled for August 26 to 29, 2019 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St. Vincent and is organized by CTO in partnership with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA). At a general session titled “Community-based Tourism Driving Tourism Innovations and Experiences” scheduled 11:30 a.m. on August 27, delegates will be presented with robust market...