BOULDER, COLO.—Beginning July 6, 2019, America’s first national park is the setting for another historic innovation: the World’s First Zero Waste Adventure, created by Natural Habitat Adventures (Nat Hab). Kicking off in Bozeman, Mont. and moving through the northern region of Yellowstone National Park this first-ever waste-conscious endeavor will attempt to divert (refuse, recycle, compost, upcycle, or reuse) 99 percent or more of all waste produced as part of Nat Hab-sponsored trip operations.* Fourteen travelers will participate, guided by two naturalist Expedition Leaders. Natural Habitat Adventures, the conservation travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, designed the project in part to raise awareness of the role that plastic waste...

SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIF.—In January 2019, Green Spa Network (GSN) launched its first sustainability research survey to collect information from its members regarding their environmental efforts in their businesses. The response has been positive and since then, monthly surveys have been collected and have given GSN great insight into where its members are and how to best direct them on their sustainability journey. Conducted surveys have been geared towards gaining knowledge to increase members’ ability to successfully transform their businesses into socially and environmentally responsible organizations. A few of the findings show GSN that: 84 percent of members say consumers are...

MADRID, SPAIN—Countries around the world are integrating sustainability in their tourism policies but the evidence on the results of their implementation remains limited, research carried out for the first “Baseline Report on the Integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns into Tourism Policies” has found. The Baseline Report, prepared by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with United Nations Environment (UN Environment) and with support from the Government of France, is the first global assessment of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) factors within national tourism policies. A total of 101 UNWTO Member States participated in this groundbreaking exercise. All the...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Lumileds, a global leader in innovative lighting solutions, released its 2018 Sustainability Report, which details the company’s progress in supporting the transition to a worldwide low-carbon economy. In the report, Lumileds highlights how its lighting solutions are contributing to positive changes in energy usage, safety, and health and wellness, supporting the company’s commitment to making the world safer, better and more beautiful with light. Lumileds follows a formalized sustainability agenda that identifies specific priorities and tracks progress. For example, in its global LED and automotive lighting operations, the company recently surpassed its 2020 operational goals relative to...

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), in partnership with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA), will be providing a platform for the region to address some of the most pressing issues facing Caribbean tourism at the region’s premier conference on sustainable tourism development in August. In what will be the first international tourism conference hosted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the 2019 Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (#STC2019) is slated for August 27 to 29 at the Beachcombers Hotel in St. Vincent. Under the theme ‘Keeping the Right...

CON DAO, VIETNAM—When Travel+Leisure magazine selected Six Senses Con Dao as one of the best secret beach destinations on earth, they chose to be in good company. Not only because it is the island’s first and only high-end resort, set like a gemstone in the pristine environs of a national and marine park, it has also become the top choice of some very picky and selective turtles. In addition to the island’s scenic beauty and tranquility, guests at Six Senses Con Dao have the unique opportunity to experience the marvel of turtle hatchlings venturing down the beach into the wide...

SAN FRANCISCO—Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton’s All Suites portfolio, announced its newest property and the first open hotel built through modular construction in Bay Area history, the Home2 Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport North. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 155 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Through an efficient modular building process, the hotel will meet San Francisco’s booming tourism demand, where already-strong tourism numbers grew by 3 percent in 2018 to a record 26.3 million visitors. “Thanks to its high demand but equally high...

RED BANK, N.J.—LowTides Ocean Products introduced its eco-friendly beach chair. Lightweight, durable, and easy to fold, LowTides OP beach chairs are available in eight stylish designs for adults and four fun ones for kids. The Kickstarter campaign, which launches with a funding goal of $30,000, features limited Early Bird Specials of $49 (kids chairs) and $69 (adult chairs), as well as several other rewards for backers. LowTides OP beach chairs incorporate 2.5lbs of upcycled ocean bound plastic from at risk coastal areas in the products design. Ocean bound plastic is different from other recycled plastic. LowTides OP’s supply chain sources single...

PARIS—To celebrate Pollinator Month, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a pioneer of responsible tourism and sound environmental practices, has announced the next evolution of its Bee Sustainable programming with the launch of a new interactive digital hub, fairmontbeesustainable.com. The new platform was created to help educate guests and Fairmont colleagues about the importance of global bee health and to encourage visitors to follow along through in-depth analysis, real time hive monitoring and the latest updates from its rooftop apiaries and bee hotels. “As the first luxury hotel brand to develop comprehensive on-site bee programming, Fairmont is an industry leader in the support...

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN—As the climate issue heats up, consumers are becoming more conscious of their impact on the environment. “Flygskam”, or “flight shame” is a word that has received extensive media coverage recently, reflecting the increasing awareness of flying’s environmental consequences. Now, researchers from Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology present a tool that allows consumers to evaluate the outcome of their different travel options. The new websiteTravel & Climate—gives an instant and simple calculation of the emissions from different modes of travel for a given journey. For example, for two people traveling from London to Barcelona, the tool gives a calculation of...